How did jupiter get its name?

The Romans named the planet after their king of gods, Jupiter, who was also the god of the sky and of thunder. Why choose to name the planet Jupiter? It was the largest object in the sky; therefore the most powerful; therefore Jupiter. Roman consuls swore their oath of office in Jupiter's name. read more

While it had many names throughout history, the Roman empire had the greatest influence over a wide portion of modern society, so the names accorded to planets by the Romans still hold sway over astronomy. read more

Jupiter gets its name from the most powerful god in Roman mythology. The king of all other gods, Jupiter is the equivalent of Zeus in Greek mythology. It was the largest visible object in the night sky during the time of the Roman Empire, and thus named after its most important deity. read more

The Romans knew of seven bright objects in the sky: the Sun, the Moon and the five brightest planets. They named them after their most important gods. read more