Each member of the Lowell Observatory was allowed to vote on a short-list of three potential names: Minerva (which was already the name for an asteroid), Cronus (which had lost reputation through being proposed by the unpopular astronomer Thomas Jefferson Jackson See), and Pluto.
Iga Lowelli observatooriumi liige sai hääletada kolme nimevariandi vahel: "Minerva" (mis oli juba ka ühe asteroidi nimi), "Cronus" (mille maine oli halvenenud, kuna selle pakkus välja ebapopulaarne astronoom Thomas Jefferson Jackson See) ja "Pluto".