Ottoman female names reflect a rich naming tradition fed by different sources among the common people and at the palace. Among the people, the names of the women of the Prophet’s family stood out, while at the palace elegant names of Persian origin were common. In this article we examine the best-known names, their meanings and the titles of the women of the dynasty, with reference to the sources.
Quick Summary
- Among the people, names of religious origin such as Fatma, Ayşe, Emine and Hatice were common.
- Concubines taken into the palace were often given new Persian names.
- According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the name Hürrem was given to Suleiman’s wife because of her cheerful face.
- In the early period, the women of the dynasty were called by the title “hatun.”
- From the sixteenth century onward, the title “sultan” was added after the name.
Contents
- The sources of the names
- Names common among the people
- Palace names and their meanings
- The titles of the women of the dynasty
- The names of the valide sultans
- These names today
- Frequently asked questions
Where Do Ottoman Female Names Come From?
Ottoman female names are largely of Arabic and Persian origin. The Arabic names were mostly religious in origin and were taken from the women of the Prophet’s family. The Persian names expressed concepts such as beauty, light, flowers and celestial bodies. Some names arose from epithets highlighting a person’s particular quality.
The naming preferences of the people and of the palace differed considerably. In villages and towns, simple religious names prevailed, while at the palace ornate Persian names were preferred. This difference also reflects the cultures of different layers of society. We discussed the similar tradition for men’s names in our article on Ottoman boy names.
Names Common among the People
Ottoman female names among the people had a simple and religious character. In studies of archival records, Fatma, Ayşe, Emine and Hatice top the list of the most frequent names. All of them are connected with the Prophet’s family: Hatice (Khadija) and Ayşe (Aisha) were the names of his wives, Fatma (Fatima) and Zeynep (Zaynab) of his daughters, and Emine (Amina) of his mother. These names were therefore regarded as expressions of both piety and respect.
In terms of meaning, Ayşe (Aisha) means “living,” Hatice “born early” and Emine “trustworthy.” The name Fatma (Fatima) comes from an Arabic root meaning “to wean.” Saliha means “good, virtuous” and Rabia “fourth.” People often used these names in shortened forms or with endearing suffixes.
According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the name Fatma is widely used in various regions of Anatolia. Its forms such as Fadime, Fadik, Fato and Fatoş are also given to girls. According to the encyclopedia, in some areas the name Fatma is known to be given to newborn girls as a first, “umbilical” name. The source of this affection was Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter; according to the encyclopedia, her name appears together with those of Hasan and Hüseyin on calligraphic panels in mosques and dervish lodges.
Palace Women’s Names and Their Meanings
Concubines taken into the palace were often given new names of Persian origin. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Suleiman’s wife was given the name Hürrem or Hürremşah because of her cheerful face. According to the encyclopedia, Kösem Sultan’s original name in the harem was Mahpeyker; Kösem was an epithet given to her later. These examples show that names were often chosen to describe a particular quality of the person.
The new name often replaced the old identity entirely. According to the encyclopedia, Hürrem’s original name was probably Alexandra Lisowska. Western sources call her Roxelana, while Ottoman sources refer to her almost exclusively as Haseki Sultan. Nurbanu’s original name is said to have been Cecilia, but according to the encyclopedia her identity is uncertain.
The meanings of palace names also reflect this taste. Hürrem means “cheerful, joyful,” Mihrimah “sun and moon” and Gülbahar “spring rose.” Mahpeyker means “moon-faced,” Nakşidil “embroidery of the heart” and Nurbanu “lady of light.” The Arabic name Safiye, meaning “pure, clean,” was also used at the palace.
Ottoman female names at the palace were passed on to new generations of the dynasty as well. According to the encyclopedia, Hürrem’s daughter, born in 1522, was named Mihrimah. Suleiman’s earlier consort and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa was Mahidevran Gülbahar Sultan. The name Mahidevran, meaning “moon of the age,” is a product of the same taste.
According to the encyclopedia, the epithet Kösem may have been given, in keeping with the meaning of the name Mahpeyker, because of her smooth and beautiful skin. It is also noted that the word means “the ram that leads the flock,” pointing to her leadership. According to the encyclopedia, it is claimed that she was the daughter of an Orthodox priest and was probably brought from the region of Bosnia. We described her life in our article Who was Kösem Sultan?.
