# we are earthlings, mars has martians...who are the rest? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092 "2010-01-07T23:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/1 "2010-01-07T23:26:01Z")
Like the title says…what are people from, say, Jupiter? ---
**Author:** ![Giltathriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b38774/32.png) [@Giltathriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giltathriel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/2 "2010-01-07T23:29:35Z")
According to a paper by one of the guys on the MESSENGER team, things pertaining to Mercury are Hermitian. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/3 "2010-01-07T23:31:36Z")
Venusians (pron. Venoozhans) Jovians (for Jupiter)–cf. Jovian moons …Plutons? ---
**Author:** ![Giltathriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b38774/32.png) [@Giltathriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giltathriel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/4 "2010-01-07T23:36:49Z")
Neptunians (ie. Trans-Neptunian Objects) I would have gone with Plutonians, myself ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/5 "2010-01-07T23:41:53Z")
Uranus = Hemorrhoids ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/6 "2010-01-08T00:03:30Z")
The Moon = Lunatics. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/7 "2010-01-08T00:07:26Z")
Asteroids =\> assholes? Comets =\> Comedians ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/8 "2010-01-08T00:20:11Z")
You may be an Earthling, I’m a Terran. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/9 "2010-01-08T00:24:16Z")
Unsurprisingly, there’s a wiki page: [List of adjectivals and demonyms of astronomical bodies - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjectivals_and_demonyms_for_astronomical_bodies#Planets) Solarian Mercurian Venusian Earthling / Terran Lunarian / Selenite Martian Jovian Saturnian Uranian Neptunian Plutonian ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/10 "2010-01-08T00:32:29Z")
I like Plutons better. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/11 "2010-01-08T01:58:25Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > Venusians (pron. Venoozhans) [Venerians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venusians) would be more classically correct, although Venusian has been traditionally used in English. Venereal is the adjective (venereal diseases being the diseases of Venus, the goddess of love), but again is rarely used. I rather like the idea of referring to the “venereal atmosphere.” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/12 "2010-01-08T02:03:04Z")
So, would a person from Earth’s Moon be a Mooner? I’ve seen a few in my time. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/13 "2010-01-08T02:44:15Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I like Plutons better. [Like magma?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluton) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/14 "2010-01-08T03:13:14Z")
I’ve always like Belter for a dweller in the asteroid belt. I’ve heard Earthling, Earther, Earthian, Terran, and Tellurian for people from Earth. And Flatlander as an insult. Lunarian, Selenites, Loonies for Moon-dwellers. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/15 "2010-01-08T04:54:35Z")
One should not say Pluton or Plutonian, as direct acknowledgement would simply encourage them in the mistaken belief that they belong among Our Sort. If it becomes necessary, one should just direct any of that ilk to go associate with the rest of the non-planetary riffraff with a pointed finger. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/16 "2010-01-08T05:27:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > One should not say Pluton or Plutonian, as direct acknowledgement would simply encourage them in the mistaken belief that they belong among Our Sort. If it becomes necessary, one should just direct any of that ilk to go associate with the rest of the non-planetary riffraff with a pointed finger. Oh, yeah? I was good enough for you to Carry On With when Pluto was a planet, but now it’s been demoted and you’re pretending you don’t even know me??? Snob! User! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/17 "2010-01-08T06:21:44Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > So, would a person from Earth’s Moon be a Mooner? I’ve seen a few in my time. Everyone knows that they are [Mooninites](http://cache.thephoenix.com/secure/uploadedImages/The_Phoenix/News/News_Stories/mooninites(4).jpg). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/18 "2010-01-08T13:12:41Z")
I’ve seen both Venusians and Venereans for Venus Jovians for Jupiter H.G. Wells gave us Selenites for Moon-dwellers. We also have Moon Men (and Wells called one Moon Beast a “Mooncalf”, re-using an Elizabethan epithet. In illustrations it has been taken literally as a giant cow. Clasics Illustrated made it look like an albino brontosaur. The Harryhausen movie turned it into a giant caterpillar) In addition to Earthmen/Earthling/Terrans, there is E.E. Smith’s _Tellurians_ for people from Earth. I hasten to point out that “Martian” and “EArthling” had a separate existence before they were pressed into service as names for dwellers of particular planets. “Martian” used to mean a warlike individual, a devotee of _Mars_. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/19 "2010-01-08T16:20:36Z")
> [@](#): > > I hasten to point out that “Martian” and “EArthling” had a separate existence before they were pressed into service as names for dwellers of particular planets. “Martian” used to mean a warlike individual, a devotee of Mars. Uranian is an archaic term for a homosexual man. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092/20 "2010-01-08T16:51:33Z")
Well, the name for a being from Europa would be kind of let down. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-earthlings-mars-has-martians-who-are-the-rest/524092.md?page=2)