Back when Constantinople was a hub of international trade, and merchants sold goods from Africa and the Far East to distributors across Europe, a lot of goods got tagged with the nationality of the exporter.
For example, Persian carpets were often sold as 'Turkish rugs.'
Guinea fowl, originating from Africa, and sold through Constantinople, became known as 'Turkey Cock' in the markets of England, where they were a popular food fare.
When British settlers arrived in the New World and encountered a large woodland bird that looked a bit like a Guinea fowl, they called the bird a “Turkey cock,” and a shortened version of the name stuck
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