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The name "White Russia" is a literal translation of the name "Belorusiya", from the Russian belaya (white) Rus (an old form of " Russia"). Non-English names such as the German "Weißrussland" are similar literal translations.

Many other variants of the name appeared in ancient maps: for instance, Russia Alba, Russija Alba, Wit Rusland, Weiss Reussen, White Russia, Weiss Russland, Ruthenia Alba, Ruthenie Blanche and Weiss Ruthenien, assigned to various territories, often quite distant from that of present Belarus. For example, at one time the term was applied to Novgorod.

Only by the late 16th century did it become a name for the area of the present Belarus. Until this time and for a long time afterwards the population of this territory ( Belarusians) were known as Litvins (i.e., Lithuanians), by the name of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, to which the land belonged since the 12th century.

The origins of the name are somewhat unclear, but it may have had its origins in the efforts made by Russia's tsars to distinguish themselves from their predecessors in Rome and ByzantiumByzantium was the original name of the modern city of Istanbul. Byzantium was originally settled by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzantas. The name "Byzantium" is a Latinization of the original Greek name Byzantion . (on the basis that Russia was the " Third Rome"). The Rerum Moscoviticarum CommentariiRerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii ( 1549) (literally Notes on Muscovite Affairs was a book in Latin by Baron Sigismund von Herberstein on the geography, history and customs of Muscovy (the 16th century Russian state). The book was the main early source of by Sigismund von HerbersteinBaron Sigismund von Herberstein ( August 23, 1486 March 28, 1566), Austrian diplomat, writer and historian. He was most noted for his extensive writing on the geography, history and customs of Russia and contributed greatly to early Western European knowl explains that the Muscovite rulers wore white robes to distinguish themselves from the purple of the Roman rulers and the red of the Byzantines. The Russian tsar was thus called the "White Tsar": Sunt qui principem Moscovuiae Album Regem nuncupant. Ego quidem causam diligenter quaerebam, cur Regis Albi nomine appellaretur, or Weisse Reyssen oder weissen Khünig nennen etliche unnd wöllen damit ain underscheid der Reyssen machen (from Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii).

The Tsar himself was often called the "Great White Tsar", while he included among his official titles the style "Tsar of all the Russias" - the "Russias" being Great (for modern Russia), Lesser (modern UkraineUkraine Ukrayina in Ukrainian; in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders the Black Sea to the south, the Russian Federation to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west and Romania and Moldova to the west and) and White (modern Belarus). This appellation, together with the solemn wording "White Tsardom", was in use till the very end of the Russian Empire. Ultimately, this colour was transferred onto the name of the counterrevolutionary White ArmyWhite army may refer to: The military arm of the White movement, a loose coalition of anti- Bolshevik forces in the Russian Civil War The Saudi Arabian National Guard The National Guard of Kuwait. that fought against the Red ArmyThis article is about the armed forces of the Soviet Union. See Red Army Faction for the German militant group; Japanese Red Army for the Japanese militant group; and People's Liberation Army for the Chinese Red Army. Red Army and RKKA are abbreviations f.

It still remains unclear how the name "White Russia" has ultimately become applied to Belarus. It is noteworthy that some other peoples have been referred to by colour. There have been White Serbs and White Croats. In China Red, Black, and Green Miao are known.