The traditional name Thuban is derived from the Arabic word ثعبان thuʿbān ('large snake' (e.g. a python or a legendary draconian serpent)).

[11] Consequently, the Chinese name for Alpha Draconis itself is 紫微右垣一 (Zǐ Wēi Yòu Yuán yī, English: the First Star of Right Wall of Purple Forbidden Enclosure),[12] representing 右樞 (Yòushū), meaning Right Pivot.

Due to the precession of Earth's rotational axis, Thuban was the naked-eye star closest to the north pole from 3942 BC, when it superseded Tau Herculis as the pole star, until 1793 BC, when it was superseded by Kappa Draconis.

The radial velocity variations of the stars can be measured and the pair have a somewhat eccentric orbit of 51.4 days.

[3] The secondary star was detected in high spatial resolution observations using the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer.

[16] Eclipses were detected using data obtained with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

[3] Thuban has a spectral class of A0III, indicating its similarity to Vega in temperature and spectrum, but more luminous and more massive.