By year
Most popular baby names in 2023
The names given most often to babies born in 2023. Source: TÜİK, ADNKS.
2023: changes since 2022
Girl names: compared with 2022
- No. 1: Asel (Zeynep in 2022)
- New in the top 30: Mihra (#22), Doğa (#28), Umay (#30)
- Biggest climbers: Gökçe (23 → 9), Lina (14 → 8), Güneş (25 → 19), Elisa (11 → 7), Duru (22 → 18)
- Biggest drops: Nehir (8 → 17), Azra (7 → 15), Ebrar (17 → 24), Ada (15 → 21), Zehra (20 → 26)
- Dropped out: Yağmur, Buğlem, Esila
Boy names: compared with 2022
- No. 1: Alparslan (unchanged)
- New in the top 30: Aslan (#21), Aybars (#28)
- Biggest climbers: Atlas (22 → 14), Muhammed (18 → 11), Metehan (15 → 9), Kerem (11 → 7), Muhammed Ali (20 → 16)
- Biggest drops: Çınar (13 → 20), Mert (24 → 29), Mustafa (9 → 12), Ali Asaf (10 → 13), Ali (12 → 15)
- Dropped out: Emir
Top girl names of 2023
| # | Name | Count | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asel Honey, the sweet substance made by bees | 8,104 | ▲ 1 |
| 2 | Zeynep A fragrant flowering tree | 7,602 | ▼ 1 |
| 3 | Defne Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree | 6,883 | – |
| 4 | Zümra Group, community, company | 5,362 | – |
| 5 | Asya The name of the continent Asia | 5,219 | ▲ 1 |
| 6 | Elif Name of the Arabic alphabet's first letter | 4,685 | ▼ 1 |
| 7 | Elisa God is my oath | 4,047 | ▲ 4 |
| 8 | Lina A kind of date palm | 4,024 | ▲ 6 |
| 9 | Gökçe Sky-blue | 3,345 | ▲ 14 |
| 10 | Ecrin Recompense, reward | 3,317 | – |
| 11 | Masal Fairy tale | 3,237 | ▲ 1 |
| 12 | Meryem Beloved, loved one | 3,228 | ▲ 1 |
| 13 | Eslem Safer | 3,062 | ▲ 3 |
| 14 | Eylül September | 3,022 | ▼ 5 |
| 15 | Azra Virgin | 3,017 | ▼ 8 |
| 16 | Miray Lord of the moon | 2,863 | ▲ 3 |
| 17 | Nehir River, large flowing stream | 2,750 | ▼ 9 |
| 18 | Duru Clear, pure | 2,749 | ▲ 4 |
| 19 | Güneş The sun | 2,703 | ▲ 6 |
| 20 | Alya High, exalted | 2,687 | ▲ 4 |
| 21 | Ada İsland | 2,583 | ▼ 6 |
| 22 | Mihra Sun | 2,563 | new |
| 23 | Ela Hazel | 2,521 | ▼ 5 |
| 24 | Ebrar The righteous and virtuous | 2,464 | ▼ 7 |
| 25 | İkra Read | 2,451 | ▲ 3 |
| 26 | Zehra Radiant woman | 2,304 | ▼ 6 |
| 27 | Efnan Branches, boughs | 2,175 | – |
| 28 | Doğa Nature | 2,150 | new |
| 29 | Kumsal Sandy shore | 2,119 | ▲ 1 |
| 30 | Umay Protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief | 2,012 | new |
Top boy names of 2023
| # | Name | Count | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alparslan Valiant, courageous lion | 8,941 | – |
| 2 | Yusuf May God add | 5,528 | – |
| 3 | Göktuğ A sky-blue ceremonial standard | 5,347 | ▲ 1 |
| 4 | Ömer Asaf A wish for longevity and one who brings together | 4,893 | ▲ 1 |
| 5 | Miraç Means of ascent | 4,528 | ▼ 2 |
| 6 | Ömer Life | 4,412 | ▲ 1 |
| 7 | Kerem Generosity, magnanimity, kindness | 4,342 | ▲ 4 |
| 8 | Eymen Fortunate, auspicious | 4,153 | ▼ 2 |
| 9 | Metehan Mete Khan | 3,681 | ▲ 6 |
| 10 | Aras The name of the Aras River | 3,472 | ▼ 2 |
| 11 | Muhammed Much praised | 3,369 | ▲ 7 |
| 12 | Mustafa Chosen | 3,281 | ▼ 3 |
| 13 | Ali Asaf One who is exalted and brings together | 3,176 | ▼ 3 |
| 14 | Atlas Mythological Titan who bears the heavens | 3,129 | ▲ 8 |
| 15 | Ali High | 3,128 | ▼ 3 |
| 16 | Muhammed Ali One who is much praised, exalted and eminent | 3,071 | ▲ 4 |
| 17 | Hamza Lion | 2,871 | ▼ 3 |
| 18 | Ahmet More praised | 2,847 | ▼ 2 |
| 19 | Poyraz The cool, strong northeasterly wind | 2,750 | ▼ 2 |
| 20 | Çınar Plane tree | 2,642 | ▼ 7 |
| 21 | Aslan Lion | 2,637 | new |
| 22 | Mehmet Much praised | 2,562 | ▼ 3 |
| 23 | Miran Lords, emirs | 2,543 | ▲ 4 |
| 24 | Alperen Heroic spiritual figure | 2,532 | ▲ 4 |
| 24 | Yiğit Brave, bold | 2,532 | ▼ 3 |
| 25 | Ayaz Sharp dry cold under clear skies | 2,437 | ▼ 2 |
| 26 | Umut Hope, positive expectation for the future | 2,326 | – |
| 27 | Kuzey North | 2,300 | ▲ 2 |
