Why is the moon called THE MOON when it IS a moon?

Question

why didnt it have a powerfull name like titan or something
what would u have called it ?

Answer 1

Because for most of human history we were unaware that there were any other moons in existence! Only when Galileo used his telescope on Jupiter did the penny drop. (And even then 'The' church go rather upset!)

It is therefore the archetype, like 'The' Sun,

Answer 2

As it is the (generally and relatively) the only one we have, we call it 'the moon' just as you might say, 'the wife' and not 'a wife / partner' etc, when you refer to yours.

In part it's a grammar / linguistic thing.

If we had called it something else, then the likelihood would be that in another time-line, there is someone asking why we didn't call it 'Peggy,' for example, instead of 'Titan.'

As to 'what I'd have named it'? No idea, but then, what would you call your hand, if you had to call it anything! other than a hand!

Why a 'hand' in the first place anyway?
Because we had to call it some thing, and then spend time dealing with other things of considerably greater importance.

Case Closed.

Sash.

Answer 3

Our moon isn't named after other moons- they are named after ours. The word moon actually means the same thing as "month" if you trace its etymology back far enough. It's a reference not to a satellite but to the calendar. Indeed, to ancient peoples, the moon _was_ the calendar. Other planets' so called moons could more accurately be called something else.

Of course, our moon does have some other, more powerful names as well. Luna, to the Romans, was the moon- and she was often associated with Diana. That really means that Artemis is also strongly connected to the moon, and that's a pretty powerful name. There are others, as well, like; Coyolxauhqui (Aztec); Ix Chel (Maya); and Khons (Egypt).

Our moon is a pretty magical thing. We're lucky to have her.

Answer 4

because it`s our moon, like we wouldn`t say i`m going to a doctors we say i`m going to the doctors or if you were going for a drink at you local it would be the pub and not a pub it`s when you relate to a thing or a place .The moon doesn`t need a powerfull name it`s too familiar, just old missy moon sat up there in the sky every night.

Answer 5

Can you imagine if you pointed at the moon and said to someone:
"Wow, look at A moon"
..... Instead of saying: "Wow, look at THE moon"

How stupid would that sound? ... "Look at A moon"

The word THE, is used to indicate that you we are referring to our plants' moon, and not just any of the other existing moons.

Planets have been given names. Moons too, depending on how many moons are related to each different planet.
Earth has only one moon, therefore we call it THE moon.

Answer 6

its the only moon that planet earth have so it's the moon i am pretty sure astronauts call it in a name.

checking the net lead me to see that the official name of the moon is the Moon with a capital M other moon are written with a samll m i don't know if it's true.

i think the official name is Luna.

Answer 7

Because there is only one. There for it is The Moon, not just a moon.

Answer 8

In the beginning where it was no stargazing tools, people saw only one moon. So they called it the moon.

Answer 9

titan has already been used to name the planet saturn's moon.

Answer 10

Incase there was a clash of The Titans!!