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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Turkish names that work in both England and Turkey

59 replies

LyraSilvertongue · 15/09/2013 10:27

So I'm expecting baby number 3. This one has a Turkish father and he would really like him or her to have a Turkish name, which I'm happy with as long as it works here in the UK too. So nothing too Turkish and definitely no "special" letters.

The baby is already going to be stuck with DP's surname, which is very difficult for non-Turkish people to pronounce and contains three special letters, so the first name has to be easier. DP wants Ahmet for a boy, after his late father, but I don't like it so have agreed it can be the middle name.

Which just leaves the first name. We don't know yet if we're having a girl or boy.

Any suggestions?

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callow · 15/09/2013 10:50

My sister has a Turkish husband. Her son is Thomas or Tomas in Turkish. Her daughter is Sophie.

Her husbands parents don't speak much English and these names have suited both cultures.

JustPondering · 15/09/2013 10:52

My Friend has 2 DD' s with a Turkish man, they are called Esma and Leyla.

Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 15/09/2013 18:14

Thanks for the suggestions. Will discuss all with DP.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
ThreeBecameFour · 15/09/2013 22:01

I am half Turkish. I would personally say the more contemporary Turkish names work best in the UK and Turkey..I like the following:

Boys:
Teo (full name Teoman but is often shortened to Teo like the English Theo)
Deniz
Cem (Jem in UK)
Zeke

Girls:
Eva
Alara
Zara
Tessa

thistlelicker · 15/09/2013 22:04

Esra ? I'm sure it's biblical ??

ThreeBecameFour · 15/09/2013 22:05

also there is Danyal (Daniel)...for a boy

ThreeBecameFour · 15/09/2013 22:07

oh and Ilyas (Elias)...for a boy

msrisotto · 15/09/2013 22:08

I met a Turkish girl called Melis once

MortifiedAdams · 15/09/2013 22:08

Aram

hermioneweasley · 15/09/2013 22:10

For a boy

Jem, Selim, Sinan, Levent, Suleyman (half joking with the last one, but I LOVE it)

For a girl
Armagan, Beyza, Esin, Filiz, Zeynep

hermioneweasley · 15/09/2013 22:11

I really like Ahmet BTW

SanityClause · 15/09/2013 22:11

I knew a girl called Deniz, but it means Sea, so I suppose it's unisex.

I love the name Yasar, pronounced Yashar. It means Life.

WidowWadman · 15/09/2013 22:12

Aisha or Reyhan for a girl

tywysogesgymraeg · 15/09/2013 22:20

I know a girl called Perihan. I don't like it though. Shock

QOD · 15/09/2013 22:33

Emine
m in aye

Lovely name

Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 15/09/2013 23:41

Some good suggestions here, thanks.

Can't use Yasar - it's DP's younger brother's name. Also has that dreaded special character, the s with a curl under it.

Hopefully we'll have a shortlist by the time the baby's a year old Grin

OP posts:
Jewelledkaleidoscope · 15/09/2013 23:45

Yazmin?

Stat · 16/09/2013 11:02

I love the name Emre for a boy.

Boys names I also like,
Kaya
Ayd?n (although that has a Turkish character, and would probably be mispronounced as Aidan/Aiden in the UK)
Mustafa
Enes
Emir
Erdem
Ender
Demir
Cemal (pronounced Jemal, I think it'd normally be spelt Jamal in the UK)
Kamil
Zeki
Ziya
Turan
Taylan

And for girls,
Azra
Esra
Esma
Ayla (pronounced like the name Isla)
Aylin
Melike
Leyla (the Turkish spelling of Layla/Leila)
Safiye

telsa · 16/09/2013 11:13

I love the name Demet. It means bouquet apparently!

headsspinningforachange · 16/09/2013 11:22

I have a lot of Turkish family & find the more Turkish names work well in English than English in Turkish iyswim

Boys

Kenan
Teoman
Ridvan (gets shortened to Riddo)
Kahraman
Cem (love this name)
Kerim
Ercan

girls

Kader
Neslihan
Leyla
Yasemin
Doygu

headsspinningforachange · 16/09/2013 11:27

Oops posted to soon

girls

Senay (pronounced Shanai)

Zelihan

Ceyda

Ayse

UriGeller · 16/09/2013 11:27

I only know of one Turkish family whose newest addition, a girl, is named Elif. Pronounced Eh-Leaf. She is known as Leaf. So pretty Smile

Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 16/09/2013 11:30

I'm liking Ayla or Aydin at the moment.

Cem wouldn't work because 99% of people here would pronounce it Sem or Kem.

Leaf is very pretty Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 16/09/2013 11:32

I thought Aydin was spelt with a i rather than a ?...

OP posts:
burberryqueen · 16/09/2013 11:34

oh i was just going to say Aydin
Can
Cem