# Curium First Element to Be Named After Person?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 27, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874 "2005-08-27T17:51:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874/1 "2005-08-27T17:51:14Z")

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I don’t have my copy of Asimov’s book on naming the elements handy, so a quick question:

Was Curium, element 96, the first element to be named after a specific person (or persons, since both Curies were honored)?

Promethium and other legendary names don’t count.

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**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874/2 "2005-08-27T18:17:11Z")

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Gallium may have been named, at least partly, after its discoverer Lecoq de Boisbaudran.

[About.com](http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/peopleelements.htm)

[Answers.com](http://www.answers.com/topic/chemical-elements-named-after-people)

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**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874/3 "2005-08-27T18:23:28Z")

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Niobium is named after Niobe, the Goddess of Tears. So if you count her as a person then the answer is no. 😃

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**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874/4 "2005-08-27T18:25:12Z")

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Yes, it would appear the Gallium discoverer was quite cunning: gallium \> gallus = cock = in French: le coq

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curium-first-element-to-be-named-after-person/318874/5 "2005-08-27T23:19:17Z")

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I have my doubts about M. Lecoq, but I’ll check into him.

Otherwise, it does appear that Curium was first. Thanks.