The names are related mainly to our four seasons of the year. I´m from the Czech Republic and we have each month of the year with a name that embodies what that month is all about :-). Hello, thank you for your great and interesting article! What will you call all the other months? Make a list of new names for each month of the year. For example, you intend to rename "July" to "Sunshine," since that's what you enjoy most about that summer month. Instead of their current names, you intend to rename each month of the year with a name that embodies what that month is all about.
You've always disliked the names of the months of the year, so you decide to do something about it. You're in charge of Earth and everything in and on it. Up for a challenge? Pretend that you've just been named King of the Earth.How do you feel about being born that month? Does its name have any significance for you? Why or why not? Which month tends to be your favorite month of the year? Why? Share your thoughts with a friend or family member.
What month of the year were you born? Re-read the section of today's Wonder of the Day that talks about the month of your birth.Recycle them! Collect old calendars from your friends and neighbors and use them to make a variety of fun crafts, including greeting cards, funny pictures, or a puzzle. Do you throw out your old calendar when it's time to welcome a new year? Don't throw out those old calendars too soon.We hope you enjoyed learning more about the origins of the names of the months of the year! Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member: It was not until 1752 that the British and their colonies finally adopted the Gregorian calendar. However, England and the American colonies continued to celebrate the new year on the date of the spring equinox in March. This new calendar became known as the "Gregorian calendar." In 1582, Pope Gregory adjusted the calendar, so most western nations began celebrating the start of the year on January 1. January: Later, Pompilius added another month to the beginning of the year and named it January after Janus, the God of beginnings and endings. November: November's name comes from novem, Latin for “nine."ĭecember: December's name come from decem, Latin for “ten."įebruary: Around 690 B.C., Numa Pompilius turned a period of celebration at the end of the year into a month of its own, named after the festival Februa. October: October's name comes from octo, Latin for “eight." September: September's name comes from septem, Latin for “seven." Though we think of September, October, November, and December as months 9, 10, 11 and 12, these months were 7, 8, 9, and 10 on the ancient Roman calendar. Previously, August was called “Sextillia," which was Latin for “sixth." Previously, July was called “Quintilis," which is Latin for “fifth."Īugust: August was named after Augustus Caesar in 8 B.C. July: July was named after Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. June: Apparently, June has always been a popular month for weddings! The Romans named June after Juno, the queen of the gods and patroness of marriage and weddings. May: May was named after Maia, an earth goddess of growing plants. Still others think April was named after the goddess Aphrodite. Others claim it comes from “ aperire," a Latin word meaning “to open," because it represents the opening of buds and flowers in spring. Some say April got its name from the Latin word meaning “second" since April was the second month on the ancient calendar. Since March was the first month of the new year in ancient Rome, some historians believe the Romans named March after Mars, the Roman god of war.Īpril: Three theories exist regarding the origin of April's name.
March: The ancient Romans insisted that all wars cease during the time of celebration between the old and new years. Let's take a look at how the ancient Romans chose the names of the 12 months of the year. Would you believe January was not always the first month of the year? The ancient Romans used a different calendar system, and their year began in March and ended in February!Įven though our modern system may be quite different from the ancient Romans', they gave us something very important: the months' names.