Greek Myth and the Period Table of Elements

The Greek language and Greek myth have contributed greatly to the sciences, including chemistry. This is most apparent in the Periodic Table of Elements. A table of the elements with mythological influences, or at least have the Greek language to thank for their names, is below. For kicks, I have included the Latin (Roman) terms also. (Please note: this is not the complete table of elements, only those with Greek or Latin influences.)

Actinium

Symbol: Ac
Atomic Number: 89
From the Greek word aktinos (ray)

Aluminum

Symbol: Al
Atomic Number: 13
From the Latin word alumen, or "bitter".

Antimony

Symbol: Sb
Atomic Number: 51
From the Greek words anti (opposed) and monos (solitude)

Argon

Symbol: Ar
Atomic Number: 18
From the Greek word argon (inactive)

Arsenic

Symbol: As
Atomic Number: 33
From the Greek word arsenikos and the Latin word arsenicum, meaning "yellow orpiment".

Astatine

Symbol: At
Atomic Number: 85
From the Greek word astatos (unstable)

Barium

Symbol: Ba
Atomic Number: 56
From the Greek word barys (heavy)

Bromine

Symbol: Br
Atomic Number: 35
From the Greek word brômos (stench)

Cadmium

Symbol: Cd
Atomic Number: 48
From the Greek word kadmeia (ancient name for calamine) and from the Latin word cadmia. Cadmus, in Greek myth, was the founder of Thebes.

Calcium

Symbol: Ca
Atomic Number: 20
From the latin word calcis (lime)

Carbon

Symbol: C
Atomic Number: 6
From the Latin carbo (coal)

Cerium

Symbol: Ce
Atomic Number: 58
Ceres (asteroid), and the Roman version of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture.

Cesium

Symbol: Cs
Atomic Number: 55
From the Latin word caesius (sky blue)

Chlorine

Symbol: Cl
Atomic Number: 17
From the Greek word khlôros (green)

Chromium

Symbol: Cr
Atomic Number: 24
From the Greek word chrôma (color)

Copper

Symbol: Cu
Atomic Number: 29
From the Latin word cyprium, after the island of Cyprus and birthplace of Aphrodite.

Dysprosium

Symbol: Dy
Atomic Number: 66
From the Greek word dysprositos (hard to get at).

Fluorine

Symbol: F
Atomic Number: 9
From the Latin word fluo (flow)

Gold

Symbol: Au
Atomic Number: 79
From the Latin word aurum (gold). In Roman mythology, Aurora was the goddess of dawn--golden indeed.

Helium

Symbol: He
Atomic Number: 2
From the Greek word hêlios (sun); Helios in Greek mythology was the god of the Sun.

Hydrogen

Symbol: H
Atomic Number: 1
From the Greek words hudôr (water) and gennan (generate). Heracles fought the Hydra of Lerna (a sea town) for his second labor.

Iodine

Symbol: I
Atomic Number: 53
From the Greek word iôdes (violet).

Iridium

Symbol: Ir
Atomic Number: 77
From the Latin word iridis (rainbow). The Greeks had a messenger goddess, Iris, whose colorful cape flowed behind her.

Iron

Symbol: Fe
Atomic Number: 26
From the Latin word ferrum (iron)

Krypton

Symbol: Kr
Atomic Number: 36
From the Greek word kryptos (hidden). In modern language, words such as "encrypt" can be discerned from the Greek.

Lanthanum

Symbol: La
Atomic Number: 57
From the Greek word lanthaneis (to lie hidden).

Lead

Symbol: Pb
Atomic Number: 82
Name Origin: From the Greek word protos (first). Some Greeks believd that the first god ever was Protogonus, or "first born".
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word plumbum (lead)

Lithium

Symbol: Li
Atomic Number: 3
From the Greek word lithos (stone)

Manganese

Symbol: Mn
Atomic Number: 25
From the Latin word mangnes (magnet)

Mercury

Symbol: Hg
Atomic Number: 80
Name Origin: After the planet Mercury, the Roman messenger god identified with the Greek Hermes.
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word hydrargyrum, "liquid silver". (As a messenger, Mercury was a bright and swift god.)

