Why Bishkek?

Nobody knows the exact origin of the word Bishkek, although there are three interesting possibilities:
'There are various folk etymologies purporting to elucidate the word Bishkek. One tells of five chiefs fighting over the territory. The word for five in Kyrgyz is besh and the word for strong man is bek; hence beshbek or five strong men.
Another candidate … is the Kyrgyz word, bishkek, a wooden utensil that Kyrgyz women use to churn kimis, or mare's milk, which is considered the national drink.
One other hypothesis is that Bishkek is derived from the Persian word, pishgakh, which means 'place below the mountains'. A look at the location of Bishkek - tucked beneath high mountain ranges - gives credence to this suggestion.' Bishkek Guide, The Times of Central Asia Press, 2000

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