However, due to the phrase's vocal similarity with the name of one of the most foremost figures in Turkish literature, the poet and playwright Namık Kemal (1840–1888), the jokes underwent an evolution. With the growing obscurity of Ottoman terms among most speakers of modern Turkish, "nam-ı Kemal jokes" became, more often than not, "Namık Kemal jokes", an example of a mondegreen.
The phrase's resemblance to the name of a prominent Turkish literary figure, Namık Kemal (1840–1888), led to modifications in the jokes. As Ottoman terms became less common among modern Turkish speakers, "nam-ı Kemal jokes" evolved into "Namık Kemal jokes," an instance of a mondegreen.