Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,909

Kayhan

Kayhan /kajˈhan/

“universe, world”1

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

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Letters / syllables
6 / 2
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
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Initial
K
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How do you pronounce Kayhan?

Kayhan

IPA /kajˈhan/

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

What does the surname Kayhan mean?

In Nişanyan Adlar, Kayhan is mostly the Turkish rendering of the Persian name Keyhan; Persian keyhān means ‘universe, world’. In some cases the name is also explained from Turkish elements, as Kaya Han or Kayı Han. There are settlements called Kayhan in Giresun and Denizli.1

Grammar Persian keyhān > Kayhan; in a Turkish analysis kaya + han.

The origin is disputed. The views put forward are:

  1. Nişanyan Adlar holds that in most cases it is the Persian name Keyhan ‘universe’.
  2. The same source notes that some cases mean Turkish Kaya Han or Kayı Han.

What is Kayhan made of?

Kayhan is a single Persian root: Kayhan (Persian keyhān: universe, world).

Kayhan root Kayhan Persian keyhān: universe,world PERSIAN Kayhan “Turkish form of Persiankeyhān ‘universe, world’” Kayhan Kayhan root Persian keyhān: universe, world Kayhan PERSIAN “Turkish form of Persian keyhān‘universe, world’”
Kayhan: parts and root words
  • Kayhan Persian — Turkish form of Persian keyhān ‘universe, world’1

How was the name Kayhan formed?

Kayhan is the word Kayhan (“Persian keyhān: universe, world”), 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 Kayhan?

  1. Tanju Kayhan association football player 1989–
  2. Coşkun Kayhan association football player 1986–
  3. Kemal Kayhan volleyball player 1983–
  4. Ahmet Kayhan businessperson 1951–
  5. Batı Kayhan volleyball player 1996–
  6. Sezen Kayhan screenwriter 1986–
  7. Ahmet Kayhan association football player 2006–
  8. Cenk Kayhan researcher

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

Is Kayhan also a first name?

Yes. Kayhan is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “universe, world”.

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

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Kayhan?

Betil, Acun and Cihan share gloss keywords with Kayhan within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Kayhan?

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Adlar: Kayhan accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: Kayhan 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 Kayhan

Q1

What does the surname Kayhan mean?

In Nişanyan Adlar, Kayhan is mostly the Turkish rendering of the Persian name Keyhan; Persian keyhān means ‘universe, world’. In some cases the name is also explained from Turkish elements, as Kaya Han or Kayı Han. There are settlements called Kayhan in Giresun and Denizli.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Kayhan?

The root word of Kayhan is Kayhan (Persian): “Turkish form of Persian keyhān ‘universe, world’”. There are 3 competing views on where Kayhan comes from, all set out on this page.
Q3

How do you pronounce Kayhan?

Kay·han, 2 syllables; IPA: /kajˈhan/.