This study examines the origin of the toponym “Zangezur” within the Turkic onomastic tradition and the historical-geographical context of the South Caucasus, with particular emphasis on the Zangi/Zangilar ethnonym. Comparative-historical linguistic, structural-semantic, and historical-geographical methods are applied to evaluate the relationship between the ethnonym and the formation of the geographical name. Historical sources and regional toponymic evidence indicate that Zangi/Zangilar was recorded as an ethnonym and subsequently preserved in various geographical names, reflecting its continuity as a nominative element within the regional toponymic system. The findings support the interpretation of the Zangi/Zangilar component as the principal ethnonymic element underlying the formation of “Zangezur” and correspond to the widespread Turkic naming model in which ethnonyms develop into geographical names. Although the etymology of the second component, “-zur,” remains unresolved, this uncertainty does not invalidate the ethnonym-based interpretation. The study therefore considers the ethnotoponymic explanation of “Zangezur” to be one of the scientifically substantiated approaches to the origin of the toponym.

Keywords: Zangezur, Turkic ethnonym, Zangi/Zangilar, ethnotoponymy, toponym, South Caucasus

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