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Alba (/ˈælbə,ˈælvə/AL-bə,AL-və,[1][2]Scottish Gaelic:[ˈal̪ˠəpə]ⓘ) is theScottish Gaelic name forScotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity ofPicts andScots united in the ninth century as theKingdom of Alba,[3] until it developed into theKingdom of Scotland of the late Middle Ages following the absorption ofStrathclyde and English-speakingLothian in the 12th century.[4] It iscognate with the Irish termAlba (gen.Alban, dat.Albain) and theManx termNalbin, the two otherGoidelicInsular Celtic languages, as well as contemporary words used inCornish (Alban) andWelsh (Yr Alban), both of which areBrythonic Insular Celtic languages. The third surviving Brythonic language,Breton, instead usesBro-Skos, meaning 'country of the Scots'. In the past, these terms were names forGreat Britain as a whole, related to the Brythonic nameAlbion.
The term first appears in classical texts asἈλβίωνAlbíōn[5] orἈλουΐωνAlouíōn (inPtolemy's writings inGreek), and later asAlbion in Latin documents. Historically, the term refers to Britain as a whole and is ultimately based on theIndo-European root for "white".[6] It later came to be used by Gaelic speakers in the form ofAlba (dativeAlbainn,genitiveAlbann, now obsolete) as the name given to the former kingdom of thePicts which, when first used in this sense (around the time of kingCausantín mac Áeda (Constantine II, 943–952)), had expanded. The region ofBreadalbane (Bràghad Albann, the upper part of "Alba") takes its name from it as well.
As time passed, that kingdom incorporated other territories to its south. It became re-Latinised in theHigh Medieval period as "Albania" (it is unclear whether it may ultimately share the sameetymon as the modernAlbania). This latter word was employed mainly by Celto-Latin writers, and most famously byGeoffrey of Monmouth. It was this word which passed intoMiddle English asAlbany, although very rarely was this used for theKingdom of Scotland, but rather for the notionalDuchy of Albany. It is from the latter thatAlbany, the capital of the US state ofNew York, andAlbany,Western Australia, take their names.
It also appears in the anglicised literary form ofAlbyn, as inByron'sChilde Harold:
BBC Alba, a television channel broadcasting mainly in Scottish Gaelic, was launched in September 2008 as a joint venture between theBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Gaelic companyMG Alba. A new version ofRunrig's songAlba (originally on their album,The Cutter and the Clan) was featured on the channel's launch.
In the mid-1990s, theCeltic League started a campaign to have the word "Alba" on the Scottishfootball andrugby tops. Since 2005, theSFA have supported the use of Scottish Gaelic by addingAlba on the back of the official team strip.[7] However, as of 2008, theSRU is still being lobbied to haveAlba added to the national rugby union strip.[8]
For the 2024-2025 season, theScottish Rugby team wore awhite & sky blue away jersey with"Alba gu bràth" written on the cuffs.
In 2007, the thenScottish Executive re-branded itself as "The Scottish Government" and started to use a bilingual logo with the Gaelic nameRiaghaltas na h-Alba. However, the Gaelic version from the outset had always beenRiaghaltas na h-Alba.[clarification needed] TheScottish Parliament, likewise, uses the Gaelic namePàrlamaid na h-Alba.
A new welcome sign on the historicA7 route into Scotland was erected in 2009, with the textFàilte gu Alba.
Phrases such as []Error: {{Lang}}: no text (help) may be used as a catch-phrase or rallying cry. It was used in the movieBraveheart asWilliam Wallace encouraged the troops at theBattle of Stirling Bridge.
In March 2021, former first minister ofScotland and leader of theSNPAlex Salmond launched the pro-independenceAlba Party, set to contest the2021 Scottish Parliament elections.[9]
