Hungary’s varied names across Europe
by hunmapper
Hungary: The English word “Hungary” is derived from the Medieval Latin term “Hungaria,” which originally came from the Old Church Slavonic word “Ǫgǫry” or “Ǫgǫri,” referring to the people living to the southeast of the Germanic tribes. The root of this word might be related to the Huns, who were a nomadic people in the region during the early Middle Ages.
Magyarország: In Hungarian, the official language of Hungary, the country is referred to as “Magyarország.” This term is a combination of “Magyar,” which is the ethnic group of the Hungarian people, and “ország,” meaning “country” or “land.” Therefore, “Magyarország” translates to “Land of the Magyars” or “Country of the Hungarians.”
Węgry: The term “Węgry” is the Polish name for Hungary. It has its roots in the medieval Slavic term “Ugric,” which originally referred to the Ugric people, an ancient ethnic group that included the Magyars. Over time, the term evolved, and in Polish, it became “Węgry.”