# So what will the name be for this new (supposed) tenth planet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841 "2005-07-30T02:40:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ruckinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@Ruckinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruckinge)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/21 "2005-07-30T21:36:50Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/30/science/30planet.html?hp&ex=1122696000&en=8500b2cc7e8e63c0&ei=5094&partner=homepage) [Homer Simpson]Neeeeeerrrds!!![/Homer Simpson] I can’t remember for sure, but on Art Bell they talk about this occasionally. Isn’t a common name for the planet Xenu? ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/22 "2005-07-30T21:43:36Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Neither Saturn nor Uranus are particularly well-known Roman gods so Prosperina wouldn’t be the only obscurely named planet if it were to be used. In fact, Uranus isn’t a Roman god at all. He is a Greek god, the father of Cronos and Grandfather of Zeus. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/23 "2005-07-30T22:16:36Z")
> [@Loopus](#): > > In fact, Uranus isn’t a Roman god at all. He is a Greek god, the father of Cronos and Grandfather of Zeus. I thought that as well but according to Wikipedia Uranus is the Latin name for the Greek god Ouranos. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus_%28mythology%29) That seems to imply the Romans were aware of him and gave him a spot in their pantheon. > [@spingears](#): > > How interesting. A Roman god 'Earth?" :rolleyes: Well…sorta. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_%28mythology%29) From the Wikipedia article: > [@](#): > > Gaia…is a Greek goddess personifying the Earth. And Cerowyn, I didn’t mean to imply that Apollo, Juno, Minerva and Vulcan were the **only** names left. Thanks for the list tho. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/24 "2005-07-30T22:20:04Z")
> [@Kolak of Twilo](#): > > I thought that as well but according to Wikipedia Uranus is the Latin name for the Greek god Ouranos. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus_%28mythology%29) That seems to imply the Romans were aware of him and gave him a spot in their pantheon. From that link: “His [Uranus’s] equivalent in Roman mythology was Coelus.” “Uranus” may be the Latin spelling, but the god it refers to is Greek. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/25 "2005-07-30T22:24:38Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > How interesting. A Roman God 'Earth?" :rolleyes: Sure, all us Tellurians hail from Tellus. Anyone who’s read E.E. Doc Smith knows that! ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/26 "2005-07-30T22:35:45Z")
> [@Loopus](#): > > From that link: “His [Uranus’s] equivalent in Roman mythology was Coelus.” > > “Uranus” may be the Latin spelling, but the god it refers to is Greek. Coelus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Ouranos as god of the sky, right? If Uranus is the Latin spelling is it so unreasonable to think Latin speakers (Romans) had some tradition of honoring or worshiping him too? Why give him a Latin name if they didn’t have a use for him seperate from those characteristics attributed to Coelus? 😕 I always understood that most of the Roman gods were basically stolen from the Greeks anyway with most of them being renamed. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/27 "2005-07-30T23:57:16Z")
As long ans they don’t name it [Mondas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tenth_Planet). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/28 "2005-07-31T00:16:23Z")
> [@Ruckinge](#): > > Isn’t a common name for the planet Xenu? Xenu is Scientology’s [bad old Galactic Overlord](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu). You’re probably thinking of planet X, [Niburu](http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4708) > [@](#): > > 3,600 years ago, the ancient Sumerians were in contact with a group of genetically engineered human-alien hybrids. They wrote down their idea of the universe, and specifically this solar system, on some copper seals… Earth was supposed to collide wiith, or have its orbit changed by Nibaru back in May 2003. We’re still here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/29 "2005-07-31T01:14:37Z")
Although not a Roman god how about naming the planet **DMV**? (For Department of Motor Vehicles). This would be an ironic name for the planet because the DMV is so swift and efficient at processing licenses, registries, etc it would seem incongruous that a planet named DMV would take so long to make one orbit. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/30 "2005-07-31T01:55:23Z")
Poor Quaoar and Sedna - they get no respect. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/31 "2005-07-31T02:21:22Z")
**Chiron** seems to have been forgotten too. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/32 "2005-07-31T02:43:35Z")
I think Chiron is a moon of Pluto, poor thing. And I think y’all are going about this wrong. Think of the opportunity. A few bucks change hands and suddenly the IAU announces the existence of our newest planetary neighbor…Microsoft! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/33 "2005-07-31T02:57:00Z")
“Starbucks.” ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/34 "2005-07-31T03:31:45Z")
**Jonathan Chance** No, you are thinking of Charon which is Pluto’s moon discovered in 1978 by James Christy. Chiron is a rather strange object orbiting between Saturn and Uranus. At first it was thought to be an asteroid, then it was thought to be a comet. It is now officially classed as what astronomers call a _centaur_. Here’s the wikipedia article on it. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2060\_Chiron](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2060_Chiron) Wow with things like Chiron, Sedna and Quaoar floating out there, the Solar System seems stranger all the time. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/35 "2005-07-31T05:48:52Z")
Yuggoth. 'Nuff said… ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/36 "2005-07-31T05:51:06Z")
> [@Kolak of Twilo](#): > > I always understood that most of the Roman gods were basically stolen from the Greeks anyway with most of them being renamed. Because the Romans originally had gods like “Melvin, God of Cheese” and “Bernard, God of Mustard”. They went to Greece and saw that they had such great gods. They also had the bigger army. And the rest is history… ---
**Author:** ![Ruckinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@Ruckinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruckinge)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/37 "2005-07-31T06:02:16Z")
Don’t forget Jeff, God of Biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/38 "2005-07-31T06:35:39Z")
“Fortuna” doesn’t seem too bad, seeing all the “fickle” controversy about the existance of a 10th planet, and whether bodies like it and Pluto even qualify as planets. Plus, we can just add “O, Fortuna” to Holst’s _Planets_, and we’ll almost have [a full set.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=326723) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/39 "2005-07-31T07:02:30Z")
[Here’s](http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/MPNames.html#A) a list of names already in use. Apollo’s already taken (#1862), as is Minerva (#93) and Juno (#3), Vulcan’s still available, but not really appropriate for such a cold body. Given that it’s a planet and a moon that’s been discovered (depending upon how you define “planet” of course), one possibility I really like is “Lenny and Carl.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841/40 "2005-07-31T08:36:48Z")
Well, …it is late and since I started this thread I suppose it is time to suggest the obvious. Planet Claire. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-will-the-name-be-for-this-new-supposed-tenth-planet/314841.md?page=3)