'aftaba' originates from Persian, specifically the word 'آفتابه', where 'آب' meant 'water' and 'تابه' meant 'container'.

'آفتابه' transformed into the Urdu word 'آفتابہ', and eventually became the modern English word 'aftaba'.

Initially, it meant 'a container for water', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.