You may be familiar with the element symbols found on the periodic table. These symbols are standardized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for international use.
When scientists discover a new element, they announce the discovery along with a new name and element symbol. Alternatively, old textbooks and journals in other countries have different names and symbols that changed when the official list was compiled. This table contains a list of old element symbols no one uses anymore but once had a place in the science of chemistry.
List of Element Symbols No One Uses Anymore
| SYMBOL | ELEMENT | STORY |
| A | Argon | Old textbook use for the element argon. |
| Ab | Alabamine | Name given to false discovery of the element astatine |
| Ad | Aldebaranium | Old name for the element ytterbium |
| Am | Alabamium | Alabamium was a false claim of astatine. Am is used for the element americium. |
| An | Athenium | Alternate name proposed for the element einsteinium. |
| Ao | Ausonium | Name given to false discovery of neptunium. |
| Az | Azote | Old name for the element nitrogen. |
| Bo | Boron | Old textbook use for the element boron. |
| Bv | Brevium | Old name for the element protactinium. |
| Bz | Berzelium | Alternate name proposed for the element praseodymium. |
| Cb | Columbium | Proposed name for the elements niobium and americium. |
| Ch | Chromium | Proposed symbol for the element chromium — Cr is the current accepted symbol. |
| Cl | Columbium | Columbium with this symbol was proposed for the element niobium. Cl is the symbol for chlorine. |
| Cp | Cassiopeium | Alternate name for the element lutetium. |
| Ct | Centurium | Alternate name proposed for element 100, fermium. |
| Ct | Celtium | Old name for the element hafnium. |
| Da | Danubium | Alternate name proposed for element 43, technetium. |
| Db | Dubnium | Alternate name and symbol proposed for element 104, rutherfordium. Name and symbol were later used for element 105. |
| Di | Didymium | Name and symbol proposed for unknown element found by spectroscopy later found to be a mixture of praseodymium and neodymium. |
| E | Einsteinium | Alternate symbol for the element einsteinium. The currently accepted symbol is Es. |
| Ea | Ekaaluminium | Name given by Mendeleev on his periodic table for the unknown element that should appear below aluminum (gallium was later discovered). |
| Eb | Ekaboron | Name given by Mendeleev on his periodic table for the unknown element that should appear below boron (scandium was later discovered). |
| El | Ekaaluminium | Alternate symbol for Ekaaluminium. |
| Em | Ekamanganese | Name given by Mendeleev on his periodic table for the unknown element that should appear below manganese (technetium was later discovered). |
| Em | Emanation | Original name given to the radioactive decay product of radium that was later discovered to be the element radon. |
| Es | Ekasilicon | Name given by Mendeleev on his periodic table for the unknown element that should appear below silicon (germanium was later discovered). |
| Es | Esperium | Name given to false discovery of plutonium. |
| Fa | Francium | Proposed symbol for the element francium — Fr is the current accepted symbol. |
| Fl | Fluorine | Old textbook use for the element fluorine. This symbol is currently associated with the element flerovium. |
| Fl | Florentium | Name proposed for false discovery of promethium. This symbol is currently associated with the element flerovium. |
| Fr | Florentium | Alternate symbol for florentium, false discovery of promethium. This symbol is currently associated with the element francium. |
| G | Glucinium | Old name for the element beryllium. |
| Gl | Glucinium | Alternate symbol used for glucinium, the old name for beryllium. |
| Ha | Hahnium | Proposed name for element 105, dubnium. |
| Hn | Hahnium | Proposed name for element 108, hassium. |
| Hy | Mercury | Old symbol for mercury taken from the latin name hydragyrum. |
| I | Iridium | Old symbol for iridium. The current accepted symbol is Ir. |
| Il | Illinium | Proposed name for a false discovery of the element promethium. |
| J | Jodium | Old symbol and name for the element iodine. |
| Jg | Jargonium | Proposed name for a false discovery of the element hafnium. |
| Jl | Joliotium | Alternate proposed name for the element dubnium. |
| Ku | Kurchatovium | Alternate proposed name for the element rutherfordium. |
| Lw | Lawrencium | Alternate symbol proposed for element 103, lawrencium. The currently accepted symbol is Lr. |
| M | Muriaticum | Old name for the element chlorine. The currently accepted symbol is Cl. |
| Ma | Manganese | Alternate symbol used for the element manganese. The currently accepted symbol is Mn. |
