Tarkan
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- TAR-kahn
- Origin
- Turkish
Tarkan is a boys' name of Turkish origin, meaning “Turkic title of rank”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Tarkan mean?
Turkish: Turkish from Old Turkic tarqan, a title of rank
“Turkic title of rank”
From tarkan, an old Turkic title of rank held by chiefs and military leaders, also written tarkhan.
Is Tarkan a girl's or a boy's name?
Tarkan is a boys' name.
How popular is Tarkan in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1996, with 5 boys.
Half of all the boys named Tarkan in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2008. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Tarkan in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 | #6,179 |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 4 | #3,986 |
| 2010 | 4 | #4,026 |
| 2009 | 1 | #6,016 |
| 2008 | 3 | #4,615 |
| 2007 | 3 | #4,486 |
| 2006 | 3 | #4,204 |
| 2005 | 5 | #2,885 |
| 2004 | 3 | #3,792 |
| 2003 | 4 | #2,990 |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 4 | #2,714 |
| 2000 | 4 | #2,612 |
| 1999 | 3 | #3,043 |
| 1998 | 3 | #3,021 |
| 1997 | 0 | – |
| 1996 | 5 | #2,094 |
Names like Tarkan
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Dylan, Nathan, Ryan, Declan, Hassan, Jeevan, Taran, Kamran, Owen, Thomas, Arran, Liam
More Turkish names
Ayla, Aylin, Alara, Ayda, Orhan, Ayzel, Kaya, Aydin, Aslan, Eren, Evren, Ayaz, Ela, Aylah, Aleyna, Deniz
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Tarkan: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/tarkan, updated 20 October 2026.