When used as a proper noun, the word, as well as its equivalents in other languages often have ethnic nationalist connotations.
Today, Americans often use the word "gypsy" or variants (for example, "gyp," as to "gyp someone") in derogatory ways, without realizing the ethnic connotations.
As part of this process, the league's teams were directed to change their names to ones with less ethnic connotations, although this requirement was dropped three years later.
The term does not have an ethnic connotation, in that a Lusophone may not have any Portuguese ancestry at all.
Many of these alternatives were designed to avoid or balance the ethnic connotations of Pakhtunkhwa.
It has been used in two connotations, the first in an ethnic or supra-ethnic connotation, and the second as a term for citizens of the former Yugoslavia.
Writing in 2009, Professor Christopher Wickham pointed out that "the word 'Frankish' quickly ceased to have an exclusive ethnic connotation.
Although Phoenix did not have any obvious ethnic connotations, the club used the opportunity to rename itself as Clarence United Football Club.
He said, too, that bodega carried no ethnic connotations.
It is normally synonymous with the term nationality although the latter term may also refer to ethnic connotations.