226 Turkish Baby Girl Names With Meanings

turkish-baby-girl-names-with-meanings

Naming children holds immense historical and cultural significance in Turkey. Since various civilizations ruled the place in the ancient and medieval periods, they have left a lasting mark on how Turkish girl names have evolved. In this part of the world, naming customs have grown over time, showcasing the rich heritage and historical influences.

This land of Ottomans has a rich and wide-ranging naming tradition. It was first influenced by the Anatolians way back in the Bronze Age. Traditional girl names in Turkey have deep symbolism. They emphasize beauty, spirituality, and virtues. For example, a beautiful girl name Ayse implies 'she who is alive,' while Zeynep means 'precious.' Yet another exquisite girl's name Nazli means 'delicate.' These names have captured the imagination of most parents.

Turkish personal names usually have their origins in the Arabic language. This is followed by Turkish and Persian. Among females, foreign-origin names like Olga and Khaled, pastoral names like Yagmur, meaning rain, and Deniz meaning sea, and names inspired by fruits and plants like Filiz and Menekse are quite popular (1).

A distinct element of Turkish naming customs is the honorific titles, which highlight their good social standing and respect in Turkish society. For example, some common titles for girls are Hanim, which means lady, and Hanife (2).

Islam's presence in Turkey has always been consistent (3). So, it is common to find many Islamic-origin names for girls. Such names often symbolize the daughter of the prophet Muhammad, Fatima or Aisha, the prophet's wife. They bring to the fore the religious heritage of the land. Turkish girl names thus depict an amalgamation of historical and traditional influences inspired by various cultures and carrying profound meanings. Although modern naming trends are starting to take root here, traditional naming practice is still a big part of society.

