Turkic history & mythology
Names from Turkic epics
87 names
87 names linked to figures of Turkic history, mythology and epics. See also names from Turkic history and mythology.
| Name | Epic | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bamsı Beyrek | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He is Bay Püre's son and Banu Çiçek's husband. |
| Banu Çiçek | Dede Korkut Kitabı | She marries Beyrek after competing with him in several contests. |
| Deli Dumrul | Dede Korkut Kitabı | After encountering Azrael, he seeks someone willing to die in his place. |
| Selcan Hatun | Dede Korkut Kitabı | She marries Kan Turalı and helps him in battle. |
| Burla Hatun | Dede Korkut Kitabı | She is Salur Kazan's wife and Uruz's mother. |
| Kan Turalı | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He completes the challenges set for him to marry Selcan Hatun. |
| Basat | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He kills Tepegöz, who has been harming the Oghuz people. |
| Dede Korkut | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He advises the Oghuz, bestows names, and speaks at the end of the tales. |
| Uruz | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He is the son of Salur Kazan and Burla Hatun. |
| Boğaç Han | Dede Korkut Kitabı | As Dirse Han's son, he receives his name after defeating a bull. |
| Karaca Çoban | Dede Korkut Kitabı | He is the shepherd who protects Salur Kazan's flock and helps him. |
| Oğuz Kağan | Oğuz Kağan Destanı | His campaigns and the division he makes among his sons are central to the narrative. |
| Gün Han | Oğuz Kağan Destanı | He is one of Oğuz Kağan's three sons by his first wife. |
| Ay Han | Oğuz Kağan Destanı | He is one of Oğuz Kağan's three sons by his first wife. |
| Yıldız Han | Oğuz Kağan Destanı | He is one of Oğuz Kağan's three sons by his first wife. |
| Deniz Han | Oğuz Kağan Destanı | He is one of Oğuz Kağan's three sons by his second wife. |
| Manas | Manas Destanı | He is the central figure whose unification of Kyrgyz groups and battles are narrated. |
| Ruşen Ali | Köroğlu Destanı | In Anatolian versions, he is the central figure known as Köroğlu. |
| Ayvaz | Köroğlu Destanı | He is one of the young companions who accompany Köroğlu. |
| Nigar | Köroğlu Destanı | In some branches of the Köroğlu tradition, she is his wife or beloved. |
| Deli Hasan | Köroğlu Destanı | He is one of the fighters in Köroğlu's company. |
| Seyyid Battal Gazi | Battalname | He is the central figure whose struggles in Anatolian and Byzantine settings are narrated. |
| Cafer | Battalname | This is the personal name used for Battal Gazi in the narrative. |
| Hüseyin Gazi | Battalname | He is Battal Gazi's father. |
| Abdülvehhab | Battalname | He is one of the figures who accompany Battal Gazi in his struggles. |
| Danişmend Ahmed Gazi | Danişmendname | He is the figure whose campaigns in Anatolia form the center of the narrative. |
| Kerem | Kerem ile Aslı | He is the lover who travels to be reunited with Aslı. |
| Aslı | Kerem ile Aslı | She is Kerem's beloved, whose family opposes their marriage. |
| Leyla | Leyla ile Mecnun | She is the young woman loved by Qays, whose union with him is prevented. |
| Mecnun | Leyla ile Mecnun | He is the man known as Mecnun because of his love for Leyla. |
| Ferhat | Ferhat ile Şirin | He is the lover required to cut through a mountain to bring water in order to marry Şirin. |
| Şirin | Ferhat ile Şirin | She is the young woman whom Ferhat loves and seeks to marry. |
| Tahir | Tahir ile Zühre | He is the young man who grows up with Zühre and falls in love with her. |
| Zühre | Tahir ile Zühre | She is the young woman who loves Tahir and is prevented from being with him. |
| Arzu | Arzu ile Kamber | She is the young woman whose mutual love for Kamber and separation from him are narrated. |
| Kamber | Arzu ile Kamber | He is the young man who loves Arzu and is prevented from being with her. |
