January (Jan.) – January is the first month of the year, named after the Roman god Janus, who had two faces – one looking forward and one looking backward. It marks the beginning of a new year and is characterised by cold weather and often snow.
February (Feb.) – February is the shortest month of the year, with only 28 days in a regular year and 29 in a leap year. It is named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, reflecting the purification rituals of ancient Rome that used to take place in this month.
March (Mar.) – March is the third month of the year, named after Mars, the Roman god of war. It marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
April (Apr.) – April is the fourth month of the year and derives its name from the Latin word aperire, which means "to open." This is a reference to the opening of buds and flowers in the springtime. In Western culture, April is associated with pranks and jokes on April Fool's Day.
May (May) – May is the fifth month of the year, and its name comes from the Greek goddess Maia, who was associated with fertility and growth. May is associated with the start of summer in many cultures and is often associated with flowers, such as the May bloom of hawthorn trees.
June (Jun.) – June is the sixth month of the year and was named after the Roman goddess Juno, who was the patron goddess of marriage and childbirth. It marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
July (Jul.) – July is the seventh month of the year, named after Julius Caesar. It is the month in which many countries, including the United States and France, celebrate their independence.
August (Aug.) – August is the eighth month of the year and was named after the Roman emperor Augustus. It marks the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
September (Sept.) – September is the ninth month of the year and gets its name from the Latin term septem, which means "seven." This was the seventh month in the Roman calendar. September marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
October (Oct.) – October is the tenth month of the year and gets its name from the Latin term octo, which means "eight." This was the eighth month in the Roman calendar. October is associated with the autumn harvest and Halloween.
November (Nov.) – November is the eleventh month of the year and gets its name from the Latin term novem, which means "nine." This was the ninth month in the Roman calendar. November is associated with Thanksgiving in the United States and with remembrance of fallen soldiers in many countries.
December (Dec.) – December is the twelfth month of the year, named after the Latin word decem, which means "ten." This was the tenth month in the Roman calendar. December is associated with winter holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
