Mehmed

Mehmed (modern Turkish: Mehmet) is the most common Turkish form of the Arabic name Muhammed (Muhammed and Muhammet are also used, though considerably less) and gains its significance from being the name of the Prophet of Islam. Originally the intermediary vowels in the Arabic Muhammed were completed with an e, which spelled Mehemed, it lost a vowel over time, also changed from a hard d sound to a softer t sound. The Prophet himself is referred to in Turkish using the full version, Muhammed.

It is the most common Turkish male given name, and also often appears in derived compound names. The name is also prevalent in Turkish influenced cultures, particularly Balkan Muslims. An affectionate form of Mehmet may be Memo. The name is also commonly used in Turkish culture in the form of Mehmetçik, meaning little Mehmet, for unranked soldiers.