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Original poster

Scottish people...

33 replies

HamWater · 27/08/2019 16:26

I'm English and considering the name Alba. If you met my daughter in the future, would you think it a bit ridiculous/insulting that she'd have that name with no family connection to Scotland (or Italy and Spanish speaking countries)? I don't want to set her up with a lifetime of having to explain her parents' name choice.

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OtraCosaMariposa · 28/08/2019 11:22

When I've heard native Gaelic speakers promoting BBC Alba on the telly they sort of say "Al-uh-buh". Maybe that's just their accent though.

TeacupDrama · 28/08/2019 11:19

All languages have spelling rules
in English the only vowels doubled are e and o as in feed or wool, there are very very few words of English origin with aa, ii or uu there is the odd word like aardvark, skiing or vacuum which have been adopted a bit like the gaelic word ceilidh is not translated but spelt in Gaelic in English prose

generally when it comes to nouns or verbs people don't feel free to change spelling as it might mean something else however unique spellings for names are becoming more common but when the name is not from your own culture it is easy to inadvertently make mistakes
gaelic names spelt the traditional way automatically follow the rules
like Maighread, Eilidh, Siobhan, Domhnall, Calum, Eoighainn

mumofbun · 28/08/2019 10:16

@TeacupDrama

I also found your explanation of vowels in gaelic very interesting - i have a gaelic name and never knew about it!

mumofbun · 28/08/2019 10:15

I really like it as a name however living in Scotland, the things that would put me off are the BBC channel and as someone else said the links to Scottish nationalism (Saor Alba is free Scotland) which i would feel would be labelling her politically even if unintentionally.

Mrsjayy · 28/08/2019 10:14

@wigglbeezerI wonder if they had driven through and thought aww Alva would be a nice name Grin

wigglybeezer · 28/08/2019 09:53

@Mrsjayy, I live in the Hillfoots and was thinking the same thing about Alva!

RebeccaRae · 28/08/2019 09:47

Gaelic has a system of broad vowels (A, O, U) and slender vowels (E, I). It's a strange feature of Gaelic spelling that a consonant – or bunch of consonants – only ever has broad vowels on both sides, or slender vowels on both sides. So aonach and coire are both valid words, but not aonech or core."

This is so interesting! I didn't know!

RebeccaRae · 28/08/2019 09:46

I wouldn't find it at all insulting. I like the name Smile

Cherryblossomtrees · 28/08/2019 09:32

Horatio, what do you mean insulting or offended? Would people really be insulted or offended by the use of the name of a country as a name? (Looking past the pronunciation as you've explained that).

Mrsjayy · 28/08/2019 09:19

Alva is a small town in Scotland ask your friends if they have ever been @KronksSpinachPuffs ☺

SquintEastwood · 28/08/2019 00:25

I'm Scottish living in Scotland.

I've never met an Alba but I know of the name, my main association would be the Time Travellers Wife.

However, there is a street in my town which is spelt and pronounced exactly as you would imagine Alba = Al-bah.

HoratioNightboy · 28/08/2019 00:19

Sorry OP, I seem to have caused some confusion. When I referred to the different pronunciation, I meant in Gaelic, which as you can see by the responses here the majority of Scots don't speak or understand, so don't realise the Gaelic pronunciation sounds different

Non-speakers don't usually refer to the country as Alba, so are not likely to find the name insulting on a child. Gaelic speakers are also unlikely to be offended as the different pronunciation would indicate a different source.

There are plenty of Albas in Scotland already, and no-one would be bothered at the name being used by someone not originally from here.

AverageMummy · 27/08/2019 23:55

The only association for me is The Time Travellers Wife

AverageMummy · 27/08/2019 23:54

It’s a beautiful name

KronksSpinachPuffs · 27/08/2019 23:25

I like it! I know someone with a little Alba shes about 4 years old and isnt Scottish, Spanish or Italian!

We also know an Alva which is a lovely name if you like the sound of Alba.

mystupidmistake · 27/08/2019 19:05

I love the name Alba! It’s on my list if we ever have another.

Toastedstrudel · 27/08/2019 19:03

Honestly I would think you had Hispanic/Latin American roots as all Albas I have known have been. As pp said it means ‘white’.

Cherryblossomtrees · 27/08/2019 19:00

It is NOT pronounced differently here Hmm I know an Alba and she's a sweetheart. Daughter of a very middle class family (not that it matters, just for context!)

I'm Scottish, living in Scotland and have given my son an Irish name and my daughter an Italian name. To be honest I didn't give it a second thought.

It's a good name, easy to spell and say (for most people at least...) and very pretty.

PaddyF0dder · 27/08/2019 18:57

It wouldn’t be seen as some sort of cultural appropriation. I can’t imagine anyone from up here would have a problem with it.

Alba is a beautiful and underused name.

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2019 18:55

Even Gaelic speakers say it as Alba

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2019 18:54

Alba is pronounced Alba in Scotland Grin

OtraCosaMariposa · 27/08/2019 18:35

Honestly, if I didn't know your background I'd think you were a rabid Scottish nationalist type.

Original poster
HamWater · 27/08/2019 18:09

I've been looking at Alba phones on the Argos website and now definitely can't bring myself to use it! Just out of curiousity, do people in Scotland pronounce BBC Alba as an English person would or like in Gaelic?

OP posts:
FartnissEverbeans · 27/08/2019 18:01

It isn’t pronounced differently in Scotland - just by Gaelic speakers, who are extremely few and far between. I don’t know anyone who speaks Gaelic.

I’m Scottish and I think it’s a nice name. I wouldn’t find it weird at all, and would pronounce it pretty much the same way as an English person.

hairyturkey · 27/08/2019 17:56

No it's an awesome name and I didn't know it had anything to do with Scotland!

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