What is "helvetium"

Helvetium was the suggested name of chemical element number 85, now known as astatine, given to it by the Swiss chemist Walter Minder. Walter Minder announced the discovery in 1940. He chose the name based on " Helvetia", the Latin name for Switzerland, to honor his country of birth.

In the year 1942 he together with Alice Leigh-Smith announced a second time the discovery of element number 85. This time he proposed the name anglohelvetium to honor also England, the home of Alice Leigh-Smith.

Later it was proven that in fact he had not discovered element 85.