Girl name
Züleyha name meaning
“Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story”
Züleyha is the name of the heroine in the story of Yusuf and Züleyha. It entered Turkish through the Arabic name Zulaykhā and is used for girls in Türkiye. Its literary associations include Hamdullah Hamdi's Yusuf u Züleyha, a verse narrative retelling the celebrated story.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- Arabic
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- In TÜİK lists
What does Züleyha mean?
Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
In Turkish: Yusuf ile Züleyha anlatısının kadın kahramanı
Züleyha is a central name in Turkish and Persian literary treatments of love for Joseph. Narrative poems associate it with longing, beauty, and a love that can acquire a spiritual dimension as the story unfolds. The Turkish form Zeliha belongs to the same naming tradition and shares these literary associations.
How popular is Züleyha?
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
- 52provinces
Where is Züleyha in the top 30?
52 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 →
Why is Züleyha popular?
Züleyha carries a strong literary association through the story of Yusuf and Züleyha. Its flowing sound and established place in the narrative offer reasons for its appeal.
Origin of the name Züleyha
Züleyha entered Turkish through Arabic Zulaykhā; its precise lexical meaning is disputed. Islamic narrative and literary tradition identify it with the woman in the story of Joseph, although the name itself does not appear in the Quran.
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 Züleyha
Double-name ideas built from names in our dictionary, with the meaning of each name.
-
Züleyha Leyal
Meaning of each name
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
- Leyal: nights, nighttime hours
-
Ayşenur Züleyha
Meaning of each name
- Ayşenur: Ayşe combined with Nur, meaning light
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
-
Züleyha Sare
Meaning of each name
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
- Sare: princess; noblewoman
-
Ümmügülsüm Züleyha
Meaning of each name
- Ümmügülsüm: mother of Kulthum; a traditional Arabic teknonym
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
-
Züleyha Gülsüm
Meaning of each name
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
- Gülsüm: full-cheeked, round-faced
-
Hayat Züleyha
Meaning of each name
- Hayat: life, the state of being alive
- Züleyha: Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
How to pronounce Züleyha
| Syllables | 3 · 7 letters · 7-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /zylejha/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | زليخا |
Is Züleyha a girl’s name?
Yes, Züleyha is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Züleyha appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Züleyha
Names with related meanings
- Meryem♀Beloved, loved one
- Mihra♀Sun
- Özlem♀Longing for reunion
- Sevim♀Affection
- Yaren♀Friend, close companion
- Bade♀Wine
- Sıla♀A longed-for home
- Zeliha♀Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story
- Buse♀A kiss expressing affection
- Dila♀O heart, O beloved heart
- Mila♀Dear, beloved, lovely
- Gözde♀Favoured, highly regarded and cherished
Famous people named Züleyha
- Züleyha Tan · b. 1968
- Züleyha Gülüm · b. 1971
- Züleyha Almaz
- Züleyha Cidav · b. 1979
- Züleyha Dayan · b. 1994
- Züleyha Doğanyiğit
- Züleyha Erişgin
- Züleyha Karaca
- Züleyha Karyağdı · b. 1978
- Züleyha Kılıç
- Züleyha Özer Yazgan
- Züleyha Özgen
FAQ about the name Züleyha
What is the meaning of Züleyha?
Züleyha means “Heroine of the Yusuf and Züleyha story”. Züleyha entered Turkish through Arabic Zulaykhā; its precise lexical meaning is disputed. Islamic narrative and literary tradition identify it with the woman in the story of Joseph, although the name itself does not appear in the Quran.
Is Züleyha a girl’s name?
Yes, Züleyha is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Züleyha in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Züleyha nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Züleyha?
Züleyha is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Züleyha have?
Züleyha has 3 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name Züleyha?
Züleyha appears in TÜİK’s most-used name lists. See the statistics section above (Source: TurkStat, ADNKS).
What names go well with Züleyha?
Some ideas: Züleyha Leyal; Ayşenur Züleyha; Züleyha Sare.
Famous people named Züleyha?
Notable people named Züleyha include Züleyha Tan, Züleyha Gülüm, Züleyha Almaz.
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: nm00357 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake