Girl name
Umay name meaning
“protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief”
Umay names a protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief. It comes from the Old Turkic name recorded in early inscriptions, with historical uses also connected to birth and the placenta. In Türkiye, it is a feminine name. The Orkhon inscriptions provide a concrete historical association.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Old Turkic
- Syllables
- 2
- 2025 rank
- #6
What does Umay mean?
Protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
In Turkish: eski Türk inanışında koruyucu dişi varlık
Umay is a female protective figure associated particularly with children and childbirth in ancient Turkic belief. The Kül Tigin inscription provides an important historical reference to her. The modern personal name retains this mythological connection. Reducing the name to an earth goddess or a particular bird species misrepresents that background.
Ay means “moon” in Turkish and appears in names such as Gülay and Nuray. In Umay, the final letters are not a separate component meaning “moon.” More girl names ending in -ay →
How popular is Umay?
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.
- 2025 rank (girls)
- 6.
- Babies given the name in 2025
- 5,644
- Best rank
- 6.2025
- Trend (2018–2025)
- entered the list in 2023
Babies named Umay each year
Show as a table
| Year | Girls | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Babies | |
| 2018 | – | – |
| 2019 | – | – |
| 2020 | – | – |
| 2021 | – | – |
| 2022 | – | – |
| 2023 | 30 | 2,012 |
| 2024 | 11 | 3,343 |
| 2025 | 6 | 5,644 |
In the missing years the name was outside the national top 30.
Where is Umay in the top 30?
75 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
Double names with Umay
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 →
Why is Umay popular?
Umay recently entered the top thirty and has risen rapidly. Its short, flowing sound and connection to a protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief give it both simplicity and historical depth.
Origin of the name Umay
From Umay, a figure named in Old Turkic inscriptions. Historical uses of the word also connect it with birth and the placenta, although its ultimate etymology is uncertain.
| Linguistic origin | Old Turkic |
|---|---|
| In Turkic history and myth | Names from Turkic mythology |
| Is Umay in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | U |
Double names with Umay
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Umay Güneş
Meaning of each name
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
- Güneş: the sun; source of daylight and warmth
-
Simay Umay
Meaning of each name
- Simay: a silvery moon; moon like silver
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
-
Umay Candeğer
Meaning of each name
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
- Candeğer: as precious as life, dearly beloved
-
Aybike Umay
Meaning of each name
- Aybike: a lady beautiful as the moon
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
-
Umay Sezen
Meaning of each name
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
- Sezen: one who senses or perceives the unstated
-
İlayda Umay
Meaning of each name
- İlayda: Water fairy or water nymph
- Umay: protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief
Double names found in TÜİK’s newborn lists: Gökçe Umay, Umay Lina, Umay Gökçe, Umay Ada, Umay Ece, Elif Umay.
How to pronounce Umay
| Syllables | 2 · 4 letters · 4-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /umaj/ |
Is Umay a girl’s name?
Yes, Umay is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Umay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists; among babies born in 2025 it ranked #6 (5,644 babies). See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Umay
Names with related meanings
Famous people named Umay
- Umay Anadolu Kaboğlu · b. 1994
- Umay Umay · b. 1966
FAQ about the name Umay
What is the meaning of Umay?
Umay means “protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief”. From Umay, a figure named in Old Turkic inscriptions. Historical uses of the word also connect it with birth and the placenta, although its ultimate etymology is uncertain.
Is Umay a girl’s name?
Yes, Umay is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Umay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Umay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Umay?
Umay is of Old Turkic origin.
How many syllables does Umay have?
Umay has 2 syllables and 4 letters.
How popular is the name Umay?
Umay appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists; among babies born in 2025 it ranked #6 (5,644 babies). See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Umay?
Some ideas: Umay Güneş; Simay Umay; Umay Candeğer.
Famous people named Umay?
Notable people named Umay include Umay Anadolu Kaboğlu, Umay Umay.
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: nm00250 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake