Sir Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb, also commonly referred to as "H. A. R. Gibb", was a Scottish Orientalist .
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Gibb went to Scotland (the home of his ancestors) for education at the age of five after the death of his father. He attended the Royal High School, Edinburgh. Studies at the University of Edinburgh were interrupted by World War I, during which he served in France and Italy in the Royal Field Artillery. For his service, he was awarded a 'war privilege' MA. After the war he studied Arabic at the School of Oriental Studies of London University and obtained an MA in 1922. His thesis, later published by the Royal Asiatic Society as a monograph, was written on the Arab conquests of Central Asia. He married Helen Jessie Stark (Ella) the same year, and together they had one son and one daughter.