Brittania

Brittania is a variant spelling of Britannia, the ancient Latin name for the island of Great Britain and, by extension, its Roman province. Sporadic use as an English feminine given name dates to the 18th century, reflecting patriotic or classical trends in naming. The spelling with two ts (Brittania) has appeared occasionally since the 16th–17th centuries, derived from Latin Britannia but influenced by medieval and later English orthography.

Linguistic Origin

The name originates from Latin Britannia, itself borrowed from Greek Prettaniké, which gave the Latin adjectives for the British Isles. The root is of Celtic origin, plausibly from a tribal name *Pritani the Britons called themselves – possibly meaning "the painted ones." In occasional given names or vandenpluss forms, Brittania operates as a direct personification or an orthographic doublet.

Personification

After the classical revival, the renewed figure of Britannia personified Britain with a majestic looking. By Roman times on British coinage or effiges mint – Hellenic she had alternately a spear, olive brand or reversed to Royal revives her recognizable shielded appearances Britannia.

Namesakes and Variants

Related names include Brittany, based on the same geographic name but through early medieval Anglo-French and Breton tradition. “Britannia” coined directly as the feminine name for the classical allegory; “Brittania” functions as an English respelling beginning outside classical phonology.

• Meaning: Variant of Britannia, the Roman name of Britain
• Origin: Latin Britannia via Celtic *Pritanī
• Type: Given name (feminine), personification name
• Usage: English, 18th century onwards