The origin

of the
names of
the days
and months
LINA PAOLA HERNANDEZ CRUZ
 CALENDAR
Calendar - from Middle English calendar, Latin calendarium (account book). The Romans
called the first day of each month Kalendae, or calends. Debts were due on this day, so
we were able to get our calendar day.
The original Roman year had 10 named
months Martius "March", Aprilis "April", Maius "May", Junius "June", Quintilis "July", Sext
ilis "August", September "September", October "October",November "November", Decem
ber "December", and probably two unnamed months in the dead of winter when not
much happened in agriculture. The year began with Martius "March". Numa Pompilius,
the second king of Rome circa 700 BC, added the two months Januarius "January"
and Februarius "February". He also moved the beginning of the year
from Marius to Januariusand changed the number of days in several months to be odd, a
lucky number. After Februarius there was occasionally an additional month
of Intercalaris "intercalendar". This is the origin of the leap-year day being in February. In
46 BC, Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) changing
the number of days in many months and removing Intercalaris.

JANUARY
ME Januari (us), OE Januarius, translation
of Latin Januarius, named after JANUS,
god of beginnings. Januarius had 29 days,
until Julius when it became 31 days long.
 FEBRUARY
February - ME OE Februarius from Latin Februarius, named for Februa, the
feast of purification.
Februarius had 28 days, until circa 450 BC when it had 23 or 24 days on
some of every second year, until Julius when it had 29 days on every fourth
year and 28 days otherwise.

MARCH
March - ME March(e), from Latin Martius, (month of) Mars.
Martius has always had 31 days.
March was the original beginning of the year, and the time for the
resumption of war.
Mars is the Roman god of war. He is identified with the Greek god Ares.

APRIL
April - ME Averil, OF Avril, Latin Aprilis mensis (month). The name may
derive from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
Aprilis had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it
became 30 days long.
 MAY
May - ME OE Maius, Latin Maius mensis (month), from the Greek Maia,
goddess of spring (growth).
Maius has always had 31 days.
Maia (meaning "the great one") is the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of
Faunus, and wife of Vulcan.

JUNE
June - ME Jun(e), OE Iunius, from Latin mensis Junius, named after the
goddess Juno, Queen of the gods.
Junius had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it
became 30 days long.

JULY
July - ME Julie, OE Julius, from Latin Julius (Caesar) after whom it was named
in 44 BC. The original name was quintilis, fifth month in the early Roman
calendar.
Quintilis (and later Julius) has always had 31 days.
 AUGUST
August - ME OE Agustus from Latin Augustus (Caesar) 8 BC. The
original name was sextilis, sixth month in the early Roman calendar.
Sextilis had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when
it became 31 days long.
Augustus Caesar clarified and completed the calendar reform of Julius
Caesar. In the process, he also renamed this month after himself.

SEPTEMBER
September - ME Septembre from Latin September, seventh month in
the early Roman calendar
September had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

OCTOBER
October - ME OE from Latin October, eighth month in the early Roman
calendar
October has always had 31 days.
 NOVEMBER
November - ME OE from Latin November, ninth month of the early
Roman calendar, from novem NINE
Novembris had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

DECEMBER
December - ME Decembre from OF and Latin December, tenth month of
the early Roman calendar (decem TEN + membri from mens MONTH + ri
suffix).
December had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when
it became 31 days long.

SUNDAY
Sunday - ME sun(nen)day, OE sunnandaeg, translation of
Latin dies Solis, "Day of the Sun"
 MONDAY
Monday - ME mone(n)day, OE mondaeg, translation of Latin
Lunae dies, "Day of the Moon"

TUESDAY
Tuesday - ME tewesday, OE tiwesdaeg, OHG ziestac, Day of the
war god Tiw, translation of the Latin dies Martis, "Day of Mars"

WEDNESDAY
Wednesday - ME Wednesdai, OE wednesdaeg, mutated version
of Wodnesdaeg, Woden's day, compare with Dutch Woensdag,
Danish onsdag, translation of Latin Mercuru dies, Day of Mercury
 THURSDAY
Thursday - ME OE Thursdaeg from Norse Thursdagr,
"Thor's day", Germanic translation of Latin dies
Jovis.

FRIDAY
Friday - ME OE Frigedaeg, "Freya's day"

SATURDAY
Saturday - ME Saturdai, OE Saternesdaeg, partial
translation of Latin Saturni dies, "Saturn's day
WEB BIBLIOGRAPHY

 http://www.calendar-origins.com/day-
name-origins.html
 https://www.crowl.org/Lawrence/tim
e/months.html