Which element’s name comes from the Latin name for Poland?

Polonium’s name comes from Polonia, the Latin name for Poland.

Marie Curie and Pierre Curie discovered polonium in 1898 while investigating pitchblende, a uranium ore. Marie Curie named the element to draw attention to her homeland, which at that time was partitioned among the Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, and the German Empire.

Polonium is a highly radioactive chemical element with atomic number 84. It belongs to the chalcogen group, alongside oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. The Curies identified it before discovering radium later in the same year.

Other elements also have geographical names, but their origins differ. Francium refers to France, germanium to Germany, and gallium to Gaul, the ancient name for the region associated with France. Polonium specifically preserves Poland’s Latin name.