| Elif | Elif ile Mahmut | She is one of the central figures whose love and efforts to unite with Mahmut are narrated. |
| Mahmut | Elif ile Mahmut | He is the young man who encounters various obstacles while seeking to unite with Elif. |
| Şah İsmail | Şah İsmail Hikâyesi | He is the central figure who travels to find Gülizar and experiences various adventures. |
| Gülizar | Şah İsmail Hikâyesi | She is the woman Şah İsmail loves and sets out to find. |
| Hurşit | Hurşit ile Mahmihri | He is one of the central figures whose love for Mahmihri and separation from her are narrated. |
| Emrah | Emrah ile Selvihan | He is the figure whose love for Selvihan and efforts to unite with her are narrated. |
| Selvihan | Emrah ile Selvihan | She is the woman Emrah loves and strives to be with. |
| Âşık Garip | Âşık Garip Hikâyesi | He is the minstrel who leaves home to earn the means to marry Şah Senem. |
| Şah Senem | Âşık Garip Hikâyesi | She is Âşık Garip's beloved, who waits for him to return from his journey. |
| Asuman | Asuman ile Zeycan | He is the young man who loves Zeycan and tries to overcome obstacles to unite with her. |
| Zeycan | Asuman ile Zeycan | She is the young woman whose mutual love for Asuman and efforts to unite with him are narrated. |
Names from Turkic epics: list with meanings
- Elif♀Name of the Arabic alphabet's first letter
- Ahmet♂More praised
- Kerem♂Generosity, magnanimity, kindness
- Ali♂High
- Hüseyin♂Little beautiful one
- Hasan♂Beautiful
- İsmail♂God has heard
- Deniz♂♀Sea, an extensive body of salt water
- Leyla♀A name associated with night and darkness
- Mahmut♂Praised
- Oğuzhan♂Khan of the Oghuz
- Aslı♀The original
- Gökhan♂Khan of the sky
- Oğuz♂Name of the historical Oghuz and their epic ancestor
- Dağhan♂Khan of the mountain, mountain ruler
- Tahir♂Clean, pure, unblemished
- Ferhat♂Hero of the Ferhat and Şirin story
- Ayhan♂Moon khan
- Ahmed♂More praised
- Yıldız♀A star shining in the sky
- Emrah♂Hero of the Emrah and Selvihan story
- Arzu♀Wish, desire, longing
- Şirin♀Sweet, pleasant, charming
- Ulaş♂Reach, arrive
- Banu♀Lady, noblewoman
- Senem♀Beautiful beloved
- Zühre♀The planet Venus
- Denizhan♂Khan of the sea, ruler of seas
- Cafer♂A stream or small river
- Asuman♀The sky, the vault of heaven
- Korkut♂İnspire fear or awe
- Oğuzkağan♂Ruler of the Oghuz
- Mahmud♂Praised
- Selcen♀Name of Selcen Hatun in Dede Korkut
- Çiçek♀A flower or blossom
- Gün♂♀Daytime
- Hurşit♂The sun
- Selcan♀A spirit exuberant like a torrent
- Gülizar♀Rose-cheeked
- Nigar♀Picture
- Battal♂Valiant warrior, fighting hero
- Ay♂♀The moon
- Kayıhan♂Khan of the Kayı tribe
- Ural♂The name of the Ural Mountains and River
- Karaca♂♀Roe deer
- Tunga♂Tiger
- Ayvaz♂Recompense
- Boğaç♂Epic hero who defeats a bull
- Garip♂Stranger away from home
- Günhan♂Sun khan, ruler associated with the sun
- Boğaçhan♂The hero who defeated a bull
- Ferhad♂The lover in Ferhat and Şirin
- Kamber♂Lark
- Barçın♂♀Silken fabric, silk textile
- Bayındır♂Developed, cultivated, flourishing
- Dumrul♂A kind of falcon, hunting bird
- Kanber♂Lark, crested lark
- Yıldızhan♂Compound evoking a star and a ruler
- Alpertunga♂Heroic warrior
- Denniz♂Sea, an extensive body of salt water
- Edige♂Good, fine
- Ertunga♂Valiant man
- Hassan♂Beautiful
- Hurşid♂The sun
- Kays♂Measuring
- Kıpçak♂Name of a historical Turkic people
- Korkud♂İnspire fear or awe
- Selvihan♀A name combining cypress and khan
- Abdülvehhab♂Servant of God, who gives freely
- Abdülvvehhab♂Servant of God, who gives freely
- Alptunga♂Valiant tunga
- Bamsı♂Name of the epic hero Bamsı Beyrek
- Banıçiçek♀Lady flower, a flower-like lady
- Bekil♂Name of Emren's father in Dede Korkut
- Beyrek♂Name of the epic hero Bamsı Beyrek
- Bozok♂A grey or dun-coloured arrow
- Büğdüz♂The name of an Oghuz tribe
- Burla♀Name of Burla Hatun in Dede Korkut
- Danişment♂Learned, knowledgeable person
- Dirsehan♂A lord in the Dede Korkut tales
