Where does “Johor Bahru” come from?
Johor Bahru (Malay) comes from Malay Johor, from Arabic جَوْهَر, from Persian گوهر, from Middle Persian gwhl, from Old Persian gauθra.
Ancestry of “Johor Bahru”, step by step
Johor Bahru traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Malay Johor
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | Johor | Johor state in Malaysia |
| 2 | Arabic | جَوْهَر | gem, jewel; jewel, pearl; jewels |
| 3 | Persian | گوهر | jewel; gem; pearl |
| 4 | Middle Persian | gwhl | substance, essence, nature; jewel; stock, lineage |
| 5 | Old Persian | gauθra | — |
via Malay bahru
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | bahru | nonstandard spelling of baharu |