Alba
Say it: AL-ba/ˈælbə/
GirlMeans dawn (Spanish and Italian); also the Gaelic name for Scotland4 letters2 syllables
#213
in Ireland (2025)
#217 with spellings combined
20
babies in 2025
#217
best rank (2025)
155
babies since 2005
Up 280
10-year rank change
Alba through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #217 |
| 2024 | 8 | #433 |
| 2023 | 5 | #612 |
| 2022 | 15 | #288 |
| 2021 | 5 | #643 |
| 2020 | 10 | #375 |
| 2019 | 11 | #360 |
| 2018 | 7 | #504 |
| 2017 | 15 | #301 |
| 2016 | 10 | #422 |
| 2015 | 8 | #497 |
| 2014 | 3 | #869 |
| 2013 | 5 | #664 |
| 2012 | 13 | #372 |
| 2011 | 6 | #613 |
| 2010 | 3 | #909 |
| 2008 | 5 | #667 |
| 2006 | 3 | #763 |
| 2005 | 3 | #690 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Alba mean?
Dawn (Spanish and Italian); also the Gaelic name for Scotland
Spanish and Italian alba (dawn), from Latin albus (white); also Gaelic Alba (Scotland).
Say it right
ALba
Some say AHL-ba, closer to the Spanish.
The story of Alba
Alba has two sides. In Spanish and Italian alba means dawn, from the Latin albus, white, for the pale light of early morning. That is the source of Alba as a modern girls’ name.
In the Gaelic languages, Alba is the name for Scotland, and the Kingdom of Alba was the early Scottish kingdom from around 900. In Irish this use is now dated, and Scotland is usually called Albain.
Alba reached the Irish list in 2005, and 2025 was its best year, with 20 girls, at number 217. It has grown in Northern Ireland too, where 10 girls were named Alba in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Alba (English and Irish proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Alba | 20 | 155 |
In Northern Ireland
#177 in 2025 with 10 babies. Best rank #177 (2025); 53 babies since 2014.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.