About this star:

A double star, 3.5 and 12, orange and cerulean blue, marking the right hind foot of the Greater Bear, Ursa Major.

The Arabic name for Alula Borealis is Al-Qafzah al-Ula, "The northern one of "the first leap" of the Gazelle. Allen has Al Kafzah al Ula, "the First Spring".

Theta, tau, h, nu, phi, epsilon, and f in the Bear's throat, breast, and fore knees, which describe somewhat of a semicircle, was the Arab star-gazers' Sarir Banat al Na'ash, "the Throne of the Mourners" [The Mourners are the stars in the tail of the Great Bear; epsilon (Alioth), zeta (Mizar), and eta (Alkaid)].

In China theta, nu, and phi were Wan Chang, "the Literary Illumination".

The Leaps of the Gazelle: In ancient Arabia, before the Arabs adopted the Greek Astronomical figures for the constellations, they had different configurations in the sky. Many of starnames comes to us from this tradition.

Nu (this star: Alula Borealis) and xi (Alula Australe) marked the right hind foot of the Greater Bear were "the First Leap" of the Gazelle. Lamda (Tania Borealis) and mu (Tania Australis) together, marking the Bear's left hind foot, were "the Second Leap" of the Gaselle. Iota and kappa, the two Talithas together, marking the Third Leap. Each pair marking one "spring".

They were collectively designated Kafzah al Thiba', the Springs of the Gazelle. The Gazelle being imagined from the unformed stars since gathered up as Leo Minor, and the springing from the Pond (Coma Berenice) of the animal being due to its fear of the greater Lion's tail. [In early Arabia Coma Berenice was Al Haud, the Pond, into which the Gazelle, our Leo Minor, sprang when frightened at the lashing of the Lion's (Leo) tail; although some of the Arabic observers claimed that this Pond lay among the stars of the neck, breast, and knees of the Greater Bear Ursa Major ; and Lach substituted it for the Gazelle in our location of Leo Minor. Ideler adopted this from Al Tizini and the Cufic globe at Dresden; while the Borgian globe shows a Gazelle and her Young in the same location. Kazwini, however, described this group as extending over the eyes, eyebrows, ears, and muzzle of the figure of our Ursa Major.] (Allen).

Influence of the constellation:

It is said to give a quiet, prudent, suspicious, mistrustful, self-controlled, patient nature, but an uneasy spirit and great anger when roused. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Zain and the 7th Tarot Trump "The Chariot". (Robson).

Rising:

Those born at the rising of this constellation will be tamers of wild beasts, that is men to teach bears, bulls and lions to lay aside their fierceness and share in human ways. (Manilius Astronomica 1st century AD).