Defne means “bay laurel”. It comes from Greek. It is documented as a girl's name in Turkish.
- Defne is a name of Greek origin.
- It is recorded for Turkish.
- 2 syllables (counted from the spelling) and 5 letters.
What does Defne mean?
Defne is a Turkish female name and also the name of a district in Hatay. It shares its etymology with the Turkish noun defne, 'bay laurel', which came through Ottoman Turkish from Greek dáphnē, 'laurel'.[1]
Meaning themes: Nature and seasons
Defne in Turkish
What does Defne mean in Turkish?
In Turkish the name is written Defne. No separate Turkish gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “bay laurel” applies. It is recorded as a girl's name.[1]
Where does the name Defne come from?
Greek, borrowing. Inherited from Ottoman Turkish, ultimately from Greek dáphnē.[1]✓ Documented
How do you pronounce Defne?
In IPA: [defˈne], as given in the cited dictionary entry.
Is Defne a Turkish name?
Yes. Defne is documented as a given name in Turkish. Etymologically it is not a native Turkic word: it comes from Greek.
Defne across Turkic languages
| Language | Spelling | Gender | Meaning in this language | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish | DefneLatin | Girl | same as above: “bay laurel” | Documented[1] |
Similar spellings in different languages do not prove a shared origin: two languages can arrive at the same sound from different words. The origin section above states what the sources say.
Spelling variations of Defne
Forms are shown as recorded, in their original script. Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled with their system and are not presented as attested spellings.
| Form | Language | Script | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defne[1] | Turkish | Latin | Native spelling |
Names related to Defne
Sibling names for Defne
Names recorded for the same language (Turkish) that start with a different letter, so two children are not mixed up. Names that share a meaning theme or an element with Defne rank first. Siblings do not have to match; these are only ideas.
- EkinUnisex“crop, harvest”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- KayaBoy“rock”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- GülbaharGirl“rose (flower) + spring”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- BaharGirl“spring (the season)”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- FilizGirl“sprout, bud”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- EgeUnisex“the Aegean (Sea)”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- YağmurUnisex“rain”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
- MeltemGirl“sea breeze”same language (turkish) · also shares the theme nature and seasons
Common questions about Defne
What does the name Defne mean?
Defne means “bay laurel”. It comes from Greek. It is documented as a girl's name in Turkish.
Is Defne a girl's or a boy's name?
Defne is recorded as a girl's name.
Where does Defne come from?
Defne is of Greek origin according to our origin records. Read the origin section above for the sources.
Which languages use Defne?
Defne is recorded for Turkish. The table shows each language's spelling, gender and evidence label, and a language is listed only when our data records the name for it.
How many syllables does Defne have?
Defne has 2 syllables by our approximate count of vowel groups in the spelling, and 5 letters. Pronunciation can differ by language.
Sources
Numbers in the text point to these sources. The descriptions on this page are written by our editors; source texts are not copied.
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “Defne”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 93000106. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: inherited from Ottoman دفنه, ultimately from Greek δάφνη; classified as a female given name in the Turkish section; IPA [defˈne] (Turkish Pronunciation section); listed as a female given name in the Turkish section (+2 more)
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “defne”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 93851649. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: Turkish noun bay laurel (Laurus nobilis); bay leaf; same etymology (Ottoman دفنه < Greek δάφνη)
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “δάφνη”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 92069339. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: Greek noun laurel, bay (tree); figuratively victory
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