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  • Origins of Planet Names: A History of Solar System Nomenclature
    The names of the planets in our solar system have a variety of origins, but they were not all named by a single person:

    * Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were named after Roman gods and goddesses. These names were given to them by ancient civilizations, likely the Romans themselves.

    * Uranus was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel. He originally wanted to name it "Georgium Sidus" after King George III, but the name "Uranus" - after the Greek god of the sky - eventually gained acceptance.

    * Neptune was discovered in 1846. Urbain Le Verrier, who mathematically predicted its existence, wanted to name it "Le Verrier", but the name "Neptune" - after the Roman god of the sea - became widely accepted.

    So, while there isn't one specific person who named all the planets, the names were given over time by different cultures and individuals.

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