MAY: Spring is in full bloom for the Romans in May, and this month is named after Maia – a goddess of growing plants. JUNE: This month is named after Juno, the queen of the Roman gods. JULY: This month used to be called Quintilis – the Roman word for “fifth” as it was the fifth month of the Roman year.
Simply so, Does April always have 30 days? Rhyme to remember number of days in each month:
April, June, and November, all the rest have thirty-one. February then has one day more.
What God is July named after? June descends from Juno, wife of Jupiter, and the Roman ancient goddess of marriage and childbirth. July was named in honor of Julius Caesar right after his assassination in 44 B.C., with July being the month of his birth.
Subsequently, Why is January named January?
JANUARY. Named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future. In ancient Roman times, the gates of the temple of Janus were open in times of war and closed in times of peace.
Why is July named July?
July, seventh month of the Gregorian calendar. It was named after Julius Caesar in 44 bce. Its original name was Quintilis, Latin for the “fifth month,” indicating its position in the early Roman calendar.
Did September ever have 31 days? September is the ninth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the third of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the fourth of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. September in the Northern Hemisphere and March in the Southern Hemisphere are seasonal equivalent.
Is there ever a June 31st?
June 31. June 31 is a fictional date in the Soviet film 31 June.
Why months are 30 and 31 days? The months of January and February were added to the calendar and the original fifth and sixth months were renamed July and August in honour of Julius Caesar and his successor Augustus. These months were both given 31 days to reflect their importance, having been named after Roman leaders.
What are the 12 months in order?
The names of the 12 months in order are January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
What was February named after? February is named after an ancient Roman festival of purification called Februa. John Samuel Agar (1773–1858), Februa in a shell, pulled by Pisces, represented by two fish.
What was December named after?
December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month.
What was June named after? June is named after the Roman goddess Juno – the god of marriage and childbirth, and the wife of Jupiter, king of the gods. Here she is seated in a chariot. Giulio Bonasone (1500/10–1574), The Triumph of Juno from the series Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno. Engraving, 1531–1576.
Is January a boy or girl name?
The name January is a boy’s name meaning « month name ». Cooler than the older month names like April and May, and a highly unusual and eye-catching choice. The most famous real-life January is female – January Jones – but the month is named for the Roman god Janus, who presided over doors and new beginnings.
What does August stand for?
August comes from the Latin word augustus, meaning « consecrated » or « venerable, » which in turn is related to the Latin augur, meaning « consecrated by augury » or « auspicious. » In 8 B.C. the Roman Senate honored Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, by changing the name of their month « Sextilis » to « Augustus. » Middle …
Who is September named? September is named after the Roman emperor Sebtemberus Severus and has nothing to do with the number of the month.
When did we lose 11 days?
The eleven days referred to here are the ‘lost’ 11 days of September 1752, skipped when Britain changed over from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, bringing us into line with most of Europe.
Why is September called September?
September comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven,” because it was the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.
Is 2022 a leap year? Why 2022 isn’t a leap year
The last leap year was 2020. So 2024 will be our next leap year, a 366-day-long year, with an extra day added to our calendar (February 29). We’ll call that extra day a leap day.
Is Feb 30 possible?
Today, the month of February has 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years. But February 30 has been a real date at least twice in history. February 30 happened in Sweden in 1712.
What is the 6th month? June, sixth month of the Gregorian calendar.
Was there ever a 32nd day?
In leap year, however, it contained an extra « Sebaste day », the Roman leap day, and thus had 32 days. From the lunar nature of the old calendar we can fix the starting date of the new one as 24 January, a.d. IX Kal.
Was there ever 13 months in a year? The 13-month calendar as used by Kodak in 1928 and 1989. By 1928, Kodak had implemented Costworth’s calendar and Eastman himself took on the responsibility of promoting it to the world on his dime.
Why are the months named?
Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and public holidays are regulated by Pope Gregory XIII’s Gregorian Calendar, which is itself a modification of Julius Caesar’s calendar introduced in 45 B.C. The names of our months are therefore derived from the Roman gods, leaders, festivals, and numbers.
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Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au You might also like the podcast Imagine This, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on Curious Kids.
How did the months get their names? — Sylvie, age 8, Brisbane.
The names of the months are very old and they come from ancient Rome. Rome is the capital of Italy and several thousand years ago it was the heart of a very powerful empire (which is like a kingdom, only bigger).
