Turkish baby names often have very distinct meanings. Giving your child a Turkish baby name makes a lot of sense if you are from Turkey, but other countries have adopted Turkish names as well. Now it's common to find Turkish names regularly bestowed upon children born in other Mediterranean countries, such as Italy, Spain, Portugal or Greece.
The most common Turkish baby names all have elaborate meanings behind them. A unisex Turkish name is Deniz, drawn from the older ruler mentioned in Turkish legend. One of the sons was named Deniz-Han, a name meaning "sea". It is often considered the root of the name Dennis for a boy, and Denise for a girl.
The lovely name of Ayla means "circle of light around the sun" or "halo". It is also translated from the Hebrew to mean "moonlight". The name Dilara comes from a combination of two words: The Persian word dil, meaning "of the heart" and the Turkish word dilek, which means "desire". The proper meaning of the name is "she who desires the heart" or "her desires of the heart".
The name Eda is a bit more complicated. It means "good behavior or manner". However, when expanded to Edila, it can also mean a woman who is a bit "arrogant toward men" and has many "twists and turns". Eda harkens back to the name of a goddess of Nordic mythology, a woman who was the guardian of both time and worldly goods.
Jasmine is a Turkish name for a girl that has found its way into popular culture. The word refers to a flowering shrub. This name has been used in many cultures over the years, and is often meant to represent beauty and poise.
Turkish baby names for boys are just as complicated. Calling your boy Vahid is a name with a Persian origin, and means "unique" or "the one". The name Arif means "knowledgeable and wise", and is very common in Muslim countries. When used as a term instead of a name, the word Arif means "a mystic" or "a seeker of spiritual knowledge".
Ahmad is another name that has its roots in the Persian language, meaning "highly praised" or "one who constantly thanks God". The most famous bearer of this name was the Islamic prophet Mohammed. The name of Mohammed is also a popular Turkish name, as are some of the derivates of it, such as Mehmet and Mehmed. These names are known for being one of the 99 names of God, and are often referred to as "the blesser". In fact, Mohammed is one of the most given names in the world!
Now that you know a little bit more about Turkish baby names, do you have one in mind for your child? As with any other name, always be careful of spellings and pronunciation, no matter what variation of your chosen name you decide to use. Make sure the first name rhymes nicely with the surname, and of course, be glad that you have named your child something with such a deep and important meaning!
