Planetary Names: Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers
International Astronomical Union (IAU)  Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
Planetary Names: Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers
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Named Mercurius by the Romans because it appears to move so swiftly.
 
Discoverer
Venus
Roman name for the goddess of love. This planet was considered to be the brightest and most beautiful planet or star in the heavens. Other civilizations have named it for their god or goddess of love/war.
 
Discoverer
Earth
The name Earth comes from the Indo-European base 'er,'which produced the Germanic noun 'ertho,' and ultimately German 'erde,' Dutch 'aarde,' Scandinavian 'jord,' and English 'earth.' Related forms include Greek 'eraze,' meaning 'on the ground,' and Welsh 'erw,' meaning 'a piece of land.'
 
 
Earth I (Moon)
Every civilization has had a name for the satellite of Earth that is known, in English, as the Moon. The Moon is known as Luna in Italian, Latin, and Spanish, as Lune in French, as Mond in German, and as Selene in Greek.
 
 
Martian System
The names of the moons of Mars and the English translations of the names were specifically proposed by their discoverer, Asaph Hall, and as such, they have been accepted and retained under the current IAU nomenclature.
Body
Discoverer
Mars
Named by the Romans for their god of war because of its red, bloodlike color. Other civilizations also named this planet from this attribute; for example, the Egyptians named it "Her Desher," meaning "the red one."
 
 
Mars I (Phobos)
Inner satellite of Mars. Named for one of the horses that drew Mars' chariot; also called an "attendant" or "son" of Mars, according to chapter 15, line 119 of Homer's "Iliad." This Greek word means "flight."
August 17, 1877
A. Hall
Mars II (Deimos)
This outer Martian satellite was named for one of the horses that drew Mars' chariot; also called an "attendant" or "son" of Mars, according to chapter 15, line 119 of Homer's "Iliad." Deimos means "fear" in Greek.
August 11, 1877
Selected Asteroids (of the Main Belt) and their Satellites
Body
Named for the Greek god of love.
August 13, 1898
Named for a resort on the Crimean Peninsula.
July 30, 1916
G. Neujmin
(243) Ida
Named for a nymph who raised the infant Zeus. Ida is also the name of a mountain on the island of Crete, the location of the cave where Zeus was reared.
September 29, 1884
J. Palisa
(243) Ida I (Dactyl)
Named for a group of mythological beings who lived on Mount Ida, where the infant Zeus was hidden and raised (according to some accounts) by the nymph Ida.
August 28, 1993
Galileo imaging and infrared science teams.
(253) Mathilde
The name was suggested by a staff member of the Paris Observatory who first computed an orbit for Mathilde. The name is thought to honor the wife of the vice director of the Paris Observatory at that time.
November 12, 1885
J. Palisa
(22) Kalliope I (Linus)
Satellite of (22) Kalliope. In various accounts of Greek mythology, Linus is considered to be the son of the Muse Kalliope and the inventor of melody and rhythm.
August 29 and September 2, 2001
Mauna Kea
J.-L. Margot, M.E. Brown, W.J. Merline, F. Menard, L. Close, C. Dumas, C.R. Chapman, and D.C. Slater
(45) Eugenia I (Petit-Prince)
Satellite of (45) Eugenia. The Little Prince, Napolean-Eugene-Louis-Jean-Joseph Bonaparte (1856-1879), was the son of Eugenia de Montijo de Guzm\'an and Napoleon III.
November 1, 1998
Mauna Kea
W.J. Merline, L. Close, C. Dumas, C.R. Chapman, F. Roddier, F. Menard, D.C. Slater, G. Duvert, C. Shelton, and T. Morgan
Jovian System
Satellites in the Jovian system are named for Zeus/Jupiter's lovers and descendants. Names of outer satellites with a prograde orbit generally end with the letter "a" (although an "o" ending has been reserved for some unusual cases), and names of satellites with a retrograde orbit end with an "e."
Body
Discoverer
Jupiter
The largest and most massive of the planets was named Zeus by the Greeks and Jupiter by the Romans; he was the most important deity in both pantheons.
 
 
Jupiter I (Io)
Io, the daughter of Inachus, was changed by Jupiter into a cow to protect her from Hera's jealous wrath. But Hera recognized Io and sent a gadfly to torment her. Io, maddened by the fly, wandered throughout the Mediterranean region.
January 8, 1610
Padua
Galileo (Simon Marius probably made an independent discovery of the Galilean satellites at about the same time that Galileo did, and he may have unwittingly sighted them up to a month earlier, but the priority must go to Galileo because he published his discovery first.)
Jupiter II (Europa)
Beautiful daughter of Agenor, king of Tyre, she was seduced by Jupiter, who had assumed the shape of a white bull. When Europa climbed on his back he swam with her to Crete, where she bore several children, including Minos.
January 8, 1610
Galileo (who evidently observed the combined image of Io and Europa the previous night)
Jupiter III (Ganymede)
Beautiful young boy who was carried to Olympus by Jupiter disguised as an eagle. Ganymede then became the cupbearer of the Olympian gods.
January 7, 1610
Galileo
Jupiter IV (Callisto)
Beautiful daughter of Lycaon, she was seduced by Jupiter, who changed her into a bear to protect her from Hera's jealousy.
January 7, 1610
Galileo
Jupiter V (Amalthea)
A naiad who nursed the new-born Jupiter. She had as a favorite animal a goat which is said by some authors to have nourished Jupiter. The name was suggested by Flammarion.
September 9, 1892
A Rhodian nymph who bore three sons of Zeus.
December 4, 1904
C.D. Perrine
Jupiter VII (Elara)
Daughter of King Orchomenus, a paramour of Zeus, and by him the mother of the giant Tityus.
January 3, 1905
C.D. Perrine
Jupiter VIII (Pasiphae)
Wife of Minos, king of Crete. Zeus made approaches to her as a bull (taurus). She then gave birth to the Minotaur. (Spelling changed from Pasiphaë to Pasiphae July 2009.)
January 27, 1908
P.J. Melotte
Jupiter IX (Sinope)
Daughter of the river god Asopus. Zeus desired to make love to her. Instead of this he granted perpetual virginity, after he had been deceived by his own promises. (In the same way, she also fooled Apollo.)
July 21, 1914
S.B. Nicholson
Jupiter X (Lysithea)
Daughter of Kadmos, also named Semele, mother of Dionysos by Zeus. According to others, she was the daughter of Evenus and mother of Helenus by Jupiter.
July 6, 1938
Daughter of the river god Achelous and stepdaughter of Zeus.
October 19, 1999
J.V. Scotti, T.B. Spahr, R.S. McMillan, J.A. Larson, J. Montani, A.E. Gleason, and T. Gehrels
Jupiter XVIII (Themisto)
Daughter of the Arcadian river god Inachus, mother of Ister by Zeus.
September 30, 1975, rediscovered November 21, 2000
Palomar, rediscovered at Mauna Kea
C.T. Kowal and E. Roemer (1975), and S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, G. Magnier, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, and G.V. Williams (2000).
Jupiter XIX (Megaclite)
Daughter of Macareus, who with Zeus gave birth to Thebe and Locrus.
November 25, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XX (Taygete)
Daughter of Atlas, one of the Pleiades, mother of Lakedaimon by Zeus.
November 25, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXI (Chaldene)
Bore the son Solymos with Zeus.
November 26, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXII (Harpalyke)
Daughter and wife of Clymenus. In revenge for this incestuous relationship, she killed the son she bore him, cooked the corpse, and served it to Clymenus. She was transformed into the night bird called Chalkis, and Clymenus hanged himself. Some say that she was transformed into that bird because she had intercourse with Zeus.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXIII (Kalyke)
Nymph who bore the handsome son Endymion with Zeus.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXIV (Iocaste)
Wife of Laius, King of Thebes, and mother of Oedipus. After Laius was killed, Iocaste unknowingly married her own son Oedipus. When she learned that her husband was her son, she killed herself. Some say she was the mother of Agamedes by Zeus.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXV (Erinome)
Daughter of Celes, compelled by Venus to fall in love with Jupiter.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXVI (Isonoe)
A Danaid, bore with Zeus the son Orchomenos.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXVII (Praxidike)
Goddess of punishment, mother of Klesios by Zeus.
November 23, 2000
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, Y.R. Fernandez, and G. Magnier
Jupiter XXVIII (Autonoe)
Mother of the Graces by Zeus according to some authors.
December 10, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXIX (Thyone)
Semele, mother of Dionysos by Zeus. She received the name of Thyone in Hades by Dionysos before he ascended up with her from there to heaven.
December 11, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXX (Hermippe)
Consort of Zeus and mother of Orchomenos by him.
December 9, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXI (Aitne)
A Sicilian nymph, conquest of Zeus.
December 9, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXII (Eurydome)
Mother of the Graces by Zeus, according to some authors. (Source: Cornutus: Theologiae Graecae compendium 15)
December 9, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXIII (Euanthe)
The mother of the Graces by Zeus, according to some authors.
December 11, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXIV (Euporie)
One of the Horae, a daughter of Zeus and Themis.
December 11, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXV (Orthosie)
One of the Horae, a daughter of Zeus and Themis.
December 11, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXVI (Sponde)
One of the Horae (Seasons), daughter of Zeus.
December 9, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXVII (Kale)
One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus, husband of Hephaistos.
December 9, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXVIII (Pasithee)
One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus.
December 11, 2001
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt and J. Kleyna
Jupiter XXXIX (Hegemone)
One of the Graces, a daughter of Zeus.
February 8, 2003
Discoverer
Saturn
Roman name for the Greek Cronos, father of Zeus/Jupiter. Other civilizations have given different names to Saturn, which is the farthest planet from Earth that can be observed by the naked human eye. Most of its satellites were named for Titans who, according to Greek mythology, were brothers and sisters of Saturn.
 
 
Saturn I (Mimas)
Named by Herschel's son John in the early 19th century for a Giant felled by Hephaestus (or Ares) in the war between the Titans and Olympian gods.
July 18, 1789
W. Herschel
Saturn II (Enceladus)
Named by Herschel's son John for the Giant Enceladus. Enceladus was crushed by Athene in the battle between the Olympian gods and the Titans. Earth piled on top of him became the island of Sicily.
August 28, 1789
W. Herschel
Saturn III (Tethys)
Cassini wished to name Tethys and the other three satellites that he discovered (Dione, Rhea, and Iapetus) for Louis XIV. However, the names used today for these satellites were applied in the early 19th century by John Herschel, who named them for Titans and Titanesses, brothers and sisters of Saturn. Tethys was the wife of Oceanus and mother of all rivers and Oceanids.
March 21, 1684
Named by Pickering for one of the Titanesses.
August 16, 1898
W.H. Pickering
Saturn X (Janus)
First reported (though with an incorrect orbital period) and named by A. Dollfus from observations in Dec. 1966, this satellite was finally confirmed in 1980. It was proven to have a twin, Epimetheus, sharing the same orbit but never actually meeting. It is named for the Roman god of the beginning. The two-faced god could look forward and backward at the same time.
December 15, 1966 (Dollfus), February 19, 1980 (Pascu)
Pic du Midi (Dollfus), Washington (Pascu)
A. Dollfus (1966), D. Pascu (1980)
Saturn XI (Epimetheus)
First suspected by J. Fountain and S. Larson as confusing the detection of Janus. They assigned the correct orbital period, and the satellite was finally confirmed in 1980. Named for the son of the Titan Iapetus. In contrast with his far-sighted brother Prometheus, he "subsequently realized" that he was in the wrong.
