Our Earth seems to be the only planet in our solar system that harbors life. It is also the only planet in our solar system not named after a deity. So, where does its name come from?
Venus, Jupiter, Mars, or even Neptune. All the planets in our solar system were named after a deity, predominantly Greek or Roman, based on their appearance. All of them. Except for… ours! Even though it is sometimes referred to as Gaia, like the Greek goddess of fertility, our Mother Planet has been called Earth in most major languages for at least a thousand years.
It is worth noting that some have considered renaming Mercury to Apollo, for example, due to its proximity to the Sun. Venus has sometimes been called Lucifer, the “bringer of light.” But our Earth usually carries a name related to the ground, regardless of the language.
Earth in All Languages
It is important to know that in Roman mythology, the goddess of fertility is called Tellus. We’re getting closer. Moreover, in Latin, “terra” means “the ground on which one stands, the one that supports living beings.” The ground also served as the only reassuring element for our ancestors. The Germanic “ertho” – which became “Erde” – or the Anglo-Saxon “ertha,” meaning “the ground on which we walk and from which life emerges,” is similar to the English “earth” that denotes our planet Earth.
Let’s not forget that the word “Man” comes from the term “humus,” which means “cultivated earth.” In the Bible, Adam is formed from the earth. This links the name of our planet to the anthropocentric view that our distant ancestors may have had.
Our Planet as a Globe of Earth
The interpretation can also be tempered by the fact that in Latin, “terra” can also refer to the terrestrial globe. Let’s not forget that the Greek Eratosthenes had already measured the circumference of the Earth.Around 240 BCE, our ancestors, including the Romans who often took inspiration from the Greeks, knew that Earth is round. A globe… of earth.
It may seem surprising for a planet that we now know is covered by over 70% of seas. A planet that we affectionately call the blue planet. Especially since the first images of our Earth have reached us from space. The realization is relatively recent.
From Earth to the world
It is interesting to remember that the Romans often used the term “mundus” to refer to our planet. This term was also used to describe a circular pit in which offerings were made to the underworld deities. In the words of the ancients, the world – a term we still use at times to refer to our planet – referred either to the Universe as a whole or simply as “what contains humans,” that is, our Earth.
In a similar vein, the Greeks used the term “orbis” to emphasize the globe-shaped Earth they already envisioned.
How did our planet ultimately become known as Earth? No one seems to truly know. And nothing seems set in stone. It seems to be simply a matter of habit in the end…