Boy name
Mustafa name meaning
“chosen; singled out for distinction”
Mustafa means chosen or singled out for distinction. It comes from Arabic muṣṭafā, a passive form of a verb meaning to select or favour. In Türkiye, it is a masculine given name. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk provides a historical association, as do Ottoman rulers who bore the name.
What does Mustafa mean?
Chosen; singled out for distinction
In Turkish: seçilmiş, seçkin kılınmış
Mustafa conveys the idea of being selected and accorded a special place. It is an epithet of Muhammad in Islamic tradition. In Turkish history, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and several Ottoman sultans bearing the name provide associations from different periods.
How popular is Mustafa?
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.
- 2025 rank (boys)
- 21.
- Babies given the name in 2025
- 2,407
- Best rank
- 6.2018
- Trend (2018–2025)
- falling
- Boys named Mustafa in Türkiye (2025)
- 1,057,634
Babies named Mustafa each year
Show as a table
| Year | Boys | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Babies | |
| 2018 | 6 | 5,669 |
| 2019 | 6 | 4,999 |
| 2020 | 6 | 4,457 |
| 2021 | 8 | 4,314 |
| 2022 | 9 | 3,901 |
| 2023 | 12 | 3,281 |
| 2024 | 17 | 2,899 |
| 2025 | 21 | 2,407 |
Where is Mustafa in the top 30?
80 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with Mustafa
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 Mustafa popular?
Mustafa remains in the top thirty despite a gradual decline in the rankings. Its meaning of “chosen” and strong historical association with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk give it an enduring, classic character.
Origin of the name Mustafa
Mustafa comes from Arabic muṣṭafā, a passive form of a verb meaning to choose or select for distinction.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Turkic history and myth | Names of Turkic rulers |
| Is Mustafa in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | M · Mu |
Names are shared across communities. Where a name is common says nothing certain about any one person’s background, faith or origin.
Double names with Mustafa
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Mustafa Hıfzı
Meaning of each name
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
- Hıfzı: related to preservation and keeping in memory
-
Reşit Mustafa
Meaning of each name
- Reşit: mature; capable of sound judgment
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
-
Mustafa Ziyaeddin
Meaning of each name
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
- Ziyaeddin: light of the faith
-
Azam Mustafa
Meaning of each name
- Azam: greatest, most exalted
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
-
Mustafa Vecdi
Meaning of each name
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
- Vecdi: relating to ecstasy or spiritual rapture
-
Kafi Mustafa
Meaning of each name
- Kafi: sufficient, meeting what is needed
- Mustafa: chosen; singled out for distinction
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: Muhammed Mustafa, Mustafa Kemal, Mustafa Eymen, Mustafa Ali, Mustafa Emir, Mustafa Asaf.
How to pronounce Mustafa
| Syllables | 3 · 7 letters · 7-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /mustafa/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | مصطفى |
Is Mustafa a boy’s name?
Yes, Mustafa is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Mustafa appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists; among babies born in 2025 it ranked #21 (2,407 babies). See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Mustafa
Names with related meanings
Famous people named Mustafa
- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk · b. 1881
- Mustafa Akıncı · b. 1947
- Mustafa Balel · b. 1945
- Mustafa Sandal · b. 1970
- Mustafa Denizli · b. 1949
- Mustafa Şentop · b. 1968
- Mustafa Abdülhalik Renda · b. 1881
- Mustafa Ceceli · b. 1980
- Mustafa Doğan · b. 1976
- Mustafa Dağıstanlı · b. 1931
- Mustafa Ertan · b. 1926
- Mustafa Pektemek · b. 1988
FAQ about the name Mustafa
What is the meaning of Mustafa?
Mustafa means “chosen; singled out for distinction”. Mustafa comes from Arabic muṣṭafā, a passive form of a verb meaning to choose or select for distinction.
Is Mustafa a boy’s name?
Yes, Mustafa is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Mustafa in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Mustafa nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Mustafa?
Mustafa is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Mustafa have?
Mustafa has 3 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name Mustafa?
Mustafa appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists; among babies born in 2025 it ranked #21 (2,407 babies). See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Mustafa?
Some ideas: Mustafa Hıfzı; Reşit Mustafa; Mustafa Ziyaeddin.
Famous people named Mustafa?
Notable people named Mustafa include Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Mustafa Akıncı, Mustafa Balel.
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: nm00003 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake