ربان

From the root ر ب ب (r b b), to be a caregiver or fosterer in charge of. Doublet of رَبّ (rabb) with the Arabic + ـَان (-ān) suffix, in the sense of رَبّ بَحْرِيّ (rabb baḥriyy, “captain of a ship”), a proprietor or caretaker of a vessel. Compare Hebrew ריבון (ribón, “ruler, master”). Alternatively a borrowing from Middle Persian equivalent to Persian رهبان (rahbân, literally “one who guards the way”), compare رهبر (rahbar, “guide”).