The word “oukraina” was first mentioned in the Hypatian Codex in 1187 as the name of the territory of Pereyaslav Principality meaning “outskirts”.
There are several theories about the origin of the name “Ukraine”. One of them says that the name originates from the general Slavic word for “borderland”, which primarily referred to Kievan Rus border territories - Pereyaslav Principality. Later on “Ukraina” referred to borderlands within the Polish Kingdom.
Today, Ukrainian scientists debate this etymology stating that the word “krai” (edge, border) is the basic in the word “Ukraina”, but in the meaning “ukrainivaya” (“to ukraine”) - carving, cutting part of the Slavic lands for living. There is also another version stating that the name originates from the word “krai” (edge), “kraina” (country, land) in the meaning “land populated by its people”, and “ukrayinets” (Ukrainian) means “countryman”.
Before the beginning of the 20th century, the name “Ukraine” was competing with “Malaya Rus” (Little Russia). Bohdan Khmelnytsky used this word while corresponding with the Moscow Kingdom. The 18th-19th centuries saw the use of “ukrayintsi” (Ukrainians) to avoid confusion with Russians (“velikorossy” - great Russians). The word “rusyny” (Ruthenians) is still preserved as the name for the Easter-Slavic ethnic group also living in Western Ukraine and several other countries.
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