Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While speakers of the dialects were loosely called Gwari by both the Hausa Fulani and Europeans during pre-colonial Nigeria they prefer to be known as Gbagyi/Gbari.
Members of the ethnic group use two different dialects. During pre-colonial times in Nigeria, people who spoke these dialects were sometimes called Gwari by Hausa Fulani and Europeans, but now they identify themselves as Gbagyi or Gbari.