Boy name
Şems name meaning
“the sun; a source of light”
Şems means “the sun” or “a source of light.” It comes from Arabic shams, adopted into Ottoman Turkish as şems, and is used for boys in Türkiye. A historical association is Shams of Tabriz, while the word itself evokes the sun and the daylight spreading across the earth.
What does Şems mean?
The sun; a source of light
In Turkish: güneş; ışık kaynağı
Şems belongs to the imagery of sunlight and illumination in classical poetry. The name has a strong literary and Sufi association through Shams of Tabriz. It also names the Quranic chapter al-Shams and forms the first element of compound names such as Şemsettin.
Origin of the name Şems
Şems comes from Arabic shams, the sun. Ottoman Turkish adapted the word as şems.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran |
| Is Şems in the Quran? | Yes, as a name · الشمس · 91:1Şems corresponds to the Quranic word for the sun and is also the name of a sura. |
| Starts with | Ş · Şe |
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 Şems
| Syllables | 1 · 4 letters · 4-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /ʃems/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | شمس |
Is Şems a boy’s name?
Yes, Şems is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Şems 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 Şems
Names with related meanings
- Güney♂South
- Doğu♂East, the direction of sunrise
- Rojhat♂The sun has risen, the day has come
- Rohat♂Day has dawned
- Günay♂♀A name combining the sun and moon
- Rojvan♂Guardian of the day or sun
- Gündüz♂♀Daytime
- Güner♂♀A name combining daylight and bravery
- Şemsettin♂Sun of the faith
- Ruhat♂The sun has risen
- Mihrali♂Sun or affection
- Şemsi♂♀Solar, belonging to the sun
Famous people named Şems
- Şems Kemal Tunçeri · b. 1974
FAQ about the name Şems
What is the meaning of Şems?
Şems means “the sun; a source of light”. Şems comes from Arabic shams, the sun. Ottoman Turkish adapted the word as şems.
Is Şems a boy’s name?
Yes, Şems is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Şems in the Quran?
Yes, as a name. Şems corresponds to the Quranic word for the sun and is also the name of a sura. (e.g.: 91:1)
What is the origin of the name Şems?
Şems is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Şems have?
Şems has 1 syllable and 4 letters.
How popular is the name Şems?
Şems 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 Şems?
Notable people named Şems include Şems Kemal Tunçeri.
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: nm03909 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake