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Baby names

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Original poster

Thoughts on the following Turkish names:

105 replies

user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 10:11

Hi there

Hoping for some thoughts on the following boy and girl names (mainly how you think they are pronounced upon reading them and how they sound to a non-turkish ear)?

We have lived in UK our entire lives and are from a Turkish background and have a son with a Turkish name. Would greatly appreciate any feedback! I like names with e’s and r’s as you can probably tell :-)

Boy names:

Reyan / Reyyan
Evren
Kerem
Reis

Girl names:

Meryem
Serenay
Esra
Serin
Dilara

Thank you! 🙏🏻

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TheTealZebra · 09/05/2025 08:07

user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 07:57

This does seem like a common opinion re Esra on this thread which is super helpful so we will unlikely use Esra (even though it sounds beautiful in Turkish)… getting the balance right is super tricky so we are grateful for forums!

Show quote history

What about Azra? There is a lovely girl with that name in my son's class, it sounds beautiful and not as similar to Ezra pronunciation wise

Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 08:05

Rubyupbeat · 07/05/2025 11:35

I love all of these names.

Do you have a favourite for the girl and boy name? 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 08:04

TheCurious0range · 07/05/2025 10:17

Reyan Reyyan my phone autocorrects to Ryan and you might get people making the same mistake

I like Kerem mainly because I used to work with a Kerem and he was the loveliest person!

Girls I really like Meryem or Serin

I like the idea of Meryem and the nickname Mimi!

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Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 08:02

MrsKateColumbo · 07/05/2025 19:38

REYAN and Dilara from your list

I would also consider Elif

Not a fan of Elif as I don’t like the way it sounds when not pronounced the Turkish way, often pronounced as “a leaf” which I dislike.

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 08:00

Ikeameatballs · 07/05/2025 22:24

Kerem or Reyan for boys

Serin or Meryem for girls

I also once met a lovely Aylin

Aylin is lovely but the common trend with UK Turkish families at the moment is alot of “A” names like Ayla, Arya and Alara, etc.. which are lovely but something about those names makes me think I will eventually dislike them if I say them on a regular basis because they are so popular right now😂

OP posts:
WhereAreWeNow · 09/05/2025 08:00

All lovely names. The only one I'm less keen on is Dilara. And I would be unsure of how to pronounce Reis.

Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 07:57

BassesAreBest · 07/05/2025 22:18

I probably wouldn’t go for Esra as it’s very close to Ezra, but I like all the other girls’ names on your list.

Reyan’s definitely my favourite of your boys’ names

This does seem like a common opinion re Esra on this thread which is super helpful so we will unlikely use Esra (even though it sounds beautiful in Turkish)… getting the balance right is super tricky so we are grateful for forums!

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 09/05/2025 07:55

Emanwenym · 07/05/2025 11:24

I'm not Turkish, and without an obvious prompt would guess anglicised pronunciation

Boy names:
Reyan / Reyyan - RAY-un. Too close to Rayon?
Evren - EV-run,too close to Evelyn and Everly?
Kerem - KERRum, looks like a girl's name
Reis - Rice, Rees?, too close to Reiss?

Girl names:
Meryem - MERRy-em
Serenay - SERRunay
Esra - ESS-ra, too close to Ezra?
Serin - SERRin, too close to Sarin
Dilara -Dill-AR-a, sounds pharmaceutical

None of them are bad, but I'm more familiar with the Arabic spellings of some.

Many Turkish names are derived from Arabic names, but we will be spelling them in the Turkish form in line with our family background. My names is also the Turkish form of an arabic name and it has never caused any confusion or issues in that respect.

We aren’t worried about the names sounding too much like any other names, all names somehow sound like others in the grand scheme of things :-)

OP posts:
minipie · 07/05/2025 22:41

I think they all sound lovely

The only issues I can imagine:

Kerem - If “Karen” remains an insult he might get called it. Hopefully this will go away though and it’s a lovely name otherwise

Esra - too much like Ezra, an increasingly popular boys name.

Reis - may get spelled Reece or Rhys
Meryem - may get Maryam or Mariam

hattie43 · 07/05/2025 22:32

Serin is lovely for a girl and Reis or Reyan for a boy

Emanwenym · 07/05/2025 22:31

‘r’s are never quite rolled properly by most (not all) English speakers
This. It's not enunciated or it's almost '(r/w)uh' in some names.

Some English-speakers speak more than one language, but many don't.

GourmetLettuceMix · 07/05/2025 22:27

I know a Dilara. Nickname Lala. I think it's really pretty. We live in a very white town (not in UK) but people are very accepting of unusual names.

