Can () is a common Turkish, Azerbaijani and Circassian given name and surname, meaning ''spirit, life, soul ''or ''heart''. Turkish and Azerbaijani use is derived from the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

word

Jan Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

(

: جان) and Circassian use is derived from Circassian word Janberk. In Turkish, the name Can is pronounced similarly to the common English name

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

Given name

* Asım Can Gündüz (born 1955), Turkish rock and blues guitarist * Bahtiyar Can Vanlı (born 1962), German-Turkish football coach * Can Akın (born 1983), Turkish basketball player *

Can Arat Can Arat (born 21 January 1984) is an Armenian-Turkish footballer. He plays as a center back. Club career Arat played 74 times for the Fenerbahçe PAF team, scoring two goals. He became a regular in the squad following Fábio Luciano's injury ...

(born 1984), Turkish footballer *

Can Artam Can Artam (born 30 June 1981, in Istanbul) is a Turkish race car driver born into a car racing family. He raced in the 2005 GP2 Series for the iSport team and was the 2001 US Barber Formula Dodge champion. Career Artam's career begun in karti ...

(born 1981), Turkish race car driver *

Can Atilla Can Atilla (born 1969 in Ankara), is a Turkish musician and composer of electronic, ethnic, orchestral and new age music. Graduated from Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory in 1990 with a BA degree in violin, he has composed several ...

(born 1969), Turkish composer and musician * Can Ayvazoğlu (born 1979), Turkish volleyball player * Can Bartu (1936–2019), Turkish basketball player, footballer and columnist *

Can Bonomo Can Bonomo (Hebrew: ג'אן בונומו, born 16 May 1987) is a Turkish-Jewish singer who represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Early life Bonomo was born in İzmir, Turkey to a Sephardic Jewish family. At ...

(born 1987), Turkish pop sin * Can Dündar (born 1961), Turkish journalist, columnist and documentarian * Can Emre Yücel (born 1983), Turkish footballer *

Can Erdem Can Erdem (born 8 June 1987 in Istanbul) is a Turkish footballer who currently plays as a striker for Kırşehir Belediyespor. Career Erdem had begun his career at a local club, Alanya Belediyespor, based in Antalya. He was trained there until ...

(born 1987), Turkish footballer * Can Ergenekan (born 1972), Turkish-American swimmer * Can Kim Hua, Vietnamese-American professional poker player *

Can Korkmaz Can Korkmaz (born October 21, 1992) is a Turkish professional basketball player for Darüşşafaka of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He is a 1.88 m (6'2") tall 83 kg (183 lb.) point guard. Professional career Korkmaz made his profe ...

(born 1992), Turkish basketball player *

Can Maxim Mutaf Can Maxim Mutaf (born January 9, 1991) is a Turkish professional basketball player for ONVO Büyükçekmece of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). Professional career Mutaf began his career with Fenerbahçe Istanbul in the 2006–07 season. It was ...

(born 1991), Turkish basketball player *

Can Öncü Can Alexander Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer. After spending the 2019 season in Moto3, for 2020 and 2021, he raced in the World Supersport with Turkish Racing Team, a new venture headed by Turkish former racer Kenan S ...

(born 2003), Turkish motorcycle racer *

Can Themba Daniel Canodoise "Can" Themba (21 June 1924 – 8 September 1967) was a South African short-story writer. Early life Themba was born in Marabastad, near Pretoria, but wrote most of his work in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, South Africa. The town ...

(1924–68), South African short-story writer *

Can Togay Can Togay (; born August 27, 1955), also known as János Can Togay, is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, actor, poet, producer, cultural manager and cultural diplomat. Biography Can Togay was born the son of Turkish parents. He spent ...

(born 1955), Hungarian film director *

Can Yücel Can Yücel (; August 21, 1926 – August 12, 1999) was a Turkish poet noted for his use of colloquial language. Biography Can Yücel was the son of a former Minister of National Education, Hasan Âli Yücel, who left his mark on the history of e ...

(1926–1999), Turkish poet *

Can Yaman Can Yaman (; born 8 November 1989) is a Turkish actor. He received a Golden Butterfly Awards, Golden Butterfly Award for Best Actor in a Romantic Comedy in 2018 for his role in ''Erkenci Kuş'' as well as Murex d'Or in 2019. In 2020, he received ...

, Turkish actor *

Cen Can Cen Shen or Cen Can (), 715–770, was one of the great Chinese poets of the Tang dynasty. His poems were included in the Three Hundred Poems anthology. Name He is also called Cen Jiazhou (). During the reign of Emperor Suzong he was made gove ...

(715–770), Chinese poet *

Coşkun Can Aktan Coşkun Can Aktan (born 1963) is a political economist and a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management at Dokuz Eylül University in İzmir, Turkey. He is founder and honorary chairman of the Social Sciences Research Society. Aktan ...

(born 1963), Turkish professor of economics *

Çiğdem Can Rasna Çiğdem Can (born July 5, 1976 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish volleyball player. She is 184 cm and plays as middle player. She has played for Fenerbahçe Acıbadem team since 2006 and wears number 12. Çiğdem is the team's captain. S ...

(born 1976), Turkish volleyball player *

Ömer Can Sokullu Ömer Can Sokullu (born 14 August 1988) is a Turkish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kırklarelispor Kırklarelispor is a Turkish sports club founded in 1968 is currently playing in the TFF Second League TFF 2. Lig (Turkish Football ...