1977 (Fountain and Larson), February 26, 1980 (Cruikshank)
Tucson (Fountain and Larson), Mauna Kea (Cruikshank)
J. Fountain and S. Larson (1977), D. Cruikshank (1980)
Saturn XII (Helene)
A granddaughter of Kronos, for her beauty she triggered off the Trojan War.
March 1, 1980
P. Laques and J. Lecacheux
Saturn XIII (Telesto)
Daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys.
April 8, 1980
B.A. Smith, H. Reitsema, S.M. Larson, and J. Fountain
Saturn XIV (Calypso)
Daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys and paramour of Odysseus.
March 13, 1980
D. Pascu, P.K. Seidelmann, W. Baum, and D. Currie
Saturn XV (Atlas)
A Titan; he held the heavens on his shoulders.
October 1980
Voyager Science Team
Saturn XVI (Prometheus)
Son of the Titan Iapetus, brother of Atlas and Epimetheus, he gave many gifts to humanity, including fire.
October 1980
Voyager Science Team
Saturn XVII (Pandora)
Made of clay by Hephaestus at the request of Zeus. She married Epimetheus and opened the box that loosed a host of plagues upon humanity.
October 1980
Voyager Science Team
Saturn XVIII (Pan)
Greek god of pastoralism, he was half goat and half human. Son of Hermes, brother of Daphnis, and a descendant of the Titans. Discovered orbiting in the Encke division in Saturn's A ring.
1990
Ymir is the primordial Norse giant and the progenitor of the race of frost giants.
August 7, 2000
La Silla
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XX (Paaliaq)
Named for an Inuit giant.
August 7, 2000
La Silla
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXI (Tarvos)
Named for a Gallic giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXII (Ijiraq)
Named for an Inuit giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXIII (Suttungr)
Named for a Norse giant who kindled flames that destroyed the world.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXIV (Kiviuq)
Named for an Inuit giant.
August 7, 2000
La Silla
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXV (Mundilfari)
Named for an Norse giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXVI (Albiorix)
Named for a Gallic giant who was considered to be the king of the world.
November 9, 2000
Named for a Norse giantess.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXVIII (Erriapus)
Named for a Gallic giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXIX (Siarnaq)
Named for an Inuit giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXX (Thrymr)
Named for a Norse giant.
September 23, 2000
Mauna Kea
B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl, M. Holman, B.G. Marsden, P. Nicholson and J.A. Burns
Saturn XXXI (Narvi)
Named for a Norse giant.
February 5, 2003
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna
Saturn XXXII (Methone)
One of the Alkyonides, the seven beautiful daughters of the Giant Alkyoneos.
June 1, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XXXVIII (Bergelmir)
Norse frost giant, son of Ymir and one of the Hrimthursar, one of only two members of the frost giant race to escape being drowned in Ymir's blood.
December 12, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XXXIX (Bestla)
Norse primeval goddess, mother of deities, daughter of the giant Bolthorn.
December 13, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XL (Farbauti)
Norse storm giant, father of Loki.
December 12, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XLI (Fenrir)
Norse monstrous wolf, son of Loki and the giantess Angurboda, father of Hati and Skoll.
December 13, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XLII (Fornjot)
Early Norse storm giant, father of Aegir, Kari, and Loge.
December 12, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XLIII (Hati)
Gigantic Norse wolf, twin of Skoll.
December 12, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XLIV (Hyrrokkin)
Norse giantess who launched Balder's funeral ship. (Spelling changed from Hyrokkin.)
December 12, 2004
S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
Saturn XLV (Kari)
Named for the grotesque, brutish slave in Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
September 6, 1997
B. Gladman, P. Nicholson, J.A. Burns and J. Kavelaars
Uranus XVII (Sycorax)
Named for Caliban's mother in Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
September 6, 1997
P. Nicholson, B. Gladman, J. Burns and J. Kavelaars
Uranus XVIII (Prospero)
Named for the rightful Duke of Milan in "The Tempest."
