Surname Sibel - Meaning and Origin
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Sibel: What does the surname Sibel mean?
The last name Sibel has Turkish origins and it means "seer" or "oracle" in English. It is also a very popular feminine first name in Turkey. The name is often associated with perception, intuition and the ability to predict or see the future. Variations of the name are found in several languages, with similar meanings. For example, in Greek mythology, Sibyl was a prophetess. A notable bearer of the name is the renowned 20th-century Turkish piano composer, Ahmet Adnan Saygun, whose opera named “Taşbebek” has a main character named Sibel. It's also the first name of the acclaimed Swedish recording artist, Sibel Redžep, known by her stage name simply as Sibel. Some also associate the name Sibel with "highest place of worship", providing a spiritual connotation. However, as a surname, its meaning may have different regional or familial variations.
Order DNA origin analysisSibel: Where does the name Sibel come from?
The last name Sibel is commonly seen today in countries such as Turkey, Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Turkish citizens represent the largest portion of people with the last name, with the name appearing in the top 200 most common Turkish surnames according to a 2016 study. It is mostly found in western Turkey, particularly in Istanbul.
The next highest concentration of the name is in Israel, where it is the 433rd most common name and is primarily located in the Ashdod-Ashkelon area, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. In the United States, the name is more concentrated in New York, New Jersey, California, and Illinois. It has also been seen in Saudi Arabia, with multiple cities claiming to be home to a sizable number of Sibels including Jeddah, Riyadh, and Makkah.
The origin of the name itself is unclear, though some records suggest that it is derived from a combination of the Arabic word "Sabi," meaning "one who hears," and the Turkish word, "Bel," which translates to "operation." In both cases, the name implies that a bearer of the last name is a sharp listener, though this is more of a folktale than a documented origin.
No matter where the name originated from, Sibels have become a part of the worldwide culture and are a testament to the global nature of migration and cultural exchange.
Variations of the surname Sibel
The surname Sibel is of German origin, but it can have many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. For example, common spellings of the name are: Sible, Sibyl, Sibille, Sibbud, Sibbat, Sibbel, and Sybill. Variants of the surname come from different countries, like Sibil from England, Sybila from Germany, Sibbald from Scotland, Sybel from Ireland, and Seibel from France.
Other related surnames are: Siebel, Siebels, Ziebel, Siebelts, Seibold, Sieber, Siebert, Seiberling, and Zyballen amongst many others. Additionally, the surname Sibley is the anglicized spelling of the French equivalent “de Siblo”, and is often derived from the French name “Sibille”.
More surname variants stem from German, English, Scottish, and Dutch names: Sybella, Sibylla, Sibell, Sibby, Sibbley, Sivill, Sybil, Szabo, Sibyly, Sybal, Sibylu, Sivell, and Seibald, Sibbele. The surname Sibole is derived from the German “sigel”, and was used to refer to a goldsmith in medieval German villages.
Over the years, there have been many variations of the surname, which makes tracing its lineage difficult. It is likely that variations of the name have been used for centuries, and more variants may still be discovered in the future.
Famous people with the name Sibel
- Kivanc Tatlitug: Turkish actor
- Can Sibel: German pop singer
- Kay Sibels: Dutch film producer
- Hulki Cevizoğlu: Turkish politician
- Ali Sibel: Turkish weightlifter
- Emin Sibel: Turkish footballer
- Nadide Sibels: South African singer
- Sibel Edmonds: American activist and whistleblower
- Ali Akgün Sibel: Turkish synchronized swimmer
- Akfırat Sibel: Turkish volleyball player