Tegin (aka tigin, tiğin, Pin. teqin, tiin 特勤, erroneous tèlè 鐵勒 ) is a Turkic title, commonly attachable to the names of the junior members of the Khan family. History recorded many personages carrying the title Tegin, from incidentally noted to heading their own states. The most known are Kül Tegin (Ch. Queteqin 闕特勤, erroneous Quētèlè 闕特勒), famous for the stele in his memory in Khöshöö-Tsaidam; a founder Alp Tigin of the Ghazna state which grew into the Ghaznavid Empire; Arslan Tegin and Bughra Tegin instrumental in the creation of the Kara-Khanid Kaganate. The Chinese annals Beishi (History of Northern dynasties) states that Hephthalite king of the Gandhara state was from a ruling clan of the neighboring Tegin state. With time, the title tegin became a popular personal name, and now perseveres both as personal and family name, predominantly in the South Asia and Middle East areas.