Boy name
Sefil name meaning
“destitute, wretched, in misery”
Sefil means destitute, wretched, or in misery. It derives from Arabic safīl and developed its familiar senses of poverty and hardship in Turkish. Used as a masculine name in Türkiye, it also recalls Sefiller, the Turkish title of Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables, through the same word.
What does Sefil mean?
Destitute, wretched, in misery
In Turkish: yoksulluk ve perişanlık içinde olan
Sefil is a Turkish adjective with strong negative associations of misery and deprivation. In folk poetry, however, it can appear in pen names expressing humility or hardship. Sefil Selimî provides a historical example of that literary use. A given-name record should be distinguished from use as an epithet or surname.
Origin of the name Sefil
It derives from Arabic safīl (سفيل), expressing a low or degraded condition. Turkish usage developed senses concerning destitution and misery.
How to pronounce Sefil
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /sefil/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | سفيل |
Is Sefil a boy’s name?
Yes, Sefil is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Sefil does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Sefil
Famous people named Sefil
- Sefil Selimi · b. 1933
FAQ about the name Sefil
What is the meaning of Sefil?
Sefil means “destitute, wretched, in misery”. It derives from Arabic safīl (سفيل), expressing a low or degraded condition. Turkish usage developed senses concerning destitution and misery.
Is Sefil a boy’s name?
Yes, Sefil is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Sefil in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Sefil nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Sefil?
Sefil is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Sefil have?
Sefil has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Sefil?
Sefil does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Famous people named Sefil?
Notable people named Sefil include Sefil Selimi.
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: nm13438 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake