{"id":733,"date":"2017-01-04T01:22:20","date_gmt":"2017-01-04T06:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/?page_id=733"},"modified":"2024-08-29T20:55:05","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T01:55:05","slug":"womens-names-from-16th-century-istanbul","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/turkish-names\/muslim-names\/womens-names-from-16th-century-istanbul\/","title":{"rendered":"Muslim Women’s Names"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Page in progress]<\/em><\/p>\n

To pick a SCAdian name for my 16th-century Turkish persona, I did the geekiest, most time-consuming thing possible: dug up shari’a court records from 16th-century Constantinople and extracted all the female names.<\/p>\n

The names are solid. The etymologies are not.<\/p>\n

Abide<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adile<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alem\u015fah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asiye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Atike<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ayni<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ay\u015fe:<\/strong> Aisha, Muhammed’s favorite wife<\/p>\n

Azize:<\/strong> Possibly Arabic Aziza<\/em>, “dear”<\/p>\n

Ba\u011fdad\/Ba\u011fdat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bedr:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “the full moon”<\/p>\n

Belk\u0131s:<\/strong> The name of the Queen of Sheba in the Quran.<\/p>\n

Canaziz<\/strong><\/p>\n

Canfeda:<\/strong> Possibly can<\/em>, “soul, life” + feda<\/em> “sacrifice” = “heart’s sacrifice”<\/p>\n

Cemile:<\/strong> Arabic Jamila<\/em>, “beautiful”<\/p>\n

Cennet:<\/strong> Heaven<\/p>\n

Cihanbaht:<\/strong> Possibly cihan<\/em> “universe” + baht<\/em> “luck, fortune”<\/p>\n

Durpa\u015fa:<\/strong> Possibly Persian durr<\/em> “pearl” + Turkish(?) pa\u015fa <\/em>“pasha”<\/p>\n

Ehli:<\/strong> Possibly “domestic” (as an adjective)<\/p>\n

Elif:<\/strong> Alif, the first letter of the alphabet<\/p>\n

Emine:<\/strong> Amina, the name of Muhammad’s mother.<\/p>\n

Eslime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Esma:<\/strong> Literally “names,” implying the names of God. Sometimes treated as interchangeable with Ismi.<\/p>\n

Eyne<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fahri:<\/strong> Possibly Ottoman Turkish fakhri<\/em>, “pertaining to a just feeling of pride and glory” [link<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Fahrunnisa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faize:<\/strong> Possibly Arabic Fa’iza<\/em>, “favorite”<\/p>\n

Fati<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fatma\/Fat\u0131ma:<\/strong> Fatima, Muhammad’s favorite daughter<\/p>\n

Fetehna<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gaybi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Genc-asa<\/strong><\/p>\n

G\u00fcher<\/strong><\/p>\n

G\u00fclbeste<\/strong><\/p>\n

G\u00fcll\u00fc:<\/strong> Rose<\/p>\n

G\u00fclpa\u015fa\/G\u00fcl Pa\u015fa:<\/strong> Pasha of the roses<\/p>\n

Habibe:<\/strong> Arabic, “friend.”<\/p>\n

Hace\/Hacce<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hakime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Halime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hani:<\/strong> Possibly Ottoman Turkish khani, “pertaining to a khan”<\/p>\n

Hanife:<\/strong> Possibly “orthodox; sincere and steadfast in faith; pious”<\/p>\n

Hanim:<\/strong> Possibly Ottoman Turkish han\u0131m<\/em>, “lady”<\/p>\n

Hanki<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hankurd<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hanzade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hasna:<\/strong> Very good; very beautiful; chaste and respectable.<\/p>\n

Hatice:<\/strong> Khadija, Muhammed’s first wife.<\/p>\n

Hayrunnisa:<\/strong> Arabic Khairunnisa<\/em><\/span>, “best among women”<\/p>\n

Hesna<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hondi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Huban:<\/strong> Possibly Ottoman Turkish khuban<\/em>, “beautiful women or youths”<\/p>\n

