code: public String getColumnLabel(int column) throws SQLException {
  
          checkColumn(column--);
  
          String label = resultMetaData.columnLabels[column];
  
          return label == null ? resultMetaData.columns[column].getNameString()
                               : label;
      }
docs: <!-- start generic documentation -->
  Gets the designated column's suggested title for use in printouts and
  displays. (JDBC4 clarification:) The suggested title is usually specified by the SQL <code>AS</code>
  clause.  If a SQL <code>AS</code> is not specified, the value returned from
  <code>getColumnLabel</code> will be the same as the value returned by the
  <code>getColumnName</code> method.
  <!-- end generic documentation -->
  
  <!-- start Release-specific documentation -->
  <div class="ReleaseSpecificDocumentation">
  <h3>HSQLDB-Specific Information:</h3> <p>
  
  In HSQLDB, a <code>ResultSet</code> column label is determined using the
  following order of precedence:<p>
  
  <OL>
  <LI>The label (alias) specified in the generating query.</LI>
  <LI>The name of the underlying column, if no label is specified.<br>
  <L1>C1, C2, etc. for computed columns that have no label.</LI>
  </OL> <p>
  
  </div>
  <!-- end release-specific documentation -->
  
  @param column the first column is 1, the second is 2, ...
  @return the suggested column title
  @exception SQLException if a database access error occurs