'gun-rights' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound of 'gun' and 'right' — 'gun' coming from Middle English 'gonne' (possibly ultimately related to an Old Norse personal name such as 'Gunnhildr') and 'right' from Old English 'riht' (from Proto‑Germanic '*rehtaz').

'gun' changed from Middle English 'gonne' and 'right' changed from Old English 'riht'; in Modern English they combined as the compound 'gun-rights' to denote legal or political claims about firearm possession.

Initially, 'gun' meant a weapon and 'right' meant 'just/correct' or an entitlement; over time the compound 'gun-rights' came to mean specifically the legal and political entitlement to possess, carry, or own firearms.