What Was Scotland Called Before Caledonia?

Before Scotland was known as Caledonia, it was referred to as Alba. The name Alba is derived from the Gaelic word for Scotland, which was used by the native Gaelic-speaking people. The term Caledonia was later introduced by the Romans, who used it to describe the northern part of the island of Britain. The name Alba continued to be used by the Scots and Gaels, while Caledonia became more commonly associated with the Roman perspective of the region. Over time, the name Scotland evolved from the Latin term ‘Scotia,’ which referred to the land of the Scots, a group of people who migrated from Ireland to what is now Scotland.