NameGenderMeaning
heart image Azra Baby Girl Sign Girl The one who is a virgin
heart image Defne Baby Girl Sign Girl A laurel tree; Tall and majestic
heart image Ecrin Baby Girl Sign Girl Reward; Gift of God
heart image Elif Baby Girl Sign Girl One with a slender body; Original
heart image Hiranur Baby Girl Sign Girl Light of the diamond
heart image Miray Baby Girl Sign Girl Glowing like a moon
heart image Nehir Baby Girl Sign Girl River
heart image Zehra Baby Girl Sign Girl Bright, luminous
heart image Zeynep Baby Girl Sign Girl Precious gem
heart image Adalaya Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Graceful; Noble; Strong
heart image Adalya Unisex Baby Sign Unisex God is my refuge
heart image Adlin Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Just; Fair
heart image Aergul Baby Girl Sign Girl The bunch of blooming roses
heart image Afet Baby Girl Sign Girl A woman of bewitching beauty; Attractive; Lovable
heart image Ahu Baby Girl Sign Girl Bright and beautiful
heart image Aishan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Loving; Life-giving
heart image Aiyla Baby Girl Sign Girl Moonlight; Moon halo; Strong fighter; Beautiful girl
heart image Akara Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Chief deity; One who loves change and challenges
heart image Akasma Baby Girl Sign Girl White climbing rose
heart image Akay Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Near a full moon; Illuminating light of full moon; Full moon
heart image Alany Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Strong; Noble
heart image Alanya Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Bright; Beautiful; Captivating
heart image Alara Baby Girl Sign Girl Mythological Aquatic Fairy; One who makes things beautiful; Water fairy
heart image Alev Baby Girl Sign Girl Flame; Brightness; Light
heart image Antalya Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Attic; Place where Attalus lives
heart image Arat Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Holy; Clean; Pure
heart image Aray Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Graceful; Radiant; Divine
heart image Asena Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Strength; Royalty; Wolf
heart image Asli Baby Girl Sign Girl Someone who is genuine and real
heart image Aslihan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Noble, genuine, leader
heart image Atiye Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Gift of God
heart image Ayce Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Ambitious; Intelligent; Charismatic
heart image Ayen Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Eye; To see
heart image Aykiz Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Noble, resolute, determined
heart image Ayla Baby Girl Sign Girl Oak treea; Halo
heart image Aylani Unisex Baby Sign Unisex High chief; Heavenly rise
heart image Ayleen Baby Girl Sign Girl Bright; Shining light
heart image Ayli Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Ascending; Rising
heart image Aylin Baby Girl Sign Girl Moon halo; The one that belongs to the moon
heart image Ayline Baby Girl Sign Girl Halo of moonlight
heart image Aymelek Baby Girl Sign Girl Moon angel
heart image Aynur Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Enlightened; Bright light
heart image Ayperi Baby Girl Sign Girl Moon fairy
heart image Aysenur Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Clear moonlight
heart image Aysu Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Beautiful moon
heart image Aysun Baby Girl Sign Girl A person whose face is as beautiful as moon; As Beautiful as the Moon
heart image Ayten Baby Girl Sign Girl Skin shiny like a Moon; Friend of people
heart image Ayvah Baby Girl Sign Girl Voice; Sound
heart image Ayvan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Strong; Powerful
heart image Ayzel Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Unique; Exotic
heart image Azani Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Youth
heart image Banou Baby Girl Sign Girl Female; Lady; Princess
heart image Berfin Baby Girl Sign Girl Snow
heart image Bey Unisex Baby Sign Unisex A Turkish title for chieftains
heart image Beyza Baby Girl Sign Girl White; Pure
heart image Bilge Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Wisdom; knowledge; intelligence; depth
heart image Bugra Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Strength and leadership
heart image Burcu Baby Girl Sign Girl Sweet-smelling woman
heart image Buse Baby Girl Sign Girl Hawk; Falcon
heart image Caria Baby Girl Sign Girl She who flows like water
heart image Caylan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Slender
heart image Cemre Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Fire, spark
heart image Ceyda Baby Girl Sign Girl A beautiful woman
heart image Ceylan Baby Girl Sign Girl An Antelope
heart image Cihan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex The universe; The world
heart image Damla Baby Girl Sign Girl A drop
heart image Deniz Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Sea of happiness
heart image Derin Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Deep, profound, insightful
heart image Derya Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Sea or ocean
heart image Devran Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Fate, Destiny; Fortune
heart image Dicle Baby Girl Sign Girl A wonderful river; life providing
heart image Dilek Baby Girl Sign Girl Wish; Desire
heart image Doga Baby Girl Sign Girl Nature; In love with nature and God
heart image Ece Baby Girl Sign Girl A popular person like a beautiful queen; An attractive one
heart image Ekim Unisex Baby Sign Unisex October
heart image Ekin Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Strong, brave, independence
heart image Elaida Baby Girl Sign Girl Noble; Graceful; Extraordinary
heart image Elanur Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Bright light; Sunshine
heart image Elhan Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Beautiful; Handsome; With good looks
heart image Elnara Baby Girl Sign Girl People; Country; Nation
heart image Elvan Baby Girl Sign Girl Colours
heart image Emel Baby Girl Sign Girl Desire
heart image Emine Baby Girl Sign Girl One who is fearless and courageous.
heart image Emira Baby Girl Sign Girl Someone who is worhty or merit; A princess
heart image Emiri Baby Girl Sign Girl One who tries to excel; A royal person
heart image Emrey Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Commander; Ruler; Ambitious
heart image Emri Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Eloquent; Talkative
heart image Enfleda Baby Girl Sign Girl The mother of a great saint
heart image Erdem Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Virtuous, honorable, trustworthy
heart image Erdi Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Brave and righteous
heart image Erim Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Man
heart image Esana Baby Girl Sign Girl To safeguard
heart image Esila Unisex Baby Sign Unisex The one who is created; Newly born
heart image Esmeray Baby Girl Sign Girl Dark moon
heart image Esra Baby Girl Sign Girl Travel at night
heart image Evren Unisex Baby Sign Unisex Universe; Cosmos
heart image Feray Baby Girl Sign Girl The Moon's radiance
heart image Feride Baby Girl Sign Girl Beautiful, beloved
heart image Filiz Baby Girl Sign Girl To spring up and develop
heart image Funda Baby Girl Sign Girl The general condition of the body and mind
1 2 3

Turkey has a rich and divine history that has flowed into its diverse and unique baby names. From the pure Azra to the special Zel, these names cover a wide range of meanings and convey divine and empowering messages. Some of the most commonly used names may be based on nature, while others describe characteristics like beauty and personality. With this list of Turkish girl names, you now have a beautiful collection of enchanting and spiritual names for your princess.

