Boy name
Melih name meaning
“handsome, pleasing and charming”
Melih means handsome, pleasing, and charming. It comes from the Arabic adjective malīḥ, transmitted into modern Turkish through Ottoman Turkish. Used for boys in Türkiye, it has a literary association with the poet Melih Cevdet Anday. The girl's name Meliha is related to the same Arabic adjective.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- Arabic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Melih mean?
Handsome, pleasing and charming
In Turkish: güzel, hoş ve sevimli
Melih combines beauty with a sense of charm and pleasantness. In older literary Turkish, the same adjective could describe an attractive face or appearance; Meliha is its feminine counterpart, with both names deriving from forms of the same Arabic adjective.
How popular is Melih?
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
- 36provinces
Where is Melih in the top 30?
36 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with Melih
Double names counted as one name in TÜİK newborn lists (all years and provinces combined).
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 →
Why is Melih popular?
Melih means “beautiful, pleasant and lovable,” giving it a warm association. Its flowing, two-syllable sound may appeal to parents looking for a short name with a positive meaning.
Origin of the name Melih
From Arabic malīḥ, an adjective meaning “beautiful” or “pleasing.” The name reached modern Turkish through Ottoman Turkish.
Double names with Melih
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Melih Pamir
Meaning of each name
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
- Pamir: the high mountain region of Central Asia
-
Atlas Melih
Meaning of each name
- Atlas: mythological Titan who bears the heavens
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
-
Melih Kadri
Meaning of each name
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
- Kadri: associated with worth and esteem; valued
-
Rüştü Melih
Meaning of each name
- Rüştü: relating to maturity and sound judgment
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
-
Melih Şahin
Meaning of each name
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
- Şahin: the bird of prey called a hawk or buzzard
-
Sadi Melih
Meaning of each name
- Sadi: associated with happiness and good fortune
- Melih: handsome, pleasing and charming
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: Melih Alp.
How to pronounce Melih
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /melih/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | مليح |
Is Melih a boy’s name?
Yes, Melih is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Melih appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Melih
Names with related meanings
- Hüseyin♂Little beautiful one
- Hasan♂Beautiful
- Görkem♂Splendor, impressive grandeur
- Cemal♂Beauty, especially beauty of the face
- Levent♂Tall and handsome
- Civan♂A young, handsome and vigorous person
- Tahsin♂Beautifying
- Cemil♂Beautiful
- Hüsnü♂Associated with beauty and goodness
- Bahattin♂Beauty and splendor of the faith
- Talat♂Beauty of face
- Zeynel♂Adornment
Famous people named Melih
- Melih Cevdet Anday · b. 1915
- Melih Mahmutoğlu · b. 1990
- Melih Abdülhayoğlu · b. 1968
- Melih İbrahimoğlu · b. 2000
- Melih Ekener · b. 1965
- Melih Esenbel · b. 1915
- Melih Kotanca · b. 1915
- Melih Okutan · b. 1996
- Melih Bulu · b. 1970
- Melih Kibar · b. 1951
- Melih Kabasakal · b. 1996
- Melih Turgut · b. 1997
FAQ about the name Melih
What is the meaning of Melih?
Melih means “handsome, pleasing and charming”. From Arabic malīḥ, an adjective meaning “beautiful” or “pleasing.” The name reached modern Turkish through Ottoman Turkish.
Is Melih a boy’s name?
Yes, Melih is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Melih in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Melih nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Melih?
Melih is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Melih have?
Melih has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Melih?
Melih appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Melih?
Some ideas: Melih Pamir; Atlas Melih; Melih Kadri.
Famous people named Melih?
Notable people named Melih include Melih Cevdet Anday, Melih Mahmutoğlu, Melih Abdülhayoğlu.
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: nm00486 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake