Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 5,169

Zana

Zana /zaˈna/

“knowing, wise”1

Probable origin Zana: root entries for zana · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

Letters / syllables
4 / 2
Formation
Adjective
Vowel harmony
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Initial
Z
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How do you pronounce Zana?

Zana

IPA /zaˈna/

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

What does the surname Zana mean?

Zana is, according to Nişanyan’s dictionary of names, a Kurdish name meaning ‘knowing, wise’, used for both women and men. In the traditional epic Zana û Andok it is the name of a female character.1

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

What is Zana made of?

Zana is a single Kurdish root: zana (knowing, wise).

Zana root zana knowing, wise KURDISH zana “knowing, wise” Zana zana root knowing, wise zana KURDISH “knowing, wise”
Zana: parts and root words

How was the name Zana formed?

Zana is the adjective zana (“knowing, wise”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.3

Who are some well-known people named Zana?

  1. Leyla Zana politician 1961–
  2. Mehdi Zana politician 1940–2026

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

Is Zana also a first name?

Yes. Zana is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “knowing, wise”.

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

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Zana?

Hakim, Arif and Biler share gloss keywords with Zana within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Zana?

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Adlar: Zana accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  4. 4 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 9 November 2026

Common questions about Zana

Q1

What does the surname Zana mean?

Zana is, according to Nişanyan’s dictionary of names, a Kurdish name meaning ‘knowing, wise’, used for both women and men. In the traditional epic Zana û Andok it is the name of a female character.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Zana?

The root word of Zana is zana (Kurdish): “knowing, wise”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Zana?

Za·na, 2 syllables; IPA: /zaˈna/.