Albion (Ἀλβίων) is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it's used romantically to refer to the United Kingdom, especially England and occasionally Scotland. It is the basis of the Celtic language name for Scotland, Alba. Etymology Gallo-Latin Albiōn (Middle Irish Albbu) is from a Proto-Celtic stem *Alb-i̯en-. Together with other toponyms such as Alpes it may either derive from a Proto-Indo-European root *albh- "whit… (More on Albion)