Psellos

I can't recall the exact source now, but there are references that the Arab world from the 12-13th centuries had interpreted the Greeks' calling of their City "Is tin Polin" (to the City) as Istanbol as the proper name of Konstantinoupolis. Similarly Smirni is called Izmir, Nikaia-Iznik, Kos-Istankoy, Thiva-Istifa etc etc.

"Islambol" is simply para-etymological explanation in the like of the usual translation of the name Anatolia(Anadolu) by Turks.

czarnian

In the Medieval slavonic world the name Tsargrad, Czargrad or Tzargrad was used far more often than Constantinople or Byzantion. The word itself originates from the old bulgarian "Цѣсарьградъ" (City of the caesar, the tzar); in old-church slavonic it has the form of "Царьгра̀дъ" (City of the tzar).

Yaunâ

Oficially in 1930.

Yorgos

Actually Istanbul means "Towards the city" or "In the city". It is a composite word, from εις (towards or in) την (the article) πόλιν (the noun city in accusative case). My understanding is that in Turkish the word has change its accent, which now is on the "A", Istànbul, (the etymology indicates that the accent used to be at the last vowel).

Efendi

Thanks for correction Yorgo.

Kirialax

Does anyone know which Viking story calls Constantinople Miklagard?

DreamWeaver

isnt that just the term for Constantinople that Vikings use generally? Or are asking for a specific source?

Kirialax

I believe it was a general term, but I remember hearing of a specific story that talked of Miklagard and Kirialax.

Hercules

Don't forget that the Doric form (very usual in Byzantine Anatolia) of την (tin) was ταν (tan). So, much of what the Easterners would hear was "is tan poli".

muvakkit

I would like to contribute to the discussion:

In addition, Ottomans formerly used the name Kostantiniyye to describe the city until the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. It was minted on the sikkes(coins) formerly. Interestingly Ottomans never felt that any inferiority to use a name of Byzantine Kaiser to describe their new Capital. Contrary, they seemed to proud of it and think they were inheritors of Rumi(Greek) Kaisers. Istanbul or Asitane(means doorstep in Persian) are secondary name of city. Generally these three words written in the Ottoman documents.

Below, there are some another names and adjectives of the city which were written in Ottoman Documents and used by Ottoman Sultan and other Officers:

asitane-i aliyye, 

asbitane-i aliye, 

beldetu'l-tayyibe,
cezire-i heft cebel,
daru'l-hilafetu'l aliye, 

dâru's-saltana der-âliyye, 

dar-us saltanat il aliye, 

dar us saltanat us saadet, 

dar us saltanat us saniye, 

dar ul hilafe der-i devlet, 

dergâh-ı mualla, 

dergâh-ı selâtin, 

der i devlet, 

dersaadet el-faruk, 

el-mahsura, 

islâmbol,

kostantiniye-i kubra,
kostantiniyye,
kostantaniyye-i mahrusi,
mahmiyye-i istanbul, 

mahrûsâ-i istanbul, 

mahrûsâ-i kostantiniyye, 

mahrusa-i saltanat pây-i taht-ı saltanat,
memalik-i mahrusa
sudde-i saadet, 

sudde-i saltanat


And some other names, were used by other nations:

ağrondone, 
 aleksandre, 
 alma rome, 
 alyana, albana, 
 anthusa, 
 antonia, 
 antoninya, 
 
 bizantion, 
 bizantium, 
 bizantiya, 
 
 constantinople, 
 chakdurkan, chakodurkan, 
 char'gorod, chargrad, 
 chezar, 

 escomboli, eskomboli, 
 estambol, esdambol, 
 astefanye, 
 granduye, grandoye, 
 gûlgûle-i rûm, 
 harakliyan, 
 islâmbol, 
istimboli, 
 istinpolin, 
 istefaniye, 
 kalipolis, 
 kanaturye, kanatorya, 
 kayser-i zemin, 
 konstantina el-uzmâ, 
 
 konstantingrad, 
 
 konstantinapolis, 
 kospoli, 
 kostye, 
 kostyantine-grad, 
 
 licus, 
, 
 makedonya, 
 megapolis, 
 megali polis, 
 miklagard, miklagord, 
 neas romes, 
 nor-hormn, 
 nova rome, 
 pây-i taht-ı saltanat, 
 poli, 
 polin, 
 polis, 
 pozantyam, 
 roma bizanti, 
 roma, 
 constantium, 
 roma orientum, 
 sakalye, 
 secunda roma, 
 sitanbûl, 
 stambul, 
 stimbol, 
, 
 shehr-i azâm, 
 shehr-i konstantin, 
 taht-ı rûm, 
 tarigrad, 
 tekfuriye, 
 urbis imperiosum, 
 ummu'd-dunyâ, 
 vezenduvar, 
 vizant, 
 vizantion, 
 vizant kağak, 
 yağfuriye, 
 yantoviche,