The word "Hungarian" is thought to be derived from the Bulgar-TurkicOnogur, possibly because the Magyars were neighbours (or confederates) of the Empire of the Onogurs in the sixth century, whose leading tribal union was called the "Onogurs" (meaning "ten tribes" or "ten arrows" in Old Turkic).[20][21]
The "H-" prefix in many languages (
Hungarians, Hongrois, Hungarus etc.) is a later addition. It was taken over from the name of the "
Huns", a semi-nomadic tribe that briefly lived in the area of present-day Hungary and, according to legends originating in the medieval period, was the people from which the Magyars arose. The identification of the "Hungarians" with the "Huns" has often occurred in historiography and literature. Even today, Hun names like
Attila,
Réka, and
Ildikó are popular among Hungarians. This identification began to be disputed in the late nineteenth century and is still a source of major controversy among scholars who insist that there could be no direct connection between the two.
"
Magyar" is the term Hungarians use, in their own language, to refer to themselves or to their language. The English equivalent for the word would be "
Hungarian". However, the word "
Magyar" is frequently used in English context. In most cases it is used when referring to Hungarian nationality, ethnicity, and, in a broader context, when describing the medieval nomadic Hungarian/Magyar tribes.
[22] Some sources
[23] claim "
Magyar" to be the proper form instead of Hungarian, although "
Hungarian" is the form that took root in the English language over the centuries.
Many theories exist on the origins and meanings of the word "
Magyar""
[24], although the
etymology of the words
Hungary and
Hungarian is accompanied by less debate. In
Old Slavic texts Hungarians were referred to as
Ugors or
Ogurs (
Ugri), in
Byzantine and early
Latin texts
uniguri,
Ungri words were used, presumably from the Turkic word
On ogur, meaning ten arrows, i.e. ten tribes (the traditional Hungarian tribes (Megyer, Jenő, Keszi, Nyék, Kér, Tarján, while Kürt and Gyarmat merged into one tribe making it seven total) joined by three
Kabar tribes whose names are not known for sure (with the usual suspects being Ság, Ladány, Berény, Tárkány). Later, from the
Unugor form evolved the words
Ungarus,
Ungar,
Ungarn, and
Venger. In the Middle Ages the Latin
Ungarus,
Ungaria words changed to
Hungarus,
Hungaria, that also referred to the Hungarians being related to the
Huns, a common belief until the 19th century.
[25] This finally was the base for many languages' word for Hungarian/Hungary.