why England is called "albion"?

Answer 1

Well, legend has it that it refers the the white cliffs of Dover - Albion, the white island

Answer 2

Britain was call Albion by the Celts, Like its called either Britain or the United Kingdom. By the way Britain is also a name of tribe that lived in the UK when the Romans Invaded and the Britannia tribe lived along the West of England (Cornwall, Shropshire, Lancashire, Cumbria.), Wales & the West of Scotland up to the Clyde Estury.

Answer 3

From the Compact Oxford English Dict:

Albion

• noun literary Britain or England.

— ORIGIN Latin, probably of Celtic origin and related to Latin albus ‘white’ (in allusion to the white cliffs of Dover).


You'll find the word often in literature. William Blake wrote a number of allegoristic / prophetic long poems about Albion (E.g., "The Fall of Albion")

Answer 4

The story goes that there was once a giant called Neptune, who was king of the waves and sea. He had many sons but Albion was his favorite, and he wanted to give Albion a really beautiful island to rule. The mermaids and mermen suggested a beautiful island with white cliffs and green forests and Neptune agreed at once that his son should rule this land. So the land came to be called Albion after Neptune's son. Later Brutus came to the island and called it Great Britain after himself, but Neptune still loved the island and so when he died he gave his sceptre to the island and hence the saying "Britannia rules the waves" because Neptune was king of the sea and waves. Quite a sweet story, don't you think?

Answer 5

The name Albion is rarely seen without being modified by the adjective perfidious.
Hmmmm

Answer 6

Albion is the ancient Celtic name for Britain. It's also the name of our golf society if anyone wants to join.

Answer 7

It isn't. Albion was an old name for Great Britain.

Answer 8

More often than not these days it refers to Scotland.
Campbell of Breadalbane, a clan title for example, where Breadalbane is usually translated as `Greater Scotland` but, yes, originally it was for this delightful Isle just off of the European coast because of the white cliffs that are clearly visible from France.

Answer 9

I have not found this in any reputable history text, but I hear that before the Celts Europe was inhabited by the Alba, who remain in certain isolated regions: Albania, Switzerland, the Pyrenees and the extreme north of Scotland.

Answer 10

Perfidious Albion. (Pierre F. J. Bosquet)
I'm a Brit and I like this quote.