Boy name
Hatay name meaning
“the name of a province in southern Türkiye”
Hatay is the name of a province in southern Türkiye, also used as a boys’ given name. It comes from the Turkish place name Hatay, whose modern adoption drew on a historical association with the Hittites. The name evokes Antakya’s historic streets and the province’s Mediterranean coastline.
What does Hatay mean?
The name of a province in southern Türkiye
In Turkish: Türkiye'nin güneyindeki ilin adı
As a given name, Hatay carries the geographical associations of the province. Its modern regional naming should be distinguished from the origin of Antakya. Antakya continues ancient Antiocheia, whereas Hatay's naming belongs to the historical and geographical thinking of the early Turkish Republic.
Tay is Turkish for “foal,” but this does not explain every name ending in tay. Altay, Çağatay and Kutay each need to be considered through their own origins. More boy names ending in -tay →
Origin of the name Hatay
As a personal name, Hatay appears to be transferred from the Turkish province name. The modern regional name came into use in the 1930s and was linked to a historical interpretation involving the Hittites.
How to pronounce Hatay
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter boy names |
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Is Hatay a boy’s name?
Yes, Hatay is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Hatay does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Hatay
Names with related meanings
- Toprak♂The earth that nourishes plants
- Serhat♂Border, frontier region
- Kenan♂Canaan
- Diyar♂Land
- Turan♂The land of Tur in Iranian tradition
- Botan♂Name of the Botan region and river
- Amed♂The Kurdish name of Diyarbakır
- Velat♂Homeland, native land, country
- Dersim♂Historical name of the Tunceli region
- İlter♂One who unites the homeland
- Gürel♂♀Strong, flourishing community or homeland
- İlkan♂Khan of the land
FAQ about the name Hatay
What is the meaning of Hatay?
Hatay means “the name of a province in southern Türkiye”. As a personal name, Hatay appears to be transferred from the Turkish province name. The modern regional name came into use in the 1930s and was linked to a historical interpretation involving the Hittites.
Is Hatay a boy’s name?
Yes, Hatay is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Hatay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Hatay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
How many syllables does Hatay have?
Hatay has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Hatay?
Hatay does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
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: nm14040 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake