Elif (Turkish pronunciation: [elif]) is a name that is most commonly given to females in Turkey, but is also popular in other countries such as the Netherlands. In Greece, it is associated with the name Nefeli. It originates from the Arabic word for the first letter of the Ottoman Turkish alphabet. Like the shape of the letter, it is thus taken to mean 'slender or upright'.
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Given name
Notable Turkish people (unless otherwise mentioned) with this name include:
Begünhan Elif Ünsal (born 1993), Turkish archer
Elif Ağca Yarar (born 1984), Turkish retired volleyball player
Ayliva (real name Elif Akar, born 1998), German singer and musician
Elif Altınkaynak (born 1974), Turkish archer
Elif Sıla Aydın (born 1996), Turkish handball player
Elif Batuman (born 1977), American author, academic, journalist
Elif Bayram (born 2001), Turkish basketball player
Elif Berra Gökkır (born 2007), Turkish archer
Elif Beyza Aşık (born 1994), Turkish sports shooter
Elif Celep (born 1994), Turkish gymnast
Elif Ceren Çolak (born 2005), Turkish trampoline gymnast
Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen (born 1971), Turkish diplomat
Elif Demirezer (born 1992), German-Turkish pop singer and songwriter
Elif Deniz (born 1993), Turkish footballer
Elif Doğan (born 1994), Turkish actress
Elif Doğan Türkmen (born 1962), Turkish politician
Elif Ekşi (born 1967), Turkish archer
İlayda Elif Elhih, Turkish actress
Elif Elmas (born 1999), Macedonian footballer from North Macedonia
Elif Gülbayrak (born 1988), Turkish volleyball player
Elif Gülşen (born 1998), Turkish judoka
Elif Güneri (born 1987), Turkish boxer
Elif Keskin (born 2002), Turkish women's footballer
Elif Kızılkaya (born 1991), Turkish curler
Elif Köroğlu, Turkish football referee
Elif Naci (1898–1987), Turkish journalist, painter, writer and curator
Elif Nur Turhan (born 1995), Turkish boxer
Elif Shafak (born 1971), Turkish-British writer and activist
Elif Şahin (born 2001), Turkish volleyball player
Elif Sözen-Kohl (born 1969), Turkish banker
Elif Ulaş (born 1986), Turkish figure skater amd ice hockey player
Elif Uysal, Turkish electrical engineer
Elif Jale Yeşilırmak (born 1986), Turkish wrestler of Russian origin
Elif Yıldırım (born 1990), Turkish middle-distance runner
Middle name
Eylem Elif Maviş (born 1973), Turkish mountaineer