Etymology
The traditional name Yed is derived from Arabic meaning "the hand", and the two stars are the left hand of Ophiuchus (the Serpent Bearer) that holds the head of the serpent Serpens Caput. It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines", along with α Ser (Unukalhai), δ Ser (Qin, Tsin), ε Ser (Ba, Pa), δ Oph (Yed Prior), ζ Oph (Han) and γ Oph (Tsung Ching).
According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, al-Nasaq al-Yamānī or Nasak Yamani were the title for two stars :δ Ser as Nasak Yamani I and ε Ser as Nasak Yamani II (exclude this star, α Ser, δ Oph, ζ Oph and γ Oph).
In Chinese, 天市右垣 (Tiān Shì Yòu Yuán), meaning Right Wall of Heavenly Market Enclosure, refers to an asterism which is represent eleven old states in China which is marking the right borderline of the enclosure, consisting of ε Ophiuchi, β Herculis, γ Herculis, κ Herculis, γ Serpentis, β Serpentis, α Serpentis, δ Serpentis, ε Serpentis, δ Ophiuchi and ζ Ophiuchi. Consequently, ε Ophiuchi itself is known as 天市右垣十 (Tiān Shì Yòu Yuán shí, English: the Tenth Star of Right Wall of Heavenly Market Enclosure), represent the state Chu (楚) (or Tsoo), together with φ Capricorni (or 24 Capricorni in R.H.Allen's version) in Twelve States (asterism).
Read more about this topic: Epsilon Ophiuchi
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“The universal principle of etymology in all languages: words are carried over from bodies and from the properties of bodies to express the things of the mind and spirit. The order of ideas must follow the order of things.”
—Giambattista Vico (1688–1744)
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—Stephen Bayley, British historian, art critic. “Taste: The Story of an Idea,” Taste: The Secret Meaning of Things, Random House (1991)