The specific nomenclature for Earth stems from which linguistic family, unlike the classical roots of other major planets?
Germanic languages
The unique naming of Earth is deeply rooted in language history, diverging from the classical tradition that named its siblings like Mars and Jupiter. 'Earth' originates from the Old English word *eorþe*, which is related to the Germanic term *ertha*. This linguistic split occurred because early observers perceived Earth differently; it was the immediate environment beneath them rather than a distant, mysterious light. The other major planets adopted names derived from Roman or Greek deities, whereas Earth's name evolved from the common Germanic terms describing the physical substrate, meaning ground or soil. This reflects that the naming convention for Earth was internal and observational of the immediate surroundings, contrasting sharply with the outward, mythological naming of the other visible celestial bodies.
