A synopsis of this article appeared in CHEM13 NEWS in October, 1980
Note: Underlined items are links
Elements mentioned in the Bible
1. Au - Gold (Genesis 13:2) and other references
2. Ag - Silver (Amos 2:6) and other references
3. Fe - Iron (Psalms 105:18) and other references
4. Sn - Tin (Numbers 31:22) and other references
5. Pb - Lead (Numbers 31:22) and other references
6. Cu - Copper (Ezrah 8:27) and other references
7. C - Carbon (Jeremiah 17:1) and other references
8. S - Sulphur (Genesis 19:24) and other references
Named after women
1. Cm - Curium (Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre)
2. Nb - Niobium (Niobe, daughter of Tantalus)
3. Pd - Palladium (Pallas, Greek goddess of wisdom)
4. V - Vanadium (Vanadis, Scandinavian goddess)
Named after Continents
1. Am - Americium (America)
2. Eu - Europium (Europe)
Named after Countries
1. Fr - Francium (France)
2. Ga - Gallium (Gallia, Latin name for France)
3. Ge - Germanium (Germany)
4. Po - Polonium (Poland)
5. Ru - Ruthenium (Ruthenia, Latin name for Russia)
G. Sc - Scandium (Scandia, Latin name for Scandinavia)
7. Th - Thulium (Thule, ancient name for Scandinavia)
8. In - Indium (India)
Named after States
Cf - Californium (California)
Named after Cities or Towns
1. Bk - Berkelium (Berkley, home of Univ. of California)
2. Er - Erbium (Ytterby, village in Sweden)
3. Hf - Hafnium (Hafnia, Latin name for Copenhagen)
4. Ho - Holfrlium (Holmia, Latin name for Stockholm)
5. Lu - Lutetium (Lutetia, old name for Paris)
6. Mg - Magnesium (Magnesia, district in Thessaly)
7. Re - Rhenium (Rhenus, Latin name for Rhine)
8. Sr - Strontium (Strontiun, town in Scotland)
9. Tb - Terbium (Ytterby, village in Sweden)
10. Yb - Ytterbium (Ytterby, village in Sweden)
11. Y - Yttrium (Ytterby, village in Sweden)
Named-after Celestial Bodies (stars, asteroids, etc)
1. Ce - Cerium (Ceres, an asteroid)
2. He - Helium (Helios, Greek name for Sun)
3. Hg - Mercury (Mercury, a planet)
4. P - Phosphorus (Phosphorus - Old name for Venus when appearing before sunrise)
5. Pd - Palladium (Pallas, an asteroid)
6. Np - Neptunium (Neptune, a planet)
7. Pt - Plutonium (Pluto, a planet)
8. Se - Selenium (Selene, Greek name for Moon)
9. Te - Tellurium (Tellus, Latin name for Earth)
10. U - Uranium (Uranus, a planet)
Named after famous Scientists
1. Cm - Curium (Pierre and Marie Curie - French/Polish - discovered Radium)
2. Es - Einsteinium (Albert Einstein - Austrian/Swiss/American physicist)
3. Fm - Fermium (Enrico Fermi - Italian Physicist)
4. Gd - Gadolinum (John Gadolin - Finnish Chemist)
5. Lr - Lawrencium (Ernest Lawrence - inventor of Cyclotron)
6. Md - Mendelevium (Dimitri Mendeleev - Russian Chemist)
7. No - Nobelium (Alfred Bernhard Nobel - Swedish Engineer and Chemist)
Name comes from Spanish
Pt - Platinum (Platina = Silver)
Name comes from Swedish
W - Tungsten (Tung = heavy, Sten = stone)
(Note = This element was formerly called Wolfram from the German, hence the Symbol)
Names come from Latin
1. Sb - Antimony (Stlbium = mark)
2. Ca - Calcium (Calx = lime)
3. Cs - Cæsium (Caæsium = sky blue)
4. Cu - Copper (Cuprum, from the island of Cyprus)
5. F - Fluorine (Fluere = flux or flow)
6. Ga - Gallium (Gallia = France)
7. Au - Gold (Aurum = Gold)
8. Hf - Hafnium (Hafnia = Copenhagen)
9. Ho - Holmium (Holmia - Stockholm)
10. Ir - Iridium (Iris = Rainbow)
11. Fe - Iron (Ferrum)
12. Pb - Lead (Plumbum)
13. Mn - Manganese (Magnes = magnet)
14. Hg - Mercury (Hyrargyrum = liquid silver)
15. K - Potassium (Kalium = alkali, from the Arabic "qali")
16. Ra - Radium (Radius = ray)
17. Rn - Radon (Radius = ray)
18. Re - Rhenium (Rhenus = Rhine)
19. Rb - Rubidium (Rubidiud = deepest red)
20. Ru - Ruthenium (Ruthenia = Russia)
21. Sc - Scandium (Scanudia = Scandinavia)
22. Si - Silicon (Silex = flint)
23. Ag - Silver (Argentum)
24. Na - Sodium (Natrium)
25. Sn - Tin (Stannum)
26. Ti - Titanium (Titan = first men on earth)
27. Te - Tellurium (Tellus = earth)
Names come from the Greek
1. Ac - Actinum (Actinos = beam or ray)
2. Ar - Argon (Argon = inactive)
S. As - Arsenic (Arsenicum = yellow orpiment)
4. At - Astatine (Astatos = unstable)
5. Ba - Barium (Barys = heavy)
6. Br - Bromine (Bromos = stench)
7. Cl - Chlorine (Chloros = greenish yellow)
8. Cr - Chromium (Chroma = colour)
9. Dy - Dysprosium (Dysprositos = hard to get at)
10. He - Helium (Helios = Sun)
11. H - Hydrogen (Hydro = water; Genes = forming)
12. I - Iodine (Iodes = violet)
13. Kr - Krypton (Kryptos = hidden.)
14. La - Lanthanum (Lanthancin = to lie hidden)
15. Li - Lithium (Lithos = stone)
16. Mo - Molybdenum (Molybdos = lead)
17. Nd - Neodymium (Neos = new; Dydimos = twin)
18. Ne - Neon (Neos = new)
19. N - Nitrogen (Nitron = native soda: Genes = forming)
20. Os - Osmium (Osme = smell)
21. O - Oxygen (Oxys = sharp, acid; Genes = forming)
22. P - Phosphorus (Phos = light; Phoros = bearing)
23. Pr - Praesodymium (Praseos = green; Didymos = twin)
24. Pa - Protactinium (Protos = first)
25. Rh - Rhodium (Rhodos = rose)
26. Se - Selenium (Selene = moon)
27. Ta - Tantalum ( Tantalus, father of Niobe)
28. Tc - Technetium (Technekos = artificial)
29. Tl - Thallium (Thallos = green shoot or twig)
30. Xe - Xenon (Xenos = stranger)
Names come from the German
1. Bi - Bismuth (Weisse Masse = white mass)
2. Co - Cobalt (Kobold = goblin or evil spirit)
3. Ni - Nickel (Nickel = Satan or Old Nick, from Kupfernickel = old Nick's copper)
4. Zn - Zinc (Zink)
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