From Turkish Silifke and Ottoman Turkish سلفكه (Silifke), from Medieval Greek Σελεύκεια (Seleúkeia, “Seleucia”), from Ancient Greek Σέλευκος (Séleukos, “Seleucus”) + -εια (-eia, “-ia: forming place names”) in honor of its founder Seleucus I Nicator. Doublet of Seleucia.