Without Googling - what does Albion mean?

[Postman Pat]

I was in the pub the other day when a woman I was sitting with asked me what the word "albion" meant, I realised I had never really thought about it, or bothered to find out.

I told her what I thought and then checked on Google and realised I was completely wrong.

Without checking Google did you know what it meant - or am I the only one blissfully unaware?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Ancient name for Britain ? ??

 

[Simster]

Ancient name for Britain ? ??

England isn't it?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Albion - ancient name for this country because of the white cliffs. Alba meaning white.

 

[Braders]

England - I genuinely didn't know this until last year myself

 

[Megazone]

I thought it had something to do with the alliance of Scotland and England.

Could be wrong.

 

[Postman Pat]

All the above are correct, I incorrectly assumed it was similar to United, but I hadn't ever bothered to find out. I was a bit flummoxed when someone asked me.

Brighton and Hove Britain doesn't really make a lot of sense does it?

 

[Megazone]

Albion - ancient name for this country because of the white cliffs. Alba meaning white.

I thought Alba was Scottish gaelic?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I thought Alba was Scottish gaelic?

Having now Googled it, I was close, but not right. It is Albus, not Alba.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/Albion

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Was always told it was a name for England. At least that's how it was used in Shakespeare's work.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Isn't it from ancient Greek? I bet Gwylan may know - he's neither ancient nor Greek but wicked clever - I thought it came from ancient explorers seeing the white cliffs. Presumably albino shares the same etymology.

 

[soistes]

"perfidious Albion" has long been a pejorative phrase used by other countries to describe treacherous and duplicitous acts by British governments. I've always thought it had a nice ring to it.
I expect we'll hear it used again in the coming months in the context of Cameron trying to find ways of getting special treatment for the UK in the EU.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfidious_Albion

 

[Notters]

White / England. Pretty sure it's viking.

 

[Magic Sponge]

I always thought it meant 'Of England' ?

 

[BBassic]

I always thought it meant 'Of England' ?

I think it does in the context of Brighton and Hove Albion (and all the other 'Albions' out there)

 

[Postman Pat]

I think it does in the context of Brighton and Hove Albion (and all the other 'Albions' out there)

Not Stirling Albion then or Albion Rovers?

 

[Easy 10]

Isn't it something to do with pale faces, white hair and weird pink eyes ?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It means a life of heartache.

 

[BBassic]

Not Stirling Albion then or Albion Rovers?

Wouldn't it have been that at the time 'Albion' was coined people would have used it to represent the entire landmass, including Scotland and Wales?

 

[GT49er]

Not Stirling Albion then or Albion Rovers?

Never could understand that Albion Rovers thing - you don't get teams like City Rangers, or United Hotspurs. Why couldn't they just call themselves Coatbridge, or Coatbridge Rovers or something?