Girl name
Nilay name meaning
“a name combining Nile and moon imagery”
Nilay combines imagery of the Nile and the moon. Used for girls in Türkiye, it is explained as a compound of the river name Nil and Turkish ay, meaning moon. Moonlight reflected on a river's surface provides a concrete image bringing together the geographical and celestial elements.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Turkish
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Nilay mean?
A name combining Nile and moon imagery
In Turkish: Nil ırmağı ve ay çağrışımlı ad
Nilay brings a river name together with a word for a celestial body. It can therefore suggest water and moonlight, although no particular scene is its obligatory literal meaning. It shares sound and imagery with names such as Nil and Ayla, while remaining a distinct modern formation.
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 Nilay?
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
- 16provinces
Where is Nilay in the top 30?
16 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 Nilay
Nilay is generally explained as a modern combination of Nil, the Nile River, and Turkish ay, 'moon'. The complete name does not have a single historically established dictionary meaning.
Double names with Nilay
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Nilay Arslan
Meaning of each name
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
- Arslan: lion; a powerful predatory animal
-
Gülben Nilay
Meaning of each name
- Gülben: rose-like; resembling a rose
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
-
Nilay İlkay
Meaning of each name
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
- İlkay: first moon; the moon’s first appearance
-
Gümüş Nilay
Meaning of each name
- Gümüş: a lustrous white precious metal
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
-
Nilay Şenay
Meaning of each name
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
- Şenay: joyful moon; moon associated with happiness
-
Sumru Nilay
Meaning of each name
- Sumru: tern; a seabird
- Nilay: a name combining Nile and moon imagery
How to pronounce Nilay
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /nilaj/ |
Is Nilay a girl’s name?
Yes, Nilay is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Nilay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Nilay
Names with related meanings
- Nehir♀River, large flowing stream
- Irmak♀River
- Nil♀The Nile
- İdil♀Turkish name of the Volga
- Kevser♀Abundant good
- Dicle♀The Tigris, a major river of Mesopotamia
- Göksu♀Sky-blue water
- Alara♀Name of the Alara River flowing to the Mediterranean
- Meriç♂♀The name of the Maritsa River
- Berçem♀Stream bank, riverside
- Zilan♀Name of the Zilan River and valley
- Nilsu♀Nile and water
Famous people named Nilay
- Nilay Kartaltepe · b. 1979
- Nilay Benli · b. 1985
- Nilay Deniz · b. 1993
- Nilay Konar · b. 1980
- Nilay Aydoğan · b. 1992
- Nilay Erdönmez · b. 1986
- Nilay Cennetkuşu · b. 1984
- Nilay Erkal · b. 1999
- Nilay Esen Ersun · b. 1987
- Nilay Yapıcı · b. 1981
- Nilay Örnek · b. 1978
- Nilay Ceylan · b. 1975
FAQ about the name Nilay
What is the meaning of Nilay?
Nilay means “a name combining Nile and moon imagery”. Nilay is generally explained as a modern combination of Nil, the Nile River, and Turkish ay, 'moon'. The complete name does not have a single historically established dictionary meaning.
Is Nilay a girl’s name?
Yes, Nilay is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Nilay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Nilay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Nilay?
Nilay is of Turkish origin.
How many syllables does Nilay have?
Nilay has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Nilay?
Nilay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Nilay?
Some ideas: Nilay Arslan; Gülben Nilay; Nilay İlkay.
Famous people named Nilay?
Notable people named Nilay include Nilay Kartaltepe, Nilay Benli, Nilay Deniz.
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: nm00702 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake