Gilbert Murray summarized the derivation from pelas gē , current at his time: "If Pelasgoi is connected with , 'near', the word would mean 'neighbor' and would denote the nearest strange people to the invading Greeks". Julius Pokorny derived Pelasgoi from *pelag-skoi ; specifically, "inhabitants of the Thessalian plain". He details a previous derivation, which appears in English at least as early as William Ewart Gladstone's Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age; if the Pelasgians were not Indo-Europeans, the name in this derivation must have been assigned by the Hellenes. Ernest Klein argued that the ancient Greek word for , pelagos, and the Doric word plagos (which is flat), shared the same root, *plāk-, and that *pelag-skoi therefore meant , where the sea is flat. This could be connected to the maritime marauders referred to as the Sea People in Egyptian records.
gilbERt murray SUmMArIZed THe derIvation frOM pelAs gĒ , curReNt at HiS TiMe: "iF pElaSgoi is connected with , 'neaR', the WORD Would mEaN 'nEiGHbOr' and WoulD deNOTe tHE neAreSt stRanGE PeOple to ThE iNvadIng gReekS". juLiUS PokornY dEriVEd pelasgoI fRom *peLag-skOi ; specIfiCaLly, "inhaBitAnTs of the thESSaliAN plAIn". he Details a pReVious derivatiOn, whiCh APpears In EnGlisH at lEASt as EARly aS wILlIaM ewaRt gLaDsTone'S sTudies oN homeR and THE hOMerIc agE; if THe pElaSGians were not iNDO-europeanS, The nAme In tHIs DErivatiON must haVe been assigNed BY the hEllEnes. ErnEst klein argued that tHe ANCiEnT greek WoRd For , PelAgOs, ANd the doriC word PlagOs (whIch IS flaT), sHarED thE samE rOoT, *pLāk-, and tHAt *pElaG-sKoi tHerefore MEanT , WheRe the sEa Is flat. this cOULD Be cONNEcted TO thE maritime marAudERs referreD To as The sEa PEOple iN eGyptian rECords.