H\u00fcma:<\/strong> The mythical bird of paradise.<\/p>\n

Huri:<\/strong> Possibly “houri,” a maiden of paradise.<\/p>\n

\u0130hsan:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “being good\/beautiful\/kind,” “acting well,” “doing one’s duty toward God.”<\/p>\n

\u0130nci:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “pearl.” Can also refer to the lily of the valley, Solomon’s seal, or snowberry, all plants with pearl-like white flowers or berries. Sometimes used as a pet name for a child.<\/p>\n

\u0130slam<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0130smi:<\/strong> Literally “pertaining to a name,” implying the names of God. Sometimes treated as interchangeable with Esma.<\/p>\n

\u0130smihan<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0130stemade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kad\u0131n Pa\u015fa:<\/strong> Turkish, “pasha of women”<\/p>\n

Kadriye:<\/strong> Turkish, “value”<\/p>\n

Kamer:<\/strong> Arabic Qamar<\/em>, \u201cmoon.” This popular name is the title of a sura as well as a reference to the moon’s beauty.<\/p>\n

Kerime:<\/strong> Possibly Arabic Karima<\/em>, “sister”<\/p>\n

K\u0131ymet:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “value”<\/p>\n

K\u0131zlarbeyi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kumru:<\/strong> Dove<\/p>\n

La\u2018li:<\/strong> Possibly from Persian La`l, “ruby” [link<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Mahreme<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mahti<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marziye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Medine<\/strong><\/p>\n

Merve<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meryem:<\/strong> Miriam<\/p>\n

Mihri:<\/strong> Arabic, \u201csun\u201d<\/p>\n

Mudam<\/strong><\/p>\n

Muhsine:<\/strong> From Ottoman Turkish muhsin<\/em>, “securely stored” or “chaste”; or, alternately, “beneficent”<\/p>\n

Muhterem<\/strong><\/p>\n

M\u00fcmine:<\/strong> Believer<\/p>\n

M\u00fcr\u00fcvvet:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “nobility, generosity, largeness of soul”<\/p>\n

M\u00fcsli<\/strong><\/p>\n

Muslime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Narin:<\/strong> Possibly “delicate”<\/p>\n

Narin\u015fah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nefise:<\/strong> Arabic Nafisa<\/em>, “precious”<\/p>\n

Nesli:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “pertaining to issue and posterity”<\/p>\n

Neslihan:<\/strong> From the family of the khans<\/p>\n

Nesli\u015fah:<\/strong> From the family of the shah<\/p>\n

Nisa:<\/strong> “The women,” the name of a sura.<\/p>\n

Nuriye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pa\u015fa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pa\u015fali\/Pa\u015faali:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “special to a pasha”<\/p>\n

Pa\u015fabula<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rabia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rahime:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish rakhim<\/em>, “soft, gentle, quiet,” or Arabic (?) rahim<\/em>, “merciful, compassionate”<\/p>\n

Raziye<\/strong><\/p>\n

R\u0131dvan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rukiye:<\/strong> Ruqayyah, the name of one of Mohammed’s daughters.<\/p>\n

R\u00fcveyde:<\/strong> Arabic Ruaydah<\/em>, “gentle, forbearing,” the feminine form ofruwaid<\/em>, “soft breeze” or “lenient.”<\/p>\n

Sabur<\/strong><\/p>\n

Safiye:<\/strong> Safiyyah, one of Muhammad’s wives<\/p>\n

\u015eahcihan
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eahdevran<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eah Huban:<\/strong> Shah of the beautiful women; chief among beautiful women<\/p>\n

\u015eahbula<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eahi:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish shahi, “pertaining to the sultan or shah; royal, imperial.”<\/p>\n

\u015eahidyedar<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eahnisa:<\/strong> Shah of the women; chief among women<\/p>\n

Saime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sakine:<\/strong> Possibly Ottoman Turkish sakin<\/em>, “quiet, calm”<\/p>\n

Saliha<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sare:<\/strong> Sarah<\/p>\n