The list of valide sultans in the encyclopedia shows that many women were known by two names. Mahfiruz Hatice, Hatice Turhan, Saliha Dilaşub and Rabia Gülnuş Emetullah are examples. In these names an Arabic name is often used together with a Persian or Turkish palace name.
The Titles of the Women of the Dynasty
According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, in the early period, as among the Seljuks, the wives and daughters of rulers were called “hatun.” The best-known examples are Mal Hatun, the wife of Osman Gazi; Nilüfer Hatun, the wife of Orhan Bey; and Sitti Mükrime Hatun, the wife of Mehmed II. According to the encyclopedia, after Mehmed II, when princes began to take palace concubines as consorts, this title was replaced by “haseki” and “hanım sultan.” According to the encyclopedia, from the reign of Ahmed III onward, women who bore the sultan a child were called “kadın” or “kadınefendi.”
According to the encyclopedia, the origin of the word hatun is uncertain; according to the most widely accepted view, it comes from a Sogdian word meaning “queen.” The charitable buildings commissioned by ladies bearing this title were often known as “hatuniye.” According to the encyclopedia, Hatunhanı, the old name of Kadınhanı near Konya, derives from such a building.
According to the encyclopedia, from the sixteenth century onward the word “sultan” was added after the personal name. Thus the mothers, daughters and consorts of the sultans were called “hanım sultan” or “valide sultan.” According to the encyclopedia, the first to use the title valide sultan was Nurbanu Sultan, the mother of Murad III. In the tax registers, “Sultan” also appears as a personal name.
That is why one says “Hürrem Sultan,” not “Sultan Hürrem.” The title comes after the name, not before it. We described Hürrem Sultan’s life in our article Who was Hürrem Sultan, really?.
The Names of the Valide Sultans
According to the encyclopedia, twenty-three women lived to see their sons on the throne. The list begins with Mal Hatun, Nilüfer Hatun, Devlet Hatun, Hüma Hatun and Gülbahar Hatun. In later centuries names such as Ayşe Hafsa, Nurbanu, Safiye, Handan and Kösem appear. In the last period, the sultans Mihrişah, Nakşidil, Bezmialem and Pertevniyal stand out. Because his mother died when he was young, Abdülhamid II gave the place of valide sultan to Piristu Hanım, who had raised him.
According to the encyclopedia, women who became valide sultan could not remarry. The first valide to reside permanently in Topkapı Palace was Safiye Sultan. These women were the most respected people in the palace, and their names appeared in official correspondence together with their titles.
These women’s names also lived on through the works they commissioned. According to the encyclopedia, the first valide to found an endowment was Nilüfer Hatun, the mother of Murad I. In Bursa she built a dervish lodge, a small mosque and a bridge over the stream that bears her name. The library in Nurbanu Sultan’s complex was the first library in the state founded by a woman. We discussed the organization of the palace in our article on the harem system.
Do These Names Live On Today?
Many of these names live on today. Names such as Fatma, Ayşe, Emine and Hatice have been handed down from generation to generation in Anatolia. Names of palace origin such as Hürrem, Mihrimah and Gülbahar are also among the names given to girls today. In this way, Ottoman female names continue as a living legacy in today’s Turkish. We described women’s place in society in our article on the place of women.
Frequently Asked Questions
From which languages do Ottoman female names come?
They come largely from Arabic and Persian. The Arabic names are mostly religious in origin, while the Persian names were used mainly at the palace.
What were the most common Ottoman female names?
Among the people, Fatma, Ayşe, Emine and Hatice came first. These names belong to the women of the Prophet’s family.
What does Hürrem mean?
It is a name of Persian origin meaning “cheerful, joyful.” According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the name was given to Suleiman’s wife because of her cheerful face.
Who was the first to use the title valide sultan?
According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the first to use this title was Nurbanu Sultan, the mother of Murad III.
Conclusion
Ottoman female names reflect both the religious beliefs of society and the taste of the palace. Among the people, names such as Fatma, Ayşe, Emine and Hatice were common, while at the palace Persian names such as Hürrem, Mihrimah and Nurbanu came to the fore. Titles also changed over time: hatun gave way to haseki, sultan and kadınefendi. In this respect, Ottoman female names are also an important mirror of social history.
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