Comparison·Top 10
TÜİK · ADNKS 2025Demir or Çelik?
For every Çelik there are about 1.22 Demirs (2025). Since 2018, Demir has grown 6.9% and Çelik 5.5%, so the gap is widening. Nationally Demir ranks 3rd and Çelik 4th.1
SURNAME · No. 3
Demir
“iron; strong, steadfast”
- People
- 876,934
- Per 1,000
- 10.2
- Since 2018
- +6.9%
- Provinces led
- 9
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Metals and gemstones
SURNAME · No. 4
Çelik
“steel; tough, resilient”
- People
- 717,655
- Per 1,000
- 8.3
- Since 2018
- +5.5%
- Provinces led
- 1
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Metals and gemstones
How have Demir and Çelik changed since 2018?
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demir | 820,156 | 831,095 | 840,270 | 849,475 | 858,092 | 864,643 | 871,107 | 876,934 |
| Çelik | 680,558 | 688,604 | 695,044 | 701,315 | 706,814 | 710,598 | 714,184 | 717,655 |
| Year | Demir | Çelik | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 820,156 | 680,558 | 1.21 |
| 2019 | 831,095 | 688,604 | 1.21 |
| 2020 | 840,270 | 695,044 | 1.21 |
| 2021 | 849,475 | 701,315 | 1.21 |
| 2022 | 858,092 | 706,814 | 1.21 |
| 2023 | 864,643 | 710,598 | 1.22 |
| 2024 | 871,107 | 714,184 | 1.22 |
| 2025 | 876,934 | 717,655 | 1.22 |
Which one leads in which provinces?
In the 2025 province lists, Demir ranks above Çelik in 65 provinces and Çelik above Demir in 16 provinces.1
Demir ahead
The most populous entries are shown; the figure is the count in that province.
Do they share a root?
Both Demir and Çelik go back to words of Turkic origin, and both are of the plain noun type. Both sit in the “Metals and gemstones” category.
- Demir Demir is the Turkish word for iron, from Old Turkic temür. Figuratively it stands for what is strong, sound and unbreakable. It is a very old personal name across the Turkic world; the name Timur is another form of the same word.
- Çelik Çelik is steel, the iron-carbon alloy that is quenched to make it hard and springy. Figuratively it describes someone tough and resilient, çelik gibi, “like steel”. The word has the same form in Ottoman Turkish and is also a male given name.
How is this comparison made?
Sources
- 1Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK) · ADNKS, TÜİK Nüfus İsim Portalı: En çok kullanılan soyisimler (ADNKS)
- 2Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK) · ADNKS, TÜİK ADNKS: Cinsiyete göre nüfus, Türkiye ve 81 il