Turhan
Noble or highborn, a Turkish name of Persian origin.
Name Census estimates that about 234 living Americans carry the first name Turhan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Turhan today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Turhan births was 1946 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Turhan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
234
~ 1 in 1,464,762 Americans
Peak year
1946
13 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2021 SSA rank
#8,771
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Turhan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Turhan from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 75 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Turhan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Turhan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Turhans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Turhan
The name Turhan is of Turkish origin, derived from the Persian words "tur" meaning "brave" or "powerful" and "han" meaning "leader" or "ruler." It is believed to have originated during the Ottoman Empire period in the 14th to 20th centuries.
In its earliest recorded use, the name Turhan appeared in the 16th century as the name of a prominent Ottoman military commander, Turhan Pasha, who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1638 to 1640. He played a significant role in the Ottoman military campaigns and was known for his bravery and leadership skills.
Another notable figure with the name Turhan was Turhan Sultan, the wife of Ottoman Sultan Ibrahim I. Born in 1627, she was a influential figure in the Ottoman court and played a crucial role in the succession of her son, Mehmed IV, to the throne after Ibrahim's death in 1648.
In the 19th century, Turhan Pasha Vahyi (1801-1848) was a renowned Ottoman poet and writer known for his contributions to the Divan literature. His works, including the celebrated "Divan-ı Vahyi," showcased his mastery of the Turkish language and poetic traditions.
Another notable figure with the name Turhan was Turhan Bey (1901-1990), a Turkish actor and director who had a successful career in both Turkish and Hollywood films. He appeared in several notable films, including "The Son of the Sheik" (1926) alongside Rudolph Valentino, and "The Mummy" (1932) with Boris Karloff.
In more recent history, Turhan Feyzioğlu (1923-2003) was a prominent Turkish politician and statesman who served as the President of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 1977 to 1980. He played a significant role in the political landscape of Turkey during a turbulent period in the country's history.
While the name Turhan has its roots in the Ottoman Empire and Turkish culture, it has also been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and cultures over time, reflecting the diverse and rich history associated with this name.
People
Turhan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Turhan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Turhan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Turhan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 234 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Turhan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,464,762 US residents.
Is Turhan a common name?
We classify Turhan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 277 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Turhan most popular?
The single biggest year for Turhan was 1946, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Turhan is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Turhan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Turhan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.