Ömer Halisdemir is among the many names that changed the course of a coup in process on July 15, 2016. A symbol of resistance against the putsch attempt, the military officer was killed by putschists that day, only to rise to the status of "July 15 martyr," along with 250 others.

Six years after the coup attempt perpetrated by military infiltrators of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the name Ömer Halisdemir still reminds many of the legendary confrontations between anti-coup groups, from unarmed civilians to patriotic officers on that fateful night. A total of 11,829 children born after the coup attempt now bear his name or its shortened form, "Ömer Halis."

Halisdemir was a sergeant stationed at the Special Forces Command in the capital Ankara when he was shot dead by putschists. Engaging in a deadly mission after receiving orders to stop a putschist general who arrived to take over the command, a key component of the army, Halisdemir fired at Semih Terzi when the latter entered the compound amid a phalanx of heavily armed soldiers. Seconds later, Halisdemir was sprayed with gunfire, and according to accounts of eyewitnesses, was fired at with more shots while he was lying semi-conscious by another putschist officer accompanying Terzi.

Terzi's death threw the putschists into a panic, as they were counting on him to control the Special Forces, hence, bringing in more firepower to gain control of the elite force. Strong public resistance further derailed their plans to seize power. The sergeant was buried in the Çukurkuyu district of Niğde province where he was born and his parents still live. Soon, it turned into a landmark for tributes to heroes of the resistance against the coup attempt, with thousands of people visiting his grave every year ahead and during the anniversary of the coup attempt.

Ömer Halis is one of the thousands of namesakes of the late sergeant. Born about a month after the coup attempt, the 6-year-old boy lives with his family in Istanbul. His father Ahmet Boz told Sabah newspaper on Wednesday that they were thinking to name their son Ömer Asaf, a popular name among boys in the country but changed their mind and replaced Asaf with Halis after hearing about the story of Ömer Halisdemir. The last moments of Halisdemir, confidently walking through the halls of the Special Forces building and exiting it to confront the putschists were captured on security camera footage and heavily circulated on social media.

"We had decorated my son's rooms before he was born, hanging up signs with his name. But when we watched that video, everything changed for us. This image of him, walking to his martyrdom, was so impressive. You cannot forget such a hero," Ahmet Boz said. "This is not a name that can be forgotten. I want my son to have that sense of bravery, readiness for martyrdom like Ömer Halisdemir," he said.

Boz says his son knew who Ömer Halisdemir is. "When I applied to Civic Registry to get an ID for my son, they told me 117 boys born on Aug. 12 (his son's birthday) were named after the late sergeant."

"His sacrifice impressed us. When our son grows up, he will have something to be proud of," he added.