The months September, October and December are the 9th, 10th and 12th months of the year respectively. But sept, oct and dec are the roman words for 7, 8 and 10 respectively. Why do these names correspond to these positions? | Notes and Queries (2024)

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Why are September, October, November, December not months 7, 8, 9 and 10? ›

In the Roman calendar there were only ten months - the 7th to 10th being September to December as their names suggest. It was only later when July and August (Julius and Augustus Caesar) were added that they became out of sequence.

The Julian calendar reform by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, advised by astronomer Sosigenes, added January and February at the year's start. This shift moved October and December to the 10th and 12th positions but retained their names, reflecting their original placements.

The meaning of October comes from the Latin word Octo meaning eight. The old Roman calendar started in March, so October was the eighth month. When the Roman senate changed the calendar in 153 BCE, the new year started in January, and October became the tenth month.

October is the 10th month. 'October' means “8th month.” In the first calendar used in ancient Rome, the year had only ten months, starting in March and ending in December. The extra period between December and March was not considered part of the series of months.

The “Gregorian Calendar” skipped 10 days in October of 1582 in order to make up for the extra days which had been accrued under the Julian calendar, and established a more accurate accounting for leap years to avoid the accrual of extra days in the future.

About the beginning of the twentieth century, the plan was revived by Moses B. Cotsworth who eliminated the superfluous names, thereby simplifying the plan. The new thirteenth month was designated "Sol."

Historical names for January include its original Roman designation, Ianuarius, the Saxon term Wulf-monath (meaning "wolf month") and Charlemagne's designation Wintarmanoth ("winter / cold month").

Since some of the Roman months were named in honor of divinities, and as April was sacred to the goddess Venus, her Veneralia being held on the first day, it has been suggested that Aprilis was originally her month Aphrilis, from her equivalent Greek goddess name Aphrodite (Aphros), or from the Etruscan name Apru.

Where did the word February come from? Since other months, like January, are named after Roman gods, you'd be forgiven for thinking February was named after the Roman god Februus. But, the word February comes from the Roman festival of purification called Februa, during which people were ritually washed.

In the Roman calendar, the months of January and February were originally the 11th and 12th months, respectively, but they were eventually moved to the beginning of the calendar year.

Why is November named November? ›

November derives from the Latin root novem- meaning “nine,” because in the Roman calendar there were only 10 months in the year, and November was indeed the ninth month. The word November was first recorded before the year 1000.

September (from Latin septem, "seven") or mensis September was originally the seventh of ten months on the ancient Roman calendar that began with March (mensis Martius, "Mars' month"). It had 29 days.

The months bore the names Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Juniius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December—the last six names correspond to the Latin words for the numbers 5 through 10.

In 731BC Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, decided to line the calendar up with the phases of the moon. There are 12 cycles of the moon each year, so the calendar was divided into twelve months. January and February were added and the new calendar year lasted 355 days.

Why are there 12 months in the year? Julius Caesar's astronomers explained the need for 12 months in a year and the addition of a leap year to synchronize with the seasons. At the time, there were only ten months in the calendar, while there are just over 12 lunar cycles in a year.

September (from Latin septem, "seven") or mensis September was originally the seventh of ten months on the ancient Roman calendar that began with March (mensis Martius, "Mars' month"). It had 29 days. After the reforms that resulted in a 12-month year, September became the ninth month, but retained its name.

September, October, November and December are named after Roman numbers 7, 8, 9 and 10 – they were originally the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth months of the Roman year. Before July and August were renamed after Roman rulers, they were called Quintilis and Sextilis, meaning fifth and sixth months.

The ancestor of the Gregorian calendar was the first Roman calendar which had some differences: it consisted of 10 months rather than 12. In order to synchronise the calendar with the lunar year, the Roman king Numa Pompilius added 2 more months, January and February.

In 731BC Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, decided to line the calendar up with the phases of the moon. There are 12 cycles of the moon each year, so the calendar was divided into twelve months. January and February were added and the new calendar year lasted 355 days.