By year
Most popular baby names in 2022
The names given most often to babies born in 2022. Source: TÜİK, ADNKS.
2022: changes since 2021
Girl names: compared with 2021
- No. 1: Zeynep (unchanged)
- New in the top 30: Efnan (#27), Kumsal (#30)
- Biggest climbers: Ada (25 → 15), Elisa (16 → 11), Gökçe (28 → 23), Güneş (30 → 25), Zümra (8 → 4)
- Biggest drops: Alya (18 → 24), Elif (2 → 5), Eslem (13 → 16), Buğlem (23 → 26), Esila (26 → 29)
- Dropped out: Hiranur, Öykü, Melek
Boy names: compared with 2021
- No. 1: Alparslan (Yusuf in 2021)
- New in the top 30: Atlas (#22)
- Biggest climbers: Çınar (17 → 13), Metehan (19 → 15), Kerem (14 → 11), Miran (30 → 27), Göktuğ (6 → 4)
- Biggest drops: Ahmet (11 → 16), Poyraz (13 → 17), Emir (22 → 25), İbrahim (27 → 30), Muhammed (16 → 18)
- Dropped out: Yunus Emre
Top girl names of 2022
| # | Name | Count | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zeynep A fragrant flowering tree | 8,850 | – |
| 2 | Asel Honey, the sweet substance made by bees | 6,827 | ▲ 1 |
| 3 | Defne Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree | 6,819 | ▲ 2 |
| 4 | Zümra Group, community, company | 6,617 | ▲ 4 |
| 5 | Elif Name of the Arabic alphabet's first letter | 5,684 | ▼ 3 |
| 6 | Asya The name of the continent Asia | 5,614 | ▼ 2 |
| 7 | Azra Virgin | 4,423 | – |
| 8 | Nehir River, large flowing stream | 3,795 | ▼ 2 |
| 9 | Eylül September | 3,790 | – |
| 10 | Ecrin Recompense, reward | 3,777 | – |
| 11 | Elisa God is my oath | 3,592 | ▲ 5 |
| 12 | Masal Fairy tale | 3,563 | ▲ 2 |
| 13 | Meryem Beloved, loved one | 3,533 | ▼ 2 |
| 14 | Lina A kind of date palm | 3,194 | ▼ 2 |
| 15 | Ada İsland | 3,121 | ▲ 10 |
| 16 | Eslem Safer | 3,048 | ▼ 3 |
| 17 | Ebrar The righteous and virtuous | 3,024 | ▼ 2 |
| 18 | Ela Hazel | 3,020 | ▼ 1 |
| 19 | Miray Lord of the moon | 2,879 | ▲ 1 |
| 20 | Zehra Radiant woman | 2,671 | ▼ 1 |
| 21 | Yağmur Rain falling as drops of water | 2,655 | ▲ 3 |
| 22 | Duru Clear, pure | 2,603 | ▼ 1 |
| 23 | Gökçe Sky-blue | 2,525 | ▲ 5 |
| 24 | Alya High, exalted | 2,506 | ▼ 6 |
| 25 | Güneş The sun | 2,345 | ▲ 5 |
| 26 | Buğlem | 2,280 | ▼ 3 |
| 27 | Efnan Branches, boughs | 2,240 | new |
| 28 | İkra Read | 2,235 | ▼ 2 |
| 29 | Esila Late afternoon | 2,212 | ▼ 3 |
| 30 | Kumsal Sandy shore | 2,154 | new |
Top boy names of 2022
| # | Name | Count | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alparslan Valiant, courageous lion | 8,318 | ▲ 1 |
| 2 | Yusuf May God add | 6,360 | ▼ 1 |
| 3 | Miraç Means of ascent | 5,035 | – |
| 4 | Göktuğ A sky-blue ceremonial standard | 4,945 | ▲ 2 |
| 5 | Ömer Asaf A wish for longevity and one who brings together | 4,782 | ▼ 1 |
| 6 | Eymen Fortunate, auspicious | 4,591 | ▼ 1 |
| 7 | Ömer Life | 4,439 | – |
| 8 | Aras The name of the Aras River | 4,357 | ▲ 1 |
| 9 | Mustafa Chosen | 3,901 | ▼ 1 |
| 10 | Ali Asaf One who is exalted and brings together | 3,680 | – |
| 11 | Kerem Generosity, magnanimity, kindness | 3,573 | ▲ 3 |
| 12 | Ali High | 3,507 | – |
| 13 | Çınar Plane tree | 3,463 | ▲ 4 |
| 14 | Hamza Lion | 3,432 | ▲ 1 |
| 15 | Metehan Mete Khan | 3,409 | ▲ 4 |
| 16 | Ahmet More praised | 3,399 | ▼ 5 |
| 17 | Poyraz The cool, strong northeasterly wind | 3,353 | ▼ 4 |
| 18 | Muhammed Much praised | 3,349 | ▼ 2 |
| 19 | Mehmet Much praised | 3,129 | ▼ 1 |
| 20 | Muhammed Ali One who is much praised, exalted and eminent | 3,102 | – |
| 21 | Yiğit Brave, bold | 2,856 | ▲ 2 |
| 22 | Atlas Mythological Titan who bears the heavens | 2,840 | new |
| 23 | Ayaz Sharp dry cold under clear skies | 2,785 | ▼ 2 |
| 24 | Mert Brave, honourable, true to one’s word | 2,538 | – |
| 25 | Emir Commander, ruler | 2,481 | ▼ 3 |
| 26 | Umut Hope, positive expectation for the future | 2,468 | ▼ 1 |
| 27 | Miran Lords, emirs | 2,411 | ▲ 3 |