Sedef:<\/strong> Arabic sedab<\/em>, “rue” or “mother-of-pearl”<\/p>\n

\u015eehri<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eehzade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Selc\u00fck<\/strong><\/p>\n

Selime:<\/strong> The Turkish feminine of the Arabic selim<\/em>, “to be safe”<\/p>\n

Selim\u015fah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seltan<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eem\u2018i<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sem\u2018iyye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sena<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u015eerife:<\/strong> Arabic sharif<\/em>, “noble”<\/p>\n

Sitti:<\/strong> Arabic sitt-<\/em>, “lady” or “mistress” (in the sense of a female master)<\/p>\n

Sultan:<\/strong> Noble<\/p>\n

S\u00fcmeyye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tenzile:<\/strong> Possibly from Ottoman Turkish tenzil<\/em>, “a lowering,” metaphorically referring to God’s sending of the revelations of the Quran down from heaven.<\/p>\n

Teslime:<\/strong> From teslim<\/em>, “surrendered”<\/p>\n

Ticar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ulukad\u0131n:<\/strong> Ottoman Turkish, “eminent woman”<\/p>\n

\u00dcmmi:<\/strong> Possibly an Ottoman Turkish adjective derived from Arabic umm<\/em>, “mother,” hence “maternal.” Also associated with illiteracy, and thus with Muhammad.<\/p>\n

\u00dcmm\u00fchan, \u00dcmm\u00fchani, \u00dcmm\u00fc Hani:<\/strong> Ummu Hani, a cousin of Muhammad and sister to Ali<\/p>\n

\u00dcmm\u00fcg\u00fcls\u00fcm:<\/strong> Feminine of the Arabic name Kulthum<\/em>, “one with a chubby face.” The name of one of Muhammad’s daughters.<\/p>\n

Usul<\/strong><\/p>\n

Usul Pa\u015fa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zahide:<\/strong> Pious, devout<\/p>\n

Zeyneb\/Zeynep:<\/strong> Arabic zaynab<\/em>, the name of a fragrant flowering plant. The name of Muhammad’s eldest daughter, as well as two of his wives.<\/p>\n

Zeyni:<\/strong> Possibly from Arabic zayn<\/em>, “beauty”<\/p>\n

Zohre<\/strong><\/p>\n

Z\u00fcbeyde<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zuleyha:<\/strong> Zulaikha, the name of Potiphar’s wife in the Quran. In the hands of poets, the story of Yusuf (Joseph) and Zulaikha became an epic of romantic longing.<\/p>\n

\n

Slaves’ Names Occasionally Borne by Freeborne Women<\/h3>\n

These names were strongly associated with slave women, but were borne by the occasional freeborn woman as well. For their meanings, see the page on slaves’ names<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My impression is that over the course of the late 16th century, traditional slave names slowly filtered into the name pool of well-to-do freeborn families. Research is needed to confirm that the trend is real. However, I suspect it has to do with the number of female slaves–especially highly trained young women bearing the poetic names preferred by wealthy owners–who became concubines or wives to wealthy men. When you grow up surrounded by a mother, grandmother, and aunts who bear certain names, those names stop meaning “slave” and start meaning “family.” If there was a tradition of naming girls for women in the family, then this, too, would spread slave names through the freeborn population.<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

G\u00fclahmer
\nG\u00fcl\u015fah
\nH\u00fcrrem
\nMihriban
\nM\u00fcnevver
\nNazenin
\nPeymane
\n\u015eakire
\n\u015eemsi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Page in progress] To pick a SCAdian name for my 16th-century Turkish persona, I did the geekiest, most time-consuming thing possible: dug up shari’a court records from 16th-century Constantinople and extracted all the female names. The names are solid. The etymologies are not. Abide Adile Alem\u015fah Alime Asiye Atike Ayni Ay\u015fe:\u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2956,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[108,85],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-733","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-muslim-names","category-ottoman-turkish-names","tag-female-names"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2781,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/733\/revisions\/2781"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.issendai.com\/16thcenturyistanbul\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}