Girl name
Elay name meaning
“Moon of the homeland”
Elay means moon of the homeland. It combines Turkish el, meaning country, homeland, or people, with ay, meaning moon, as a modern compound name. In Türkiye, it is a girl’s name. The moon rising over a familiar landscape provides a concrete image of its meaning.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Turkish
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Elay mean?
Moon of the homeland
In Turkish: Yurdun ayı
Elay is a feminine name combining the idea of a homeland with the moon and its light. Its imagery can be expanded poetically as a moon illuminating the place to which one belongs. It closely resembles İlay in construction and belongs among modern Turkish names formed with ay.
Ay means “moon” in Turkish and appears in names such as Gülay and Nuray. In Umay, the final letters are not a separate component meaning “moon.” More girl names ending in -ay →
How popular is Elay?
Official figures: TÜİK newborn name lists (2018–2025, the top 30 for Türkiye and each of the 81 provinces every year) and the most common names in the population.
- Province lists
- 3provinces
Where is Elay in the top 30?
3 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. The lists cover the top 30 names per year, sex and province; no official counts are published for less common names. All statistics →
Origin of the name Elay
A modern compound interpreted through Turkish el, “country, homeland, people,” and ay, “moon.” Here el is the historical word related to il, rather than the unrelated word meaning “hand.”
Double names with Elay
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Elay İlkay
Meaning of each name
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
- İlkay: first moon; the moon’s first appearance
-
Günce Elay
Meaning of each name
- Günce: diary, a record kept day by day
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
-
Elay Çisil
Meaning of each name
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
- Çisil: fine rain, a light drizzle
-
Özgün Elay
Meaning of each name
- Özgün: original; independently created and distinctive
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
-
Elay Seval
Meaning of each name
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
- Seval: love and receive; accept with affection
-
Çimen Elay
Meaning of each name
- Çimen: green grass cover, a grassy area
- Elay: Moon of the homeland
How to pronounce Elay
| Syllables | 2 · 4 letters · 4-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /elaj/ |
Is Elay a girl’s name?
Yes, Elay is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Elay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Elay
Names with related meanings
- İlay♀Moon of the homeland
- Sıla♀A longed-for home
- İlbilge♀Name combining country and wisdom
- Şenel♀A joyful land or community
- Elmira♀Ruler of the country
- Gürel♂♀Strong, flourishing community or homeland
- Hamiyet♀Protective zeal
- Yurdanur♀Light for the homeland
- Erin♂♀Ireland
- Ülke♀Country, homeland
- Yurdagül♀Smile upon the homeland
- Belde♀Town
FAQ about the name Elay
What is the meaning of Elay?
Elay means “Moon of the homeland”. A modern compound interpreted through Turkish el, “country, homeland, people,” and ay, “moon.” Here el is the historical word related to il, rather than the unrelated word meaning “hand.”
Is Elay a girl’s name?
Yes, Elay is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Elay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Elay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Elay?
Elay is of Turkish origin.
How many syllables does Elay have?
Elay has 2 syllables and 4 letters.
How popular is the name Elay?
Elay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Elay?
Some ideas: Elay İlkay; Günce Elay; Elay Çisil.
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: nm01662 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake