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The ethnonym Celts (Latin: Celtae; Ancient Greek: Κελτοί Keltoi, later also Κέλται Keltai) seems to be based on a native Celtic tribal name (cf. Celtici in Portugal).
The name probably stems from the Indo-European root *kel- or *(s)kel-, but there are several such roots of various meanings: *kel- "to be prominent", *kel- "to drive or set in motion", *kel- "to strike or cut", etc. The same element is present in a set of Hispano-Celtic and Gaulish personal and family names: Celtiatus, Celtiatis (gen.), Arcelti (gen.), Concelti (gen.), Celtius, Celtus, Celtilla (fem.), Celta (fem.), and Celtilius.
Read more about this topic: Names Of The Celts