Şerife means “the highborn, noble, honourable”. It comes from Ottoman Turkish and Arabic. It is documented as a girl's name in Turkish and also used in Azerbaijani.
- Şerife is a name of Turkic and Arabic origin.
- It is recorded for Turkish and Azerbaijani.
- 3 syllables (counted from the spelling) and 6 letters.
What does Şerife mean?
Literal meaning
Şerife is a Turkish girl's name recorded on Wiktionary. Its etymology there derives it from شَرِيفة ‘the highborn, noble, honourable’ (Ottoman Turkish and Arabic), giving the meaning “the highborn, noble, honourable”.[1]
Şerife in Turkish and Azerbaijani
What does Şerife mean in Turkish?
In Turkish the name is written Şerife. No separate Turkish gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “the highborn, noble, honourable” applies. It is recorded as a girl's name.[1,2]
What does Şerife mean in Azerbaijani?
In Azerbaijani the name is written Şərifə. No separate Azerbaijani gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “the highborn, noble, honourable” applies. It is recorded as a girl's name.
Where does the name Şerife come from?
Ottoman Turkish and Arabic, borrowing. Inherited from Ottoman Turkish شریفه (Şerife), Derived from Arabic شَرِيفة (šarīfa, “the highborn, noble, honourable”).[1]✓ Documented
Which languages use the name Şerife?
Şerife is used as a given name in Turkish and Azerbaijani. Its origin is Ottoman Turkish and Arabic. The table shows for each language whether the use is documented by a cited source or comes from our editorial research.
Şerife across Turkic languages
| Language | Spelling | Gender | Meaning in this language | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish | ŞerifeLatin | Girl | same as above: “the highborn, noble, honourable” | Documented[1,2] |
| Azerbaijani | ŞərifəLatin | Girl | same as above: “the highborn, noble, honourable” | Editorial |
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 Şerife
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Şerife[1] | Turkish | Latin | Native spelling |
| Şərifə | Azerbaijani | Latin | Native spelling |
Sibling names for Şerife
Names recorded for the same languages that start with a different letter, so two children are not mixed up. Names that share a meaning theme or an element with Şerife rank first. Siblings do not have to match; these are only ideas.
- FezanurGirl“light of space”same language (turkish)
- TanjuUnisex“ancient steppe ruler's title”same language (turkish)
- MərcanGirl“coral”same language (turkish, azerbaijani)
- EbruGirl“eyebrow; paper marbling”same language (turkish)
- NuhbeGirl“the best, the elite”same language (turkish)
- UfuktanBoy“horizon dawn”same language (turkish)
- FalihBoy“successful; farmer”same language (turkish)
- NurfidanGirl“sapling of light”same language (turkish)
Common questions about Şerife
What does the name Şerife mean?
Şerife means “the highborn, noble, honourable”. It comes from Ottoman Turkish and Arabic. It is documented as a girl's name in Turkish and also used in Azerbaijani.
Is Şerife a girl's or a boy's name?
Şerife is recorded as a girl's name. By language: Turkish: girls; Azerbaijani: girls.
Where does Şerife come from?
Şerife is of Ottoman Turkish and Arabic origin according to our origin records. Read the origin section above for the sources.
Which languages use Şerife?
Şerife is recorded for Turkish and Azerbaijani. 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 is Şerife spelled in other scripts?
Recorded spellings: Şerife (Latin), Şərifə (Latin). Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled as such in the spelling table.
How many syllables does Şerife have?
Şerife has 3 syllables by our approximate count of vowel groups in the spelling, and 6 letters. Pronunciation can differ by language.
Sources
Numbers in the text point to these sources. The descriptions on this page are written by a fixed template filled only with the stored source facts; source texts are not copied.
- Wiktionary contributors. Wiktionary entry “Şerife”. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 85779122. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Supports: etymology: Inherited from Ottoman Turkish شریفه (Şerife), Derived from Arabic شَرِيفة (šarīfa, “the highborn, noble, honourable”).; Turkish given-name entry; listed as a Turkish given name; headword Şerife
- Wikidata contributors. Wikidata item Q77361297. Wikimedia Foundation, revision 2357952127. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC0 1.0.
Supports: Wikidata given-name item with Turkish label
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