Venus got its name from the Roman Goddess of love and beauty, Venus. The Ancient Greeks called Venus "Aphrodite". The earliest known writings referring to Venus are from Babylonian texts from the 16th century BC. These writings refer to Venus by names like "Ninsianna", meaning "Lady of the Sky". The ancient Egyptians also recognized the planet in the 4th century BC and referred to it as either the red or white "Horus the Bull". The Mayans knew of the planet and called it "Noh Ek", meaning "Great Star".