Each element on the periodic table has a one- or two-letter chemical symbol, usually derived from its English or Latin name. This handy alphabetical list of element symbols also includes the name of the element and its atomic number in parentheses. The symbol is always written with the first letter capitalized and, if present, the second letter in lowercase.
Use this list to look up elements quickly, study element names and symbols, or check the abbreviation for chemical formulas.
Free Downloadable List of Element Symbols
You can download and print this alphabetical list for reference or study:
Element Symbols A to Z
Here is the complete list of element symbols, organized alphabetically by symbol. Each entry shows the symbol, full name, and atomic number.
Ac Actinium (89)
Ag Silver (47)
Al Aluminum (13)
Am Americium (95)
Ar Argon (18)
As Arsenic (33)
At Astatine (85)
Au Gold (79)
B Boron (5)
Ba Barium (56)
Be Beryllium (4)
Bh Bohrium (107)
Bi Bismuth (83)
Bk Berkelium (97)
Br Bromine (35)
C Carbon (6)
Ca Calcium (20)
Cd Cadmium (48)
Ce Cerium (58)
Cf Californium (98)
Cl Chlorine (17)
Cm Curium (96)
Cn Copernicium (112)
Co Cobalt (27)
Cr Chromium (24)
Cs Cesium (55)
Cu Copper (29)
Db Dubnium (105)
Ds Darmstadtium (110)
Dy Dysprosium (66)
Er Erbium (68)
Es Einsteinium (99)
Eu Europium (63)
F Fluorine (9)
Fe Iron (26)
Fl Flerovium (114)
Fm Fermium (100)
Fr Francium (87)
Ga Gallium (31)
Gd Gadolinium (64)
Ge Germanium (32)
H Hydrogen (1)
He Helium (2)
Hf Hafnium (72)
Hg Mercury (80)
Ho Holmium (67)
Hs Hassium (108)
I Iodine (53)
In Indium (49)
Ir Iridium (77)
K Potassium (19)
Kr Krypton (36)
La Lanthanum (57)
Li Lithium (3)
Lr Lawrencium (103)
Lu Lutetium (71)
Lv Livermorium (116)
Mc Moscovium (115)
Md Mendelevium (101)
Mg Magnesium (12)
Mn Manganese (25)
Mo Molybdenum (42)
Mt Meitnerium (109)
N Nitrogen (7)
Na Sodium (11)
Nb Niobium (41)
Nd Neodymium (60)
Ne Neon (10)
Nh Nihonium (113)
Ni Nickel (28)
No Nobelium (102)
Np Neptunium (93)
O Oxygen (8)
Og Oganesson (118)
Os Osmium (76)
P Phosphorus (15)
Pa Protactinium (91)
Pb Lead (82)
Pd Palladium (46)
Pm Promethium (61)
Po Polonium (84)
Pr Praseodymium (59)
Pt Platinum (78)
Pu Plutonium (94)
Ra Radium (88)
Rb Rubidium (37)
Re Rhenium (75)
Rf Rutherfordium (104)
Rg Roentgenium (111)
Rh Rhodium (45)
Rn Radon (86)
Ru Ruthenium (44)
S Sulfur (16)
Sb Antimony (51)
Sc Scandium (21)
Se Selenium (34)
Sg Seaborgium (106)
Si Silicon (14)
Sm Samarium (62)
Sn Tin (50)
Sr Strontium (38)
Ta Tantalum (73)
Tb Terbium (65)
Tc Technetium (43)
Te Tellurium (52)
Th Thorium (90)
Ti Titanium (22)
Tl Thallium (81)
Tm Thulium (69)
Ts Tennessine (117)
U Uranium (92)
V Vanadium (23)
W Tungsten (74)
Xe Xenon (54)
Y Yttrium (39)
Yb Ytterbium (70)
Zn Zinc (30)
Zr Zirconium (40)
Free Downloadable Alphabetical List of Element Symbols
You can download and print this alphabetical text list for reference or study:
🧪 Why Do Some Symbols Not Match the English Names?
Some element symbols, such as Na for sodium and Fe for iron, come from their Latin names (e.g., Natrium and Ferrum). These symbols often reflect the element’s historical discovery and naming conventions. Here are a few symbols that often trip people up:
Here are a few that often trip people up:
| Symbol | Element | Why It’s Confusing |
|---|---|---|
| Ag | Silver | From Latin argentum |
| Au | Gold | From Latin aurum |
| Pb | Lead | From Latin plumbum |
| Fe | Iron | From Latin ferrum |
| Na | Sodium | From Latin natrium |
| K | Potassium | From Latin kalium |
| Sb | Antimony | From Latin stibium |
| W | Tungsten | From German wolfram, not “T” for tungsten |
| Sn | Tin | From Latin stannum |
| Hg | Mercury | From Latin hydrargyrum (“liquid silver”) |
🧠 Study Tips and Mnemonics for Element Symbols
Here are some easy ways to remember tricky or common element symbols:
- Fe = Iron → “Fe-rry boats are made of iron.”
- Na = Sodium → “Na! Don’t eat too much salt!”
- K = Potassium → “K is in bananas—K for potassium.”
- W = Tungsten → “Wires made of tungsten… W for wire.”
- Ag = Silver → “Ag! Someone stole my silver!”
- Pb = Lead → “Pipes Before (Pb) were made of lead.”
- Hg = Mercury → “Hg, the Heavy Goo.” (for liquid metal)
References
- Fontani, Marco; Costa, Mariagrazia; Orna, Mary Virginia (2014). The Lost Elements: The Periodic Table’s Shadow Side. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199383344.
- IUPAC (March 2024). IUPAC Provisional Recommendations: IR-3: Elements and Groups of Elements.
- Leal, João P. (2013). “The Forgotten Names of Chemical Elements”. Foundations of Science. 19 (2): 175–183. doi:10.1007/s10699-013-9326-y
- Rang, F. (1895). “The Periodic-Table”. The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science. 72: 200–201.