July 18, 1999
M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl
Uranus XIX (Setebos)
Setebos was a new-world (South American) deity's name that Shakespeare popularized as Sycorax's god in "The Tempest."
July 18, 1999
J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, M. Holman, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl
Uranus XX (Stephano)
Named for a drunken butler in "The Tempest."
July 18, 1999
B. Gladman, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, and H. Scholl
Uranus XXI (Trinculo)
A jester in Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
August 13, 2001
M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars and D. Milisavljevic
Uranus XXII (Francisco)
A lord in "The Tempest."
August 13, 2001
J. Kavelaars, M. Holman, D. Milisavljevic, and T. Grav
Uranus XXIII (Margaret)
A gentlewoman attending on Hero from "Much Ado About Nothing."
August 29, 2003
Discoverer
Neptune
Neptune was "predicted" by John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier who, independently, were able to account for the irregularities in the motion of Uranus by correctly predicting the orbital elements of a trans- Uranian body. Using the predicted parameters of Le Verrier (Adams never published his predictions), Johann Galle observed the planet in 1846. Galle wanted to name the planet for Le Verrier, but that was not acceptable to the international astronomical community. Instead, this planet is named for the Roman god of the sea.
September 23, 1846
J.G. Galle
Neptune I (Triton)
Triton is named for the sea-god son of Poseidon (Neptune) and Amphitrite. The first suggestion of the name Triton has been attributed to the French astronomer Camille Flammarion.
October 10, 1846
W. Lassell
Neptune II (Nereid)
The Nereids were the fifty daughters of the sea god Nereus and Doris and were attendants of Poseidon (Neptune).
May 1, 1949
G.P. Kuiper
Neptune III (Naiad)
The name of a group of Greek water nymphs who were guardians of lakes, fountains, springs, and rivers.
August 1989
One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris.
August 14, 2002
M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic
Neptune X (Psamathe)
One of the Nereids, lover of Aeacus and mother of Phocus.
August 29, 2003
S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, and J. Kleyna
Neptune XI (Sao)
One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris.
August 14, 2002
T. Grav, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic
Neptune XII (Laomedeia)
One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris.
August 13, 2002
J. Kavelaars, M. Holman, T. Grav, W. Fraser, and D. Milisavljevic
Neptune XIII (Neso)
One of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris.
August 14, 2002
Discoverer
(134340) Pluto
Pluto was discovered at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ during a systematic search for a trans-Neptune planet predicted by Percival Lowell and William H. Pickering. Named after the Roman god of the underworld who was able to render himself invisible.
January 23, 1930
C.W. Tombaugh
(134340) Pluto I (Charon)
Named after the Greek mythological boatman who ferried souls across the river Styx to Pluto for judgement.
April 13, 1978
J.W. Christy
(134340) Pluto II (Nix)
Goddess of darkness and night, mother of Charon. (Nix is the Egyptian spelling of the Greek name Nyx.)
May 15, 2005
Hubble Space Telescope
H.A. Weaver, S.A. Stern, M.J. Mutchler, A.J. Steffl, M.W. Buie, W.J. Merline, J.R. Spencer, E.F. Young, and L.A. Young
(134340) Pluto III (Hydra)
In Greek mythology, terrifying monster with the body of a serpent and nine heads that guarded the underworld.
May 15, 2005
Hubble Space Telescope
H.A. Weaver, S.A. Stern, M.J. Mutchler, A.J. Steffl, M.W. Buie, W.J. Merline, J.R. Spencer, E.F. Young, and L.A. Young
(134340) Pluto IV (Kerberos)
In Greek mythology, the many-headed dog that guarded the entrance to the underworld.
June 28, 2011
M.R. Showalter, D.P. Hamilton, S.A. Stern, H.A. Weaver, A.J. Steffl, and L.A. Young
(134340) Pluto V (Styx)