Mars, named after Latin

248 named features. The International Astronomical Union records why each name was chosen, and those reasons are printed below exactly as they were approved.

FEATURES · 248

NAME	TYPE	SIZE	WHY THAT NAME
Arabia Terra	highland	4851.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Terra Sabaea	highland	4688.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aonia Terra	highland	3873.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Valles Marineris	valley	3761.3 km	General name of the system of canyons honoring the scientific team of the Mariner 9 program.
Utopia Planitia	plain	3560.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Margaritifer Terra	highland	2733.2 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Utopia Rupēs	rupes	2492.7 km	Named for calssical albedo feature at 55N, 260W.
Tyrrhena Terra	highland	2470.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tantalus Fossae	fossa	2361.9 km	From albedo feature at 35N, 110W.
Alba Fossae	fossa	2072 km	Classical albedo name.
Tharsis Montes	mons	2058.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Claritas Fossae	fossa	2030.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Vastitas Borealis	vastitas	2002.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Lunae Planum	plateau	1817.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Solis Planum	plateau	1811.2 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hesperia Planum	plateau	1601.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Scandia Colles	collis	1521.7 km	From albedo feature name.
Labeatis Fossae	fossa	1496.4 km	Previously named feature at 30N, 75W; expanded coordinates.
Capri Chasma	chasma	1471.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Planum Australe	plateau	1429.9 km	Classical albedo feature.
Oenotria Scopuli	scopulus	1425 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Sacra Dorsa	dorsum	1416 km	From albedo feature at 20N, 67W.
Argentea Planum	plateau	1370.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Noctis Labyrinthus	labyrinth	1190.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Panchaia Rupēs	rupes	1113.4 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 62N, 220W.
Eridania Planitia	plain	1062.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Meridiani Planum	plateau	1058.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Libya Montes	mons	1043.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Protonilus Mensae	mensa	1034 km	From albedo feature at 42N, 315W.
Parva Planum	plateau	1027.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Eridania Scopulus	scopulus	1017.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Sacra Sulci	sulcus	1009.1 km	From albedo feature at 20N, 67W.
Gemini Scopuli	scopulus	1000.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Claritas Rupes	rupes	952.9 km	From albedo feature at 25S, 110W.
Sacra Fossae	fossa	950 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Deuteronilus Mensae	mensa	919.2 km	From albedo feature at 35N, 355W.
Tractus Catena	other	910.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hyblaeus Dorsa	dorsum	887.5 km	Named for albedo feature.
Boreales Scopuli	scopulus	873 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ius Chasma	chasma	839.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tithoniae Fossae	fossa	838 km	Classical albedo name.
Hesperia Dorsa	dorsum	818.3 km	Albedo feature name.
Erebus Montes	mons	811.7 km	From albedo feature at 26N, 182W.
Candor Chasma	chasma	810.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tithonium Chasma	chasma	802.8 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tantalus Fluctus	other	794.3 km	Albedo feature name.
Solis Dorsa	dorsum	779.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tyrrhena Dorsa	dorsum	779.4 km	Albedo feature name.
Gemina Lingula	other	772.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Cydonia Mensae	mensa	765 km	From albedo feature at 50N, 355W.
Syria Planum	plateau	735.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Nili Fossae	fossa	727.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Echus Palus	other	715 km	Classical albedo feature name, Echus Lacus.
Aurorae Chaos	chaos	713.9 km	Classical albedo name.
Noctis Fossae	fossa	712.7 km	Classical albedo feature at 10S, 96W.
Hellespontus Montes	mons	711.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Scandia Cavi	cavus	663.8 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 65N, 150W.
Dorsa Brevia	dorsum	651 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Nectaris Fossae	fossa	623.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Galaxias Colles	collis	610.3 km	Albedo feature name.
Galaxias Fluctūs	other	607 km	Albedo feature name.
Arena Colles	collis	580.1 km	Classical albedo feature at 13N, 294W.
Sacra Mensa	mensa	577 km	Albedo feature name.
Aurorae Planum	plateau	564.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aonia Planum	plateau	563.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tithoniae Catenae	other	562 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Galaxias Fossae	fossa	552 km	Albedo feature name.
Alba Mons	mons	548 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Australe Scopuli	scopulus	504.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Arsia Sulci	sulcus	500 km	Albedo name.
