hiː wʌz bˈɔːɹn ˌɔn twˈɛnti wˈʌn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈaɪv ɪn sˌɛɹɑːpˈɑːʃə, ˌɪstˌænbˈʊl, ænd wʌz nˈeɪmd ˈæxmɛd, mˈiːnɪŋ hˈaɪli pɹˈeɪzd, baɪ hɪz mˈʌðɚ ænd hjʊlˈuːsi, mˈiːnɪŋ sɪnsˈɪɹ, baɪ hɪz fˈɑːðɚ.
He was born on 21 January 1945 in Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul, and was named Ahmed, meaning ‘highly praised’, by his mother and Hulusi, meaning ‘sincere’, by his father.