The Kavir desert is called Dasht-e Kavir (دشت كوير) in Persian, which translates as 'low plains'. In Persian khwar means 'low' and dasht means 'plain'. It is also known as Kavir-e Namak, or the Great Salt Desert.

The Kavir Desert covers 77,600 km² (30,000 sq mi) of the Iranian Plateau. The desert is bounded by the Alborz mountain range in the northwest and the Dasht-e Lut in the southeast.

The western part of the desert is protected as the Kavir National Park.