Boy name
Karatay name meaning
“black foal; dark-coloured young horse”
Karatay means “black foal” or “dark-coloured young horse.” It combines the Turkish words kara, “black,” and tay, “foal,” and is used for boys in Türkiye. Alongside the image of a dark young horse, the name has an architectural association through the historical Karatay Madrasa in Konya.
What does Karatay mean?
Black foal; dark-coloured young horse
In Turkish: kara tay; koyu renkli at yavrusu
Karatay presents a concrete image based on a young horse's colour. Its historical associations include the Seljuk statesman Celaleddin Karatay and the Karatay Madrasa in Konya. Its additional uses as a surname and place name coexist with this personal-name history.
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 Karatay
It combines Turkish kara, “black, dark,” and tay, “foal, young horse.”
How to pronounce Karatay
| Syllables | 3 · 7 letters · 7-letter boy names |
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Is Karatay a boy’s name?
Yes, Karatay is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Karatay does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Karatay
Names with related meanings
- Yağız♂Dark-complexioned, dark-coloured
- Edhem♂Deep black
- Ilgar♂Swift riding, mounted raid
- Faris♂Horseman
- Filip♂Lover of horses
- Şehsuvar♂Master rider
- Tayhan♂Young ruler
- Aktay♂White foal
- Arkun♂Horse from wild stallion and domestic mare
- Atlı♂Horse rider, mounted warrior
- Göktay♂A sky-colored foal
- Gürat♂Strong, imposing horse
FAQ about the name Karatay
What is the meaning of Karatay?
Karatay means “black foal; dark-coloured young horse”. It combines Turkish kara, “black, dark,” and tay, “foal, young horse.”
Is Karatay a boy’s name?
Yes, Karatay is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Karatay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Karatay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Karatay?
Karatay is of Turkish origin.
How many syllables does Karatay have?
Karatay has 3 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name Karatay?
Karatay 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: nm14439 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake