The name 'noble gases' is an allusion to the old, similarly termed 'Noble Metals'. The Noble Metals included Gold, Silver and Platinum. Noble Metals were so called due to their long association with the aristocracy. read more
The remaining nonmetals are divided into nonmetals, halogens, and noble gases, with the unnamed category being distinguished by including nonmetals with relatively strong interatomic bonding, and the metalloids being effectively treated as a third super-category alongside metals and nonmetals. read more