This list of chemical elements named after places includes elements named both directly and indirectly for places. 41 of the 118 chemical elements have names associated with, or specifically named for, 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 tables below list the terrestrial locations (excluding the entire Earth itself, taken as a whole) and the last table lists astronomical objects which the chemical elements are named after.[1]
Location | Element | Symbol | Z | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Europe | Europium | Eu | 63 | |
Magnesia, a district in Greece | Magnesium | Mg | 12 | 39°25′N 22°50′E / 39.417°N 22.833°E |
Manganese | Mn | 25 | ||
Belur, a city in India (indirectly, via the mineral beryl) | Beryllium | Be | 4 | 13°9′44.34″N 75°52′4.51″E / 13.1623167°N 75.8679194°E |
India (indirectly, via the Latin indicum meaning indigo) | Indium | In | 49 | |
Cyprus | Copper | Cu | 29 | |
France (ancient name Gaul) | Francium | Fr | 87 | |
Gallium | Ga | 31 | ||
Lutetia, Latin name for Paris | Lutetium | Lu | 71 | 48°51′N 2°21′E / 48.85°N 2.35°E |
Germany | Germanium | Ge | 32 | |
Hesse, a state in Germany | Hassium | Hs | 108 | |
Darmstadt, a city in Germany | Darmstadtium | Ds | 110 | 49°50′N 8°34′E / 49.833°N 8.567°E |
River Rhine | Rhenium | Re | 75 | |
Strontian, a village in Scotland | Strontium | Sr | 38 | 56°41′N 5°34′W / 56.683°N 5.567°W |
Scandinavia | Scandium | Sc | 21 | |
Hafnia, Latin name for Copenhagen | Hafnium | Hf | 72 | 55°41′N 12°34′E / 55.683°N 12.567°E |
Thule (perhaps Iceland or Greenland) | Thulium | Tm | 69 | |
Holmia, Latin name for Stockholm | Holmium | Ho | 67 | 59°20′N 18°47′E / 59.333°N 18.783°E |
Ytterby, a village in Sweden | Yttrium | Y | 39 | 59°25′35″N 18°21′13″E / 59.42639°N 18.35361°E |
Terbium | Tb | 65 | ||
Erbium | Er | 68 | ||
Ytterbium | Yb | 70 | ||
Poland | Polonium | Po | 84 | |
Ruthenia, Latin name for Russia | Ruthenium | Ru | 44 | |
Moscow Oblast, Russia | Moscovium | Mc | 115 | 55°42′N 36°58′E / 55.700°N 36.967°E |
Dubna, a town in Russia | Dubnium | Db | 105 | 56°44′N 37°10′E / 56.733°N 37.167°E |
Americas[2][3][4] (some sources say the United States specifically)[5][6][7][8] | Americium | Am | 95 | |
California, a state in the United States | Californium | Cf | 98 | |
Berkeley, California, a city in the United States | Berkelium | Bk | 97 | 37°52′N 122°16′W / 37.867°N 122.267°W |
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the United States (Also Robert Livermore's name) |
Livermorium | Lv | 116 | 37°41′N 121°43′W / 37.683°N 121.717°W |
Tennessee, a state in the United States | Tennessine | Ts | 117 | |
Japan (Nihon) | Nihonium | Nh | 113 |
Location | Element | Symbol | Z |
---|---|---|---|
Sun | Helium | He | 2 |
Mercury* | Mercury* | Hg | 80 |
Venus** | Phosphorus** | P | 15 |
Moon | Selenium | Se | 34 |
Pallas (asteroid) | Palladium | Pd | 46 |
Earth | Tellurium | Te | 52 |
Ceres (dwarf planet) | Cerium | Ce | 58 |
Uranus | Uranium | U | 92 |
Neptune | Neptunium | Np | 93 |
Pluto (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 etymology of phosphorus).