- Ergenekon♂A sheltered valley in epic tradition
- Garib♂Stranger away from home
- Leila♀A name associated with night and darkness
- Salur♂Name of the Salur Oghuz tribe
- Üçok♂Three arrows
- Uşun♂The name of Uşun Koca in Dede Korkut
- Zeycan♂♀The heroine's name in Asuman and Zeycan
Guide
Reading epic names with their stories in view
Names from Turkic epics connect a name search with historical and literary figures. This collection contains 72 names; explore their meanings and associations separately, with attention to the difference between a story and documented history.
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A literary collection
The collection offers a route through names associated with historical and literary figures. Its size is not a measure of how often those names are used today.
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Meaning and story are distinct
A character's role does not automatically become the dictionary meaning of their name. Read both aspects without treating them as interchangeable.
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Names do not assign identities
An epic association describes the name's context. It does not establish a bearer's ethnicity, beliefs, character or connection to a historical community.
Distinguish Turkic context from language origin
“Turkic” refers to a broader family of related languages and cultural traditions; “Turkish” refers more specifically to the language of Türkiye. A collection organised around Turkic epics is therefore a cultural and literary browsing route, not a claim that every name has the same linguistic origin. Compare names by origin with names by tradition when that distinction matters to your search. A name's place in a literary tradition and the language from which it comes are separate questions worth reading carefully.
Read titles and name meanings carefully
Oğuz means “name of the historical Oghuz and their epic ancestor,” while Oğuzhan means “khan of the Oghuz; Oghuz ruler.” Here, khan is a ruler's title. Gökhan means “khan of the sky; celestial ruler.” These definitions help explain the names, but they do not give a present-day bearer a title or establish descent. Keep a name's wording separate from broader claims about ancestry, leadership or personal qualities, and avoid turning a literary association into a prediction about a child.
Bring the story back to the name you will use
When exploring names from Turkic epics for babies, consider what appeals to you beyond the story. You may value a meaning, a sound or a connection to literature, without adopting every action associated with a figure. Read the individual entry, then use the pronunciation guide to support discussion with family members unfamiliar with Turkish. The wider Turkic history and mythology collection offers another route for comparison. Keep historical interest and everyday naming preferences visible as separate parts of your decision.
Read the collection with context
- Check whether an association concerns a historical figure, a literary figure or an epic ancestor.
- Keep the dictionary meaning separate from the actions attributed to a character.
- Treat titles within names as part of the explanation, not a claim about the bearer.
- Practise unfamiliar Turkish spellings before comparing how names sound.
- Record what attracts you to a name without assuming it predicts a child's qualities.
Frequently asked questions
Are all names in an epic collection Turkish in origin?
Do not infer linguistic origin from collection membership. Check the origin information in each name's entry.
Does the collection show today's most popular names?
No. The 72-name count describes the collection, not national usage or a popularity ranking.
Does an epic name imply ancestry or a particular character?
No. Its association concerns the name and its context; it does not establish ancestry or describe the person who bears it.