[Facts] Meaning of the name
For the meaning of Mete (in Turkish), the Turkish form of Modu has been entered as meaning. But for Modu "Modu Chanyu was a 3rd-century BC ruler of the Xiongnu, a people from Mongolia." has been entered. First, Modu Chanyu is the Chinese form of Mete. Second, Xiongnu is still the Chinese form of the Great Hun Empire. Third Huns, or in your terms Xiongnus are not people from Mongolia but they are from Early Turkic Tribes and/or Nations. I acknowledge this fact because it is my name. Most of the information is coming from Chinese sources unfortunately and they do care about easy information rather than real one.
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The Xiongnu though are from Mongolia, even if they did not speak a Mongol language. The area is one of significant linguistic flux, with considerable borrowing between the different linguistic families - Turkic, Mongol, Tungusic, Uralic and Yeniseian - as different groups move into and out of the area. The few words/names recorded by Chinese historians in the Xiongnu period don't clarify things. There are even Steppe-Iranian and/or Tocharian influences both in the languages and ethnic diversity (not distinct Steppe-Iranian/Tocharian presence in Mongolia, but genetic and cultural diffusion from contact areas further west).
This message was edited 5/3/2021, 6:40 PM