Borrowed from Classical Persian کَابُل (kābul), in turn borrowed from Sanskrit कुभा (kubhā, “Kabul River”), Ancient Greek Κάβουρα (Káboura, “a settlement in Afghanistan crossed by Alexander the Great”) and Avestan 𐬐𐬎𐬡𐬀 (kuβa). Pronunciation changed to "Kabul" around the 11th century.