380 Turkish Baby Names From Turkey

Turkish names have European and Asian influences, quite like we see in the culture and architecture of the country. The Turkish language is a part of the Altaic language family and comprises three groups that include Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic. Across the vast territories that span from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, over 30 different languages are spoken. With time, the Turkish language was influenced by other languages like Arabic, Persian, and French. Despite its unsuitability as being part of a different language family, the Arabic script was adopted for writing. Every Turkish child is given one or in some cases, two first names. Most of the names are gender specific, but if parents want, they can select a unisex name as well. The Turkish naming format closely resembles the Western naming system, where the first name is followed by the family name or surname (1). The first names are often made up of Turkish words that hold specific meanings. With the introduction of the Surname Law in 1934, all the citizens of Turkey were required to adopt an official surname. Married women can carry both their maiden and their spouse’s surname. In earlier times, most Turkish names were patronymics, which means that the baby was given the first name or forename of the father. Turkish people used the Arabic words ‘bin’, which means ‘son of’ or ‘bint’, which means ‘daughter of’ with the given names. For instance, if a child was named Ahmed and his father’s name was Mohammed, he would be called Ahmed bin Mohammed. It is also a common practice in Turkey for people to be addressed by their first name followed by ‘bey’ for men and ‘hanim’ for women respectively (1). In this post, we bring you a collection of Turkish baby names with meanings. In order to make your search a bit simpler, we’ve classified the name according to their gender.

Name		Gender	Meaning
Ayla		Girl	Oak treea; Halo
Aylin		Girl	Moon halo; The one that belongs to the moon
Yusuf		Boy	God increases in piety, power, and influence
Emir		Boy	A prince or a commander or a general of the army
Mustafa		Boy	Chosen; Appointed; Preferred
Aydin		Boy	One who is enlightened
Ayleen		Girl	Bright; Shining light
Eren		Boy	A Turkish word meaning saint
Aylani		Unisex	High chief; Heavenly rise
Ender		Boy	Brave; Manly; Wood clearing
Demir		Boy	One who is made of iron
Alara		Girl	Mythological Aquatic Fairy; One who makes things beautiful; Water fairy
Aslan		Boy	Lion
Ayce		Unisex	Ambitious; Intelligent; Charismatic
Yerik		Boy	Strong ruler; Appointed by God
Ayvah		Girl	Voice; Sound
Elif		Girl	One with a slender body; Original
Muhammed		Boy	Praised; Praiseworthy; Commendable
Zeynep		Girl	Precious gem
Aiyla		Girl	Moonlight; Moon halo; Strong fighter; Beautiful girl
Yusef		Boy	He will add
Omer		Boy	Populous; Flourishing
Azra		Girl	The one who is a virgin
Ayzel		Unisex	Unique; Exotic
Emry		Boy	An older brother or a loving friend
Edric		Boy	Wealthy ruler
Esmeray		Girl	Dark moon
Alany		Unisex	Strong; Noble
Esra		Girl	Travel at night
Emin		Boy	Someone who is trustworthy or confident
Emre		Boy	A friend who is loving or an older brother
Emri		Unisex	Eloquent; Talkative
Ayaz		Boy	Cool night breeze; a royal breeze
Alp		Boy	Hero; Brave
Kaan		Boy	Kings of kings; Ruler
Kaynan		Unisex	Strong; Wise; Leader
Kemani		Unisex	Player of a kemence, a stringed musical instrument
Orhan		Boy	Meek in spirit and manner
Mehmet		Boy	Praise
Ozlem		Unisex	Desire or longing
Emira		Girl	Someone who is worhty or merit; A princess
Suleyman		Boy	He who is a man of peace
Azani		Unisex	Youth
Ozan		Boy	A bard; a storyteller and a composer
Haset		Unisex	Joy; Delight; Happiness
Evren		Unisex	Universe; Cosmos
Ahmet		Boy	One who is highly or greatly praised; To commend
Heran		Unisex	Beautiful; Pleasant; Good
Can		Boy	One who is full of spirit, life and heart
Defne		Girl	A laurel tree; Tall and majestic
Zekai		Unisex	Pure or clear-minded
Erdem		Unisex	Virtuous, honorable, trustworthy
Selin		Unisex	Moonlight or luminous
Mert		Boy	Manly or man
Miray		Girl	Glowing like a moon
Zehra		Girl	Bright, luminous
Adalaya		Unisex	Graceful; Noble; Strong
Efe		Boy	Older brother; One with massive strength and love
Murat		Boy	A wish come true
Ata		Boy	Gift; One of the twins; Ancestor; Predecessor
Mavi		Unisex	Blue
Alihan		Boy	Noble, exalted leader
Ayhan		Boy	Gift from God
Altan		Boy	Golden; Red Dawn
Samiel		Unisex	Blind devotion
Burak		Boy	To be strong and fast as a lightning bolt
Candon		Boy	A sincere and honest man
Truong		Boy	College; Meadow
Asli		Girl	Someone who is genuine and real
Ayline		Girl	Halo of moonlight
Ajdin		Boy	He who is bright, happy and lucky
Hakan		Boy	Emperor; Ruler; Fire; High-born
Levent		Unisex	Energetic or proactive person
Makel		Unisex	Who is like God
Turhan		Unisex	Strong ruler; Leader
Afshin		Boy	Derived name from the princely title of rulers of Osrusana
Ediz		Boy	Of high position; they have a lavish lifestyle
Enver		Boy	Bright
Koray		Boy	moonlight or moon's grace
Ekin		Unisex	Strong, brave, independence
Emrey		Unisex	Commander; Ruler; Ambitious
Serkan		Unisex	Strength; courageous; leader
Agha		Boy	A noble person who is honored for his efficiency, intelligence, and great positive leadership qualities
Asena		Unisex	Strength; Royalty; Wolf
Ayen		Unisex	Eye; To see
Alper		Boy	Heroic; Brave warrior
Ensar		Boy	Helpers
Esmail		Boy	Name of one of the prophets mentioned in the Quran
Doruk		Boy	Top of the mountain
Ipek		Unisex	Silk or velvety soft
Ilkay		Unisex	Peaceful, noble, inspiring
Kasan		Unisex	Bold; Daring
Emiri		Girl	One who tries to excel; A royal person
Ayli		Unisex	Ascending; Rising
Noyan		Unisex	Brave leader or warrior
Halime		Girl	Gentle; Mild
Derin		Unisex	Deep, profound, insightful
Turk		Unisex	Turkish; Turkic
Ilayda		Unisex	Princess of the sea
Ayvan		Unisex	Strong; Powerful

Infographic: Captivating Turkish Baby Names With Meanings

Turkish baby names originate from the Turkish language but also show the influence of European and Asian languages. These names are intertwined with tradition, history, and diversity, making them truly distinctive in their own way. Dive into the charm of Turkish baby names in this infographic and find the one that suits your baby best.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team