How were the Planets named?

Question

I'm wondering who named the planets and where they got the names from. Especially Uranus! I dont care about the new planets they've found just the classical ones.

Answer 1

All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and godesses. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury were given their names thousands of years ago. The other planets were not discovered until much later, when telescopes were invented. The tradition of naming the planets after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses was carried on for the last three planet discovered as well. Mercury was named after the Roman god of travel. Venus was named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Mars was the Roman god of War. Jupiter was the king of the Roman gods, and Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture. Uranus was named after an ancient Greek king of the gods. Neptune was the Roman god of the Sea and Pluto, which is now classified as a dwarf planet, was the Roman god of the underworld. The name Earth is an English/German name which simply means the ground.

Initially Sir William Herschell, (who is formally recognised as the discoverer of Uranas wanted to name it Georgium Sidus (George's Star) in honour of King George III. However This was not acceptable outside Great Britain and eventually Uranus became the generally accepted name.

Answer 2

Planet X

Answer 3

According to Wikipedia:

"Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781, and originally called it Georgium Sidus (George's Star) in honour of King George III of England. French astronomers began calling it Herschel before German Johann Bode proposed the name Uranus, after the Greek god. The name "Uranus" did not come into common usage until around 1850."

The five classical planets have been called many things in diffferent cultures, but we have adopted the Roman names for them.

Answer 4

initially the greeks named the planets upto Saturn after their gods. they belived the planets were gods because they moved around against the background 'fixed stars'. later when the romans conquered most of europe they took the idea but renamed the planets after their own gods, sometimes the meaning changed, and somtimes it stayed the same, eg. Mercury is the Roman god of travel comerce and theivery, in Greece this planet was known as Hermes, the gods messenger; but Venus (roman) and Eros (Greek) were both gods of love and beauty.
Uranus was named following the tradion of naming the planets after roman gods, but as other replies have stated, originally Sir William Herschell wanted to name it Georgium Sidus after the King of England at the time.
Contrary to popular belief Pluto isn't named after a cartoon character, it's actually named after the Roman God of the Underworld, and its major moon (or partner dwarf planet) Charon is named after the ferryman of the dead

Answer 5

They were named after Greek Gods.

Answer 6

They were named afer the greek gods

Answer 7

Pluto was named by the discoverer's daughter, I know that much.

Otherwise, they're named after gods. Neptune was considered the furthest away so was named like the god Neptune who was at the BOTTOM of the sea. Etc.

Answer 8

there all roman and greek gods except earth

Answer 9

I think I heard it had something to do with thre names of Greek Gods but wouldn't swear on it!
xxx

Answer 10

most are related to gods.

Pluto of course (which may or may not be a planet) was named after the cartoon character. And personally, i wouldnt go near Uranus - very dangerous.