How we build the name dictionary

Which names are included in the dictionary?

• Names in official lists

  We include given names appearing in TÜİK’s official newborn and population lists. Newborn lists describe births in a particular year; population lists describe usage across the resident population. They answer different questions.

• Names of notable people

  Wikidata records of notable people help identify names in use. The number of people in these records is a sample, not a count of everyone with that name in Türkiye or a national popularity measure.

• Given-name entries and curated lists

  Wiktionary given-name entries and curated name lists also contribute to coverage. Inclusion in a source does not establish a definitive meaning or mean that every explanation has sufficient supporting evidence.

How are spelling differences and name variants handled?

What do TÜİK name statistics cover?

TÜİK, the Turkish Statistical Institute, publishes the top 30 newborn names by year, sex and province for 2018–2025, alongside the most common given names and surnames in the whole population. Our statistics, names by year and province pages follow that scope. Official figures carry “Source: TÜİK”, the year and the geographical level: Türkiye or a named province. These details matter when comparing results.

What should I check when reading name counts?

How is a name’s gender usage determined?

1. 1

   Use TÜİK counts where available

   Where suitable figures exist, usage follows those counts. A name is labelled unisex when the less represented sex accounts for at least 10% of the combined female and male counts within the same scope.

2. 2

   Then consider notable-person records

   Without suitable TÜİK counts, we use the distribution among recorded notable people and label that basis. This sample is not presented as a representative measurement of the population.

3. 3

   Identify our team’s assessments

   When neither source supplies counts, usage rests on our team’s judgement, and we state that basis explicitly. A usage label describes naming patterns; it does not determine the gender identity of a person who has that name.

How are name meanings and origins checked?

• Evidence and confidence

  Meaning explanations draw on dictionary and reference evidence and carry a confidence level. We distinguish linguistic origin, literal meaning and cultural associations. Uncertain interpretations remain explicitly uncertain.

• Comparing sources

  We present meanings alongside their supporting evidence. When sources disagree, the etymology section says so. A high confidence level does not remove the need to explain the limits of the evidence and differing interpretations.

• Arabic and Ottoman spellings

  Arabic and Ottoman Turkish spellings remain flagged until checked. Origin and cultural labels describe the name. They do not establish a bearer’s religion, sect, ethnicity, region or character.

How can I correct an entry or suggest a name?

1. 1

   Identify the detail

   Use report a correction to give the name’s spelling and identify the disputed detail. Specify whether your correction concerns meaning, origin, pronunciation or statistics so the relevant claim can be checked.

2. 2

   Include supporting evidence

   Add a checkable reference or explanation where possible. For statistics, specify the year, spelling and national or provincial scope. This helps ensure that the comparison concerns the same published information.

3. 3

   Suggest missing names

   For a name absent from the dictionary, use suggest a name. Suggestions follow the same inclusion and evidence rules as other entries; submitting a claim does not itself verify it.

Sources and licences