Infographic: Cute Turkish Baby Girl Names

Turkish baby girl names have a variety of influences from the times of the Anatolian and Ottoman empires. These multiple influences reflect in the baby names and combine to form beautiful names for your little one. If you want to explore some popular Turkish baby girl names, this infographic will guide you.

turkish baby girl names(infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the significance of baby names in Turkish culture?

In Turkish culture, the act of naming a child was a reflection of the family's values. In addition to bestowing an Islamic name upon the baby, it was common for families to name their child after an esteemed family elder. Furthermore, it was widely practiced to give the child a name that represented the local and ethnic cultures or a name associated with a revered person or place in society. Also, names indicating the time of the child's birth were prevalent (4).

2. Are any traditional or historical Turkish baby girl names still popular today?

Several traditional and historical Turkish baby girl names are still popular today. Some examples include Aergul, meaning 'a bunch of blooming roses,' Aylin, meaning 'moon halo,' Beyza, meaning 'white' or 'fair,' Eylül, representing 'September,' and Zeynep, meaning 'precious gem.' These names are unique, pretty, and have cultural significance in Turkey.

3. Are there any Turkish baby girl names that have religious or spiritual meanings?

Within Turkish baby girl names, there are meaningful options for those seeking religious or spiritual connections. Vesile signifies being 'close to God,' Sibeli represents a 'prophetess' or 'oracle,' Irmak indicates 'from the river,' symbolizing birth and life, Kadri denotes 'pure,' and Zeynep means 'precious gem' believed to possess healing properties.

4. What are some popular modern Turkish baby girl names?

Some popular modern Turkish baby girl names include Azra, which is a feminine version of the Arabic name Isra, meaning 'night journey,' Bahar, meaning 'season of spring,' and Gamze, meaning 'the dimple on the cheek when a person smiles.' These names are modern and cute and reflect Turkish and Arabic influences.

5. Do Turkish baby girl names have any gender-specific meanings or connotations?

Turkish baby girl names often have gender-specific meanings and feminine connotations. For example, Burcu means 'scent' or 'fragrance,' Cemre signifies the end of winter and means 'burning ember,' Damla means 'drop of water' or 'dewdrop,' Dilara means 'beloved,' and Işıl has various meanings such as 'ablaze,' 'sparkling,' 'brilliant,' and 'bright.'

6. What are some Turkish baby girl names inspired by nature or the environment?

There are several Turkish baby girl names inspired by nature or the environment. Bahar means 'the season of spring,' Basak translates to 'ear of wheat,' and Çağla represents 'flowing water, timeless or filled with life and energy.'

7. How do Turkish baby girl names vary by region or geographic location?

Turkish baby girl names differ across regions due to various factors. Eastern provinces commonly use names like Bayram, Bahar, Bulut, and Kurban, while Western provinces prefer 'modern' names like Aytun, Belda, and Kayla. Specific names associated with the East include Amed, Azad, Baran, Havin, and Helin. Religious families often have an imam read the baby's name to promote Islamic values and societal goodness.

8. Are there any traditional ceremonies or customs associated with naming a baby girl in Turkey?

In Turkey, the arrival of a newborn girl was joyously marked by diverse traditions and rituals. Following the birth, the baby was purified with salt, while customs like burying the umbilical cord and sharing sweets were observed. The naming ceremony included reciting the adhan [call to prayer] in the baby's ears and selecting a name encompassing family values, and embracing local or ethnic heritage (4).

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Personal Names in Modern Turkey;
    https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.00049
  2. A Guide To Names and Naming Practices;
    https://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf
  3. Islam – The Straight Path: Islam Interpreted by Muslims;
    https://www.religion-online.org/book-chapter/chapter-7-islamic-culture-in-turkish-areas-by-hasan-basri-antay/
  4. BIRTH RITUALS IN ISTANBUL DURING THE OTTOMAN PERIOD
    https://istanbultarihi.ist/501-birth-rituals-in-istanbul-during-the-ottoman-period
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