Their name derives from the Arabic bahman, "root," as each was considered a source of astrological power for one or more planets.
Each is also connected with a gemstone and plant that would be used in rituals meant to draw the star's influence (e.g., into a talisman).
He attributed these to Hermes Trismegistus, as was common with occult traditions in the Middle Ages.
Their true origin remains unknown, though Sir Wallis Budge suspects a possible Sumerian source.
The following table uses symbols from a 1531 quarto edition of Agrippa, but other forms exist.