In the very beginning of the Roman calendar (more than 2000 years ago), there were only 10 months in the year. The Romans based this version on the ancient Greek calendar. Later, however, the Romans added in two more. The names of some of the months also changed a few times.
Here’s how the early version would have looked.
Shutterstock
In the early days
MARCH: Happy New Year! March was the start of the year for the Romans. The beginning of spring was the time when everyone could go out and start fighting each other, so the month was named after Mars – the Roman god of war.
APRIL: The name for this month may come from a Roman word for “second” – aprilis – as it was the second month of the Roman year.
MAY: Spring is in full bloom for the Romans in May, and this month is named after Maia – a goddess of growing plants.
JUNE: This month is named after Juno, the queen of the Roman gods.
Shutterstock
JULY: This month used to be called Quintilis – the Roman word for “fifth” as it was the fifth month of the Roman year. It was later changed to July by the ruler of Roman world, Julius Caesar, after his family name (Julius).
Shutterstock
AUGUST: This month was first called Sextillia – the Roman word for “sixth”, as it was the sixth month of the Roman year. It was later changed to August by the Emperor Augustus, and he named it after himself.
SEPTEMBER: The name for this month comes from the Roman word for “seventh” – septimus – as it was the seventh month of the Roman year.
OCTOBER: The name for this month comes from the Roman word for “eighth” — octavus — as it was the eighth month of the Roman year.
NOVEMBER: The name for this month comes from the Roman word for “ninth” – nonus – as it was the ninth month of the Roman year.
DECEMBER: The name for this month comes from the Roman word for “tenth” – decimus – as it was the tenth month of the Roman year.
Then a few extra months were added…
JANUARY: This was one of the extra months that the Romans added to the year. This month was named after Janus – the god of beginnings and endings. He is often depicted as having two faces.
By Loudon dodd — Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, CC BY
FEBRUARY: This is another extra month that the Romans added to the calendar. They put it right after January. Its name comes from a festival that was held at this time called Februa. The festival aimed to cleanse the city of evil spirits and welcome health and fertility.
Because the Romans put two new months into the year, the names of the months do not make sense anymore. If our year started in March as it did for the Romans, December would still be the tenth month.
But 450 years ago, people who used this calendar started thinking that January was the first month of the year. So now December in the twelfth month for the Western calendar.
Read more:
Curious Kids: why are there different seasons at specific times of the year?
Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au
An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Julius Caesar as an emperor instead of the ruler of the Roman world. It also said the lead picture showed Caesar, instead of Augustus. These errors were introduced in the editing process and have now been corrected.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| << | May | >> | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa |
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | |
| 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
| 2023 |
May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States (Memorial Day) and Canada (Victoria Day) that ends on Labor Day, the first Monday of September.
May (in Latin, Maius) was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for «elders,» and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or «young people» (Fasti VI.88).
Mayapples blooming. Common name given due to the plant’s tendency to bloom in the month of May.
Special devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary take place in May
Eta Aquariids meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The Arietids shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The Virginids also shower at various dates in May.
Ancient Roman observances[edit]
Under the calendar of ancient Rome, the festival of Bona Dea fell on May 1, Argei fell on May 14 or May 15, Agonalia fell on May 21, and Ambarvalia on May 29. Floralia was held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 on the Julian calendar, and lasted until May 3. Lemuria (festival) fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The College of Aesculapius and Hygia celebrated two festivals of Rosalia (festival), one on May 11 and one on May 22. Rosalia was also celebrated at Pergamon on May 24–26. A military Rosalia festival, Rosaliae signorum, also occurred on May 31. Ludi Fabarici was celebrated on May 29 – June 1. Mercury would receive a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15). Tubilustrium took place on May 23 as well as in March. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.[citation needed]
May symbols[edit]
-
May’s birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success.
- The May birth flowers are the Lily of the Valley and the Crataegus monogyna.[1] Both are native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States, but have been naturalized throughout the temperate climatic world.
-
The «Mayflower» Epigaea repens is a North American harbinger of May, and the floral emblem of both Nova Scotia and Massachusetts. Its native range extends from Newfoundland south to Florida, west to Kentucky in the southern range, and to Northwest Territories in the north.
