Iskander
/ɪˈskændər/noun
A traditional Arabic, Persian, and South Asian form of the personal name Alexander, especially associated with Alexander the Great.
Did you know?In Persian literature, Iskander became a legendary world-conqueror and seeker of hidden wisdom, blending the historical Alexander with tales from the Alexander Romance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂lek- + *h₂ner-
“To protect or ward off + man; the reconstructed roots behind the name’s traditional interpretation”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros)
“Defending men or protector of men”
4th Century BCE
Greek
Aléxandros
“The personal name borne by Alexander III of Macedon, later known as Alexander the Great”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Alexander
“The Latin form of the Greek personal name”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-Iskandar
“Arabic form of Alexander, with the initial sequence reshaped in Arabic transmission”
Medieval Persian
Persian
اسکندر (Eskandar/Iskandar)
“Persian form of Alexander, prominent in epic and romance literature”
Modern English
English
Iskander
“A transliterated form used for the traditional Eastern name and its legendary associations”
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