It bore the traditional name of Menkent derived from the Arabic word مَنْكِب (mankib) for "shoulder" (of the Centaur), apparently blended with a shortened form of "kentaurus" (centaur). In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[14] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN approved the name Menkent for this star on 21 August 2016 and it is now so included in the List of IAU-approved Star Names.[12]
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^Wielen, R.; et al. (1999), "Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part I. Basic fundamental stars with direct solutions", Veröff. Astron. Rechen-Inst. Heidelb, 35 (35), Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Heidelberg: 1, Bibcode:1999VeARI..35....1W
^Elgarøy, Øystein; Engvold, Oddbjørn; Lund, Niels (March 1999), "The Wilson-Bappu effect of the MgII K line - dependence on stellar temperature, activity and metallicity", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 343: 222–228, Bibcode:1999A&A...343..222E
^ abcdOttoni, G.; Udry, S.; Ségransan, D.; Buldgen, G.; Lovis, C.; Eggenberger, P.; Pezzotti, C.; Adibekyan, V.; Marmier, M.; Mayor, M.; Santos, N. C.; Sousa, S. G.; Lagarde, N.; Charbonnel, C. (2022-01-01). "CORALIE radial-velocity search for companions around evolved stars (CASCADES). I. Sample definition and first results: Three new planets orbiting giant stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 657: A87. arXiv:2201.01528. Bibcode:2022A&A...657A..87O. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202040078. ISSN0004-6361. Theta Centauri's database entry at VizieR.
^Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. ISBN978-1-931559-44-7.
^Richichi, A.; Percheron, I.; Khristoforova, M. (February 2005), "CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 431 (2): 773–777, Bibcode:2005A&A...431..773R, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20042039
^"The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, archived from the original on 2013-12-03, retrieved 2012-01-16
^Schroeder, K.-P.; Huensch, M.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M. (July 1998), "X-ray activity and evolutionary status of late-type giants", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 335: 591–595, Bibcode:1998A&A...335..591S