Echus Chaos	chaos	480.5 km	From albedo feature Echus Lacus at 1N, 90W.
Arsia Mons	mons	470 km	Arsia Silva-classical albedo feature name.
Chasma Boreale	chasma	459.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ascraeus Mons	mons	456.4 km	Ascraeus Lacus-classical albedo feature name.
Iani Chaos	chaos	450.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hadriacus Mons	mons	450 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Australe Lingula	other	436.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Pyrrhae Fossae	fossa	430 km	Classical martian albedo feature, Pyrrhae.
Pavonis Sulci	sulcus	425.8 km	Albedo name.
Echus Fossae	fossa	421 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Olympica Fossae	fossa	420 km	From albedo feature at 17N, 134W.
Phrixi Rupes	rupes	413.1 km	Classical albedo feature name, Phrixi.
Australe Montes	mons	411.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Tractus Fossae	fossa	403.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Scandia Tholi	tholus	398.3 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 65N, 150W.
Echus Montes	mons	397.1 km	Albedo feature name.
Echus Chasma	chasma	391.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Orcus Patera	patera	387.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Margaritifer Chaos	chaos	383.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Nia Fossae	fossa	379.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hyblaeus Fossae	fossa	375 km	Albedo feature name.
Arena Dorsum	dorsum	372 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Cydonia Colles	collis	362.8 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 50N, 355W.
Australe Sulci	sulcus	357.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Planum Boreum	plateau	354.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Chasma Australe	chasma	352.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aureum Chaos	chaos	351 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Eos Mensa	mensa	346.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Cydonia Labyrinthus	labyrinth	344.1 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 50N, 355W.
Dorsa Argentea	dorsum	339.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Cyane Sulci	sulcus	335.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Zephyria Mensae	mensa	333.6 km	Albedo feature name.
Ausonia Montes	mons	333.1 km	Albedo feature name.
Fortuna Fossae	fossa	324.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Zephyrus Fossae	fossa	306.2 km	Albedo feature name.
Tyrrhena Fossae	fossa	305.6 km	Classical albedo name.
Avernus Dorsa	dorsum	296.6 km	From albedo feature at 4S, 190W.
Ismeniae Fossae	fossa	286.9 km	From albedo feature at 40N, 333W.
Capri Mensa	mensa	282.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Artynia Catena	other	279.3 km	Named for classical albedo feature at 54N, 137W.
Medusae Fossae	fossa	278.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Centauri Montes	mons	271 km	Albedo feature Centauri Lacus.
Tyrrhenus Mons	mons	269.8 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Capri Montes	mons	265 km	Classical albedo feature, Capri Cornu.
Zea Dorsa	dorsum	249 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Oenotria Cavi	cavus	247 km	Classical albedo feature name, Oenotria.
Felis Dorsa	dorsum	244 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Avernus Colles	collis	238.7 km	Named for albedo feature at 10S, 195W.
Galaxias Chaos	chaos	234.5 km	Albedo feature name.
Oxia Planum	plateau	231 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Avernus Rupes	rupes	223.3 km	From albedo feature Avernus at 10S, 195W.
Medusae Sulci	sulcus	191.5 km	Albedo feature name.
Hadriacus Palus	other	176.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Australe Mensa	mensa	172 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Biblis Tholus	tholus	168.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Pyrrhae Chaos	chaos	162.4 km	Albedo feature name.
Oxia Dorsum	dorsum	161 km	Named for classical albedo feature name at 25N, 24W.
Ius Mensa	mensa	160 km	Classical martian albedo feature, Ius.
Albor Tholus	tholus	158.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Thymiamata Serpens	other	158 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Albor Fossae	fossa	155 km	From albedo feature at 20N, 205W.
Tharsis Tholus	tholus	149.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Alba Catena	other	144.9 km	Classical albedo name.
Eridania Mons	mons	143.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ascraeus Sulci	sulcus	138.7 km	Classical albedo name.
Candor Labes	other	134.9 km	From classical albedo feature at 5N, 75W.
Ceti Mensa	mensa	134 km	Albedo feature Ceti Lacus.
Nili Planum	plateau	128.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Labeatis Mensa	mensa	124.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Deuteronilus Cavus	cavus	123 km	Named from albedo feature at 35N, 355W.
