The story
From Mamdani + -stan (denoting places in West Asia or the Middle East, e.g. Afghanistan), after the surname of Zohran Mamdani. The suffix highlights Mamdani's religious affiliation as a Muslim, as countries with names ending in -(i)stan are all predominantly Muslim. The term was perhaps originally sarcastic, coined either by or in response to some opponents who feared that Mamdani's religious views would affect his policy, but supporters quickly embraced the concept. Surged in online popularity following his election in November 2025.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.