 In modern times, Noyan is used as a given name or surname in Turkey and throughout Central Asia meaning “the commander-in-chief”, “the lord”, “the protector” .Initially, Noyon was a term for the chief of a Mongolian nomad community who, in times of war, had the function as a military commander in the army of Genghis Khan.The term ""Noyon"" applied to leaders of "Tumens" and "Mingghans", social-military units of 10,000 and 1,000 households respectively, each of them with one recruitable soldier.