Etymology

Unclear. Probably from the Gheg variant shkyp, meaning 'Albanian', as in 'Shkypnia'. See also shqip and shqiptar. Others derive it from Ancient Greek σκοπός ‎(skopós, “watcher, lookout, guardian”)

Peter Skok suggested that this word is originated from Scupi (Shkupi), the capital of the Roman province of Dardania (today's Skopje).^[1] According to Peter Skok Albanian demonym Shkuptar (as in inhabitant of Skopje) changed to Shkiptar, which is still used among Arvanitis Albanians in Greece, and later to Shqiptar ^[2].