Girl name
Gülay name meaning
“rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty”
Gülay means “rose and moon,” bringing together floral and celestial beauty. It combines gül, the Turkish word for rose borrowed from Persian, with Turkish ay, meaning moon. Used as a feminine name in Türkiye, it evokes the concrete image of a rose illuminated by moonlight.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Persian
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Gülay mean?
Rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
In Turkish: gül ve ay; çiçekle gök güzelliği
Gülay brings the beauty of a rose together with the luminous image of the moon. Because ay also means month, it can additionally suggest the month when roses bloom. It shares elements with Gül and Ayla, while allowing more than one poetic reading.
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 Gülay?
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
- 6provinces
Where is Gülay in the top 30?
6 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 Gülay
Combines Persian-derived gül, rose, with Turkish ay, moon or month. The compound does not require one fixed sentence-like interpretation.
Double names with Gülay
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Gülay Döndü
Meaning of each name
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
- Döndü: returned; turned or changed direction
-
Belgin Gülay
Meaning of each name
- Belgin: clear, distinct; definite
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
-
Gülay Akgün
Meaning of each name
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
- Akgün: a bright day; a happy, auspicious day
-
Pelinsu Gülay
Meaning of each name
- Pelinsu: wormwood and water
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
-
Gülay Karagöz
Meaning of each name
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
- Karagöz: black-eyed, dark-eyed
-
Şenay Gülay
Meaning of each name
- Şenay: joyful moon; moon associated with happiness
- Gülay: rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty
How to pronounce Gülay
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /ɡylaj/ |
Is Gülay a girl’s name?
Yes, Gülay is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Gülay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Spellings covered by this page: Gulay
Names that sound like Gülay
Names with related meanings
- Zeynep♀A fragrant flowering tree
- Yasemin♀Jasmine, a plant with fragrant flowers
- Ayşegül♀A combination of Ayşe and rose
- Songül♀The last rose
- Gülce♀Rose-like
- Asmin♀Jasmine flower
- Açelya♀An ornamental shrub with colourful flowers
- Gül♀Rose
- Roza♀The rose flower
- Nesrin♀Wild rose
- Zeyneb♀A fragrant flowering tree
- Çiğdem♀Crocus
Famous people named Gülay
- Gülay Barbarosoğlu · b. 1956
- Gülay Samancı · b. 1977
- Gülay Sezer · b. 1970
- Gülay Uğurata · b. 1940
- Gülay Yedekci · b. 1976
- Gülay Çokay · b. 1964
- Gülay Dalyan · b. 1962
- Gülay Diri · b. 1968
- Gülay Ecevit Genç
- Gülay Kutal · b. 1963
- Gülay Olt-Şahiner · b. 1954
- Gülay Pınarbaşı · b. 1969
FAQ about the name Gülay
What is the meaning of Gülay?
Gülay means “rose and moon; floral and celestial beauty”. Combines Persian-derived gül, rose, with Turkish ay, moon or month. The compound does not require one fixed sentence-like interpretation.
Is Gülay a girl’s name?
Yes, Gülay is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Gülay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Gülay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Gülay?
Gülay is of Persian and Turkish origin.
How many syllables does Gülay have?
Gülay has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Gülay?
Gülay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What are other spellings of Gülay?
Other spellings: Gulay.
What names go well with Gülay?
Some ideas: Gülay Döndü; Belgin Gülay; Gülay Akgün.
Famous people named Gülay?
Notable people named Gülay include Gülay Barbarosoğlu, Gülay Samancı, Gülay Sezer.
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: nm00821 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake