Elif (name)

The origins of the name Elif arise from Alpha, Alef and Aleph, driven from Ancient Abrahamic books, starting with the Torah and including the Bible and Qu’ran. It is not of one religion alone but the origins of many. It is the symbol that unlocks many of the older religious Abrahamic texts. It is also recorded in Mesopotamia, Babylon and even North Africa in pre historic times. It has been interpreted as ‘Will of God’ in Hasidic texts.

During the revolutionary war in Turkey, which began in 1919, Atatürk started to refer to the brave women protecting the home front as "Elifs". Shortly after the war, women were granted the right to vote by the young and new Republic of Turkey, in 1923, well ahead of other nations. The name became popular in the years after the establishment of the new Turkey, symbolizing modernity that was inclusive and respectful of the past.

Elif is a girls' name (particularly in Turkey) and Aleph is a Hebrew boys' name. Nathalie Portman’s son is named Aleph.

It is often erroneously attributed to one symbol or description, despite its varied origins.

The name Elif is usually used as a girls name. Last year it ranked 2,636th in the U.S. Social Security Administration list of most popular baby girl names.