Mehmet

Mehmet is a Turkish given name. It is the Turkish form of Muhammad, the name of the Prophet of Islam. The form Mehmet developed from the Arabic Muhammad, which is generally understood to mean “the praised one.” In Ottoman and Turkish usage the name has appeared in various spellings, including Mehmed and Mehmet, with Mehmet being standard in modern Turkish.

Historically, rulers and notable figures named Mehmed/Mehmet helped popularize the name. Mehmed II, also rendered Mehmet II, is known as the Conqueror for capturing Constantinople in 1453. Mehmed VI was the last Ottoman sultan. The name has remained common in Turkey and among Turkish communities worldwide.

Notable individuals named Mehmet include Mehmet Akif Ersoy (1873–1936), a poet and the author of the Turkish national anthem, Istiklal Marşı; and Mehmet Oz (Mehmet C. Oz, born 1960), a Turkish-American cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality. The name is widely used across generations and remains a common element of Turkish naming tradition.