Month Name In English like January, February…etc Have you ever wondered why there are twelve months in a year?
Each month has its unique name, but have you ever thought about how they came to be named?
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the origins of the month names in English and discover some interesting facts along the way. Let’s dive in!
Month Name
The English calendar, also known as the Gregorian calendar, is the most widely used calendar system in the world today.
It was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a reform of the previous Julian calendar.
The English calendar has twelve months, each with a varying number of days. January, March, May, July, August, October, and December have 31 days, while April, June, September, and November have 30 days.
February is the only month with 28 days, except in leap years when it has 29 days.
Month Name In English Image
12 Month Name In English
| Sr no. | Month Name | Short-form | No. of days |
| 1 | January | Jan | 31 |
| 2 | February | Feb | 28/29(in leap Yr) |
| 3 | March | Mar | 31 |
| 4 | April | Apr | 30 |
| 5 | May | May | 31 |
| 6 | June | Jun | 30 |
| 7 | July | Jul | 31 |
| 8 | August | Aug | 31 |
| 9 | September | Sep | 30 |
| 10 | October | Oct | 31 |
| 11 | November | Nov | 30 |
| 12 | December | Dec | 31 |
History, Origins and Meaning Behind the Months of the Year
The history, origins, and meanings behind the months of the year are diverse and rich, reflecting the values and traditions of many different cultures throughout history.
| Month | Name Origin | Meaning |
| January | Roman | Named after the god Janus, who was associated with beginnings, endings, and transitions |
| February | Latin | Derived from “februum,” meaning purification, and was a time for purification rituals and festivals in ancient Rome |
| March | Roman | Named after the god Mars, who was associated with war and agriculture, and was seen as a time of rebirth and renewal |
| April | Uncertain | May come from the Latin “aperire,” meaning “to open,” or the Etruscan “Apru,” meaning “to open” |
| May | Roman | Named after the goddess Maia, who was associated with spring and growth, and was traditionally a time for fertility festivals and honoring mothers |
| June | Roman | Believed to be derived from the Latin “iuniores,” meaning “younger ones,” and was associated with weddings and romance |
| July | Roman | Originally called Quintilis, meaning “fifth month,” renamed in honor of Julius Caesar, and was a time for festivals and celebrations |
| August | Roman | Originally called Sextilis, meaning “sixth month,” renamed in honor of Augustus Caesar, and was associated with harvest festivals and the end of summer |
| September | Latin | Derived from “septem,” meaning “seven,” and was associated with the beginning of the harvest season and the start of the school year |
| October | Latin | Derived from “octo,” meaning “eight,” and was associated with the changing of the leaves and fall festivals |
| November | Latin | Derived from “novem,” meaning “nine,” and was associated with the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter |
| December | Latin | Derived from “decem,” meaning “ten,” and was associated with winter holidays and reflection on the past year |
History of All Months of the Year
The months of the year have a rich history and have evolved over time as cultures and civilizations have come and gone.
Here is a brief history of each of the months of the year.
♦ January:
January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, named after the Roman god Janus.
Janus was the god of beginnings, endings, and transitions, and was depicted with two faces, one looking to the past and one to the future.
January was seen as a time of new beginnings and fresh starts and was traditionally associated with making resolutions and setting goals for the coming year.
♦ February:
February is the shortest month of the year, with 28 or 29 days, depending on whether it is a leap year or not.
Its name comes from the Latin term “februum,” which means purification.
In ancient Rome, February was a time for purification rituals and festivals, as well as honoring the dead.
♦ March:
March is the third month of the year, named after the Roman god Mars, who was associated with war and agriculture.
March was traditionally seen as a time of rebirth and renewal, as the winter began to fade and the spring began to emerge.
In some cultures, March was also a time for planting crops and preparing for the growing season.
♦ April:
April is the fourth month of the year, and its name has uncertain origins.
Some believe it comes from the Latin word “aperire,” which means “to open,” referencing the blooming of flowers and trees in spring.
Others believe it comes from the Etruscan word “Apru,” which means “to open.”
♦ May:
May is the fifth month of the year, named after the Roman goddess Maia, who was associated with spring and growth.
May was traditionally a time for fertility festivals and celebrations of new life, as well as honouring mothers and motherhood.
♦ June:
June is the sixth month of the year, and its name is believed to be derived from the Latin word “iuniores,” meaning “younger ones,” referring to the youthfulness of summer.
June was traditionally associated with weddings and romance, and was seen as a time of joy and celebration.
♦ July:
July is the seventh month of the year, originally called Quintilis, meaning “fifth month,” in the Roman calendar. It was renamed in honor of Julius Caesar, the famous Roman general and statesman.
July was traditionally a time for festivals and celebrations, including the famous Roman festival of Ludi Apollinares, which honored the god Apollo.
♦ August:
August is the eighth month of the year, originally called Sextilis, meaning “sixth month,” in the Roman calendar. It was renamed in honor of Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor.
August was traditionally associated with harvest festivals and celebrations of abundance, as well as the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.
♦ September:
September is the ninth month of the year, and its name means “seventh month,” as it was originally the seventh month in the Roman calendar.
September was traditionally associated with the beginning of the harvest season, as well as the start of the school year and the return to routine after the summer.
♦ October:
October is the tenth month of the year, and its name means “eighth month,” as it was originally the eighth month in the Roman calendar.
October was traditionally associated with the changing of the leaves and the onset of autumn, as well as Halloween and other fall festivals.
♦ November:
November is the eleventh month of the year, and its name means “ninth month,” as it was originally the ninth month in the Roman calendar.
November was traditionally associated with the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter, as well as the celebration of Thanksgiving in many cultures.
♦ December:
December is the twelfth and final month of the year, and its name means “tenth month,” as it was originally the tenth month in the Roman calendar.
December is traditionally associated with winter holidays and celebrations, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
It is also a time for reflection and looking back on the events of the past year, as well as setting intentions for the year to come.
Conclusion on All Month Name In English
To sum up, the months of the year have a very interesting history and meaning that are connected to different cultures and traditions.
The names and meanings of the months have changed over time but still hold important value and impact on our lives today. B
y understanding the symbolism and significance of each month, we can deepen our appreciation for the passage of time and the cyclical nature of the seasons, and connect more deeply with the rhythms of the natural world.
