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Plutonium's first name was "Element 94" - for being the 94th element
to be discovered.
But Element 94's existence was to be kept a secret, so it was given the
code name "copper."
When real copper had to be used in lab experiments, it was called "honest-to-God
copper."
In finally choosing a name for Element 94, the chemists continued a planetary
pattern. Uranium - the 92nd element on the periodic chart of elements -was
named after Uranus. Neptunium, the 93rd element, was named after Neptune.
The chemists decided to name Element 94 after the planet Pluto.
"We could have named it plutium, but we liked the sound of plutonium
better," said Glenn Seaborg, one of plutonium's discoverers.
The symbol "Pl" would seem to have been the logical sign for the
new element, but the chemists wanted a bit of fun.
They designated plutonium with the symbol "Pu" - as in a kid holding
his nose and saying "pee yew."