- The zodiac signs for the month of May are Taurus (until May 20) and Gemini (May 21 onwards).[2][3]
May observances[edit]
Month-long observances[edit]
- Working class history month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month[4]
- In Catholic tradition, May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Celiac Awareness Month
- Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.[5]
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness month[6]
- Flores de Mayo (Philippines)
- Garden for Wildlife month[7]
- Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month (International)[8]
- International Mediterranean Diet Month[9]
- Kaamatan harvest festival (Labuan, Sabah)
- New Zealand Music Month (New Zealand)[10]
- National Pet Month (United Kingdom)[11]
- National Smile Month (United Kingdom)
- Season of Emancipation (April 14 to August 23) (Barbados)
- Skin Cancer Awareness Month[12]
- South Asian Heritage Month (International)
- World Trade Month[13]
United States[edit]
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- National ALS Awareness Month
- Bicycle Month
- National Brain Tumor Awareness Month [14]
- National Burger Month [15][16]
- Community Action Awareness Month (North Dakota)[17]
- National Electrical Safety Month[18]
- National Foster Care Month[19]
- National Golf Month [20]
- Jewish American Heritage Month
- Haitian Heritage Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month[21]
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- National Military Appreciation Month[22]
- National Moving Month [23]
- National Osteoporosis Month [24]
- National Stroke Awareness Month[25]
- National Water Safety Month [26]
- Older Americans Month [27]
Non-Gregorian observances[edit]
(All Baha’i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)
- List of observances set by the Bahá’í calendar
- List of observances set by the Chinese calendar
- List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar
- List of observances set by the Islamic calendar
- List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar
Movable observances, 2020[edit]
- Phi Ta Khon (Dan Sai, Loei province, Isan, Thailand) Dates are selected by village mediums and can take place anywhere between March and July.
- National Small Business Week (United States): May 5 – 11[28]
- National Hurricane Preparedness Week (United States): May 5 – 11[29]
- New Zealand Sign Language Week: May 6 – 12[30]
- Green Office Week (Britain, United States): May 13 – 17[31]
- Walk Safely to School Day (Australia): May 17[32]
- Emergency Medical Services Week (United States): May 19 – 25[33]
- Bike to Work Week Victoria (May 27 – June 2)[34]
Movable Western Christian observances, 2020 dates[edit]
- Special devotions to the Virgin Mary take place in May. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Labour Day: May 1
- International Workers’ Day
Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5
- Jubilate Sunday
Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 6–7
- Hocktide (England)
Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 12
- Cantate Sunday
- Good Shepherd Sunday
Fourth Friday after Easter: May 17
- Store Bededag (Denmark)
Third Sunday of May: May 19
- Feast of Our Lady of the Audience
Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26
- Rogation Sunday
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 27–29
- Minor Rogation days
39 days after Easter: May 30
- Feast of the Ascension
- Father’s Day (Germany)
- Festa della Sensa (Venice)
- Global Day of Prayer
- Sheep Festival (Cameroon)
Movable Eastern Christian observances, 2020 dates[edit]
Wednesday after Pascha: May 1
- Bright Wednesday
Thursday after Pascha: May 2
- Bright Thursday
Friday after Pascha: May 3
- Bright Friday
Saturday after Pascha: May 4
- Bright Saturday
8th day after Pascha: May 5
- Thomas Sunday
2nd Tuesday of Pascha, or 2nd Monday of Pascha, depending on region: May 6 or May 7
- Radonitsa (Russian Orthodox)
2nd Sunday following Pascha: May 12
- Sunday of the Myrrhbearers
4th Sunday of Pascha: May 26
- Sunday of the Paralytic
Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic: May 29
- Mid-Pentecost
Non-religious and civic observances with movable dates[edit]
Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May[edit]
- National Arbour Week (Ontario, Canada)
First Thursday[edit]
- Arbour Day (Nova Scotia, Canada)
- National Day of Prayer (United States)
- National Day of Reason (United States)
First Saturday[edit]
- Kentucky Derby
- Free Comic Book Day
- Green Up Day (Vermont, United States)
- World Naked Gardening Day
First Sunday[edit]
- Mother’s Day (Angola, Cape Verde, Hungary, Lithuania, Mozambique, Portugal, Spain)
