Hibernia
Hibernia is the Classical Latin name for the island of Ireland. The name Hibernia was taken from Greek geographical accounts. During his exploration of northwest Europe, Pytheas of Massalia called the island Iérnē. In his book Geographia, Claudius Ptolemaeus called the island Iouerníā. The Roman historian Tacitus, in his book Agricola, uses the name Hibernia.
Ἰουερνία Iouerníā was a Greek rendering of the Q-Celtic name *Īweriū, from which eventually arose the Irish names Ériu and Éire. The name was altered in Latin as though it meant "land of winter", although the word for winter began with a long 'i'.Post-Roman usage
The High King Brian Boru based his title on being Emperor of the Scoti, which was in Latin Imperator , emperor of the Gaels. From 1172 Lordship of Ireland gave the King of England the additional title Dominus Hibernie, 'Lord of Ireland'. The Kingdom of Ireland created the title Rex Hiberniae, King of Ireland, for use in Latin texts. Gerard Mercator called Ireland "Hybernia" on his world map of 1541. In 1642 the motto of the Irish Confederates, a Catholic-landlord administration that ruled much of Ireland until 1650, was Pro Deo, Rege et Patria, Hibernia Unanimis.
By the classicising 18th century the use of Hibernia had revived in some contexts, just as had the use of Caledonia, one of the Latin terms for Scotland, and Britannia for Britain. "Hibernia" was used on Irish coins in the 1700s, and on a 2016 2-euro coin. Companies such as the Hibernian Insurance Company were established. The name took on popularity with the success of the Irish Patriot Party. At a time when Palladian classical architecture and design were being adopted in northern Europe, Hibernia was a useful word to describe Ireland with overtones of classical style and civility, including by the prosperous Anglo-Irish Ascendancy who were taught Latin at school. "Hibernian" was used as a term for people, and a general adjective. The Royal Exchange in Dublin was built in 1769–79 with the carved inscription "SPQH" for Senatus Populusque Hibernicus 'the senate and people of Ireland'. The Royal Hibernian Academy dates from 1823.
The 18th Century Spanish Regiment composed of Irish exiles was known as the Regiment of Hibernia.
Hibernia is a word that is rarely used today with regard to Ireland, except in long-established names. It is occasionally used for names of organisations and various other things; for instance: Hibernia National Bank, Hibernian Insurance Group, Ancient Order of Hibernians, The Hibernian magazine, Hibernia College, Hibernian Orchestra, Hibernian Football Club,, and modern derivatives, from Latin like Respublica Hibernica and Universitas Hiberniae Nationalis. In Canada, Hibernia lends its name to the Hibernia oil field off Newfoundland, and to a large offshore oil platform, Hibernia.
Another occurrence is in familial Hibernian fever or TRAPS, a periodic fever first described in 1982 in a family of Irish and Scottish descent, but found in all ethnic groups.
The compound form 'Hiberno-' remains more common, as 'Hiberno-Norse', 'Hiberno-English', 'Hiberno-Scottish', 'Hibernophile', etc.
The Edinburgh football club Hibernian FC has adopted the name.