Candor Mensa	mensa	116.6 km	Classical albedo feature.
Avernus Cavi	cavus	115 km	Named for albedo feature at 10S, 195W.
Ister Chaos	chaos	109.1 km	From classical albedo feature at 10N, 56W.
Ascraeus Chasmata	chasma	105.2 km	Classical albedo name.
Tyrrhenus Labyrinthus	labyrinth	102.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ausonia Mensa	mensa	102.5 km	Albedo feature name.
Arsia Chasmata	chasma	97.1 km	Albedo name.
Meridiani Serpentes	other	95 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Baetis Chasma	chasma	92.2 km	From classical albedo feature at 5S, 60W; changed from Iamunae Chasma.
Candor Sulci	sulcus	73.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aromatum Chaos	chaos	72.8 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Octantis Cavi	cavus	71.2 km	Albedo name.
Nili Patera	patera	67.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Alba Patera	patera	66 km	Classical albedo name.
Hadriaca Patera	patera	66 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hydrae Chaos	chaos	66 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hydrae Cavus	cavus	64.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Boreum Cavus	cavus	62.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Oenotria Plana	plateau	61.3 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ius Labes	other	61.2 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Xanthe Scopulus	scopulus	59.5 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hadriacus Cavi	cavus	59.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Deuteronilus Colles	collis	59 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hyblaeus Chasma	chasma	56.6 km	Albedo feature name.
Hydrae Chasma	chasma	55.2 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aonia Tholus	tholus	53.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Biblis Patera	patera	53.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Anseris Mons	mons	52.5 km	From albedo feature Anseris Fons.
Ausonia Cavus	cavus	49.5 km	Albedo feature Ausonia.
Labeatis Mons	mons	42.8 km	Named for albedo feature Labeatis Lacus.
Siloe Patera	patera	39.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Iamuna Dorsa	dorsum	38.2 km	From classical albedo feature Iamunae Sinus.
Oxus Cavus	cavus	37.9 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Candor Colles	collis	37.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Zephyria Tholus	tholus	36 km	Albedo feature name.
Ascraeus Mensa	mensa	34.9 km	Classical albedo name.
Nia Tholus	tholus	34 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Oxus Patera	patera	33.4 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aonia Mons	mons	27.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Oxia Chaos	chaos	24.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Galaxius Mons	mons	22.2 km	Classical albedo name.
Iamuna Chaos	chaos	21.7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Octantis Mons	mons	19.1 km	Albedo name.
Noctis Tholus	tholus	18 km	Classical albedo feature name, Noctis Lacus.
Tyrrhena Patera	patera	12.6 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Ceti Labes	other	11.1 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Hyblaeus Catena	other	10.5 km	Albedo feature name.
Nili Tholus	tholus	7 km	Classical albedo feature name.
Aonium Sinus	other	n/a	Named for Aonides, or Muses.
Arabia	other	n/a	Country bordering on Aeria (Egypt).
Aurorae Sinus	other	n/a	"Bay of Rosy Dawn"; Aurora held back the dawn.
Baltia	other	n/a	Name of large island in northern Europe where amber was found.
Boreosyrtis	other	n/a	Northern continuation of Nilosyrtis; "Syrtis of the north."
Candor	other	n/a	Means "Blaze" or "White" in Latin.
Candor Chaos	chaos	n/a	From albedo feature at 5N, 75W.
Casius	other	n/a	Epithet of Zeus; for his two sanctuaries in Egypt/Arabia and Syria.
Cebrenia	other	n/a	Main country of the Trojan Plain.
Claritas	other	n/a	Latin, meaning "bright."
Cydonia	other	n/a	Poetic term for Crete.
Deltoton Sinus	other	n/a	"Bay of the triangle"; makes triangle with Iapygia and Oenotria.
Depressio Hellespontica	other	n/a	Depression southwest of Hellespontus.
Deuteronilus	other	n/a	Designation of 2nd part of old feature "Nilus."
Eridania	other	n/a	Region on the Po River, Italy.
Hellespontus	other	n/a	The Dardanelles.
Hesperia	other	n/a	"The Occiden"; name for Italy (Greek); or Spain (Roman) or West area of Ethiopians where sun sank.
