History of the star: A double star, 3.5 and 11, deep yellow and blue, under the body of the Hare Lepus. Nihal is from the Arabic An-Nihal (1), "The camels quenching their thirst" or the word is derived from the Arabic for the source of water. The stars of Lepus were seen by the Arabs as four camels, slaking their thirst at the nearby celestial river, the Milky Way, and were together referred to as Al Nihal. Early Arabs designated the principal stars — alpha, beta, gamma, and delta — as Al Kursiyy al Jabbar and Al 'Arsh al Jauzah, the "Chair of the Giant" and the "Throne of the Jauzah" - Jauzah the Giant is Orion.

[Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinchley Allen, 1889].

The astrological influences of the constellation: It gives a quick wit, timidity, circumspection, fecundity and defiance. (Robson).

The astrological influences of the constellation given by Manilius:

To those born under this constellation nature all but gives wings and flight through the air - such will be the vigor of limbs which reflect the swiftness of the winds. One man will come off winner in the footrace before even receiving the signal to start; another by his quick movement can evade the hard boxing-glove and now lightly avoid, now land a blow; another can with a deft kick keep in the air a flying ball, exchanging hands for feet and employing in play the body's support, and execute with nimble arms a volley of rapid strokes; yet another can shower his limbs with a host of balls and create hands to spring up all over his body with the result that, without dropping any of the number, he plays against himself and causes the balls to fly about his person as though in answer to his command. Such a man devotes wakeful nights to his concerns, for his energy banishes sleepiness [translator's note: according to Aelian, the hare sleeps with its eyes open] whilst he spends happy workfree hours in games of divers kinds. [Manilius, Astronomica, 1st century AD, book 5, p.313, 315.]