(born 1988), Turkish footballer

Chinese and Vietnamese

* Huy Cận (1919–2005), Vietnamese poet *

Kun Can Kun Can (髡殘) (1612 to after 1674) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and painter during Ming and Qing dynasties. He hailed from Hunan, but spent most of his life in Nanjing. He became a Chan Buddhist monk at an early age and in Nanjing was abbot of ...

(1612 – after 1674), Chinese painter * Liu Can (died 318), emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao * Liu Can (Tang Dynasty) (died 906), official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty * Ngô Đình Cẩn (1911–64), member of South Vietnam's Diệm government * Nguyễn Bá Cẩn (1930–2009), former Prime Minister of South Vietnam *

Trịnh Căn Trịnh Căn ( Hán tự: 鄭根; 18 July 1633 – 17 June 1709) ruled northern Vietnam from 1682 to 1709 (he ruled with the title ''Định Vương''). Trịnh Căn was one of the Trịnh lords who ruled Vietnam. With the Trịnh–Nguyễn W ...

(1633–1709), Vietnamese ruler *

Wang Can Wang Can (177 – 17 February 217), courtesy name Zhongxuan, was a Chinese politician and poet who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days o ...

(177–217), politician, scholar and poet during Chinese Han Dynasty *

Wu Can Wu Can (died 245), courtesy name Kongxiu, was an official of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Early life and service under Sun Ce Wu Can was from Wucheng County (烏程縣), Wu Commandery (吳郡), which is part ...

(died 245), official of Eastern Wu during the Chinese Three Kingdoms period *

Yuan Can Yuan Can (420–477), originally named Yuan Minsun, courtesy name Jingqian, was a high-level official of the Liu Song dynasty who, near the end of the dynasty, made a futile attempt to prevent the general Xiao Daocheng from gaining sufficient po ...

(420–477), high-level official of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song *

Zhou Can Zhou Can (born 20 May 1979) is a PR China, Chinese long jumper. His personal best jump is 8.22 metres, achieved in June 2007 in Suzhou. He won the silver medal at the 2003 Asian Championships in Athletics, 2003 Asian Championships and the bronze m ...

(born 1979), Chinese long jumper *

Zhu Can Zhu Can () (died 621) was an agrarian rebel leader during the disintegration of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. He was particularly noted for his cruelty and his penchant for favoring cannibalism, and he, while not having a set base of operati ...

(died 621), rebel leader during the Chinese Sui Dynasty

Surname

* Cem Can (born 1981), Turkish footballer *

Cihan Can Cihan Can (born August 1, 1986) is a Turkish professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Ergene Velimeşe. Career Can was promoted to Galatasaray's first team from the youth team in 2005. He played in for the first team in fri ...

(born 1986), Turkish footballer *

Derya Can Göçen Derya Can Göçen (born Derya Can on October 12, 1979) is a Turkish world record holder female free-diver and school teacher. Family life Derya Can was born in Çanakkale, Turkey on October 12, 1979. She studied physical education and sports at ...

, Turkish world record holder female free-diver *

Emre Can Emre Can (; born 12 January 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team. A versatile player, Can can also play as a defensive midfielder, centre ...

(born 1994), German footballer of Turkish origin * Emre Can (chess player) (born 1990), Turkish Grand Master chess player *

Erdem Can Erdem Can (born 3 November 1980) is a Turkish professional basketball coach, who was most recently the head coach for Türk Telekom of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). Early life Can played basketball for youth system teams of Sümer ...

(born 1980), Turkish basketball coach *

Erkan Can Erkan Can (born 1 November 1958) is a Turkish film and theatre actor, who has won the Golden Orange for Best Actor twice for his roles in '' On Board'' and '' Takva: A Man's Fear of God'', and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance b ...

(born 1958), Turkish film and theatre actor *

Eyüp Can (boxer) Eyüp Can (born August 3, 1964 in Pınarbaşı, Cihanbeyli) is a retired Turkish boxer. He won a Flyweight Bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, losing in the semi final to eventual gold medalist Steve McCrory. Two years later, he won th ...

(born 1964), Turkish boxer *

Eyüp Can (journalist) Eyüp Can Sağlık (born 1973 in Adana, Turkey) is a Turkish journalist and ex-editor-in-chief of the Turkish newspaper ''Radikal''. After graduating in Communications from Istanbul University in 1993, he earned a master's degree in American Fore ...

(born 1973), Turkish journalist * Melisa Can (born 1984), U.S.-born Turkish female basketball player *

Mustafa Can Mustafa Can (born October 15, 1969 in Obuzbaşı, Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Wes ...

(born 1969), Swedish author and journalist of Kurdish origin * Müslüm Can (born 1975), German footballer of Turkish origin * Osman Can, Turkish jurist *

Sibel Can Sibel Can (born Sibel Cangüre; 1 August 1970) is a Turkish folk pop and classical music singer. Sibel Can became a dancer at the age of 14 and later started her music career. She has been known as one of the most successful singers in Turkey. ...

(born 1970), Turkish folk pop singer * Şenol Can (born 1983), Turkish footballer *

Yasemin Can Yasemin Can (born Vivian Jemutai on December 11, 1996) is a Kenyan female long distance runner representing Turkey who specialises in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres. She is the reigning European 10,000 m champion. Can is a five-time Europea ...

(born 1996), Turkish female long-distance runner of Kenyan origin

Cans

Joacim Cans Joacim Cans (born 19 February 1970 in Mora) is a Swedish singer, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band HammerFall. He is the only member aside from founder and guitarist Oscar Dronjak to appear on all of the band's albums. Cans a ...

(born 1970), member of the Swedish band HammerFall {{surname, Can Turkish-language surnames Turkish masculine given names