Table of Elements in Greek and Latin (Rome) Language.
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Periodic 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
From the Greek wordaktinos (ray)
Aluminum
From the Latin wordalumen, or"bitter".
Antimony
From the Greek words anti (opposed) and monos (solitude)
Argon
From the Greek wordargon (inactive)
Arsenic
From the Greek wordarsenikos and the Latin wordarsenicum, meaning "yellow orpiment".
Astatine
From the Greek wordastatos (unstable)
Barium
From the Greek wordbarys (heavy)
Bromine
From the Greek wordbrômos (stench)
Cadmium
Symbol: Cd
Atomic Number: 48
From the Greek wordkadmeia (ancient name for calamine) and from the Latin word cadmia.Cadmus, in Greek myth, was the founder of Thebes.
Calcium
From the latin wordcalcis (lime)
Carbon
Ceres (asteroid), and the Roman version of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture.
Cesium
From the Latin wordcaesius (sky blue)
Chlorine
From the Greek wordkhlôros (green)
Chromium
From the Greek wordchrôma (color)
Copper
From the Latin wordcyprium, after the island of Cyprus and birthplace of Aphrodite.
Dysprosium
From the Greek worddysprositos (hard to get at).
Fluorine
From the Latin wordfluo (flow)
Gold
From the Latin wordaurum (gold). In Roman mythology, Aurora was the goddess of dawn--golden indeed.
Helium
From the Greek wordhêlios (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
From the Greek wordiôdes (violet).
Iridium
Symbol: Ir
Atomic Number: 77
From the Latin wordiridis (rainbow). The Greeks had a messenger goddess, Iris, whose colorful cape flowed behind her.
Iron
From the Latin wordferrum (iron)
Krypton
Symbol: Kr
Atomic Number: 36
From the Greek wordkryptos (hidden). In modern language, words such as "encrypt" can be discerned from the Greek.
Lanthanum
From the Greek wordlanthaneis (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 wordplumbum (lead)
Lithium
From the Greek wordlithos (stone)
Manganese
From the Latin wordmangnes (magnet)
Molybdenum
From the Greek word molubdos (lead)
Neodymium
Symbol: Nd
Atomic Number: 60
From the Greek words neos (new) anddidymos (twin). Twins appear regularly in Greek myth, from the Dioscuri (Castor & Polydeuces) to the divine twins (Artemis & Apollo).
Neon
Form the Greek word neos (new)
Neptunium
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
From the Greek word osmë (odor)
Oxygen
From the Greek words oxus (acid) andgennan (generate)
Palladium
From the Greek goddess (Pallas) and after an asteroid
Phosphorous
Symbol: P
Atomic Number: 15
From the Greek words phôs (light) andphoros (bearer), Phosphoros was a god of light in Greek myth.
Plutonium
After the planet Pluto and the Latin god of the Underworld (Hades in Greek).
Potassium
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word kalium
Praseodymium
From the Greek words prasios (green) anddidymos (twin)
Promethium
From the Titan Prometheus who stole fire of the sky and gave it to man.
Protactinium
From the Greek word protos (first) [see name origin for lead].
Radium
From the Latin word radius (ray)
Rhodium
From the Greek word rhodon (rose)
Rubidium
From the Latin word rubidus (red)
Ruthenium
From the Latin word Ruthenia (Russia)
Selenium
From the Greek word Selênê, known as the goddess of the moon.
Sodium
Symbol Origin: From the Latin wordnatrium (sodium)
Silicon
From the Latin word silex (flint)
Sulfur
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
From the Greek word technêtos (artificial)
Tellurium
From the Greek word tellus (Earth)
Thallium
From the Greek word thallos (young shoot)
Tin
Symbol Origin: From the Latin wordstannum (tin)
Titanium
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