Origin of the Names of the Months
- January:
Janus, Roman god of doors, beginnings, sunset and sunrise, had one
face looking forward and one backward,
- February:
On February 15 the Romans celebrated the festival of forgiveness
for sins; (februare, Latin to purify),
- March:
Mars, the Roman god of war,
- April:
Roman month Aprilis, perhaps derived from aperire,
(Latin to open, as in opening buds and blossoms)
or perhaps from Aphrodite, original Greek name of Venus,
- May:
Maia, Roman goddess, mother of Mercury by Jupiter and daughter of Atlas,
- June:
Juno, chief Roman goddess,
- July:
Renamed for Julius Caesar in 44 BC, who was born this month;
Quintilis, Latin for fifth month, was the former name
(the Roman year began in March rather than January),
- August:
Formerly Sextilis (sixth month in the Roman calendar);
re-named in 8 BC for Augustus Caesar,
- September:
September, (septem, Latin for 7) the seventh month in the Julian
or Roman calendar, established in the reign of Julius Caesar,
- October:
Eighth month (octo, Latin for 8) in the Julian (Roman) calendar.
The Gregorian calendar instituted by Pope Gregory XIII established
January as the first month of the year,
- November:
Ninth Roman month (novem, Latin for 9). Catholic countries adopted the
Gregorian calendar in 1582, skipping 10 days that October,
correcting for too many leap years,
- December:
Julian (Roman) year's tenth month (decem, Latin for 10).