Xiongnu
The Xiongnu () were a confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Asian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Chinese sources report that Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 209 BC, founded the Xiongnu Empire.
Xionites
The Xionites appear to be synonymous with the Huna peoples of classical/medieval India, and possibly also the Huns of European late antiquity. It is unclear whether the Xionites were connected to a people named in Ancient China as the "Xunyu" ("Hünyü" 獯鬻; Wade–Giles "Hsünyü"), Xianyun 猃狁 (Wade–Giles "Hsien-yün") and Xiongnu (匈奴 Wade–Giles "Hsiung-nu"). (While some sources use names such as Hunas, Huns and Xiongnu interchangeably, this remains controversial.)