ሹመሩ የሚለው ስም በጎረቤቶቻቸው በአካድ ሰዎችም ሲጠራ ሕዝቡ ለራሳቸው የነበራቸው ስም ሳግ-ጊ-ጋ (ጥቁር ራስ ያላቸው) ነበር።
The Laz by their language are closely related to the Mingrelians (who are themselves called Chan-ar by the neighbouring people of Swaneti).