Comparison·Top 10
TÜİK · ADNKS 2025Yılmaz or Yıldız?
For every Yıldız there are about 1.69 Yılmazs (2025). Since 2018, Yıldız has grown 5.5% and Yılmaz 3.8%, so the gap is narrowing. Nationally Yılmaz ranks 1st and Yıldız 5th.1
SURNAME · No. 1
Yılmaz
“undaunted, one who never gives up”
- People
- 1,177,896
- Per 1,000
- 13.7
- Since 2018
- +3.8%
- Provinces led
- 57
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Courage and resilience
SURNAME · No. 5
Yıldız
“star”
- People
- 697,080
- Per 1,000
- 8.1
- Since 2018
- +5.5%
- Provinces led
- 1
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Sky, sun, moon and stars
How have Yılmaz and Yıldız changed since 2018?
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yılmaz | 1,134,443 | 1,144,894 | 1,152,872 | 1,160,248 | 1,167,108 | 1,171,014 | 1,174,516 | 1,177,896 |
| Yıldız | 660,780 | 668,478 | 674,918 | 680,948 | 686,329 | 690,153 | 693,634 | 697,080 |
| Year | Yılmaz | Yıldız | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,134,443 | 660,780 | 1.72 |
| 2019 | 1,144,894 | 668,478 | 1.71 |
| 2020 | 1,152,872 | 674,918 | 1.71 |
| 2021 | 1,160,248 | 680,948 | 1.70 |
| 2022 | 1,167,108 | 686,329 | 1.70 |
| 2023 | 1,171,014 | 690,153 | 1.70 |
| 2024 | 1,174,516 | 693,634 | 1.69 |
| 2025 | 1,177,896 | 697,080 | 1.69 |
Which one leads in which provinces?
In the 2025 province lists, Yılmaz ranks above Yıldız in 70 provinces and Yıldız above Yılmaz in 11 provinces.1
Yılmaz ahead
The most populous entries are shown; the figure is the count in that province.
Do they share a root?
Both Yılmaz and Yıldız go back to words of Turkic origin; Yılmaz is a from a verb and Yıldız a plain noun formation.
- Yılmaz The verb yılmak means to be daunted, to lose heart and back away; the suffix -maz negates it. Yılmaz therefore describes someone who does not lose heart and does not give up in the face of hardship. It was already a male given name before the Surname Law.
- Yıldız The name is simply the Turkish word for a star shining in the night sky; Old Turkic recorded it as yultuz. Figuratively it also means a person who shines and stands out among others. It is used as a given name for both girls and boys.
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