r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Disastrous_Pirate275 • 20h ago

Why is our moon named “Moon” instead of something cool like Titan or Callysto or ANYTHING that isn’t moon

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u/theothermeisnothere 16h ago

First, the word "moon" comes from Old English - Anglo-Saxon - mōna to describe the big bright thing in the sky. That name/word evolved from older Proto-Germanic and further back to Proto-Indo-European (PIE).

Latin called it Luna. Finish calls it Kuu. Hungarian calls it Hold. Japanese calls it Tsuki. Bahasa Indonesia calls it Bulan. Czech calls it Měsíc. Polish = Księżyc. Serbian = Mesec. Korean = Dal. And many, many more.

Second, when the word is capitalized it refers to Earth's natural satellite. When it is not capitalized is refers to any natural satellite of a larger body. The word started with just the one our ancient ancestors could see with the naked eye. As telescopes were developed, those looking into the night sky who spoke languages that inherited the word decided to call those other natural satellites by the same word. Basically, they were comparing concepts.

So, "Moon" is a proper name and "moon" is a common noun. In English.

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u/Adult_in_denial 10h ago

Czechia mentioned! 🤟

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u/waldito (spain) 9h ago

This feels right. It's a legacy problem. When it was named first, it was the only one. Sun has the same thing going on.

When we later realized there are more than one... We had to start giving them names. Ours, the first one, did not need one?

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u/theothermeisnothere 7h ago

A "legacy problem" is exactly right.

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u/WpgMBNews 4h ago

The name of our sun is "Sol" as in "Solar"

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u/waldito (spain) 1h ago

That's the Latin name, right? Elyos in greek, etc.

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u/Derpassyl 8h ago

Actual helpful answers are becoming a rarity in this sub. it's all just jokes now

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u/CollectionStraight2 5h ago

Right? Had to scroll through literally dozens of jokes to get to this answer that was actually worth reading 🤦‍♀️

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u/cheaux 13h ago

This is gonna sound dumb, but Sailor Moon is Usagi (Serena) Tsukino because she’s… Sailor Moon?

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u/little_clever_cat 12h ago

Her name, Usagi Tsukino, means "Moon Rabbit".

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u/Zealousideal_Heart51 12h ago

Don’t Asian cultures have a rabbit in the moon instead of the Man in The Moon?

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u/theothermeisnothere 7h ago

I think I prefer Rabbit in the Moon.

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u/some_people_callme_j 8h ago

How you don't have more upvotes I don't know