Ikeameatballs · 07/05/2025 22:24

Kerem or Reyan for boys

Serin or Meryem for girls

I also once met a lovely Aylin

BassesAreBest · 07/05/2025 22:18

I probably wouldn’t go for Esra as it’s very close to Ezra, but I like all the other girls’ names on your list.

Reyan’s definitely my favourite of your boys’ names

Original poster
user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 22:15

SqueakyDinosaur · 07/05/2025 19:49

I used to teach in Turkey, and some Turkish names are lovely. Some are... not.

I love Elif as a girl's name, because all the Elifs I ever taught were delightful (children and adults).

Conversely, every single Barış I ever encountered was genuinely appalling.

And as for Ufuk and Fatih.... just don't go there.

Yep, there are definitely many names that do not work!

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 21:33

You have all been so helpful and I really appreciate all your thoughts and honesty - it’s given me lots to consider!

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 21:27

AgualusasLover · 07/05/2025 20:08

‘r’s are never quite rolled properly by most (not all) English speakers, I have Turkish name with r in the middle and DS has one at the end.

However, it does sound like you are ok with it never being quite right outside of Turkish circles so you’ll be fine (I draw the line at Reis though, which is a phenomenal name but I couldn’t listen to it being Reece).

Kerem and Esra are probably the easiest to be not quite right and still sound great.

I know you want non Turkish opinions but Serenay reminds me of 1980s singers. Serin will work really nicely too

I like Dilara but Dila is my fave of names like that.

For those wondering about pronounciation: phonetic and pronounce every letter so:

Rey - yan
Ev- ren (like red)
Kerem (again e is like in red)
Rey - is

Mer-yem (this one needs its rolled r really but I can see how Maryam or simialr Could be ok)
Ser - en-ay (not like the letter a but like sigh - e like red)
Esra - is what it is

Yes, I am ok with the r not being rolled. I think with some names it’s a dealbreaker but some, I can live with it.

My DS has an r in his name and we save the roll for when we have called him down for dinner for the 10th time 😂

Your thoughts and ideas have been very helpful!

OP posts:
Original poster
user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 21:22

Arthurbear1234 · 07/05/2025 20:13

M husband is Turkish, and we named our son Kerem. Never once has he been called Kermit the frog 😂 I think it’s a lovely name & very easy to say/ spell in England, unlike many other names

Show quote history

Oh that’s so reassuring, we have loved through some teasing during our childhood but we know how bad the tease can potentially get with some Turkish names so we think of even the most obscure ones.

Someone put me off Esra once, as backwards… well I don’t think I need say anymore.

Kerem is a very strong name in Turkish, top 10 there at the moment I think!

OP posts:
DancingDucks · 07/05/2025 21:07

I think they're all lovely. Love Meryem.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 07/05/2025 21:05

CreationNat1on · 07/05/2025 10:14

Reis and Serin are both very pleasant and memorable.

I’d agree

Although for a girl Maryam is my favourite (if that spelling works for you it seems to be the most popular here)

Arthurbear1234 · 07/05/2025 20:13

user1470907786 · 07/05/2025 13:22

Ah thanks for all your thoughts!

One potential issue we have with Kerem:
could be likened to “Kermit” the frog or sounds too much like “cream/créme”?

According to DH!

Am I overthinking?!

M husband is Turkish, and we named our son Kerem. Never once has he been called Kermit the frog 😂 I think it’s a lovely name & very easy to say/ spell in England, unlike many other names

AgualusasLover · 07/05/2025 20:08

‘r’s are never quite rolled properly by most (not all) English speakers, I have Turkish name with r in the middle and DS has one at the end.

However, it does sound like you are ok with it never being quite right outside of Turkish circles so you’ll be fine (I draw the line at Reis though, which is a phenomenal name but I couldn’t listen to it being Reece).

Kerem and Esra are probably the easiest to be not quite right and still sound great.

I know you want non Turkish opinions but Serenay reminds me of 1980s singers. Serin will work really nicely too

I like Dilara but Dila is my fave of names like that.

For those wondering about pronounciation: phonetic and pronounce every letter so:

Rey - yan
Ev- ren (like red)
Kerem (again e is like in red)
Rey - is

Mer-yem (this one needs its rolled r really but I can see how Maryam or simialr Could be ok)
Ser - en-ay (not like the letter a but like sigh - e like red)
Esra - is what it is

Cedrabbage · 07/05/2025 19:59

Dilara sounds like dilate (really not good). Serenay like serenade - hmm if you're into that. The rest are lovely.

MrsKateColumbo · 07/05/2025 19:54

Fatih is a beautiful name but Brits tend to say (and sometimes spell!) It "fatty" so for that reason i wouldn't. I know one who gets a lot of "interesting interpretations"

RaininSummer · 07/05/2025 19:52

I really like Kerem and Serenay.