Ayhan

Ayhan is a masculine given name of Turkish origin. It is formed from the elements ay, meaning “moon,” and han, a title equivalent to khan or khagan, meaning “ruler” or “leader.” The combination is typically interpreted as “moon ruler” or “ruler of the moon,” and it is valued in Turkish naming for its poetic imagery and balanced sound.

The name is most commonly used in Turkey and among Turkish communities abroad, including in European diasporas where Turkish naming traditions are maintained. While primarily a given name, Ayhan can also appear as a surname in some cases, a pattern reinforced by Turkey’s 1934 Surname Law which standardized family names derived from personal identifiers.

In terms of gender, Ayhan is used for males. Naming practices vary by region and generation, but the form remains widely recognized as distinctly Turkish and is considered traditional in many communities.

Ayhan has few established variants; it is typically rendered as Ayhan in Turkish and in most other languages that use the Latin alphabet. In onomastic discussions, it is cited as an example of Turkish compound naming that combines a natural element with a title to convey a sense of stature and imagery.