How did the element neon get its name?

The element neon received its name, which is Greek for "new," when it was first discovered in 1898. It was first discovered and named by Sir William Ramsey and Morris W. Travers shortly after their discovery of krypton through experiments on liquefied air. They discovered xenon soon after.

Neon is still isolated today through the liquefaction of air, as it is present in small amounts in the atmosphere. It is a light noble gas that is odorless, colorless and chemically very unreactive. It is best-known for its use in lighting, as it emits a strong reddish glow when charged with electricity.