Molybdenum

Symbol: Mo
Atomic Number: 42
From the Greek word molubdos (lead)

Neodymium

Symbol: Nd
Atomic Number: 60
From the Greek words neos (new) and didymos (twin). Twins appear regularly in Greek myth, from the Dioscuri (Castor & Polydeuces) to the divine twins (Artemis & Apollo).

Neon

Symbol: Ne
Atomic Number: 10
Form the Greek word neos (new)

Neptunium

Symbol: Np
Atomic Number: 93
After the planet Neptune, the Roman sea god, identified as Poseidon in Greek myth.

Niobium

Symbol: Nb
Atomic Number: 41
After Niobe, daughter of mythical king (Tantalus). She had bragged about her set of seven girls and seven boys, scoffing at Leto for only having two children. Apollo and Artemis promptly killed her offspring. Niobe, in despair, was turned to stone by the gods.

Osmium

Symbol: Os
Atomic Number: 76
From the Greek word osmë (odor)

Oxygen

Symbol: O
Atomic Number: 8
From the Greek words oxus (acid) and gennan (generate)

Palladium

Symbol: Pd
Atomic Number: 46
From the Greek goddess (Pallas) and after an asteroid

Phosphorous

Symbol: P
Atomic Number: 15
From the Greek words phôs (light) and phoros (bearer), Phosphoros was a god of light in Greek myth.

Plutonium

Symbol: Pu
Atomic Number: 94
After the planet Pluto and the Latin god of the Underworld (Hades in Greek).

Potassium

Symbol: K
Atomic Number: 19
Name Origin: potash - potato
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word kalium

Praseodymium

Symbol: Pr
Atomic Number: 59
From the Greek words prasios (green) and didymos (twin)

Promethium

Symbol: Pm
Atomic Number: 61
From the Titan Prometheus who stole fire of the sky and gave it to man.

Protactinium

Symbol: Pa
Atomic Number: 91
From the Greek word protos (first) [see name origin for lead].

Radium

Symbol: Ra
Atomic Number: 88
From the Latin word radius (ray)

Rhodium

Symbol: Rh
Atomic Number: 45
From the Greek word rhodon (rose)

Rubidium

Symbol: Rb
Atomic Number: 37
From the Latin word rubidus (red)

Ruthenium

Symbol: Ru
Atomic Number: 44
From the Latin word Ruthenia (Russia)

Selenium

Symbol: Se
Atomic Number: 34
From the Greek word Selênê, known as the goddess of the moon.

Sodium

Symbol: Na
Atomic Number: 11
Name Origin: soda (Na2CO3)
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word natrium (sodium)

Silicon

Symbol: Si
Atomic Number: 14
From the Latin word silex (flint)

Sulfur

Symbol: S
Atomic Number: 16
From the Latin word sulfur (brimstone)

Tantalum

Symbol: Ta
Atomic Number: 73
After king Tantalus, a son of Zeus who earned the disfavor of the gods for attempting to serve his son Pelops as a meal. He was condemned to the Underworld with eternal thirst and hunger though a river and fruit tree were just beyond his grasp.

Technetium

Symbol: Tc
Atomic Number: 43
From the Greek word technêtos (artificial)

Tellurium

Symbol: Te
Atomic Number: 52
From the Greek word tellus (Earth)

Thallium

Symbol: Tl
Atomic Number: 81
From the Greek word thallos (young shoot)

Tin

Symbol: Sn
Atomic Number: 50
Name Origin: Latin
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word stannum (tin)

Titanium

Symbol: Ti
Atomic Number: 22
From the Greek word titanos (Titans). The Titans were the "original" gods before the Olympians.

Uranium

Symbol: U
Atomic Number: 92
After the planet Uranus, the original sky god who was the son and spouse of Gaia, or Mother Earth.

Xenon

Symbol: Xe
Atomic Number: 54
From the Greek word xenon (stranger)

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