Born as Melek Dziapş-lpa, she was a member of the Abkhazian Dziapş-lpa family. Her father was Prince Mahmud Bey Dziapş-lpa,[4] and her mother was Princess Halime Hanım Çikotua, an Abkhazian. She had two younger sisters, Princess Ayşe Kemalifer Hanım (1838 – 1901),[5] and Princess Aliye Hanım.[6] She was also the maternal aunt of Nazperver Kadın, fourth wife of Sultan Mehmed V.[7]