> The three stars in the belt are Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak. According to an astronomer with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Ronald Maddlaena, these are the meanings of the three stars: Mintaka (on the west) means “belt”, Alnilam (in center) means “belt of pearls” and Altnitak (right) means “girdle.” The three range between 800 and 1,000 light-years from Earth.
http://www.universetoday.com/85736/orions-belt-stars/
IOW, there is no actual connection, as the three stars of Orion’s belt are 100s of light years apart; furthermore, until telescopic astronomy came along and developed, the companions to each star were unknown.
They’re close enough to be considered attractive to each other, being at most not “100s of light years apart,” but no more than 200. The point is not whether they’re immediately adjacent, but that one of them isn’t massively brighter while being greatly more distant.