Opening this thread to start conversation regarding Croatian ethno-origin in the Balkans, as such is often heavily disputed in works I am reading. Many still opt for the 627ca, while others often proposed other start dates in the 8th or 9th centuries. Such is something I noticed is extremely contested, if anybody wants to have a discussion about it then I would love it! Particularly concerning are the sudden surge of the Croat name used in the 9th century which seemingly (influenced from first soft-Croatian Yugoslavist school of thought) created a group of their own backing different variety of theories to explain such.

Opposing this would again then be the second soft-Croatian Yugoslavist school of thought which placed Croat origin in the 7th century, and such a theory had been academically monopolized (I am presuming because it would support the premise of the states), then of course this was met with a reaction in emigrant communities akin to the hard-Croatian school of thought.

The hard-Croatian school of thought was a reaction to (Pre & Post Unitarian) Yugoslavism and thus encroaching Serbdom. These theories were numerous until subjugated after WW1, this school survived vaguely abroad in continuity from this time until its resurgence in WW2 and then later again during Domovinski Rat.

If anybody wants to add anything, or what they believe, then I would love that. Discussion on the issue should be encouraged, and people should be made familiar with the evidences or theories which exist, no matter how ridiculous one particular one may sound. Perhaps models can be created here, which can then be compared and contrasted as well, with evidence supporting each point of the model by the end.

A last point which is worthy to make, this model is not meant to establish an understanding of historical figures with a Croatian cult attached to them like Saint Jerome or others, but rather to track the origin of the Croatian exonym with Southeastern Europe and or perhaps Central Europe if the discussion gets that far.