List of chemical elements named after places

Of the 118 chemical elements, 41 are named after, or have names associated with, places around the world or among astronomical objects. 32 of these have names tied to the Earth and the other 10 have names connected to bodies in the Solar System.

The first table below lists terrestrial locations (excluding the entire Earth taken as a whole) and the last table lists astronomical objects which the chemical elements are named after. ^[1]

Terrestrial locations

Location	Element	Symbol	Z	Coordinates
Europe	Europium	Eu	63
Magnesia, a district in Greece	Magnesium	Mg	12	39°25′N22°50′E / 39.417°N 22.833°E / 39.417; 22.833 (Magnesia)
	Manganese	Mn	25
Belur, a city in India (indirectly, via the mineral beryl)	Beryllium	Be	4	13°9′44.34″N75°52′4.51″E / 13.1623167°N 75.8679194°E / 13.1623167; 75.8679194 (Belur, Karnataka)
India (indirectly, via the Latin indicum meaning indigo)	Indium	In	49
Cyprus	Copper	Cu	29
France (ancient name Gaul)	Francium	Fr	87
	Gallium	Ga	31
Lutetia, Latin name for Paris	Lutetium	Lu	71	48°51′N2°21′E / 48.85°N 2.35°E / 48.85; 2.35 (Lutecia (Paris))
Germany	Germanium	Ge	32
Hesse, a state in Germany	Hassium	Hs	108
Darmstadt, a city in Germany	Darmstadtium	Ds	110	49°50′N8°34′E / 49.833°N 8.567°E / 49.833; 8.567 (Darmstadt)
Rhine, a river	Rhenium	Re	75
Strontian, a village in Scotland	Strontium	Sr	38	56°41′N5°34′W / 56.683°N 5.567°W / 56.683; -5.567 (Strontium)
Scandinavia	Scandium	Sc	21
Hafnia, Latin name for Copenhagen	Hafnium	Hf	72	55°41′N12°34′E / 55.683°N 12.567°E / 55.683; 12.567 (Hafnia)
Thule (perhaps Iceland or Greenland)	Thulium	Tm	69
Holmia, Latin name for Stockholm	Holmium	Ho	67	59°20′N18°47′E / 59.333°N 18.783°E / 59.333; 18.783 (Holmia (Stockholm))
Ytterby, a village in Sweden	Yttrium	Y	39	59°25′35″N18°21′13″E / 59.42639°N 18.35361°E / 59.42639; 18.35361 (Ytterby)
	Terbium	Tb	65
	Erbium	Er	68
	Ytterbium	Yb	70
Poland	Polonium	Po	84
Ruthenia, Latin name for Russia	Ruthenium	Ru	44
Moscow, Russia	Moscovium	Mc	115	55°42′N36°58′E / 55.700°N 36.967°E / 55.700; 36.967
Dubna, a town in Russia	Dubnium	Db	105	56°44′N37°10′E / 56.733°N 37.167°E / 56.733; 37.167 (Dubna)
Americas [2] [3] [4] (some sources say the United States specifically) [5] [6] [7] [8]	Americium	Am	95
California, a state in the United States	Californium	Cf	98
Berkeley, California, a city in the United States	Berkelium	Bk	97	37°52′N122°16′W / 37.867°N 122.267°W / 37.867; -122.267 (Berkeley, California)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the United States (Also Robert Livermore's name)	Livermorium	Lv	116	37°41′N121°43′W / 37.683°N 121.717°W / 37.683; -121.717 (Livermore)
Tennessee, a state in the United States	Tennessine	Ts	117
Japan (Nihon)	Nihonium	Nh	113

Astronomical objects

Location	Element	Symbol	Z
Sun	Helium	He	2
Mercury*	Mercury*	Hg	80
Venus**	Phosphorus**	P	15
Moon	Selenium	Se	34
Pallas (asteroid)	Palladium	Pd	46
Earth	Tellurium	Te	52
Ceres (dwarf planet)	Cerium	Ce	58
Uranus	Uranium	U	92
Neptune	Neptunium	Np	93
Pluto (dwarf planet)	Plutonium	Pu	94

* - The element mercury was named directly for the deity, with only indirect naming connection to the planet (see etymology of mercury).
** - Phosphorus was the Ancient Greek name for the planet Venus. (see etymology of phosphorus).

See also

• List of chemical elements named after people
• List of chemical element name etymologies

References

1. Page of Kevin A. Boudreaux and Angelo State university
2. - "named after the continent of North America"
3. - "Ideas received by the program and submitted to Seaborg..."
4. "C&En: It's Elemental: The Periodic Table - Americium".
5. - "The element was named after the United States of America."
6. - "Four other countries have elements named after them: francium for France, germanium for Germany, polonium for Poland, and americium for the United States."
7. - "Americium (95 Am): Named for (the United States of) America, the land where the element was discovered during the course of the Manhattan Project, the US-led World War II programme that would develop the first atomic bomb."
8. - "The element is named after America, especially the United States of America."