Yavuz

Yavuz is a Turkish masculine given name and epithet derived from the Turkish word yavuz, meaning stern, grim, or fierce. It is used as a personal name and has historical associations with leadership and fierceness in Turkish culture.

The most famous bearer is Yavuz Sultan Selim, also known as Selim I, the Ottoman sultan who reigned from 1512 to 1520. He is popularly referred to by the epithet Yavuz (the Grim) for his decisive and aggressive policies. His reign expanded the empire into the Middle East and led to the defeat of the Mamluk Sultanate, shaping the trajectory of the Ottoman state.

Yavuz has also appeared in naval and architectural nomenclature. The Ottoman battlecruiser SMS Goeben, transferred to the Ottoman Navy in 1914, was renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim and is commonly called Yavuz. In modern Turkey, the name is carried by major projects such as the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, a Bosphorus crossing opened in 2016.

As a given name, Yavuz remains in use in Turkey today. Notable individuals include Turkish artist and actor Yavuz Bingöl. The name continues to be associated with strength and authority in Turkish naming traditions and historical memory.