n“As Romans became
familiar with the Greek myths
of Aphrodite, they increasingly identified
Venus with that goddess. They also
linked Venus with other foreign goddesses,
such as the Babylonian Ishtar. One
result of this connection was the naming
of the planet Venus, which Babylonian
astronomers had earlier associated
with Ishtar.” - Encyclopedia of
Myths, "Venus"(http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Tr-Wa/Venus.html)