Another symbol, , was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel, Lalande described it as "un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name"). After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol, though at bottom may be either a cross  or an orb .
In 1784, Lalande suggested a symbol for Neptune. He described it as "a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name." After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the trident symbol, which could be either a cross or an orb at its base.