Turkey is a country that sits in Asia and Europe. A large portion of the country is located in Western Asia while a small section is considered part of Southeastern Europe, part of the Balkan peninsula. The city of Istanbul, historically known as Constantinople and Byzantium is the most populous while its capital, Ankara, is considered the largest city in the country. As you might expect, a country in the midst of these converging cultures delivers a whole lot of flavor options.

Turkish cuisine is largely influenced by Ottoman cuisine. The Ottoman Empire was one of the longest empires, which ruled from the 14th century until after World War I when it was completely dissolved. Ottoman cuisine consists of elements of Turkish, Greek, Balkan, and parts of the middle eastern dishes. Turkish food is typically composed of sherbets, yogurt salads, stuffed vegetables, and fish in olive oil. It was only around 1923, during the establishment of the Turkish republic that Western cuisine squeezed its way into contemporary Turkish grubbery.

Now that you have a background on what Turkish cuisine is made of, its time to think of a name for your startup Turkish restaurant. Here are some Turkish restaurant name suggestions you may use.

Turkish Restaurant Name Ideas

Starting your own Turkish restaurant?! Here are some Turkish-inspired restaurant name suggestions you can use. If you’re not familiar with some of the Turkish words, you can always use the Google to discover its English translation.

  • Mediterranean Twist
  • Battal Shawarma Shop
  • Adam’s Grill and Shisha House
  • Hayri Mediterranean Cuisine
  • Stan’s and Anatoly’s
  • Kader Turkish Restaurant
  • Persian Table
  • Türk Kahvaltısı
  • Çay Ve Menemen
  • Ev Yapımı
  • Pita Doner
  • Yemek Masası
  • Kahvaltı Menüsü
  • Sanat Mutfağı
  • Kebap Kasabası
  • Süper Eriyik Peynir Restoranı
  • Tamamen Dolu
  • Tuzlu Ve Tatlı
  • Eve HoÅŸgeldin
  • Yemek Molası
  • Türk Tarzı
  • The Turkish Diner
  • The Turkish Lunch

Funny Turkish Restaurant Name Ideas

Each nation has its very own way of expressing its humor. Having been around for centuries, Turkish humor has its roots in traditional stories around everyday life. Some examples here were based on the story of Dursun and Temel, as well as the Nasreddin Hodja stories.

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  • Temel’s Tea and Cafe
  • Dursun’s Eggziting Dishes
  • Bebek Kazanı
  • Aç Ceket
  • Anne Ve Çocuk Kazanı
  • Süslü Ceket
  • Isır Beni!
  • Pumpkins and Walnuts
  • The Walnut Tree
  • Hodjas BilgeliÄŸi
  • AkÅŸehir Bilge Adam
  • Sayısız Yıldız
  • Dünyanın Merkezi
  • Çeviride Kayıp
  • Batman’s Cave
  • Afiyet Olsun Bosver
  • Ölü Kazan Yaşıyor
  • Ceket Yemek
  • Snacks and Ladders
  • Eats Mediterranean
  • It’s A-Meze-ng!
  • The Turkish Tickler
  • Taking Turkey

Kebab Restaurant Name Ideas

Kebab is known as a Middle Eastern dish with several variants around the world. Here in North America for instance, it is particularly known as gyros. Here are some kebab restaurant name suggestions for your startup.

  • Bob’s Kebabs
  • Kebab VIP
  • Ali’s Persian Kebab
  • Mortal Kebab
  • Jabbar Kebab House
  • Kebabiliciuos
  • Fun Kebabs
  • Kebab Capital
  • Kebab and the City
  • Kebab Club
  • Uncle Kebab’s House
  • To Infinity and Kebab
  • Türk Kebab and Doners
  • Åžehirdeki En Ä°yi Kebap
  • ÅžiÅŸ ve Daha Fazlası
  • Bay ve Bayan Kebap
  • Kebap Köşesi
  • Kıtalararası Kebap ve Döner
  • MuhteÅŸem Kebap ve Döner Çocuklar
  • Kebap Yeniden Tasarlandı
  • Kebap ve Döner Uzmanları

Kurdish Restaurant Name Ideas

The Kurds is the largest minority of non-Turkish ethnicity in Turkey. They account for around 12% to 25% of the total population of Turkey. Since the Kurds share the same cultural attributes with other neighboring countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Armenia, they also share the same culinary dishes.

Kurdish cuisine also has similar the same traits as that of Indian cuisine as well as some Asian cuisine. If you’re putting up a Kurdish restaurant, here are some Kurdish-inspired name ideas you can use.

  • Xwaringeha Kurdî ya ecêb
  • Tevahiya Rojê
  • Adetên Kulîn
  • Berx Û Mirîşk
  • Xwarina Bingehîn A Kurdî
  • KevneÅŸopiyên Kurdên Berzan
  • Xwarinên Birincê
  • Cejna Kurdî
  • TaÅŸtê Amade Ye
  • Melikê Berx
  • Ji Kerema Xwe Tapsi
  • Halperke
  • Sibehên Menemen
  • Dema Nîvro!
  • Çanda Kurdî
  • Xwarina Asê
  • Pîrozbahî
  • Maseya Du Kesan
  • DemxweÅŸ
  • Mêz
  • Kelûmel
  • Cîhê Civînê

How to Name a Turkish Restaurant

Turkish restaurants, just like in other countries, typically name their place after the owner’s name or family name. You may call it tradition, but it’s also a simple way to make a unique name without any creativity.

Of course plenty of restaurant franchises have come from family names. McDonald’s for example was named after the founder’s family name. The burger chain Wendy’s was named by Dave Thomas after his fourth child Melinda Lou “Wendy” Thomas.

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So how do you name a Turkish restaurant? Here are some best practices.

  1. Brainstorm. You and your partners can put your heads together and think of the best name you can put on your Turkish restaurant business. You can go the traditional way and name it after you, your group, or family as long as it’s not claimed. On the other hand, you may consider thinking of a unique that best describe your company or business. Make this a free form and stress free project over a 1 – 2 week period for the best results.
  2. Turkish Culture. Of course, we’re talking about the country Turkey, as such, you can now pivot your attention in looking for words and concepts related to the Turkish culture. You can start by looking at your target market (Turks, Kurds, Arabs, etc.) or the type of cuisine you’re planning to serve. The region that inspires your menu is another option. Finally, you can identify keywords from your company’s goals and mission statement to serve as inspiration.
  3. Mix it Up. Try combining words from the keywords you’ve come up from items 1 and 2. An example of which can be: Yusuf’s Amazing Kebabs and Doners or Breakfast is Served! These are English names and you may want to translate it to the Turkish language to make it more local.
  4. Narrow Down Your List and Get Feedback. You’ve probably listed a lot and can’t decide on what to name your company? Choose the best that describes the food you’re going to serve and culture you intend to specialize in for your restaurant. Once you’ve narrowed down this list, make sure to picks backup names so you can always have an alternative if something is claimed. It would also be a good idea to present your chosen name with friends and family or even your target audience to solicit feedback.
  5. Check and Register. Check with your local business registry if the name is already taken. For a quick check, you can head to Google to confirm you don’t find any businesses operating under the same brand. As a second round of due diligence, head to the trademark database at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

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