Hyperboreus (Lacus)	other	n/a	Far northern lake.
Iapygia (Iapigia)	other	n/a	Classically, Iapygia was all of Apulia, or just the Salentine Peninsula.
Jamuna	other	n/a	Present Jumna River, India.
Lemuria	other	n/a	Designation of purported drowned continent south of India; also relates to lemur monkeys found on Madagascar and Sunda Islands.
Libya	other	n/a	Area from W. Egypt to greater Syrtis.
Lunae Palus	other	n/a	Roman Moon goddess Luna; "Luna's Swamp," or African Lunae Mountains where Nile was thought to originate.
Mare Australe	other	n/a	"South Sea"
Mare Boreum	other	n/a	"North Sea"
Mare Erythraeum	other	n/a	Indian Ocean.
Mare Hadriacum	other	n/a	Adriatic Sea.
Mare Serpentis	other	n/a	Named for Constellation Serpens (the snake).
Mare Tyrrhenum	other	n/a	Tyrrhenian Sea, between Italy and Sicily.
Margaritifer Sinus	other	n/a	"Pearl Bay," after Pearl Coast, South India.
Moeris Lacus	other	n/a	"Moeris Lake;" Moeris was Egyptian lake in Libyan Desert.
Nix Olympica	other	n/a	"Snows of Olympus;" Olympus was mountain home of gods in Greece.
Oxia Palus	other	n/a	Lake (swamp into which Oxus River flows; i.e. Sea of Aral).
Oxus	other	n/a	Present Amoo-Darya River.
Panchaia	other	n/a	Situated near Heliopolis, Egypt; or island in Red Sea rich in frankincense, gold, silver, thus Utopia.
Pandorae Fretum	other	n/a	Woman who let loose evils of world when she opened a box.
Phaethontis	other	n/a	"Of Phaethon;" who recklessly drove Chariot of Sun.
Phoenicis Lacus	other	n/a	"Lake of the Phoenix;" Arabia or India.
Phrixi Regio	other	n/a	"Phrixus' Region;" Phrixus and sister Helle escaped sacrifice in Boeotia on back of ram with golden fleece.
Protei Regio	other	n/a	"Proteus' Region;" Proteus was a sea god with a gift of prophecy.
Protonilus	other	n/a	Designation of first (Eastern) part of "Nilus" or Nile Canal.
Pyrrhae Regio	other	n/a	"Pyrrha's Region;" named for Pyrrha, wife of Deucalion.
Scandia	other	n/a	Southern Scandinavia.
Sinus Meridiani	other	n/a	"Middle Bay," from Flammarion map.
Sinus Sabaeus	other	n/a	Today's Red Sea; Saba was part of southern Arabian Peninsula.
Sithonius Lacus	other	n/a	Region inhabited by Sithonii; synonym of Thrace.
Solis Lacus	other	n/a	"Lake of the Sun"; the so-called "Eye of Mars," connecting East with West.
Syrtis Major	other	n/a	Libyan Gulf, now Gulf of Sirte.
Tanais	other	n/a	Present River Don, Russia.
Tharsis	other	n/a	Connecting link between East and West; ancient Spanish town Tartessus.
Thymiamata	other	n/a	"Land of sweet-scented perfumes"; South Yemen or India.
Tithonius Lacus	other	n/a	"Tithonian Lake"; Tithonus received from his wife Eos eternal life but not eternal youth.
Tractus Albus	other	n/a	"White Tract" in Latin.
Trinacria	other	n/a	Classical name for Sicily.
Trivium Charontis	other	n/a	"Crossroad of Charon"; meeting place of several netherworld Canals.
Uchronia	other	n/a	"Land of Agelessness."
Umbra	other	n/a	Means "Shadow" in Latin.
Utopia	other	n/a	Greek, meaning "nowhere"; ideal state.
Yaonis Regio	other	n/a	Named for Chinese Emperor Yao; flood occurred during his reign.
Zephyria	other	n/a	Land of the west wind.

Names and their origins come from the IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature (USGS Astrogeology), retrieved 2026-08-14.
All named features ｜ KUON MARS map ｜ About the map ｜ The temperature on Mars ｜ How far away Mars is

DATA: IAU / USGS Astrogeology · NASA MGS MOLA · NASA Mars Odyssey THEMIS