Scottish people...

[HamWater]

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.

Call her whatever you love. I know a Florence who has no Italian connections, a Paris who has no French connections and an India who very much isn't Indian. There are also a bajillion kids at my childs school with Irish names who are not Irish.

If you love it who cares.

I doubt anyone would bother, OP. Alba can come from a few sources and I can't imagine anybody would question her and then denounce you for having culturally appropriated the name.

We live in a global society, and anything goes in my opinion. Go for it!

while Alba is the Scottish Gaelic word for Scotland it is also the Latin word for White or Bright and in Italian means dawn , it is a recognized girls name; it is also a town in Piedmonte Italy famous for truffles

it is not insulting to Scotland or the gaelic speaking community, some Gaelic speakers get a bit annoyed at people using Gaelic names and not following gaelic rules with regard to vowels like in Gaelic you could have Ruairidh or Ruaraidh but not Ruairadh or Ruari as the vowels around the middle "R" need to match
summarised here
"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."
No one would say that someone called Florence should be corrected and told well actually in Italian it is Firenze

@TeacupDrama, Ruairidh is a nightmare! Scottish names are an ongoing research project/hobby for me and so far I have encountered 54 different spellings, only two of which are correct. People justy don't care about the rules, and it's a bit worrying that Ruaridh has become the most popular spelling now , even though it's wrong.

OP, the Scottish Gaelic word Alba is pronounced something like Ull-uh-puh so I'd imagine most Gaelic speakers wouldn't associate the Latin sound of Alba on an English girl with their word for their country. They'd most likely assume a Latin origin.

I would think it a bit silly, yes.

I don't think anybody would bother much however you might get oh are you scottish but apart from that call her what you like

Thanks everyone. I'm going to cross it off my list. It puts me off even more now I know the word pronounced different in Scotland. I would hate for her to have to correct people or explain it if she moved to Scotland when older. I was already uncertain with it being a brand of electronics!

As Scottish as they come, but don't understand people getting precious and possessive over a name. It is nice you should use it if you want

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

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.

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?

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

Alba is pronounced Alba in Scotland

Even Gaelic speakers say it as Alba

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.

It is NOT pronounced differently here 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.

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

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

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.

It’s a beautiful name

The only association for me is The Time Travellers Wife

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.

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.

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

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).