Names of Months

• January - Named after Janus, the Roman god of doors beginnings, sunsets and sunrises.
  
  Bust of Janus:
  
  
• February - Named after a festival celebrated on February 15th which marked the forgiveness of sins - "februare" is Latin for "to purify".
  
  
• March - Named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
  
  Statue of Mars:
  
  
• April - Derivation uncertain, but possibly derived from Aphrodite (the Greek name of Venus, the goddess of love), or "aperire" which is Latin for "to open".
  
  
• May - Named after Maia, a Roman goddess said to be the daughter of Atlas, and the mother of Mercury.
  
  
• June - Named after Juno, the chief Roman goddess.
  
  Statue of Juno:
  
  
• July - Originally named quintilis, meaning 5th month, as it was the 5th month of the Roman calendar. The month was renamed to honor Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, at the suggestion of Mark Anthony.
  
  Julius Caesar:
  
  
• August - Originally named sextilis, meaning 6th month, as it was the 6th month of the Roman calendar. The month was renamed to honor Augustus Caesar in 8 BCE.
  
  Bust of Augustus:
  
  
• September - Named after septem, Latin for 7, as it was the 7th month of the Roman calendar.
  
  
• October - Named after octo, Latin for 8, as it was the 8th month of the Roman calendar.
  
  
• November - Named after novem, Latin for 9, as it was the 9th month of the Roman calendar.
  
  
• December - Named after decem, Latin for 10, as it was the 10th month of the Roman calendar.

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