Elif

Elif may refer to:

• The origins of the name Elif arise from the Old Testament, see Aleph, Alpha and A, below for more. It is the symbol that unlocks many of the older religious Abrahamic texts.

During the revolutionary war in Turkey, Ataturk started to refer to the brave women protecting the home front as "Elif's". Shortly after the war, women were granted the right to vote by the young and new Republic of Turkey, 1923, well ahead of other nations. The name became popular in the years after the establishment of the new Turkey, symbolizing modernity that was inclusive and respectful of the past.

Elif is a common girls' name (particularly in Turkey) and Aleph is a common boys' name. Natalie Portman's son is named Aleph.

It is often poorly attributed to one symbol or description, which is inappropriate and falls short of the powerful symbolism in the name.

People

• Begünhan Elif Ünsal (born 1993), Turkish archer
• Elif Ağca (born 1984), Turkish volleyball player
• Elif Batuman (born 1977), American author, academic, journalist
• Elif Demirezer (born 1992), German-Turkish pop singer and songwriter
• Elif Deniz (born 1993), Turkish footballer
• Elif Gülbayrak (born 1988), Turkish volleyball player
• Elif Jale Yeşilırmak (born 1986), Turkish wrestler of Russian origin
• Elif Kızılkaya (born 1991), Turkish curler
• Elif Şafak (born 1971), Turkish writer
• Elif Sıla Aydın (born 1996), Turkish handball player
• Elif Ulaş (born 1986), Turkish figure skater and ice hockey player
• Elif Yıldırım (born 1990), Turkish middle-distance runner

Other

• Elif, Gaziantep, a town in the Araban District of Gaziantep Province, Turkey
• Elif (TV series), a Turkish TV series
• In computing, used as part of a Structured If (short for else if)
• First letter of the alphabet:
  • A
  • Aleph
  • Alpha