Buckle up , earthling . Every yr we go on another 365 - day , five - hour , 59 - minute and 16 - secondrevolutionaround the Sunday . Einstein tell thattimeis an illusion — that whether we ’re young or old , meter flies or creep depending on our own individual frames of reference . Most of us humans have a lot of stuff to do and are too meddlesome getting it done to ponderinfinityand the illusory nature of clip . But have you ever wonder howthe calendarcame to be ? Or why the first month of the year is called January ? Or whyNevuarydefinitely should be , but is n’t , a month at all ?
Our Calendar Is the Gregorian Calendar
TheGregoriancalendar — aka the Christian or Westerncalendar — is currently the most broadly used international calendar for assess time . introduce by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 , it ’s a 356 - day solar calendar that is divided into 12 calendar month . The Gregorian calendar reform and exchange theJuliancalendar ( introduce by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.E. ) , which ball up the calculation of the metre it takes for our boastful blue marble to revolve the Lord’s Day .
The Gregorian Calendar Came From the Roman Calendar
And before that , there was theRomancalendar upon which our current Gregorian calendar is based . The Roman calendar was a super - complicated lunar calendar that had 12 calendar month but only 10 of them had formal name . Why ? Because wintertime was regard a numb , inactive time of twelvemonth and a season intend for rest . So , thanks to Romulus , the fabled first top executive of Rome in 735 B.C.E. , only March through December were deemed set to name . TheRomancalendar was finally reclaim , add together Januarius and Februarius as the last two months of the year .
How Each Month Got its Name
Interestingly , in a way , our lives are play by ancient Rome : The names of our calendar month are derived from Roman god , papistical leaders , romish festivals and rituals , and even Roman numerals . So , as Earth spins on its axis of rotation toward another solar day , study on for a nutshellversionof how the months got their name calling .
January
The Romanic month of Januarius takes its name from the Roman god Janus , the protector of gates and doorway . Janus is typically depicted with two face — one look into the past times , the other looking into the future . The gate to the temples of Janus were left unfastened in times of warfare and closed during times of peacefulness .
February
Based on the Latin wordfebrua , meaning " to cleanse , " the Roman calendar month of Februarius is named forFebrualia , a Roman festival of purgation and atonement . Februarius , at some dot in time , was shortened to February .
March
Named for Mars , the Roman mythological idol of warfare , March is named for the time of twelvemonth when military campaigns resumed after the dead and inactive period of winter . March was also a time of year of many festival relating to the preparation of military campaigns .
April
Aprilisderived its name from the Latin wordaperireoraperio , have in mind " to afford " or " bud . " Invoking double of spring blossoms and the look of renewal , Aprilis ultimately develop into April .
May
Named for the nurturing Roman earthgoddess Maia , who view over the growth of plants , May also derives from the Latin wordmaioresmeaning " senior , " who were keep during this calendar month of spring .
June
June is inspired by theRoman goddess Juno , the patronne of wedlock , childbirth and the overall wellbeing of women . Juno is the mythological wife ofJupiter , king of the Roman pantheon . June also derives from the Latin wordjuvenismeaning " new people . "
July
primitively refer for the Latin wordquintilis , meaning the number five . change after his last to honor the Roman dictator , Julius Caesar(100 B.C.E.–44 B.C.E. ) . It ’s important to notice that he is the Julius behind the Julian calendar which he assist arise — the predecessor to today ’s Gregorian calendar .
August
Like the origins of July , August was identify to honor a famous political chassis , the first Roman emperor moth , Augustus Caesar ( 63 B.C.E.–14 C.E. ) , great-nephew of Julius Caesar . Augustus derives from the eponymous Romance word , significance , " noble , august and majestic . "
September
September derive from the Latin wordseptem , or " seven " because it was the seventh month in the early papist calendar .
October
From the Latin wordocto , meaning " eight , " because , you guess it , October was the 8th calendar month of the yr in the before - times of the other Roman calendar . Attempts were made to rename it after various Roman emperor butterfly once they converted to a 12 - month calendar , but for reason unknown , their efforts fell flat .
November
If you may count to ten in Latin , you ’ve probably observe a radiation diagram here . From the Latin wordnovem , meaning " nine , " November takes its name because , well , November was the 9th month of the early papist calendar .
December
And , it ’s a wrapper . The Latin worddecem , entail " ten , " became the calendar month of December , the tenth month in the early Roman calendar .
