The planet Uranus was deliberately named to be funny or ironic based on its pronunciation similar to a body part.
Uranus is named after the Greek god of the sky (Ouranos). Like other planets, it follows the convention of astronomical naming after ancient deities. The naming had nothing to do with modern English pronunciation. The planet was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel and named following established astronomical tradition. The humorous coincidence of pronunciation is purely accidental.
Reception
Sources
- NASA: Solar System Exploration Uranus PRIMARY
- Britannica: Uranus REFERENCE