Do you want to know what the most common Turkish girl names are in the Netherlands? Do you want to know what these names mean? Then read on! In 2011, Esra is the most common name among Turkish girls and women in the Netherlands. Below you can find the complete top 10 of the most popular Turkish girl names in the Netherlands.
- Esra
- Fatma
- Ayşe
- Zeynep
- Merve
- Elif
- Meryem
- Dilara
- Hatice
- Emine
These names will be discussed in more detail. It is striking that almost all these names have an Islamic meaning.
1: Esra
Esra, unlike many other names on this list, is a modern name. This name was used approximately from the 1970s onwards. Just like in the Netherlands, Esra is also a very popular girl’s name in Turkey. However, in Turkey it is not the most common girl’s name. Why in the Netherlands? Probably because Esra is an easy to pronounce and western sounding name.
Esra is derived from the Arabic Isra and literally means night walk. What makes this name special, however, is that the 17th chapter (surah) of the Quran is called Esra/Isra. This chapter is about the journey of the prophet Muhammad, etc., during which he received the Koran.
Dutch people sometimes think that Esra is a boy’s name. How is that possible? It is actually one of the most popular Turkish girl names! Most likely Esra is confused with the Hebrew Ezra, which is sometimes also written as Esra. Ezra is a Jewish priest discussed in the Bible.
2: Fatma
Fatma is a traditional name. In the Netherlands, Fatma is number 2 among the most common Turkish girls’ names. In Turkey this name is number 1.
The literal meaning of Fatma is child who is not breastfed. Not really a nice meaning you would think. Why is it such a popular name? That is because Fatma is an important person in Islam. Fatma is the youngest daughter of the prophet Mohammed. This name is also written as Fatima.
3: Ayşe
Ayşe, or Aişe, is the name of one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. The literal meaning of this name is one who lives in prosperity.
Ayşe is a traditional name that is starting to regain popularity these days. We can therefore also call this name a retro name.
4: Zeynep
Zeynep, like Ayşe, is a retro name. Nowadays this name is mainly used in name combinations. Usually this name is combined with a modern name. Examples are Zeynep Ece and Zeynep Ceyda. Miss Belgium 2009, Zeynep Kübra Sever, also has a similar name combination.
Zeynep is also written as Zeyneb. Zeynep bint Ali was the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
5: Merve
Merve is a name that can be compared to Esra: a modern, popular, Islamic name. Merve is the name of a hill in Mecca, the most important city for Muslims.
6: Elif
Elif is a classic name that is slowly becoming hip again. So it is a retro name just like Zeynep and Ayşe. Elif is often combined with a modern name. Elif Gökçe and Elif Esra are examples of this.
Elif (alif) is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. It is striking that this name is only popular among Turks and not among other Muslims.
7: Meryem
Meryem is actually not an unknown or unusual name for us. It is the Turkish version of Maria/Mirjam. So it is an age-old name, just like many other names that we have already discussed.
8: Dilara
Dilara is the only name on this list that does not have Arabic origins. This name is derived from the Persian words dil (heart) and ara (to decorate). Dilara means heartbreaker. In Turkey, Dilara is certainly not one of the most common girls’ names. It is striking that it is in the top 10 in the Netherlands! How can we explain this? Probably because Dilara is a western-sounding name. This name is also often chosen for half-bloods.
Just like Esra and Merve, Dilara is a modern name.
9: Hatice
Hatice is a traditional name. Literally, Hatice means prematurely born child. She is also the first wife of the prophet Mohammed. In Arabic, Hatice is written as Khadija.
10: Emine
Emine is derived from the Arabic Amina. In Turkish the name should actually be written as Amine. Because Emine is easier to pronounce, this has become the more common spelling. Emine is the mother of the prophet Mohammed. The literal meaning of this name is confidential.