Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 4,306

Şafak

Şafak /ʃaˈfak/ ASCII Safak

“dawn, daybreak”2

Established origin Şafak: root entries for şafak · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

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

Şafak

IPA /ʃaˈfak/

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

What does the surname Şafak mean?

Şafak is the first light on the horizon just before sunrise; şafak sökmek means ‘dawn breaks’. The word comes from Arabic šafaq, which in Arabic refers rather to the red glow after sunset. In Türkiye it is used as a given name for both girls and boys.2

Şafak is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Şafak made of?

Şafak is a single Arabic root: şafak (dawn, first light).

Şafak root şafak dawn, first light ARABIC şafak “the light before sunrise(Arabic šafaq)” Şafak şafak root dawn, first light şafak ARABIC “the light before sunrise (Arabicšafaq)”
Şafak: parts and root words
  • şafak Arabic — the light before sunrise (Arabic šafaq)2

How was the name Şafak formed?

Şafak is the word şafak (“dawn, first light”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.5

Who are some well-known people named Şafak?

  1. Elif Şafak writer 1971–
  2. Ahmet Şafak film actor 1961–
  3. Aslı Şafak television presenter 1968–
  4. Doğan Şafak politician 1966–
  5. Erdal Şafak journalist 1945–
  6. Fatih Şafak basketball official
  7. Ümit Şafak zoologist
  8. Erdal Şafak researcher 1971–

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

Is Şafak also a first name?

Yes. Şafak is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “dawn, daybreak”.

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

How is Şafak written and pronounced abroad?

Outside Türkiye the name is often written Safak in passports and registers that lack Turkish letters.

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Şafak?

Erken, Kızıltan and Yenigün share gloss keywords with Şafak within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Şafak?

Read the root, formation and register information for Şafak alongside these guides: How to Pronounce and Spell Turkish Surnames and How to research a Turkish surname and family tree.

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Vikipedi: Şafak (anlam ayrımı) accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: şafak accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Wiktionary: Şafak accessed 8 November 2026
  4. 4 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  5. 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  6. 6 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 9 November 2026

Common questions about Şafak

Q1

What does the surname Şafak mean?

Şafak is the first light on the horizon just before sunrise; şafak sökmek means ‘dawn breaks’. The word comes from Arabic šafaq, which in Arabic refers rather to the red glow after sunset. In Türkiye it is used as a given name for both girls and boys.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Şafak?

The root word of Şafak is şafak (Arabic): “the light before sunrise (Arabic šafaq)”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Şafak?

Şa·fak, 2 syllables; IPA: /ʃaˈfak/.