Demir is the Turkish word for "iron" and has long been a given name and surname in Turkey, chosen for the strength the metal stands for. It is also used in Bosnia, Albania and other parts of the former Ottoman world, and it has arrived in the United States with Turkish and Balkan families. Demir stood at number 2437 in 2015, peaked at number 1367 in 2022 and ranks 1829 in 2025.