Jaan Puhvel (born 24 January 1932, Tallinn) is an Estonian-American Indo-Europeanist. As a student of Georges Dumezil, he also specializes in comparative mythology.
He is known for his Hittite Etymological Dictionary. Currently (as of 2014), the dictionary has progressed to words beginning with PE, PI, PU, in nine volumes. Since volume 5 (2001), the project complements the Chicago Hittite Dictionary, which began with letter L in 1980, and which has covered L, M, N, P, S. Letters still missing between the two projects are thus R, T and Z (see Hittite cuneiform). Puhvel has been characterized as one of the world's most notable Hittitologists.
Jaan Puhvel took part in the editing process of Gilgamesh when its translation into Estonian was prepared [1]. Martin Puhvel is his brother.