Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 3,145

Melen

Melen /meˈlen/

“barren land (dialect)”1

Letters / syllables
5 / 2
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
front
Initial
M
Contents§1–§9
  1. §1Pronunciation
  2. §2Meaning
  3. §3Root tree
  4. §4Formation & 1934
  5. §5Notable people
  6. §6Abroad
  7. §7Sources
  8. §8Questions
  9. §9Related

How do you pronounce Melen?

Melen

IPA /meˈlen/

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

What does the surname Melen mean?

According to Nişanyan Adlar, melen or meleng means “barren land” in some Anatolian dialects. The Melen river near Düzce and the village of Melen in Kocaali (Sakarya) bear the same name.1

That Melen goes back to melen is probable rather than proven: the dictionary entry cited supports it.

What is Melen made of?

Melen is a single root: melen (melen: in some dialects, barren land).

Melen root melen melen: in some dialects,barren land UNKNOWN melen “barren land (Anatoliandialects)” Melen melen root melen: in some dialects, barren land melen UNKNOWN “barren land (Anatolian dialects)”
Melen: parts and root words
  • melen unknown — barren land (Anatolian dialects)1

How was the name Melen formed?

Melen is the word melen (“melen: in some dialects, barren land”), 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 Melen?

  1. Zeki Melen association football player 2000–

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

How is Melen written and pronounced abroad?

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Adlar: Melen accessed 9 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: Melen 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 Melen

Q1

What does the surname Melen mean?

According to Nişanyan Adlar, melen or meleng means “barren land” in some Anatolian dialects. The Melen river near Düzce and the village of Melen in Kocaali (Sakarya) bear the same name.
Q2

How do you pronounce Melen?

Me·len, 2 syllables; IPA: /meˈlen/.