Boy name
Tarkan name meaning
“an ancient high-ranking official or noble title”
Tarkan means “an ancient high-ranking official or noble title.” It comes from the historical title recorded as tarqan in Old Turkic texts. In Türkiye, it is used as a masculine given name. Its appearances among titles in old inscriptions provide a concrete historical association linking the modern name with earlier official terminology.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- Old Turkic
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- #815
What does Tarkan mean?
An ancient high-ranking official or noble title
In Turkish: eski bir yüksek görevli ve soyluluk unvanı
Tarkan turns an ancient title associated with high office and privileges in Turkic states into a personal name. The responsibilities attached to that title varied between periods and polities. It is historically related to Tarhan and also recalls the fictional hero of Turkish Tarkan comics.
The ending kan in Hakan, Furkan and Volkan is not a shared suffix with one meaning. Its origin and role depend on the individual name. More boy names ending in -kan →
Origin of the name Tarkan
Tarkan derives from the historical title attested as tarqan in Old Turkic texts. The title's ultimate origin before its Turkic attestations remains disputed.
| Linguistic origin | Old Turkic |
|---|---|
| Is Tarkan in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | T · Ta |
Double names with Tarkan
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Tarkan Yalçın
Meaning of each name
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
- Yalçın: steep and rugged; difficult to climb
-
Ergün Tarkan
Meaning of each name
- Ergün: early day; an early time of day
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
-
Tarkan Özgün
Meaning of each name
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
- Özgün: original; independently created and distinctive
-
Ata Tarkan
Meaning of each name
- Ata: father; ancestor or forefather
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
-
Tarkan Oğuz
Meaning of each name
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
- Oğuz: name of the historical Oghuz and their epic ancestor
-
Erkan Tarkan
Meaning of each name
- Erkan: of valiant lineage; pillars, leading figures
- Tarkan: an ancient high-ranking official or noble title
How to pronounce Tarkan
| Syllables | 2 · 6 letters · 6-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /taɾkan/ |
Is Tarkan a boy’s name?
Yes, Tarkan is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Tarkan does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 19 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Tarkan
- Tarhan♂Privileged official
- Tarcan♂
- Targan♂A historical title of privileged rank
- Tamkan♂♀
- Taran♂Thunder
- Torkan♂
- Turan♂The land of Tur in Iranian tradition
- Taylan♂Tall and well-proportioned
- Turhan♂A privileged high official
- Taşkın♂Overflowing, exceeding its bounds
- Tuğkan♂Probably a combination of standard and khan
- Türkay♂♀A compound of Türk and moon
Names with related meanings
Famous people named Tarkan
- Tarkan · b. 1972
- Tarkan Tüzmen · b. 1968
- Tarkan Serbest · b. 1994
- Tarkan Gözübüyük · b. 1970
- Tarkan Çakır · b. 1971
- Tarkan Akıllı · b. 1969
- Tarkan Alkan · b. 1974
- Tarkan Altınok · b. 1970
- Tarkan Demirhan · b. 1968
- Tarkan Karlıdağ · b. 1968
- Tarkan Günay · b. 1996
- Tarkan Köroğlu · b. 1969
FAQ about the name Tarkan
What is the meaning of Tarkan?
Tarkan means “an ancient high-ranking official or noble title”. Tarkan derives from the historical title attested as tarqan in Old Turkic texts. The title's ultimate origin before its Turkic attestations remains disputed.
Is Tarkan a boy’s name?
Yes, Tarkan is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Tarkan in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Tarkan nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Tarkan?
Tarkan is of Old Turkic origin.
How many syllables does Tarkan have?
Tarkan has 2 syllables and 6 letters.
How popular is the name Tarkan?
Tarkan does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 19 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
What names go well with Tarkan?
Some ideas: Tarkan Yalçın; Ergün Tarkan; Tarkan Özgün.
Famous people named Tarkan?
Notable people named Tarkan include Tarkan, Tarkan Tüzmen, Tarkan Serbest.
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: nm01346 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake