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The Plain English Dictionary
of Turkish First Names,
Personal Names, Given Names for Females


The Plain English Dictionary
of Turkish 'First Names' for Females

If you've got a specific Female 'First Name' that
you'd like us to research for you, please drop us a line at:
LPT's Turkish 'First Names' mailbox.
We'll make every effort to include it in the chart below.

CD Owners enjoy complete and direct links throughout the entire
Turkish First Names dictionary.
Site visitors may browse this Female Names page freely.
Turkish Female 'Given Name'
Plain English Meaning
Informational Tidbits
A   
Abbase

  1. (sb) whose eyebrows touch each other
  2. beetle-browed, frowning
  3. (sb) who has the face of a lion
See the male name Abbas.
Abide

  1. a monument
  2. a valuable work of art
 
Açelya

  • beautiful, scentless
  • azalea (the flowering bush)
  •  
    Acılay

    shining like a full moon 
    Adalet

    1. justice
    2. equity
    Found in proverbs:
    Geç kalmış adalet adaletsizliktir. Justice that comes late is injustice.
    Alev

    See the male name Alev. 
    Arzu
  • (a) wish, (a) desire, (a) yearning, (a) longing.
  • (an) aspiration, (an) ardent desire.

  • (an)inclination, (an)appetite.
  • (a) request
  • The heroine in the romantic Turkish folktale 'Arzu ile Kamber' is named Arzu.
    Banu Alkan stars in
    Arzu (Desire)

    Movie Poster -- Banu Alkan is Arzu (Desire), 1985
    Click to
    Turkish Movies Catalog

    Turkish Proverb: Arzudan umut kesilmez. Lit. Hope is not diminished by desire. Fig. Never abandon your desires... If you do so, you'll regret it.
    Aslı

  • a homeland
  • place of origin
  • someone who is the 'salt of the earth'
  • It's one of the oldest of female names to appear in Turkish folk literature -- though it's not originally Turkish. It was the name of the beloved of Kerem İsfahan (the son of a Turkish Shah) -- in the tragic Turkish folktale Kerem ile Aslı (Kerem and Asli).
    Asya

    Asiathe world's largest continent
    Ayhan

    See the male name, Ayhan. 
    Aynur
    (Turkish root)
  • moonlight, moonbeam, bright like the moon
  • brightly shining; gleaming, glittering, glistening; sparkling
  • spick-and-span, spotlessly clean and shining; smooth, clean, and shining

  • Aysun
  • statuesque, graceful looking, well proportioned
  • as shiny and beautiful as the moon
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Aysun Kayacı


    Former Football fan...

    Aytaç
    ...is also a male name.
    (Turkish root)
    a moon-shaped crown  
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as: Armağan, Asana/Asena, Aslı, Aylin, Ayşe, Ayten --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    B  
    Bacı

    1. older sister
    2. the sheik's wife, the dervish's wife
     
    Bade

    1. wine
    2. a Persian alcoholic drink
    3. love, holy love
     
    Badegül

    rose-colored alcoholic drink 
    Bağdagül

    a rose whose value can't be measured 
    Bağdat

    capital city of Iraq 
    Bahar

    1. spring, springtime
    2. flowers, blossoms
    3. young, youthful, youthful period of life
    4. seasoning, spice
     
    Bahtiyar/Bahtiyare

    See the male name Bahtiyar. 
    Banu

    (Persian root)
  • woman, housewife
  • there's more on our CD...
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Banu Alkan

    Turkish Suzanne Somers?
    Banu Alkan is 'Desire' personified... in the Turkish movie by the same name.
    Barış See the male name Barış. 
    Başak See the male name Başak. 
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as:
    Beril, Berin, Berna, Beyaz, Bilge, Bilgi, Birsen --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    C  
    Can

    See male name Can. 
    Ceyda
    Sometimes seen as Ceydan
    (Arabic Root)
  • A person who is good, useful, and (any one of the following -- a. beneficial. b. dutiful, caring. c. auspicious, favorable)
  • Someone tall and beautiful
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Ceyda Düvenci

    Famous Turk Series... Ceyda Duvenci -- Film and TV actress of the 1990s and 2000s
    Click for enlargement!

    Film and TV actress of the 1990s and 2000s

    Ceylan
  • gazelle (the fast, graceful, thin-legged animal with beautiful eyes)
  • one who has beautiful eyes
  • Found in idioms:
  • ceylan gözlü; having beautiful eyes
  • ceylan bakışlı; having alluring eyes
    Turkish Who's Who:
    Ceylan


    (in 1984 - in 2005)

  • Cezmiye
    (Arabic root)
    DecisiveMale equivalent (with expanded explanation) at: Cezmi
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as: Canan, Cemile --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Ç  
    Çağdaş


    Çağdaş is also a male name.
    (Turkish root)
  • (one who is) modern
  • (one who is) contemporary, contemporaneous
  •  
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    D  
    Demet

  • bunch, bouquet (of flowers)
  • bunch (of greens)
  • a direct ray of light emanating from a source
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Demet Şener


    Starkers!

     
    Derya

    Derya is more often a male name.
    (Persian root)
    See the male name entry. Turkish Who's Who:
    Derya Tuna -- Arabesque singer (female)... İbrahim Tatlıses's former lover was shot in the thigh by a Tatlıses fan, who thought her on-stage costume too risqué.

    Derya Tuna,
    in the dress that got her shot!


    Click for enlargement!

    Derya Sonay --
    popular transsexual erotik movie star during the Seks Furyası Era of the Turkish Cinema.


    Click for Derya Sonay's
    Turkish Cinema catalog-entry.

    In idioms:
    deryadan bir katre -- a (very) small piece of a (much) larger whole
    In proverbs:
    Aşığın sevdadan geçirmeye say, deryayı kurutmaya say gibidir -- Trying to make a lover get over melancholy is like trying to dry up the ocean.

    Find more interesting background about 'Derya' on the male names page.
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, like:
    Damla, Defne, Deniz, Devlet, etc. --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    E  
    Ebru
    (Persian root)
  • an (eye)brow
  • a blending together of different colors (on paper or fabric)
  • marbling, marbleization (of paper)
  • marbled (paper), of different colors
  • watering (of fabrics)
  •  
    Ece

  • Queen
  • Minister
  • great, august, exalted, peerless
  • large and imposing, noble, majestic
  • mother
  • old woman
  • This name is only used for women nowadays, but one noteworthy Ece was a man -- a great Turkish commander of the 14 C.

    Ece Görsel and Hıncal Uluç
    Is it a May-December romance or
    just plain embarrassing?


    Left click for image enlargement
    and legibility.
    Elif
    Elif is also a male name.
    (Arabic root)
  • Alef -- the first letter of the Arabic alphabet
  • we became accustomed to, something very familiar
  • customary
  • figurative meaning -- straight and true (and tall), resembling the shape of the Alef
  • a tall, thin girl
  • Found in idioms:
  • Elifi görse mertek/direk sanır.
    If he/she sees 'Alef' he/she thinks it's a wooden beam/post. (ie.He/she is illiterate.)
  • Esma


    (Arabic root)
  • a 'person'
  • a 'named person'
  • In Ottoman history: Esma Sultan was the sister of Sultan Mahmud II. It's said that she was very clever and wise.
    Esra

    quick, the fastest 
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as: Emine, Esen, Esengül -- along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    F   
    Fatima/Fatma
    Usual nickname is: Fatoş.



    (Arabic root)
  • created far away from hell
  • separated from milk
  • the name of a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad
  • Turkish Who's Who: Fatma Girik -- a film star of old, Fatma is now (in 2005) playing a country ağa in the popular TV series 'Gurbet Kadını'.

    Fatma Girik
    -- then (1966) and now (2005) --


    Click to
    Fatma Girik
    in the Turkish Movies Catalog.
    Fikret

    See the male name Fikret. 
    Funda


    (Turkish root)
    (any of the many varieties of) heath 
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    G   
    Gülçin
    (Turkish root)
    one who gathers roses...is exclusively a female name.
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as Garibe, Görkçe, Gülben
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    H   
    Halile

    See the male counterpart name, Halil. 
    Hilmiye See the male counterpart name, Hilmi. 
    Hülya

    1) a pleasant or sweet thought
    2) a vision, fantasy, dream
    Turkish Who's Who:
    There's only one Hülya Avşar !


    Hülya Avşar
    -- then (1985) and now (2005) --


    Left click for image enlargement.
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as Habibe, Hadice/Hatice, Hande --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    I   
    Itır
    Also see the male counterpart name, Itri.
  • A beautiful, pleasant smell
  • the pleasant smelling herbal leaves of the geranium
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Itır Esen


    (1977-2005)

    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as: Irmak, Işık -- along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    İ   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    J   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    K   
    Karaca
    (Turkish root)
  • dark, swarthy (person)
  • darkskinned; brunette
  • brunette color, dark brown to black
  • of the deer species, a type of beautiful wild goat
  • (a) wild grass; herb
  • Karaca Kaan
    was a popular
    conventional and erotik
    Turkish Film-star

    Karaca Kaan played Hadi Çaman's wife in 'Fırçana Bayıldım Boyacı' aka 'Erkeklik Öldü Mü Abiler', 1978
    Click to learn
    more about her in
    the Turkish Movies Catalog.
    Kezban
    (Turkish root)
    Originally Kedbanu
    (Persian root)
  • woman majordomo, woman butler
  • liar
  • imitation; artificial; false
  • connected to home and husband
  • one who manages a place
  • Turkish Who's Who:
    Kezban Hatemi


    Myopic Jurist

    See fuller treatment at:
    Turkish Personal Names, Baby Names, etc.
    Kübra


    (Arabic root)
  • the biggest, the grandest, the most august, the most majestic
  • the most imposing, the most impressive
  • pompous, high-and-mighty
  • (overly) proud, conceited
  • In İslam, the (mythical) Mahkeme-i Kübra is a high court in 'the other world' that makes pronouncements and decisions about religious texts.
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as: Kıbrıs --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    L   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    M  
    Maral
  • female deer
  • roe deer
  • gazelle
  • Turkish quotation: Aman avcı vurma beni! Ben bu dağların aman maraliyam [sic]. Oh my! Don't shoot me, hunter. I belong to these mountains.
    Also see Meral, below.
    Melek
    (Arabic root)
  • an angel
  • someone with a beautiful face
  • someone with a beautiful temperment
  • Melek Görgün
    was a popular
    conventional and erotik
    Turkish Film-star

    Melek Görgün movie photo from 'Fırçana Bayıldım Boyacı' aka 'Erkeklik Öldü Mü Abiler', 1978
    Click to learn
    more about her.
    Meral
  • female deer
  • roe deer
  • gazelle
  • Also see Maral, above.
    Merve a mountain in/near Mecca 
    Mihri
    Also used as a male name.
    (Persian root).
  • the Sun
  • love
  • the month of September
  •  
    Mihrimah the Sun and the MoonSuleyman the Magnificent's only surviving daughter was named Mihrimah.
    Mihrişah the Sun of Sultans 
    Müjde
  • good news, joyful tidings
  • delightful news, glad tidings
  • beneficial, favorable news
  • Colloquially:
    Müjde! or Müjde Olsun!

    I've got good news!
    müjde vermek; to give (someone) a piece of good news
    Müjde Ar --
    popular Turkish actress
    Müjde Ar (Mujde Ar), Film and TV Actress
    Click for lot's more about Müjde Ar...
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as:
    Mediha, Meltem --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    N   
    Nehir river
    Turkish Who's Who:
    Nehir Erdoğan


    Wants to be a star...

    Nevzad/Nevzat

    See the male name, Nevzad/Nevzat. 
    Nihat

    See the male name, Nihat. 
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as:
    Nesrin, Nihal --
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    O   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Ö   
    Özlem

    (husband)

    (wife)
    (Turkish root)
  • a wish to be reunited
  • seeing (sb) once again; afresh
  • a longing
  • a desire for sth lofty
  • a predilection, penchant (or fondness, liking, tendency or inclination, bent) for sth noble
  •  
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    P  
    Perihan

    1. Fairy Queen
    2. Queen of the Fairy Angels
    3. one who summons fairies
    ...is the name of the female member
    of your WebMaster team.
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    R  
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    S   
    Safiye

    Also see
    male counterpart names.


    (Arabic root)
  • pure, unadulterated
  • unmixed
  • inseparable
  • distinguished
  • (bread) eaten by itself
  • There was once a lovely Safiye Sultan in the Ottoman Court. And a namesake idiomatic-phrase exists -- Safiye geldi, kafiye gitti (Safiye came and the rhyme left) -- though we're not certain of its meaning.
    Saliha
    (Arabic root)
    See meanings at Salih, the male equivalent. 
    Seda
  • echo
  • voice sound
  • Seda Sayan -- argueably Turkey's
    most popular all-round entertainer
    Turkish Time Tunnel
    1985 and 2005

    Seda Sayan... argueably Turkey's most popular all around entertainer -- Turkish Time Tunnel, 1985 and 2005
    Click to
    Seda Sayan
    in the Turkish Movies Catalog!
    Semra


    (Arabic root)
    darkskinned, swarthy; brunette 
    Sermin
  • someone who (or, something that) has matured (or, is mature)
  • someone who has earned the right to take control (or, to be in charge/power)
  • ...is exclusively a female name.
    Sertab/Sertap
  • stubborn
  • sb who is resistant, in opposition
  • Turkish Who's Who: Sertab Erener -- performed the winning Turkish entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004.
    Sevil

    (Turkish root)

  • someone who is always loved/liked
  • someone who is to be caressed/fondled
  • ...is exclusively a female name.
    Seza, Sezai, Sezal,
    Sezan, Sezay


    (Turkish root)
  • one who is appropriate, suitable, seemly
  • one who is well-proportioned
  • one who is intuitive (esp. Sezal)
  •  
    Sezen

  • one who feels deeply
  • one who is sensitive
  •  
    Sibel
  • (a portion of) grain
  • a drop of rain that hasn't yet reached the ground
  • Turkish Who's Who: Sibel Kekilli -- porn queen, turned 'legitimate' actress
    Suat
    (Arabic root)
    Is both a male and a female Turkish name. See the male name for meaning.. 
    Suzan
    Exclusively a female name.
    (Persian root)
  • fiery
  • vivacious, fervent
  • feverish, having a fever
  • excited, ebullient, enthusiastic, exuberant
  • exciting, thrilling
  • a person on fire
  • burning, (something) that produces a burning effect
  • (voice/song) that kindles an intense feeling of sadness/melancholy in the listener
  • Suzan Avcı
    often played a wanton woman
    during her 50 year career
    in Turkish Movies.

    Suzan Avcı was 'born to be bad' -- in Turkish movies of the 1960s and 1970s.
    Click!
    Additional Turkish Given-Names, such as:
    Saime, Selma, Süreyya -- along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Ş   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    T   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    U   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Ü   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    V   
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Y   
    Yeşim

    jade...is the name of your WebMasters' daughter (who is a frequent voice-recording contributor to LPT -- as well as the mother of our first grandson, Can Büyükburç).
    Additional Turkish Given-Names,
    along with their plain-English meanings, etc.
    are available on CD.
      
    Z   
    Zeynep
    or rarely,
    Zeyneb


    (Arabic root)
    valuable stones, pieces of jewelryAccording to Arabic history, the original Zeynep (Zebbo) became ruler of the state of Tedmür when Üzyne died in the year 266. With permission of the Romans she expanded her borders, into Egypt. But afterwards, when the Romans turned against her, she was defeated. As a slave in Rome, she is said to have amazed everyone with her beauty and intelligence.
    Turkish Who's Who: Zeynep Merkit
    Other Related Pages:
  • The Turkish Kinsey Report
  • The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey
  • Turkish Culture -- Two Turkish traditions we especially like
  • Turkish Culture -- 4 things you shouldn't do in Turkey
  • Turkish Superstitions
  • Gossipy Turkish Who's Who
  • The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey
  • Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey
  • Turkish Circumcision Ceremonies

  • Also:
  • Whole Earth Catalog of Turkish Movies
  • Best and Worst Turkish Movies - with a religious theme
  • Sultry Aynur Aydan - The Woman Who Brought Down The Minister
  • Newsreaders Encyclopedic Dictionary, Index
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  • llustrated Nargile Users Guide -- and Encyclopedia
  • Our Honda Generator -- A Member of the Family
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  • Mature Dutch Bride in Turkey
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  • Sneeeezing in Turkish
  • Turkish Terms Of Endearment
  • Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor
  • Why Off-Color Turkish is important too
  • Turkish Movies Catalog - Index
  • Translating Danielle Steele
  • Novelty Turkish Wedding Invitations
  • Learn Turkish language

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    Metin Celal142 and Kemal Zeki Gençosman143 --
    to whom this page is heavily indebted...

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