text: The name Britain is derived from the Latin name Britannia ( earlier Brittannia ) , via Old French Bretaigne ( whence also Modern French Bretagne ) and Middle English Bretayne , Breteyne .
simplified: The name Britain comes from the Latin word Britannia . In Old French the word was Bretaigne which became Bretagne in Modern French and Bretayne , Breteyne in Middle English .