Most people are under the impression that the planets in our solar system are named after Roman gods and goddesses, but Earth is the exception. The name “Earth” comes from Old English and Germanic origins, derived from the words “eor(th)e” and “ertha,” simply meaning “ground”.

Planet Without a Godly Name

Wandering Stars

Thousands of years ago, ancient civilisations gazed at the heavens and linked what they saw with their gods. Planets were seen as “wandering stars” because their positions shifted relative to the fixed stars. These “wandering stars” were thought to represent gods. The Romans generally named the planets. However, the ancients didn’t consider Earth a planet in the traditional sense. The word “planet” comes from the Greek word for “wanderer”.

Etymology of Earth

The word “Earth” comes from English’s Germanic ancestors, via Middle and Old English. In the past, like the Roman Terra, it was a personification or deity of sorts. However, Middle English eorþe already meant the planet earth, especially when translating the Latin word Terra. This word is very old, predating the Latin influence on the English language. Because talking about the earth, in the sense of the ground, is an everyday occurrence, the word was difficult to be displaced by loanwords.

Names of Other Planets

  • Mercury: Named after the Roman winged messenger of the gods, also associated with thievery, commerce, and travel. Its name likely comes from its rapid spinning rate.
  • Venus: Named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty, a fitting name for this brightly shining planet. Venus is unique as the only planet named after a female deity.
  • Mars: Named after the Roman god of war due to its blood-red colour.
  • Jupiter: Named after the Roman king of the gods, fitting for the largest planet in our Solar System.
  • Saturn: Named after the Roman god of agriculture and harvest. Its golden colour may have influenced the name.
  • Uranus: Discovered in the 1800s, it continues the tradition of naming planets after gods. Uranus is from Greek mythology, the father of Saturn and one-time king of the gods.
  • Neptune: Named after the Roman god of the sea, inspired by its blue colour.
  • Pluto: (Former planet) Named after the god of the underworld.

Earth’s Association

Although Earth is not named after a Roman god or goddess, it is associated with the goddess Terra Mater (Gaea to the Greeks). She was the first goddess on Earth and the mother of Uranus. Other civilisations around the world also developed terms for our planet. The word “Earth” descends from the primeval Indo-European language and could have been the name of a god. Many cultures have personified our world as goddesses but conceived it more as land and nature rather than a wandering star.

The names of Earth and the planets have been developing in our languages since before anyone realised that they’re the same kind of thing.

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