Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,706

Kavala

Kavala /kaˈvaɫa/

“the city of Kavala”1

Letters / syllables
6 / 3
Formation
Place name
Vowel harmony
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Initial
K
Contents§1–§8
  1. §1Pronunciation
  2. §2Meaning
  3. §3Root tree
  4. §4Formation & 1934
  5. §5Notable people
  6. §6Sources
  7. §7Questions
  8. §8Related

How do you pronounce Kavala?

Kavala

IPA /kaˈvaɫa/

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

What does the surname Kavala mean?

Kavala is a port city in northern Greece, opposite the island of Thasos. Its ancient name was Neapolis and its medieval name Christoupolis; the name Kavala has been used since the 16th century. Its origin is disputed: a nearby settlement called Skavala, Italian cavallo ‘horse’ and an Ottoman-era name have all been proposed.1

The origin is disputed. The views put forward are:

  1. From the name of the nearby ancient settlement Skavala (Wikipedia).
  2. From Italian cavallo ‘horse’, the city being a horse-changing station on the Via Egnatia (Wikipedia).
  3. A name given by the Ottomans after they refounded the city in the 16th century (Wikipedia).

What is Kavala made of?

Kavala is a single root: Kavala (Kavala: port city in Greece).

Kavala root Kavala Kavala: port city inGreece UNKNOWN Kavala “the city of Kavala” Kavala Kavala root Kavala: port city in Greece Kavala UNKNOWN “the city of Kavala”
Kavala: parts and root words
  • Kavala unknown — the city of Kavala1

How was the name Kavala formed?

Kavala comes from a place name: Kavala (“Kavala: port city in Greece”).

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.3

Who are some well-known people named Kavala?

  1. Osman Kavala human rights defender 1957–

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Wikipedia: Kavala accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026

Common questions about Kavala

Q1

What does the surname Kavala mean?

Kavala is a port city in northern Greece, opposite the island of Thasos. Its ancient name was Neapolis and its medieval name Christoupolis; the name Kavala has been used since the 16th century. Its origin is disputed: a nearby settlement called Skavala, Italian cavallo ‘horse’ and an Ottoman-era name have all been proposed.
Q2

How do you pronounce Kavala?

Ka·va·la, 3 syllables; IPA: /kaˈvaɫa/.