Alba is the Latin word for "white" and in Spanish and Italian it means "dawn", the first light of day; it is also the Gaelic name for Scotland. The name is a modern favorite in Spain and Italy, and Americans know it as the surname of actress Jessica Alba. In the United States Alba has moved up from number 2,056 in 2000 to a best rank of number 1,170 in 2024 and ranks number 1,261 in 2025.