Of the 118 chemical elements, 41 are named after, or have names associated with, places around the world or among astronomical objects. 32 of these have names tied to the Earth and the other 10 have names connected to bodies in the Solar System.
The first table below lists terrestrial locations (excluding the entire Earth taken as a whole) and the last table lists astronomical objects which the chemical elements are named after.Page of Kevin A. Boudreaux and Angelo State university
Terrestrial locations
Location Element Symbol Z Coordinates Europe Europium Eu 63 Magnesia, a district in Greece Magnesium Mg 12 Manganese Mn 25Belur, a city in India (indirectly, via the mineral beryl)BerylliumBe4India (indirectly, via the Latin indicum meaning indigo)IndiumIn49 CyprusCopper Cu 29 France (ancient name Gaul) Francium Fr 87 Gallium Ga 31 Lutetia, Latin name for Paris Lutetium Lu 71 Germany Germanium Ge 32 Hesse, a state in Germany Hassium Hs 108 Darmstadt, a city in Germany Darmstadtium Ds 110 Rhine, a river Rhenium Re 75 Strontian, a village in ScotlandStrontium Sr 38 Scandinavia Scandium Sc 21 Hafnia, Latin name for Copenhagen Hafnium Hf 72 Thule (perhaps Iceland or Greenland) Thulium Tm 69 Holmia, Latin name for Stockholm Holmium Ho 67 Ytterby, a village in Sweden Yttrium Y 39 Terbium Tb 65 Erbium Er 68 Ytterbium Yb 70 Poland Polonium Po 84 Ruthenia, Latin name for Russia Ruthenium Ru 44 Moscow, Russia Moscovium Mc 115 Dubna, a town in Russia Dubnium Db 105 Americas - "named after the continent of North America" - "Ideas received by the program and submitted to Seaborg..." (some sources say the United States specifically) - "The element was named after the United States of America." - "Four other countries have elements named after them: francium for France, germanium for Germany, polonium for Poland, and americium for the United States." - "Americium (95 Am): Named for (the United States of) America, the land where the element was discovered during the course of the Manhattan Project, the US-led World War II programme that would develop the first atomic bomb." - "The element is named after America, especially the United States of America." Americium Am 95 California, a state in the United States Californium Cf 98 Berkeley, California, a city in the United States Berkelium Bk 97 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the United States(Also Robert Livermore's name) Livermorium Lv 116 Tennessee, a state in the United States Tennessine Ts 117 Japan (Nihon) Nihonium Nh 113
Astronomical objects
Location Element Symbol Z Helium He 2 Mercury* Hg 80 Phosphorus** P 15 Selenium Se 34 Palladium Pd 46TelluriumTe52 Cerium Ce 58 Uranium U 92 Neptunium Np 93 (dwarf planet) Plutonium Pu 94 * - The element mercury was named directly for the deity, with only indirect naming connection to the planet (see etymology of mercury). ** - Phosphorus was the Ancient Greek name for the planet Venus. (see history of phosphorus).
See also List of chemical elements named after people List of chemical element name etymologies
References