| 28 | Alperen Heroic spiritual figure | 2,393 | – |
| 29 | Kuzey North | 2,273 | – |
| 30 | İbrahim Traditionally, father of many peoples | 2,229 | ▼ 3 |
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. Changes are against the 2021 list.
Guide
Reading the leading names and close results of 2022
The most popular Turkish baby names 2022 offer both clear leaders and closely spaced results worth reading carefully. These are nationwide baby-name figures for Türkiye, with meanings and origins available separately in the name entries.
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Girls’ leading names
According to TÜİK’s national figures for 2022, Zeynep ranked first with 8,850, followed by Asel with 6,827 and Defne with 6,819.
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Boys’ leading names
Alparslan led the 2022 Türkiye-level boys’ list with 8,318, followed by Yusuf with 6,360 and Miraç with 5,035.
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Source for the ranking
Source: TÜİK, Türkiye’s statistical institute, address-based population register, 2022, Türkiye level, top-30 lists.
Close counts deserve more than a rank label
Asel and Defne occupy neighboring positions in the girls’ table, and their published counts are close. Saying only that one ranked above the other loses useful context. Asel means “honey, the sweet substance made by bees” and has Arabic roots; Defne means “bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree” and has Greek roots. Their meanings help explain the entries, while their counts describe use in this annual national list. Neither type of information explains an individual family’s choice or establishes a bearer’s background.
Compare list membership precisely
Efnan and Kumsal entered the girls’ top 30 compared with the previous year, while Atlas entered the boys’ top 30. The 2021 ranking is the relevant comparison point. This statement concerns the boundary of the published lists: it does not mean those names had no earlier use. When exploring rising names, retain the year and the population being measured. An annual baby-name result answers a different question from an all-ages count, and neither should be substituted for the other when describing popularity.
Follow individual names through the table
The top Turkish names 2022 include Göktuğ in fourth place and Metehan in fifteenth place in the boys’ list. Göktuğ means “a sky-blue ceremonial standard,” while Metehan means “Mete Khan; Mete the ruler”; both have Turkish roots. Explore those entries for linguistic context, then return to the table for the year’s recorded order. Keep Ömer Asaf distinct from Ömer when scanning nearby results. A double name is a separate listed entry, so its count should not be assigned to a component name.
Making useful notes from 2022
- Include the counts when discussing Asel and Defne’s adjacent positions.
- Label Atlas as an entrant to the boys’ top 30 relative to the previous year.
- Keep Metehan’s meaning separate from any claim about its popularity.
- Retain complete double names when copying the boys’ results.
Frequently asked questions
Which names ranked first nationally in 2022?
According to TÜİK’s 2022 Türkiye-level figures, Zeynep led the girls’ ranking and Alparslan led the boys’ ranking.
Did Asel rank above Defne?
Yes. Asel ranked second with 6,827 and Defne ranked third with 6,819 in the national girls’ list.
Can the list show how rare an unlisted name was?
No. Absence from the top 30 does not supply a count or establish that a name was rare across the whole population.
Does Alparslan’s meaning describe a child’s character?
No. “Valiant, courageous lion” is the name’s meaning, not evidence of a bearer’s personality or future qualities.