Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,528

Ilkay

Ilkay /ɯɫˈkaj/

“first moon, new moon; given name”1

Probable origin Ilkay: root entries for ilk + ay · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

Letters / syllables
5 / 2
Formation
Compound
Vowel harmony
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Initial
I
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How do you pronounce Ilkay?

Ilkay

IPA /ɯɫˈkaj/

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

What does the surname Ilkay mean?

Ilkay is İlkay with the capital İ written without its dot. English Wiktionary analyses the name as ilk “first” + ay “moon”: “first moon, new moon”. It is used for both women and men.1

That Ilkay goes back to ilk and ay is probable rather than proven: the dictionary entry cited supports it.

What is Ilkay made of?

Ilkay is Turkic in origin and breaks into 2 parts: ilk (ilk: first) + ay (ay: moon).

Ilkay + root ilk ilk: first TURKIC ilk “first” root ay ay: moon TURKIC ay “moon” Ilkay ilk root ilk: first ilk TURKIC “first” ay root ay: moon ay TURKIC “moon”
Ilkay: parts and root words

How was the name Ilkay formed?

Ilkay was formed by joining ilk (“ilk: first”) and ay (“ay: moon”).

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.2

Which surnames are related to Ilkay?

Ilkay İlkin İlkan Ilk İlkel
Circle area shows the number of bearers; dashed circle: no national count published. Solid line: same root; dashed line: same affix.
#SurnameRelationRankPeople
01 İlkin same root – –
02 İlkan same root – –
03 Ilk same root – –
04 İlkel same root – –

Is Ilkay also a first name?

Yes. Ilkay is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “first moon, new moon; given name”.

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

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Ilkay?

İlkan, Öngel and Doğanay share gloss keywords with Ilkay within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Ilkay?

Read the root, formation and register information for Ilkay alongside these guides: How Turkish Surnames Are Formed: Roots and Suffixes and How to research a Turkish surname and family tree.

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Wiktionary: İlkay accessed 9 November 2026
  2. 2 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 9 November 2026

Common questions about Ilkay

Q1

What does the surname Ilkay mean?

Ilkay is İlkay with the capital İ written without its dot. English Wiktionary analyses the name as ilk “first” + ay “moon”: “first moon, new moon”. It is used for both women and men.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Ilkay?

Ilkay is made up of two elements: ilk “first” (Turkic) and ay “moon” (Turkic).
Q3

How do you pronounce Ilkay?

Il·kay, 2 syllables; IPA: /ɯɫˈkaj/.