Girl name
Sema name meaning
“sky, heavens”
Sema means “sky” or “heavens.” It comes from Arabic samāʾ and is used for girls in Türkiye. The name evokes the open sky where clouds and stars appear. The Turkish word sema referring to a Mevlevi ceremony comes from a separate Arabic word with a different origin.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Arabic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Sema mean?
Sky, heavens
In Turkish: gök, gökyüzü
Sema evokes the openness and breadth of the sky. The word appears in Turkish poetry in this sense; its shared spelling with the Mevlevi ceremony does not make their origins identical, while semavi, meaning celestial, belongs to the sky word's family.
How popular is Sema?
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
- 6provinces
Where is Sema in the top 30?
6 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with Sema
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 →
Origin of the name Sema
From Arabic samāʾ, meaning sky or heavens. The Turkish word for listening and the Mevlevi ceremony, also spelled sema, comes from the separate Arabic word samāʿ.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran |
| Is Sema in the Quran? | As a word · السماء · 2:29The Arabic source word سماء occurs in the Quran meaning “sky,” appearing with the definite article as السماء. |
| Starts with | S · Se |
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 Sema
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Sema Nur
Meaning of each name
- Sema: sky, heavens
- Nur: light; spiritual illumination
-
Emel Sema
Meaning of each name
- Emel: hope, a desired goal
- Sema: sky, heavens
-
Sema Rüya
Meaning of each name
- Sema: sky, heavens
- Rüya: a dream in sleep; a cherished vision
-
Nisa Sema
Meaning of each name
- Nisa: women; a group of women
- Sema: sky, heavens
-
Sema Masume
Meaning of each name
- Sema: sky, heavens
- Masume: innocent; free from sin, feminine
-
Huri Sema
Meaning of each name
- Huri: beautiful heavenly being, houri
- Sema: sky, heavens
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: Sema Nur, Nur Sema.
How to pronounce Sema
| Syllables | 2 · 4 letters · 4-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /sema/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | سما |
| Arabic | سماء |
Is Sema a girl’s name?
Yes, Sema is used mostly as a girl’s name. In TÜİK data, 2% of bearers are male. See all girl names.
Sema appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Sema
Names with related meanings
- Gökçe♀Sky-blue
- Hilal♀The moon’s slender crescent shape
- Ayla♀The luminous ring around the moon
- Ayça♀Crescent moon
- Gökçen♀Beautiful, fair
- Göksu♀Sky-blue water
- Mavi♀The characteristic color of sky and sea
- Semanur♀Light of the sky
- Ayda♀On the moon
- Süreyya♂♀The Pleiades star cluster
- Zühre♀The planet Venus
- Asuman♀The sky, the vault of heaven
Famous people named Sema
- Sema Kaygusuz · b. 1972
- Sema Ramazanoğlu · b. 1959
- Sema Apak · b. 1985
- Sema Çalışkan · b. 1996
- Sema Meray · b. 1968
- Sema Salur
- Sema Acartürk · b. 1993
- Sema Keçik Karabel · b. 1965
- Sema Kılıçkaya · b. 1968
- Sema Moritz · b. 1956
- Sema Peyman · b. 1960
- Sema Şimşek · b. 1976
FAQ about the name Sema
What is the meaning of Sema?
Sema means “sky, heavens”. From Arabic samāʾ, meaning sky or heavens. The Turkish word for listening and the Mevlevi ceremony, also spelled sema, comes from the separate Arabic word samāʿ.
Is Sema a girl’s name?
Yes, Sema is used mostly as a girl’s name. In TÜİK data, 2% of bearers are male.
Is Sema in the Quran?
As a word. The Arabic source word سماء occurs in the Quran meaning “sky,” appearing with the definite article as السماء. (e.g.: 2:29)
What is the origin of the name Sema?
Sema is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Sema have?
Sema has 2 syllables and 4 letters.
How popular is the name Sema?
Sema appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Sema?
Some ideas: Sema Nur; Emel Sema; Sema Rüya.
Famous people named Sema?
Notable people named Sema include Sema Kaygusuz, Sema Ramazanoğlu, Sema Apak.
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: nm00610 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake