Unisex name
Şan name meaning
“renown, fame; honour, prestige”
Şan means renown, fame, honour, or prestige. It is based on the Turkish word şan, borrowed from Arabic shaʾn, and is used for both girls and boys in Türkiye. The Turkish adjective şanlı, meaning glorious, offers a concrete linguistic association, alongside expressions of honour found in historical narratives.
What does Şan mean?
Renown, fame; honour, prestige
In Turkish: ün, şöhret; yücelik, itibar
Şan expresses renown and the esteem attached to a name or achievement. Turkish uses it in expressions pairing fame with honour; as a given name it belongs to this semantic field, while the identically spelled musical term has a different history.
Origin of the name Şan
Based on Turkish şan, borrowed from Arabic sha’n and associated with renown and honour. The Turkish musical term şan, from French chant, has a separate origin.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran |
| Is Şan in the Quran? | As a word · شأن · 55:29, 80:37Shaʾn, the Arabic source of Şan, occurs in the Quran with meanings such as affair or concern, rather than as a personal name. |
| Starts with | Ş · Şa |
Names are shared across communities. Where a name is common says nothing certain about any one person’s background, faith or origin.
How to pronounce Şan
| Syllables | 1 · 3 letters · 3-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /ʃan/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | شان |
| Arabic | شأن |
Is Şan a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Şan is used for both boys and girls. See all unisex names.
Şan does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 2 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Spellings covered by this page: San
Names that sound like Şan
Names with related meanings
- Mehmet♂Much praised
- Ahmet♂More praised
- Muhammed♂Much praised
- Mahmut♂Praised
- Muhammet♂Much praised
- Anıl♂Be remembered
- Ahmed♂More praised
- Ünal♂♀Gain renown, make your name known
- Fahri♂Associated with honor and pride
- Mehmed♂Much praised
- Fahrettin♂The pride or glory of the faith
- Zişan♀Glorious, distinguished, possessing renown
Famous people named Şan
- Şan Ökten · b. 1933
- Şan Karabekiroğlu
FAQ about the name Şan
What is the meaning of Şan?
Şan means “renown, fame; honour, prestige”. Based on Turkish şan, borrowed from Arabic sha’n and associated with renown and honour. The Turkish musical term şan, from French chant, has a separate origin.
Is Şan a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Şan is used for both boys and girls.
Is Şan in the Quran?
As a word. Shaʾn, the Arabic source of Şan, occurs in the Quran with meanings such as affair or concern, rather than as a personal name. (e.g.: 55:29, 80:37)
What is the origin of the name Şan?
Şan is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Şan have?
Şan has 1 syllable and 3 letters.
How popular is the name Şan?
Şan does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 2 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
What are other spellings of Şan?
Other spellings: San.
Famous people named Şan?
Notable people named Şan include Şan Ökten, Şan Karabekiroğlu.
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: nm02992 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake