Girl name
Zilan name meaning
“Name of the Zilan River and valley”
Zilan is the name of the Zilan River and its valley. Used as a girl's name in Türkiye, it belongs to the Kurdish naming tradition and is associated with that geographical name. Its concrete imagery is flowing water and the valley surrounding the river.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Kurdish
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Zilan mean?
Name of the Zilan River and valley
In Turkish: Zilan Çayı ve vadisinin adı
Zilan has a clear geographical association with a river and valley in the Lake Van basin. It is used as a feminine name in Türkiye and also belongs to Kurdish naming tradition. The landscape connection provides an identifiable reference for the name, although it does not by itself reveal the older dictionary meaning of the place name.
How popular is Zilan?
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
- 7provinces
Where is Zilan in the top 30?
7 provinces · the latest year each province listed it
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 Zilan
Zilan occurs in Kurdish naming tradition and as the name of a river and valley in Türkiye. The given name is associated with this geographical name; its older lexical origin is uncertain, and meanings such as flower or life cannot be securely derived from it.
Double names with Zilan
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Zilan Semiha
Meaning of each name
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
- Semiha: generous, open-handed; gracious
-
Adile Zilan
Meaning of each name
- Adile: just, fair and equitable
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
-
Zilan Almira
Meaning of each name
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
- Almira: Name of the queen in the opera Almira
-
Perihan Zilan
Meaning of each name
- Perihan: ruler of fairies; one who summons fairies
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
-
Zilan Rojda
Meaning of each name
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
- Rojda: daybreak; the emergence of daylight
-
Delila Zilan
Meaning of each name
- Delila: Delicate, slender
- Zilan: Name of the Zilan River and valley
How to pronounce Zilan
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /zilan/ |
Is Zilan a girl’s name?
Yes, Zilan is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Zilan appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Spellings covered by this page: Zîlan
Names that sound like Zilan
Names with related meanings
- Nehir♀River, large flowing stream
- Irmak♀River
- Nil♀The Nile
- İdil♀Turkish name of the Volga
- Kevser♀Abundant good
- Dicle♀The Tigris, a major river of Mesopotamia
- Nilay♀A name combining Nile and moon imagery
- Göksu♀Sky-blue water
- Alara♀Name of the Alara River flowing to the Mediterranean
- Meriç♂♀The name of the Maritsa River
- Berçem♀Stream bank, riverside
- Nilsu♀Nile and water
Famous people named Zilan
- Zilan Tigris · b. 1972
- Zilan Ertem · b. 2005
- Zilan Duru · b. 1988
- Zilan Ozupekce · b. 2007
FAQ about the name Zilan
What is the meaning of Zilan?
Zilan means “Name of the Zilan River and valley”. Zilan occurs in Kurdish naming tradition and as the name of a river and valley in Türkiye. The given name is associated with this geographical name; its older lexical origin is uncertain, and meanings such as flower or life cannot be securely derived from it.
Is Zilan a girl’s name?
Yes, Zilan is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Zilan in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Zilan nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Zilan?
Zilan is of Kurdish origin.
How many syllables does Zilan have?
Zilan has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Zilan?
Zilan appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What are other spellings of Zilan?
Other spellings: Zîlan.
What names go well with Zilan?
Some ideas: Zilan Semiha; Adile Zilan; Zilan Almira.
Famous people named Zilan?
Notable people named Zilan include Zilan Tigris, Zilan Ertem, Zilan Duru.
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: nm00336 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake