If in regard to Istanbul, there are several theories but the one mostly maintained is that it's a Turkish contraction of the Greek "est an polis" (or similar) meaning "into the city" which is what the Byzantines were supposedly saying when the Ottomans were close to enter Constantinople.  

Ma`salam

Sanskrit 'Sthan'=Place.

The most common theory is that Istanbul developed from the greek �eis ten poli� (pron: is tin boli)meaning to or in the city. It's likely to have been so, at least linguistically speaking. Culturally, it also makes sense, since Constantinople was referred to simply as i Poli, the City, among greeks, even nowadays. 

I read somewhere that a contraction of Konstantinopouli to Konstanpouli and then simply to Stanpouli (pro: stanbuli) could be also another reasonable explanation.

"eis ten poli" is also what my Turkic linguistics professor told me, and he maintained it was the most common theory. I asked about the one you mention about Constantinople, he didn't find it probable; I've read it somewhere as well, sounded reasonable to me to.

On ottoman official documents, it remained Konstantiniye until the end of the Empire, though.

I think it officially changed to Istanbul during the Republic.

You are wrong, in almost all Ottoman official documents "Istanbul" has been called "Istana/Astana" (it means capital/city in Persian language, the new capital of Kazakhstan is also called Astana).

just read these ones: http://www.gzastorm.i12.com/islam/index.html - http://www.gzastorm.i12.com/islam/index.html

I have said it many times and I know you just love to play with words and ignore all Persian sources, anyway I say again that from early times Persians called "Constantinople" as "Istan Bul" which means "Land Bridge", as they said "AfghanIstan" (Land of Afghans) and "Kabul" (Mountain Bridge).

Actually it was "Istan Pul", and "KaPul".

istan bul and kabul are the arabized ones, because of lack of P in their language.

hmmm when did the Arabs arabized pul?

its the persian who lost their P .

anyway i think the Istana as Cyrus mentioned is the correct theory for Istanbul's name.

Asitane, I heard istanbul was called as such but didnt know meaning of it.

Infact I dont know why Turks should call consantinapole as "into the city".

They were no alien to consantinapolis name or greek langauge.  I cant see any reason to call a known city as "into the city"

Bin adet bas�lm�� olan kitab� kar��t�rmaya koyuldum. koyuldum. �lk sayfada kitab�n ad�n�n neden "Asitane" oldu�u a��klan�yordu. Eski bir asker olan yazar�n geride b�rakt��� baz� e�yalar�n �zerinde "Rag�p Efendi, Asitane yaz�l�ym��. Asitane, Osmanl� payitaht� �stanbul'un tarihteki adlar�ndan biri... Kitab� kar��t�rmaya devam ettim. En yenisi otuz, en eskisi elli y�l �nce yaz�lm�� yaz�lara ve onlar�n tasniflerine bakt�m. Neler yoktu ki? �stanbul'un semtleri, nakil vas�talar�, camiler, saraylar, �e�meler, kabristanlar...

http://www.sabah.com.tr/2004/03/21/cp/yaz1034-20-104-20040321-102.html - http://www.sabah.com.tr/2004/03/21/cp/yaz1034-20-104-2004032 1-102.html

It say Asitane was one name of Istanbul.

The theory is that as they were ready to conquer it, the Byzantines started screaming "into the city" in Greek for security. Ottomans heard that, and named the city after what they heard. Eist an poli -> Istanbul.

After the Ottoman conquest, the name Constantinople was accompanied with "Konstantiniye". I also heard different names being used as 'Dersaadet" and "Deraliye''.

As Hamoudeh said, the Istanbul came from a greek sentance "to the city" said as eis ten polin in greek and not Eist an poli.

I don't know why people think that Turks were so ignorant, when Europeans were in the dark ages, Turks were ruling the most civilized part of the world, I think when the Byzantines started screaming "into the city" in Greek for security, Turks started singing this http://www.rumi.org.uk/greek/piimata.htm - Greek Peom of Molana Rumi for teaching them the Greek literature!

Now i know the word Istana or Astana we use in Malay is from Persian.. cool..

hehe

That is excatly what I mean.Turks had already known greek langauge and city of istanbul(remember before conquest there was  a mosque in istanbul), that is  not a story like kangarou.

I  think  cyprus theory is  more probable.

I have a question here.. if i poli means the city.. so is it Tripoli of Libya also influenced from the greek? what it means by Tripoli anyway...???

Originally posted by Cyrus Shahmiri I don't know why people think that Turks were so ignorant, when Europeans were in the dark ages, Turks were ruling the most civilized part of the world, I think when the Byzantines started screaming "into the city" in Greek for security, Turks started singing this http://www.rumi.org.uk/greek/piimata.htm - Greek Peom of Molana Rumi for teaching them the Greek literature!

This has nothing to do with being civilized or not.  Turks might knew greek but the name Istambul didn't exist on the eve of capturing the city.

"According to a popular story that has existed for many years, the Byzantines did not refer to the city by its actual name, but, because of it size, simply as 'Polis' (the City), and when they wanted to say 'to the City', they said 'eist enpolin' (is-tin-polin), which was the (possible) origin of the name 'Istanbul'.  Recent research has shown that the name 'Istanbul' was used if not during the Byzantine period, at least during the 11th century and that the Turks knew the city by this name. Istanbul has had other names at various times but none of them was used widely or for any great length of time"  

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/istanbul.html - http://www.sephardicstudies.org/istanbul.html

I can see naming the city Asitana or Asatana by the Ottomans since they (as the Seljuk were) adopted Persian too for their administration (at least for a while a mix of it). However, I dont' see why would it be named in Persian "the city" before the Ottoman administration came, neither Asatana resembles a close deriviate of Istanbul more than the Greek story. Also, if it happened that Istanbul was derived from Asitana, it would have sufficed it and replaced it and we wont see the five names of the city: Islambol, Istanbul, Constantinople, Kostantiniya, and the Asitana.

I think that the greek theory is the most logical one, both linguistically and culturally. One can easily imagine eis ten poli [is tin boli], meaning in or to the city, originating Istanbul in the turkish tongue. Furthermore, there's the cultural explanation that the greeks commonly called Constantinople simply as I Poli, the city. I think nowadays they call Istanbul as I Poli still. 

As for Konstantiniye, I read in some books about Ottoman history that this was how the city was named in their official documents. Perhaps, only in the documents sent to european countries, I'm not sure.

The persian name, I never heard.

interesting question, however, I also wonder why Istanbul resembles a different case. Usually "stan" is a suffix with locations. Afgahnistan (Afghan land) , Pakistan (Paki (light) land) , and so it should be the Pulstan (land of bridges), and not land bridge. Anyone who can explain the linguistic ackwardness of (stan Pul)?

Pullistan would be bridgeland and isn't correct not does it make sense because it isnt a land of bride, it is a land bridge.

Ostan pol makes perfect sense. Bridge between regions/countries/continents.  And as Cyrus says, the Turks were fully able to speak Persian and Greek and certainly wouldn't name a city "back into the city".

I think it is either Land Bridge or a variation of Constantinople.  With the former being more likely as I do not see a need for the K sound to be dropped.

Ok, then I guess the theory can be correct in this case. If it is, it will means a change is needed to many well-known internet encyclopedias.

"Etymology

The name Istanbul comes from the late Greek words stin Poli (στήν Πόλι, from Classical Greek eis t�n Polin (εις τήν Πόλι(ν meaning "to/at the City" (the City/Polis being Constantinoupolis). The intermediate form Stamboul was commonly used by the Turks in the 19th century"

http://www.answers.com/topic/istanbul - http://www.answers.com/topic/istanbul

Not to be pedantic, as its a small point, but because it is important to be factually correct in intellectual discussions, the word Pak means literally-PURE, and thus PAKI means PURITY.

PAKISTAN=Land of  purity

I think persians should be able to verify this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan

Your completely right,zagros.

The best way to pronounce it is Paak-istan

Oh right, Paak= Pure. I got that wrong saying it is "light". Thank you for the correction.

persian was the cultural and artistic language of turks (the ones on anotolia) up till ataturk changed the language. so it is very possible that it came from a persian term.

stan means tribe, that is what i read but i guess it could also mean country or place.