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Naming guides
Background reading for choosing a name: how Turkic names are put together, why the same name is spelled differently across languages, and how naming works in practice.
How Turkic names are built: native, Arabic and Persian parts
Most Turkic names are made from a few recurring parts. Some are native Turkic words, many came from Arabic or Persian. Knowing the parts helps you read a name's meaning.
How Turkish names work: given names, unisex names and the alphabet rule
A Turkish name is a given name plus a surname. Parents may choose more than one given name, many names are unisex, and only letters of the Turkish alphabet can be registered.
Name elements explained: ay, gül, nur, bek and jan
Five parts appear in a large share of Turkic names. Here is what each one means, where it comes from and how it is spelled in different languages.
One name, many scripts: spelling Turkic names in Latin, Cyrillic and Arabic
Gülnur, Гүлнұр and a Uyghur Arabic spelling can all be the same name. Here is why Turkic names change shape across alphabets, and how to choose a spelling.