How come Britain was called Great Britain and not just Britain?

Question

I've always want to know this. Did the country officially be called Great Britain or was the great part just added in because of the countries reputaion during the imperial days.

Answer 1

To distinguish it from "Lesser Britain."

(No, I'm not making this up.)

"Great Britain" refers specifically to the island which contains England, Scotland, and Wales.  "Lesser Britain" refers to the area now known as Brittany, in France.  English monarchs held lands in France for centuries.  In 1604, James I declared himself King of Great Britain because he ruled the entire island rather than just one of the countries on it.

Answer 2

It doesn't refer to Great - meaning very good, but Great - as in big. In this case, bigger than Brittany, a region in France.

Answer 3

Because all of us combined together make us truly GREAT! So yep that's why we are just great so get use to it. Always have been and always will be... no matter what any fool says about us.

Answer 4

Both.  Those guys were just as arrogant as Americans are now.  But we save our "greats" for talking about the nation and not just being obvious about it like Great Britain was, 'cause we're "humble like that."

add-on:

Obviously I was just playing around.  But the poster immediately below me is correct.  Well done.

Answer 5

The inhabitants of Britain - the island containing England, Wales and Scotland - live in a state of some confusion over their group identity. Their cars, travelling abroad, display the letters GB (for Great Britain). Their diplomats, at international conferences, sit behind the letters UK (for United Kingdom).

Neither phrase is much used in ordinary conversation. The English, by far the majority within the United Kingdom, have a tendency to call their nation England - with notorious disregard for the sensibilities of the Welsh and the Scots, with whom they have been linked since 1536 and 1707 respectively.

    

The more widely acceptable name, also in common use, is Britain. Its prevalence is reflected in phrases such as the British empire (something which even the English have never claimed as their own) and in the colloquial modern term 'Brits' for inhabitants of the island.

Historically 'united kingdom' begins life in informal use during the 18th century to describe the newly combined nation of England and Scotland. It becomes official in 1800, in the Act of Union with Ireland, when the enlarged kingdom is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The earlier Act of Union, of 1707, states merely that England and Scotland shall 'be united into one kingdom by the name of Great Britain'

Answer 6

marvymom (previous answerer) gave the only valid answer to your question. GB was called Bretagne (in French) and later Grande Bretagne to distinguish it from the French Bretagne which is now part of France.

Answer 7

it was originally just britain. then they got started with the imperialismand it became good britain. then they got really successful with it, so parliament decided that it would then be called great britain.

Answer 8

Because Britannia is mint and everyone else must think so too