Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,935

Kelebek

Kelebek /celeˈbec/

“butterfly”1

Established origin Kelebek: root entries for kelebek · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

Letters / syllables
7 / 3
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
front
Initial
K
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How do you pronounce Kelebek?

Kelebek

IPA /celeˈbec/

The stress usually falls on syllable 3 (marked). In everyday Turkish, stress in surnames varies by speaker and region.

What does the surname Kelebek mean?

Kelebek is the Turkish word for butterfly. Wiktionary traces it through Ottoman Turkish kelebek to Proto-Turkic **käpäläk* ‘butterfly’. The surname is simply this animal name, a word that in everyday Turkish also evokes lightness and restless movement.1

Kelebek is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Kelebek made of?

Kelebek is a single Turkic root: kelebek (butterfly).

Kelebek root kelebek butterfly TURKIC kelebek “butterfly” Kelebek kelebek root butterfly kelebek TURKIC “butterfly”
Kelebek: parts and root words

How was the name Kelebek formed?

Kelebek is the word kelebek (“butterfly”), 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 Kelebek?

  1. Haşim Kelebek university teacher
  2. Sezgin Kelebek badminton player 2002–

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

How is Kelebek written and pronounced abroad?

The name has no Turkish-specific letters and is written Kelebek abroad as well.

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Kelebek?

Arı, Bozgeyik and Böcek share gloss keywords with Kelebek within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Kelebek?

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Wiktionary: kelebek accessed 9 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: kelebek accessed 9 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

Common questions about Kelebek

Q1

What does the surname Kelebek mean?

Kelebek is the Turkish word for butterfly. Wiktionary traces it through Ottoman Turkish kelebek to Proto-Turkic **käpäläk* ‘butterfly’. The surname is simply this animal name, a word that in everyday Turkish also evokes lightness and restless movement.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Kelebek?

The root word of Kelebek is kelebek (Turkic): “butterfly”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Kelebek?

Ke·le·bek, 3 syllables; IPA: /celeˈbec/.