Boy name
Apa name meaning
“senior relative; an old honorific title”
Apa means “senior relative” and is also an old title expressing respect. It derives from Old Turkic apa and is used as a masculine name in Türkiye. Its associations come from historical forms of address for elder relatives, linking the name with family vocabulary and traditional honorific titles.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- Old Turkic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- Rare
What does Apa mean?
Senior relative; an old honorific title
In Turkish: büyük akraba; saygı bildiren eski unvan
Apa belongs to the overlapping vocabulary of historical Turkic kinship terms and titles. Depending on the language and period, it may refer to a mother, an older female relative, or a respected elder. Reducing the name to one modern kinship relationship would obscure this wider historical range.
Origin of the name Apa
Old Turkic apa was a kinship term associated with seniority. Its precise reference varied across Turkic languages, and it also served as an honorific or title.
| Linguistic origin | Old Turkic |
|---|---|
| Is Apa in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | A |
How to pronounce Apa
| Syllables | 2 · 3 letters · 3-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /apa/ |
Is Apa a boy’s name?
Yes, Apa is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Apa does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Apa
FAQ about the name Apa
What is the meaning of Apa?
Apa means “senior relative; an old honorific title”. Old Turkic apa was a kinship term associated with seniority. Its precise reference varied across Turkic languages, and it also served as an honorific or title.
Is Apa a boy’s name?
Yes, Apa is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Apa in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Apa nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Apa?
Apa is of Old Turkic origin.
How many syllables does Apa have?
Apa has 2 syllables and 3 letters.
How popular is the name Apa?
Apa does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm04659 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake