Bast: Permutations and Bastet Explained

The word "Bastet" is the most common mistranslation of Her name. Toward the beginning of the New Kingdom, the "-t" at the end of words began to vanish from the spoken language due to foreign influences. In an attempt to preserve the pronunciation of some of the words, scribes added an additional -t to stress that it should be pronounced. This is where we get the "double loafs" that spell out "Bastet". This was the scribes' way of telling the reader to pronounce the word as "Bast", and not "Bas", and it should not be taken to mean that Her name is pronounced "Bastet". [7]

Other Kemetic translations that have been categorized and miscategorized under Bast are:

Pasht - Probably a mis-spelling of Pakhet. This essay has more information.

Ubastet - The earliest form.

Pakhet (lit. "She Who Scratches", "She Who Rends") - Pakhet may or may not be another god altogether. At the very least, the two gods share many similarities. The famous Speos Artemidos--built by Queen Hatshepsut--is dedicated to Pakhet.