Why do months have names

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. 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? Share your thoughts with a friend or family member. Which month do they like best? Up for a challenge? Pretend that you've just been named King of the Earth. You're in charge of Earth and everything in and on it. You've always disliked the names of the months of the year, so you decide to do something about it.

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. For example, you intend to rename "July" to "Sunshine," since that's what you enjoy most about that summer month. What will you call all the other months? Make a list of new names for each month of the year. Have fun and be creative! Did you get it? Test your knowledge.

What are you wondering? Wonder Words calendar patroness equinox year war god open bud plant festival month system flower goddess wedding marriage beginning colony Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion. Feb 3, Sounds like a great topic for a Wonder Journey, jon! Elaina Jan 28, Dear wonderopolis, hello it my 1st day doing wonderopolis and i like your articles I just wanted to know how you doing and that how did they make calendars did they have calendars back in the day?

Hi Elaina! We're doing great, and welcome to Wonderopolis! Massin Jan 14, Actually January came from the Berbers of North Africa. The Romans took January from them. Yan Wayur means the first month in Berber Language. The Romans took it as Yan Arius. Princess Jan 10, Hi I was wondering what are the origins of December so who was named after December which God??? Jan 16, Great topic for a Wonder Journey! Let us know what you learn! Peyton Nov 22, Nov 23, Hi Peyton!

That's a great topic for a Wonder Journey. Wonder Friend Jan 7, Jan 7, Wonder Friend, Feel free to suggest some topics for us to cover in the Wonder Bank! Dec 13, Sian Miller Mar 3, I'd also like to know when this piece was made or the last time it was edited by the author? Mar 5, I was just wondering who the author of this piece is? FloresMG24 Jan 22, Jan 25, FloresMG24 Jan 16, Why did the Romans think to name it the calender? Jan 22, Hermione Granger Jan 2, Amazing info!

It really helped me and my thoughts!!! Jan 4, Whyvette Dec 14, I was just sitting in my living room thinking, why are the months called these names? Could it mean something we don't know?

I was trying to put somethings together but I can only go by numbers. Dec 18, Dec 7, Thanks for sharing your thoughts, landyn!!!

Barry Angle Jun 9, What if there was a thirteenth month? I would probably name it tredecimer, because "tredecim-" means thirteen. Jun 13, Thanks for teaching us something, Barry!

Apr 26, Goldenstar Apr 11, I've thought about this with a friend. If we were to follow the months as numbers, December would be the tenth month. Here are the months I made up! It sounds weird, but it's what I made up. It is based loosely on the months that are already there. Apr 12, IamWonder Jan 28, Tabitha Mar 31, Adriana rodriguez Jan 29, Thanks for stopping by, Adriana!

Jan 30, Thanks, IamWonder! We love your name, by the way. It is infact highly informative Again in the comments confused me OK the Universe itself is confusion.. Let us live in confusion and enjoy the confusion Saamy India. Wonderforyourself Mar 3, Mar 6, Life and the world IS confusing, but we do love to Wonder about it! Jan 9, Kiara Jan 3, Makaysia Jan 12, Jan 12, Jan 3, Does anyone know I'm very curious. Nov 22, Nebpitbull Oct 11, Oct 12, David Aug 1, Thanks if this article is factually true then it proved my doubts as to the correct ages of the biblical figures like Noah over years and others.

In this technological times if someone claims to be years then it is difficult to prove if proper records were not kept. January was added much later. In these times if i do not have a calender I am confused about the dates. What calenders did they use in those anciant times?

The writers could mention up to 42 generations of other people yet I can only go back to 4 generations of my own ancesters. Perhaps you can help me. Gigi Oct 3, Aug 1, Yes it was indeed informative thanks.

Aug 3, Great to hear, David! Kenworth Lachlan Kenny Jun 20, I had to do homework on why the months were named as they are. The first site this one I went to helped me out. Our teacher said we may not find the meaning of all of them. This site proved her wrong! Jun 20, Holly Milligan Apr 21, This was very useful and it really helped me with my work.

All of this information was so helpful. Apr 22, Mar 16, We're glad you stopped by! Kevin Powell Mar 13, Your article on the names of the month was very interesting and educational. Thank you for creating this. This website wasn't helpful for my assessment:. Mar 10, Mar 4, I learned that September means 7 in Roman times cool:. Feb 21, Hi, kari! Thanks for sharing what you learned! I learned some of the goddesses names and that our months were a hole lot different. Awesome, natalie!

Anet Jan 27, Hello, thank you for your great and interesting article! The names are related mainly to our four seasons of the year. It is quite ancient now, but it has its magic. The winter months January and February remained a time of reflection, peace, new beginnings, and purification. Later emperors tried to name various months after themselves, but those changes did not outlive them!

Quite a bit later, in , Pope Gregory XIII introduced a number of reforms to the Julian calendar, as there were still some inaccuracies and adjustments to be made. Mainly, the Julian calendar had overestimated the amount of time it took the Earth to orbit the Sun, so the Gregorian calendar shortened the calendar year from This meant that the calendar could be more easily corrected by leap years and that the dates of the equinoxes and solstices —and thus, the date of Easter —once again lined up with their observed dates.

Named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future. In ancient Roman times, the gates of the temple of Janus were open in times of war and closed in times of peace. Named for the Roman god of war, Mars. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter. March was also a time of many festivals, presumably in preparation for the campaigning season.

Named for the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. Maia was considered a nurturer and an earth goddess, which may explain the connection with this springtime month. Named for the Roman goddess Juno, patroness of marriage and the well-being of women. Named to honor Roman dictator Julius Caesar B. January January is named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings.

February February is named after a Roman purification festival called februa, which occurred around the fifteenth of this month.

March March is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. April There are a few different theories about where April gets its name. May May is named for the Greek goddess Maia. June June is named after Juno, the wife of Jupiter and queen of the gods.

July July was the birth month of Julius Caesar, for whom the month was renamed following his death in 44 B. August August is the only other month named after a historical figure — Augustus Caesar, who was the nephew of Julius Caesar and the first emperor of Rome.

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