The Linguistic Origins Behind Periodic Table Element Names

Linguist Patrick Foote of Name Explain dug into the 118 names and abbreviations of the elements on the Periodic Table, noting the lexical origins behind every one of them.

The chemical elements make up pretty much everything on our planet, and all 118 of them have their own unique name. Today, we look into where all of these names come from.

Foote also explained that these names come from wildly varying sources, including mythical creatures and locations.

The names of chemical elements are super fascinating and come from all different kinds of origins. from elements with names linked to the ancient past, elements named after both mythical and real people, elements named after locations, and even a couple named after some freaky little goblins.