| 28 | Aybars Compound of moon and leopard | 2,288 | new |
| 29 | Mert Brave, honourable, true to one’s word | 2,169 | ▼ 5 |
Source: TurkStat (TÜİK), Address-Based Population Registration System. Changes are against the 2022 list.
Guide
Understanding the leaders and new entries of 2023
The most popular Turkish baby names 2023 place Asel at the head of the girls’ list and Alparslan at the head of the boys’ list. Read this page as a record of nationwide baby-name choices in Türkiye for that year.
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Girls’ national leaders
According to TÜİK’s Türkiye-level figures for 2023, Asel led with 8,104, followed by Zeynep with 7,602 and Defne with 6,883.
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Boys’ national leaders
Alparslan ranked first nationally in 2023 with 8,941, followed by Yusuf with 5,528 and Göktuğ with 5,347.
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Official source and scope
Source: TÜİK, Türkiye’s statistical institute, address-based population register, 2023, Türkiye level, top-30 lists.
Explore the leading girls’ names individually
The leading girls’ entries have distinct meanings and linguistic histories. Asel has Arabic roots and means “honey, the sweet substance made by bees.” Zeynep, also Arabic in origin, means “a fragrant flowering tree,” while Defne has Greek roots and means “bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree.” These meanings provide context for the names themselves. The national ranking establishes their recorded order for babies in 2023; it does not show whether families selected them for their meanings, sounds or personal associations.
Understand the new top-30 entries
Mihra, Doğa and Umay entered the girls’ top 30 compared with the previous year, while Aslan and Aybars entered the boys’ top 30. Use the 2022 ranking for the stated comparison. Entry into this group does not establish first use or reveal a name’s count outside the published list. Umay has Old Turkic roots and refers to a protective female figure in ancient Turkic belief. That description concerns the name’s historical association; it does not establish the beliefs or identity of anyone bearing it.
Keep spelling and complete entries in view
Göktuğ appears third and Metehan ninth in the boys’ ranking, while Ömer Asaf and Ömer appear as distinct entries. When sharing the top Turkish names 2023 with readers outside Türkiye, retain the original letters and the full form of each listed name. The pronunciation guide can help readers approach unfamiliar spellings, and the double names guide provides context for combinations. Avoid folding Ömer Asaf into Ömer or Ali Asaf into Ali: the published figures belong to the entries as shown, not automatically to their component names.
Using the 2023 results accurately
- Identify the figures as 2023 national baby-name results when sharing them.
- Use the previous year’s list to check claims about new top-30 entries.
- Keep Umay’s historical association separate from a bearer’s beliefs.
- Preserve Göktuğ and Ömer Asaf exactly when building a shortlist.
Frequently asked questions
Which baby names led the 2023 lists?
TÜİK’s 2023 nationwide figures place Asel first for girls and Alparslan first for boys.
Where did Gökçe appear in 2023?
Gökçe ranked ninth in the national girls’ list with 3,345. The name has Turkish roots and means “sky-blue; beautiful, pleasing.”
Does Umay’s entry mean the name began in 2023?
No. It entered the girls’ published top 30 relative to the previous year; that is separate from the name’s history.
Can these names identify a person’s religion or ethnicity?
No. Linguistic origins and historical associations describe names, while the ranking describes recorded use. Neither establishes a bearer’s religion, ethnicity or character.