Melike first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Melike has been for the last 22 years (from 1996 to 2017) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Melike

A feminine Turkish name meaning "queen" or "sovereign".

Popularity of Melike by gender

Based on the last 22 years of data, Melike is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2017, there were 8 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Melike.

Year Male Count Female Count
2017 0 8
2013 0 5
2012 0 5
2005 0 6
1996 0 5

The history of the first name Melike

The name Melike is derived from the Turkish language and has its origins in the Ottoman Empire era of the 15th to 20th centuries. It is a combination of the Turkish words "mel" meaning "king" and "ike" meaning "to love," effectively translating to "beloved of the king" or "king's beloved."

This name was particularly popular among the ruling class and nobility of the Ottoman Empire. It first appeared in historical records during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, who ruled from 1444 to 1481 CE. The name was often given to daughters of high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melike is found in the writings of the 16th-century Ottoman historian and scholar, Mustafa Ali. In his work, Künhü'l-Ahbâr, he mentions a princess named Melike Sultan, who was the daughter of Sultan Bayezid II and lived from 1480 to 1504.

Another notable historical figure with the name Melike was Melike Hanım, a 17th-century Ottoman poet and calligrapher. Born in 1631 in Istanbul, she was renowned for her exceptional skill in calligraphy and her contributions to Ottoman literature.

In the 19th century, Melike Galib was a prominent figure in the Ottoman Empire's literary circles. She was a poet and the daughter of the renowned Ottoman poet and scholar, Galip Dede. Melike Galib was born in 1822 and passed away in 1899.

During the late Ottoman period, Melike Avni was a celebrated painter and one of the first women artists in the Empire to receive formal training in fine arts. She was born in 1888 and was known for her portraits and still-life paintings.

Throughout its history, the name Melike has been associated with elegance, grace, and a connection to the royal and noble classes of the Ottoman Empire. While its popularity may have waned in modern times, it remains a beautiful and culturally significant name with deep roots in Turkish history and tradition.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Melike was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Melike, please contact us.

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"Melike first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 1, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/melike-meaning-and-history/.

"Melike first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/melike-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 1 November, 2025

Melike first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/melike-meaning-and-history/.

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