Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,812

Karan

Karan /kaˈɾan/

“the master in Ferhat and Şirin; Karanî”1

Disputed origin Karan: root entries for Karan · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

Letters / syllables
5 / 2
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
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Initial
K
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How do you pronounce Karan?

Karan

IPA /kaˈɾan/

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

What does the surname Karan mean?

Nişanyan Adlar records Karan as the name of the sculptor who teaches Ferhat stone-carving in the story of Ferhat and Şirin. The same source adds that the name may also be a form of the epithet Veysel Karanî.1

The origin is disputed. The views put forward are:

  1. Nişanyan Adlar: the name of Karan, the sculptor in the story of Ferhat and Şirin.
  2. Nişanyan Adlar: possibly a form of the epithet Veysel Karanî.

What is Karan made of?

Karan is a single root: karan (a name in Ferhat and Şirin; Karanî).

Karan root karan a name in Ferhat andŞirin; Karanî UNKNOWN Karan “name of the sculptor whoteaches Ferhat…” Karan karan root a name in Ferhat and Şirin; Karanî Karan UNKNOWN “name of the sculptor who teachesFerhat stone-carving”
Karan: parts and root words
  • Karan unknown — name of the sculptor who teaches Ferhat stone-carving1

How was the name Karan formed?

Karan is the word karan (“a name in Ferhat and Şirin; Karanî”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.4

Who are some well-known people named Karan?

  1. Ümit Karan association football player 1976–
  2. Burak Karan association football player 1987–2013
  3. Ceyda Karan journalist 1970–
  4. Doğan Karan politician 1923–2004
  5. Enver Karan politician 1894–1956
  6. Erol Karan politician 1953–
  7. Hayrettin Karan politician 1890–1964
  8. Muzaffer Karan politician 1917–2006

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

Is Karan also a first name?

Yes. Karan is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “the master in Ferhat and Şirin; Karanî”.

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

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Karan?

Çako, Kayan and Kubat share gloss keywords with Karan within the same primary category.

  • Çakoform of Çeko, a hero in Mem û Zîn
  • Kayana chief in the Ergenekon legend
  • KubatKubad, the royal name in Keykubat
  • Timurtaşiron stone; historical name

Which guides add context to Karan?

Read the root, formation and register information for Karan alongside this guide: How to research a Turkish surname and family tree.

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Adlar: Karan accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Wiktionary: Karan 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 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 9 November 2026

Common questions about Karan

Q1

What does the surname Karan mean?

Nişanyan Adlar records Karan as the name of the sculptor who teaches Ferhat stone-carving in the story of Ferhat and Şirin. The same source adds that the name may also be a form of the epithet Veysel Karanî.
Q2

How do you pronounce Karan?

Ka·ran, 2 syllables; IPA: /kaˈɾan/.