Why Is Turkey Called Turkey? From Turkic Tribes to Türkiye

Turkey derives its English name from the Medieval Latin Turchia and the Medieval Greek Tourkía (Τουρκία), both meaning "Land of the Turks." The word "Türk" itself has ancient Central Asian origins, first appearing in 6th-century Chinese records referring to the Göktürk Khaganate. The most widely accepted etymology traces Türk to an Old Turkic word meaning "strong," "mighty," or "of noble birth."

Introduction

In 2022, the Turkish government formally requested that the United Nations and international community use "Türkiye" instead of "Turkey" in English, partly to distance the country from the bird of the same name and to assert the nation's preferred self-designation. This modern rebranding reflects a long and complex naming history that spans from Central Asian steppes to the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

The Word "Türk"

• First Written Record: 6th century CE, Chinese sources (突厥, Tūjué)
• Old Turkic Meaning: "Strong," "mighty," or "of noble birth"
• Göktürk Inscription: Orkhon inscriptions (8th century) use "Türk"
• Alternative Theory: May mean "created" or "born" in Proto-Turkic

The earliest known reference to the Türks appears in 6th-century Chinese chronicles, which record the 突厥 (Tūjué) — the Göktürk (Celestial Turk) Khaganate that dominated the Central Asian steppes from 552 to 744 CE. The Orkhon inscriptions, carved in the 8th century in what is now Mongolia, are the oldest surviving texts in Old Turkic and use the word "Türk" to describe the ruling people.

The meaning of "Türk" has been debated for centuries. The most common interpretation is "strong" or "powerful," fitting for a warrior confederation. Some scholars connect it to a Proto-Turkic root meaning "created" or "born," suggesting it was originally an ethnonym meaning "the people" or "the born ones." Others have proposed connections to words for "helmet," "law," or "mature," but the "strong/mighty" interpretation remains dominant.

From Central Asia to Anatolia

• Seljuk Turks: Migrated westward from 10th century
• Battle of Manzikert: 1071 CE — Turks defeated Byzantines
• Sultanate of Rum: Seljuk state in Anatolia (1077-1308)
• Ottoman Empire: Founded c. 1299, conquered Constantinople 1453

The Turkic peoples who gave Turkey its name were originally nomadic horsemen from the Central Asian steppes, in the region around modern Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and western China. The Seljuk Turks, a branch of the Oghuz Turks, began migrating westward in the 10th century, converting to Islam along the way. Their decisive victory over the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 opened Anatolia to mass Turkic settlement.

The Seljuks established the Sultanate of Rum (Rome) in central Anatolia, using "Rum" to signify their conquest of formerly Roman (Byzantine) territory. European sources, however, began calling the region "Turchia" or "Turkey." The Ottoman Empire, founded by Osman I around 1299, eventually absorbed the Seljuk territories and expanded to control an empire spanning three continents, but Europeans continued to call the Anatolian heartland "Turkey."

Why the Bird Is Also Called Turkey

• Original Bird: Guinea fowl from Africa, traded through Turkey
• Name Transfer: American bird confused with the Guinea fowl
• Turkish Name: Hindi (from India — also a misnomer)
• French Name: Dinde (from "d'Inde" — from India)

The English name for the bird "turkey" is directly connected to the country name, creating an unfortunate confusion. In the 16th century, English merchants imported guinea fowl from Africa through Ottoman-controlled territories, and the birds became known as "turkey fowl" or "turkey cock." When Spanish conquistadors brought the American bird (Meleagris gallopavo) to Europe, the English mistakenly identified it as the same bird and kept the name "turkey."

The irony deepens when you look at other languages. In Turkish, the American bird is called "hindi" — meaning "from India." The French call it "dinde" (from "d'Inde," meaning "from India"). Portuguese uses "peru" (from the country Peru). Almost every language blames a different country for the bird, and most of them are wrong about its actual origin in North America.

The 2022 Rebrand to Türkiye

• UN Request: December 2021, formal name change request
• Effective Date: June 2022
• Reason: Distinguish from the bird, assert national identity
• Turkish Usage: Türkiye has always been the Turkish name

In December 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a decree requiring the use of "Türkiye" in all official communications in foreign languages. The United Nations officially registered the change in June 2022. The government argued that "Turkey" had acquired negative connotations in English, particularly through association with the bird and colloquial expressions like "talking turkey" or calling something a "turkey" to mean a failure.

In Turkish, the country has always been "Türkiye," composed of "Türk" (the people) plus the suffix "-iye" (a Persian/Arabic geographical suffix meaning "land of"). The rebrand aimed to align the international name with the Turkish self-designation. While the change has been adopted in diplomatic contexts and some media, everyday English usage has been slow to shift, and both forms remain in common use.

Key Facts

• Turkey derives from Medieval Latin "Turchia" meaning "Land of the Turks."
• The word "Türk" likely means "strong" or "mighty" in Old Turkic, first recorded in the 6th century.
• The Seljuk Turks' victory at Manzikert (1071) opened Anatolia to Turkic settlement.
• The bird "turkey" got its English name from being confused with guinea fowl imported through Ottoman territories.
• In 2022, the country officially requested international use of "Türkiye" instead of "Turkey."

Fun Facts

• The bird called "turkey" in English is called "hindi" (Indian) in Turkish, "dinde" (from India) in French, and "peru" in Portuguese — everyone blames a different country.
• The oldest Turkic text, the Orkhon inscriptions in Mongolia, date to the 8th century and use the word "Türk."
• The Sultanate of Rum (Seljuk state in Anatolia) used "Rum" meaning "Rome" because they had conquered Roman/Byzantine territory.
• Turkey is one of the few countries to formally request a name change in the 21st century.

Final Thoughts

The name Turkey traces an extraordinary journey from Central Asian steppes to the crossroads of continents. The Turkic peoples carried their name — meaning "strong" or "mighty" — from Mongolia through Persia and into Anatolia, permanently transforming the region that was once the heart of the Byzantine Empire. The 2022 rebrand to Türkiye is the latest chapter in a naming story that spans fifteen centuries of migration, conquest, and identity.