Many chemical elements take their names from mythology — Greek, Roman, and Norse gods, Titans, and celestial bodies named for mythological figures. These names connect the periodic table to thousands of years of human storytelling and reveal the creative spirit of the scientists who named them.
Greek and Roman Mythology
The majority of mythologically named elements draw from classical Greek and Roman traditions:
Named after the Titans — powerful elder gods who ruled before the Olympians. Titanium is fittingly strong: as strong as steel but 45% lighter.
Named after Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity. All isotopes of promethium are radioactive.
Named after Tantalus, condemned in Hades to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink. Tantalum resists acid corrosion — acids cannot 'reach' it, like the water eluded Tantalus.
Named after Niobe, daughter of Tantalus in Greek mythology. Niobium is always found alongside tantalum in nature, mirroring the family bond.
Named after Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, and the dwarf planet Ceres, which was discovered two years before the element.
Named after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named for Athena's epithet Pallas Athena.
Named after Selene, the Greek goddess of the Moon. Discovered by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1817.
Named after Tellus, the Roman goddess of Earth (Terra). Selenium and tellurium were named as a pair — Moon and Earth.
Named after Helios, the Greek god of the Sun. Helium was first detected in the solar spectrum during a solar eclipse in 1868, before it was found on Earth.
Norse Mythology
Two elements draw their names from Norse mythology:
Planetary Names from Mythology
These three elements follow the same sequence as the planets beyond Saturn: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto — mirroring the pattern of increasing atomic number in the periodic table.
Named after Uranus, the Greek god of the sky and the planet discovered in 1781 — just eight years before uranium was isolated.
Named after Neptune, the Roman god of the sea and the planet. Neptunium follows uranium in the periodic table just as Neptune follows Uranus in the solar system.
Named after Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld and the dwarf planet. Plutonium follows neptunium, completing the planetary naming pattern.
Mercury — The Dual Name
Mercury stands alone as an element with both a mythological name and a symbol from an entirely different linguistic tradition:
Named after Mercury, the swift Roman messenger god — fitting for the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Its symbol Hg comes from the Latin 'hydrargyrum' meaning 'liquid silver.'