Girl name
Nuray name meaning
“radiant moon; moonlight”
Nuray means radiant moon or moonlight. It combines Arabic nūr, meaning light, with Turkish ay, meaning moon, and is used as a feminine given name in Türkiye. Formed within Turkish naming practice, it evokes the concrete image of a bright moon illuminating the night sky.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Arabic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Nuray mean?
Radiant moon; moonlight
In Turkish: ışıklı ay; ay aydınlığı
Nuray brings together two elements that foreground the moon's radiance. Nur denotes literal or figurative light, while ay names the moon. The compound illustrates the lunar imagery found across Turkish personal names. Aynur is a closely related name made from the same two elements in the reverse order.
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 Nuray?
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
- 5provinces
Where is Nuray in the top 30?
5 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 Nuray
A compound formed in Turkish from Arabic nur, light, and Turkish ay, moon.
Double names with Nuray
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Nuray Selin
Meaning of each name
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
- Selin: Rushing water, a powerful flow
-
Gözdenur Nuray
Meaning of each name
- Gözdenur: a favorite, a cherished one, and light
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
-
Nuray Sezin
Meaning of each name
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
- Sezin: intuition, an inward sense or perception
-
Ayten Nuray
Meaning of each name
- Ayten: with a complexion bright as the moon
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
-
Nuray Gürel
Meaning of each name
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
- Gürel: strong, flourishing community or homeland
-
Selcen Nuray
Meaning of each name
- Selcen: Name of Selcen Hatun in Dede Korkut
- Nuray: radiant moon; moonlight
How to pronounce Nuray
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /nuɾaj/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | نورای |
Is Nuray a girl’s name?
Yes, Nuray is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Nuray appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Nuray
Names with related meanings
- Güneş♀The sun
- Zehra♀Radiant woman
- Hiranur♀A combination of Hira and light
- Nisanur♀Light of women
- Aysel♀Moon-bright
- Aynur♀Moonlight
- Beyza♀White, fair and bright
- İkranur♀A name combining the command 'read' with light
- Parla♀Shine
- Elanur♀Compound evoking hazel colour and light
- Esmanur♀A combination of Esma and light
- Aylin♀A halo of light around the moon
Famous people named Nuray
- Nuray Lale · b. 1962
- Nuray Levent · b. 2000
- Nuray Hafiftaş · b. 1962
- Nuray Mert · b. 1960
- Nuray Deliktaş · b. 1971
- Nuray Surekli · b. 1980
- Nuray Karadağ · b. 1995
- Nuray Kılıç · b. 1973
- Nuray Kıvanç · b. 1966
- Nuray Şimşek
- Nuray Tekin · b. 1960
- Nuray Uslu · b. 1977
FAQ about the name Nuray
What is the meaning of Nuray?
Nuray means “radiant moon; moonlight”. A compound formed in Turkish from Arabic nur, light, and Turkish ay, moon.
Is Nuray a girl’s name?
Yes, Nuray is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Nuray in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Nuray nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Nuray?
Nuray is of Arabic and Turkish origin.
How many syllables does Nuray have?
Nuray has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Nuray?
Nuray appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Nuray?
Some ideas: Nuray Selin; Gözdenur Nuray; Nuray Sezin.
Famous people named Nuray?
Notable people named Nuray include Nuray Lale, Nuray Levent, Nuray Hafiftaş.
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: nm00269 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake