Elements 1-40: Latin Names & Origins

Cuprum

Copper (Cu) Origin of name: from the Latin word "cuprum" meaning the island of "Cyprus"

Gallium

Gallium (Ga) Origin of name: from the Latin word "Gallia" meaning "France" and perhaps from the Latin word "gallus" (a translation of Lecoq, the discoverer of gallium)

Germanium

Germanium (Ge) Origin of name: from the Latin word "Germania" meaning "Germany"

Helium

Helium (He) Origin of name: from the Greek word "helios" meaning "sun"

Krypton

Krypton (Kr) Origin of name: from the Greek word "kryptos" meaning "hidden"

Manganum

Manganese (Mn) Origin of name: from the Latin word "magnes" meaning "magnet," or "magnesia nigri" meaning "black magnesia"

Aluminium

Aluminium/Aluminum (Al) Origin of name: from the Latin word "alumen" meaning "alum"

Argon

Argon (Ar) Origin of name: from the Greek word "argos" meaning "inactive"

Arsenicum

Arsenic (As) Origin of name: from the Greek word "arsenikon" meaning "yellow orpiment"

Beryllium

Beryllium (Be) Origin of name: from the Greek word "beryllos" meaning "beryl"

Borium

Boron (B) Origin of name: from the Arabic word "buraq" and the Persian word "burah"

Bromum

Bromine (Br) Origin of name: from the Greek word "bromos" meaning "stench"

Calcium

Calcium (Ca) Origin of name: from the Latin word "calx" meaning "lime"

Carbonium

Carbon (C) Origin of name: from the Latin word "carbo" meaning "charcoal"

Chlorum

Chlorine (Cl) Origin of name: from the Greek word "chloros" meaning "pale green"

Chromium

Chromium (Cr) Origin of name: from the Greek word "chroma" meaning "colour," named for many coloured components of known for chromium

Cobaltum

Cobalt (Co) Origin of name: from the German word "kobald" meaning "goblin" or evil spirit

Fluorum

Fluorine (F) Origin of name: from the Latin word "fluere" meaning "to flow"

Hydrogenium

Hydrogen (H) Origin of name: from Greek words "hydro" and "genes" meaning "water" and "generator"

Ferrum

Iron (Fe) Origin of name: from the Anglo-Saxon word "iron" or "iren" (the origin of symbol Fe comes from the Latin word "ferrum" meaning "iron")

Lithium

Lithium (Li) Origin of name: from the Greek word "lithos" meaning "stone," because was discovered from a mineral source whereas the other 2 common Group 1 elements (sodium and potassium) were discovered from plant sources

Magnesium

Magnesium (Mg) Origin of name: from the Greek word "Magnesia," a district of Thessaly

Neon

Neon (Ne) Origin of name: from the Greek word "neon" meaning "new"

Niccolum

Nickel (Ni) Origin of name: from the German word "kupfernickel" meaning Devil's Copper or St. Nicholas's (Old Nick's) copper

Nitrogenium

Nitrogen (N) Origin of name: from the Greek words "nitron genes" meaning "nitre" and "forming" and the Latin word "nitrum" (nitre is a common name for potassium nitrate, KNO#)

Oxygenium

Oxygen (O) Origin of name: from the Greek word "oxy genes" meaning "acid" (sharp) and "forming" (acid former)

Phosphorus

Phosphorus (P) Origin of name: from the Greek word "phosphoros" meaning "bringer of light" (an ancient name for the planet Venus?)

Kalium

Potassium (K) Origin of name: from the English word "potash" (pot ashes) and the Arabic word "qali" meaning alkali

Rubidium

Rubidium (Rb) Origin of name: from the Latin word "rubidius" meaning "dark red"

Scandium

Scandium (Sc) Origin of name: from the Latin word "Scandia" meaning "Scandinavia"

Selenium

Selenium (Se) Origin of name: from the Greek word "selene" meaning "moon"

Silicium

Silicon (Si) Origin of name: from the Latin word "silicis" meaning "flint"

Natrium

Sodium (Na) Origin of name: from the English word "soda"

Strontium

Strontium (Sr) Origin of name: named after the village of "Strontian" in Scotland

Sulphur

Sulphur/Sulfur (S) Origin of name: from the Sanskrit word "sulvere" meaning "sulphur;" from the Latin word "sulphurium" meaning "sulphur"

Titanium

Titanium (Ti) Origin of name: named after the "Titans" (the sons of the Earth goddess in Greek mythology)

Vanadium

Vanadium (V) Origin of name: named after "Vanadis," the goddess of beauty in Scandinavian mythology

Yttrium

Yttrium (Y) Origin of name: named after the village of "Ytterby" near Vaxholm, Sweden

Zincum

Zinc (Zn) Origin of name: from the German word "zink"

Zirconium

Zirconium (Zr) Origin of name: from the Arabic word "zargun" meaning "golden colour"