Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 197

Ala

Ala /aːˈɫaː/

“excellent, superior”1

Letters / syllables
3 / 2
Formation
Adjective
Vowel harmony
back
Initial
A
Contents§1–§10
  1. §1Pronunciation
  2. §2Meaning
  3. §3Root tree
  4. §4Formation & 1934
  5. §5Notable people
  6. §6As a first name
  7. §7Abroad
  8. §8Sources
  9. §9Questions
  10. §10Related

How do you pronounce Ala?

Ala

IPA /aːˈɫaː/

The stress usually falls on syllable 2 (marked). In everyday Turkish, stress in surnames varies by speaker and region.

What does the surname Ala mean?

Âlâ, written with circumflexes, is a word of Arabic origin meaning ‘excellent, very good, superior’. Nişanyan derives it from Arabic aʿlā ‘higher, highest’, the elative of ʿālī ‘high’. It is distinct from Turkish ala ‘speckled, many-coloured’.1

Grammar Arabic elative (afʿal) of ʿālī ‘high’.

That Ala goes back to aʿlā is probable rather than proven: the dictionary entry cited supports it.

Ala is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Ala made of?

Ala is a single root: âlâ (excellent, superior).

Ala root âlâ excellent, superior ARABIC aʿlā “higher, highest,superior” Ala âlâ root excellent, superior aʿlā ARABIC “higher, highest, superior”
Ala: parts and root words
  • aʿlā Arabic — higher, highest, superior1

How was the name Ala formed?

Ala belongs to the “adjective” class of surnames.

Who are some well-known people named Ala?

  1. Efkan Âla politician 1965–
  2. Giovanni Battista Ala composer 1580–1612

People surnamed Ala as recorded in Wikidata, ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions.

Is Ala also a first name?

Yes. Ala is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “excellent, superior”.

Ala as a first name: meaning and statistics — turkiyenames.com →

How is Ala written and pronounced abroad?

In records outside Turkey the name usually appears as Ala: the circumflex is dropped.

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: âlâ accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 nisanyanadlar.com nisanyanadlar.com: Ala accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  4. 4 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  5. 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Nizamnamesi (Bakanlar Kurulu Kararı 2/1759) accessed 8 November 2026
  6. 6 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 8 November 2026

Common questions about Ala

Q1

What does the surname Ala mean?

Âlâ, written with circumflexes, is a word of Arabic origin meaning ‘excellent, very good, superior’. Nişanyan derives it from Arabic aʿlā ‘higher, highest’, the elative of ʿālī ‘high’. It is distinct from Turkish ala ‘speckled, many-coloured’.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Ala?

The root word of Ala is aʿlā (Arabic): “higher, highest, superior”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Ala?

A·la, 2 syllables; IPA: /aːˈɫaː/.