The Complete Guide: The 12 Months in Order Explained

Have you ever wondered why our calendar has twelve months? Or why each month has a different number of days? In this complete guide, we will explain the 12 months in order, their origins, and interesting facts about each month. Let's dive in!

The 12 Months Explained

The concept of organizing time into months has been around for thousands of years. It all started with ancient civilizations observing the phases of the moon and using it to mark months. Over time, different cultures developed their own calendars, incorporating various months.

• January: January marks the beginning of the year in Gregorian and Julian calendars. It was named after Janus, the Roman god with two faces, looking to the past and the future.
• February: February was added as the last month of the Roman calendar. It originally had 28 days, and every four years, an extra day was added, making it 29 days in a leap year.
• March: March was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. It was the first month in the Roman calendar and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
• April: The origin of April's name is uncertain, but it is believed to come from the Latin word "aperire," meaning "to open." It represents the blossoming of flowers in many parts of the world.
• May: Named after Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth, May symbolizes fertility and rebirth. It has been associated with celebrations and festivals throughout history.
• June: June was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth. It is often associated with love and weddings due to its connection with the Roman goddess.
• July: Originally called Quintilis, meaning "fifth" in Latin, July was later renamed in honor of Julius Caesar. It is the birth month of Caesar, hence the name change.
• August: August was named after Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor. It was previously known as Sextilis, meaning "sixth" in Latin, but was changed to honor Augustus.
• September: September derives its name from the Latin word "septem," meaning "seven." Although it is the ninth month today, in ancient Roman times, the year began in March.
• October: Just like September, October's name is derived from the Latin word "octo," meaning "eight." It had significance in the original Roman calendar, which began in March.
• November: November comes from the Latin word "novem," meaning "nine." It lost its place as the ninth month when the year was rearranged to start in January.
• December: December comes from the Latin word "decem," meaning "ten." It used to be the tenth month until January and February were added to the Roman calendar.

Interesting facts about the 12 months

Now that we have explored the origin of each month's name let's discover some interesting facts about them:

• January 1st is celebrated as New Year's Day in many cultures around the world, symbolizing fresh beginnings and resolutions.
• February is the shortest month, with 28 or 29 days. Its length was adjusted to account for the discrepancy between the lunar calendar and solar year.
• The famous Ides of March, or March 15th, marks the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE.
• The flower associated with April is the daisy, a symbol of innocence and purity.
• In Roman mythology, June is sometimes associated with the goddess Juno giving birth to Mars, connecting it with both marriage and childbirth.
• July is the birth month of two influential leaders in history: Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.
• August's flower is the gladiolus, which represents strength, moral integrity, and infatuation.
• September 21st marks the autumnal equinox, when day and night are of equal length.
• October's birthstone is the opal, symbolizing hope and purity.
• In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, bringing family and friends together.
• In December, many cultures celebrate various festivals and holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

Now that we understand the significance of each month in order, we can appreciate the calendar we use every day a little bit more. Let's embrace the diversity and historical background of our twelve months!