Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,731

Selek

Selek /seˈlek/

“generous”3

Letters / syllables
5 / 2
Formation
Adjective
Vowel harmony
front
Initial
S
Contents§1–§9
  1. §1Pronunciation
  2. §2Meaning
  3. §3Root tree
  4. §4Formation & 1934
  5. §5Notable people
  6. §6As a first name
  7. §7Sources
  8. §8Questions
  9. §9Related

How do you pronounce Selek?

Selek

IPA /seˈlek/

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

What does the surname Selek mean?

In Anatolian dialects selek is an adjective meaning ‘generous, open-handed’, and it is also used as a girl’s name. Nişanyan’s dictionary records a second word of the same form: selek ‘wicker basket’, from Arabic and Persian salla. For the surname the dictionary sense ‘generous’ comes first, though the sources make no firm choice.3

Grammar Bare dialect adjective.

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

Selek is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Selek made of?

Selek is a single root: selek (generous (dialect)).

Selek + root selek generous (dialect) TURKIC selek “generous (dialect)” ARABIC selek “wicker basket (Arabicsalla)” Selek selek root generous (dialect) selek TURKIC “generous (dialect)” selek ARABIC “wicker basket (Arabic salla)”
Selek: parts and root words
  • selek Turkic — generous (dialect)3
  • selek Arabic — wicker basket (Arabic salla)3

How was the name Selek formed?

Selek belongs to the “adjective” class of surnames.

Who are some well-known people named Selek?

  1. Pınar Selek writer 1971–
  2. Cabir Selek politician 1907–1977
  3. Sezai Selek civil servant 1871–1961
  4. Cemal Hakkı Selek politician 1902–1996
  5. Deniz Selek writer 1967–
  6. Hulusi Selek politician 1908–1992
  7. Sebahattin Selek politician 1921–1990
  8. Sehabettin Selek researcher

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

Is Selek also a first name?

Yes. Selek is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “generous”.

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: selek accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: selek accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: Selek 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 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Nizamnamesi (Bakanlar Kurulu Kararı 2/1759) accessed 8 November 2026
  7. 7 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 8 November 2026

Common questions about Selek

Q1

What does the surname Selek mean?

In Anatolian dialects selek is an adjective meaning ‘generous, open-handed’, and it is also used as a girl’s name. Nişanyan’s dictionary records a second word of the same form: selek ‘wicker basket’, from Arabic and Persian salla. For the surname the dictionary sense ‘generous’ comes first, though the sources make no firm choice.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Selek?

The root word of Selek is selek (Turkic): “generous (dialect)”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Selek?

Se·lek, 2 syllables; IPA: /seˈlek/.