| Ma | Masurium | Proposed name for a false discovery of element 43, technetium. |
| Md | Mendelevium | Originally proposed name and symbol for element 97, berkelium. These were eventually used for element 101. |
| Me | Mendelevium | Original proposal for element 68, erbium. The currently accepted symbol is Er. |
| Ml | Moldavium | Original proposal for element 87, francium. The currently accepted symbol is Fr. |
| Ms | Magnesium | Old symbol used for the element magnesium. The currently accepted symbol is Mg. |
| Mt | Meitnerium | Alternate proposal for element 91, protactinium. The symbol and name would eventually be used for element 109. |
| Mv | Mendelevium | Alternate proposal for the symbol for element 101, mendelevium. The currently accepted symbol is Md. |
| Ng | Norwegium | Proposed name and symbol for false discovery of element 72, hafnium. |
| No | Norium | Proposed name and symbol for false discovery of element 72, hafnium. The symbol is currently used for element 102, nobelium. |
| Ns | Neilsbohrium | Proposed name and symbol for elements 105, dubnium and 107, bohrium. |
| Nt | Niton | Old name used for element 86, radon. |
| Nu | Nebulium | Name and symbol given to new element seen in spectra of the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Later discovered to be doubly ionized oxygen. |
| Ny | Neoytterbium | Old name for element 70, ytterbium. |
| Od | Odinium | Alternate proposal for element 62, samarium. |
| P | Lead | Old symbol for lead. The current symbol is Pb. P is the current symbol for element 15, phosphorus. |
| Pa | Palladium | Old symbol used for element 46, palladium. This symbol is used for element 91, protactinium. |
| Pe | Pelopium | Old name for element 41, niobium. The currently accepted symbol is Nb. |
| Pl | Palladium | Alternate symbol for element 46, palladium. The currently accepted symbol is Pd. |
| Po | Potassium | Old symbol for element 19, potassium. The currently accepted symbol is K. This symbol is used for element 84, polonium. |
| R | Rhodium | Alternate symbol proposed for element 45, rhodium. The currently accepted symbol is Rh. |
| Rf | Rutherfordium | Name and symbol proposed for element 106, seaborgium. They are currently used for element 104. |
| Ro | Rhodium | Alternate symbol proposed for element 45, rhodium. The currently accepted symbol is Rh. |
| Sa | Samarium | Alternate symbol proposed for element 62, samarium. The currently accepted symbol is Sm. |
| So | Sodium | Alternate symbol once used for element 11, sodium. The currently accepted symbol is Na. |
| Sp | Spectrium | Alternate proposed name and symbol for element 70, ytterbium. |
| St | Tin | Old symbol for element 50, tin. Symbol taken from the Latin name stannum. |
| Tn | Tungsten | Alternate symbol for element 74, tungsten. The currently accepted symbol is W. |
| Tu | Thulium | Alternate symbol for element 69, thulium. The currently accepted symbol is Tm. |
| Tu | Tungsten | Alternate symbol for element 74, tungsten. The currently accepted symbol is W. |
| Ty | Tyrium | Alternate proposal for element 60, neodymium. The currently accepted symbol is Nd. |
| Unb | Unnilbium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 102, nobelium. |
| Une | Unnilennium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 109, meitnerium. |
| Unh | Unnilhexium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 106, seaborgium. |
| Uno | Unniloctium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 108, hassium. |
| Unp | Unnilpentium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 105, dubnium. |
| Unq | Unnilquadium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 104, rutherfordium. |
| Uns | Unnilseptium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 107, bohrium. |
| Unt | Unniltrium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 103, lawrencium. |
| Unu | Unnilunium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 101, mendelevium. |
| Uub | Ununbium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 112, copernicium. |
| Uuh | Ununhexium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 116, livermorium. |
| Uun | Ununnilium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 110, darmstadtium. |
| Uuq | Ununquadium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 114, flerovium. |
| Uuu | Unununium | Placeholder name and symbol for element 111, roentgenium. |
| Ur | Uranium | Alternately used symbol for element 92, uranium. The currently accepted symbol is U. |
| Vi | Virginium | Proposed name and symbol for false discovery of element 87, francium. |
| Vm | Virginium | Proposed name and symbol for false discovery of element 87, francium. |
| Yt | Yttrium | Alternate symbol used for element 39, yttrium. The currently accepted symbol is Y. |