- World Laughter Day
- Children’s Day (South Korea)
First full week[edit]
- National Teacher Appreciation Week (United States)
- North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
Tuesday of First full week[edit]
- National Teacher Appreciation Day (United States)
Wednesday of first full week[edit]
- Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day
Second week in May[edit]
- National Stuttering Awareness Week (United States)
First Tuesday[edit]
- World Asthma Day
Friday preceding Second Sunday in May[edit]
- Military Spouse Day (United States)
- National Public Gardens Day (United States)
Saturday closest to May 10[edit]
- National Train Day (United States)
Second Saturday[edit]
- International Migratory Bird Day (Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean)
- National Tree Planting Day (Mongolia)
Second Weekend[edit]
- National Mills Weekend (United Kingdom)
- World Migratory Bird Day
Second Sunday[edit]
- National Nursing Home Week (United States)
- Children’s Day (Spain)
- Father’s Day (Romania)
- Mother’s Day (Anguilla, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe)
- State Flag and State Emblem Day (Belarus)
- World Fair Trade Day
Week of May 12[edit]
- National Nursing Week (United States)
Third Weekend, including Friday[edit]
- Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo, Japan)
Third Friday[edit]
- Arbour Day (Prince Edward Island, Canada)
- National Defense Transportation Day
- Endangered Species Day (United States)[35]
- National Pizza Party Day (United States)[36]
Third Saturday[edit]
- The Preakness Stakes is run, second jewel in the triple crown of horse racing.
- Armed Forces Day (United States)
- Culture Freedom Day
- Sanja Matsuri
- World Whisky Day
Third Sunday[edit]
- Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers
- Father’s Day (Tonga)
- Feast of Our Lady of the Audience
- Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo, Japan)
Monday on or before May 24[edit]
- Victoria Day (Scotland)
Third Monday[edit]
- Discovery Day (Cayman Islands)
Monday on or before May 25[edit]
- National Patriots’ Day (Quebec)
Last Monday preceding May 25[edit]
- Victoria Day (Canada)
May 24, or the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on a weekend[edit]
- Bermuda Day (Bermuda)
Saturday closest to May 30[edit]
- Armed Forces Day (Spain)
Last Weekend[edit]
- Kyiv Day (Kyiv)
Last Sunday[edit]
- Arbor Day (Venezuela)
- Children’s Day (Hungary)
- Mother’s Day (Algeria, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, Tunisia)
- Turkmen Carpet Day (Turkmenistan)
Last Monday[edit]
- Heroes’ Day (Turks and Caicos Islands)
- Memorial Day (United States), a public holiday, is on May 30, but observed on the last Monday in May.
- Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day (Fiji), removed as a national holiday in 2010.
Last Wednesday[edit]
- World Multiple Sclerosis Day
Last Thursday[edit]
- Take a Girl Child to Work Day (South Africa)
Fixed observances in May[edit]
- April 29 to May 5 in Japan, which includes four different holidays, is called «Golden Week». Many workers have up to 10 days off. There is also ‘May sickness’, where new students or workers start to be tired of their new routine. (In Japan the school year and fiscal year start on April 1.)
- Mayovka, in the context of the late Russian Empire, was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May, hence the name. Eventually, «mayovka» (specifically, «proletarian mayovka») came to mean an illegal celebration of May 1 by revolutionary public, typically presented as an innocent picnic.[37]
- May 1
- Armed Forces Day (Mauritania)
- Beltane (Ireland, Neopaganism)
- Constitution Day (Argentina)
- Lei Day (Hawaii, United States)
- May Day (International observance)
- May 2
- Anniversary of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (Community of Madrid, Spain)
- Birth Anniversary of Third Druk Gyalpo (Bhutan)
- Flag Day (Poland)
- Indonesia National Education Day
- May 3
- Constitution Day (Poland)
- Constitution Memorial Day (Japan)
- Roodmas
- Sun Day (International)
- World Press Freedom Day
- May 4
- Anti-Bullying Day (United Nations)
- Bird Day (United States)
- Cassinga Day (Namibia)
- Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (Slovakia)
- Greenery Day (Japan)
- International Firefighters’ Day
- May Fourth Movement commemorations:
- Literary Day (Taiwan)
- Youth Day (China)
- Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled (Afghanistan)
- Remembrance of the Dead (Netherlands)
- Restoration of Independence day (Latvia)
- Star Wars Day (International observance)
- World Give Day
- Youth Day (Fiji)
- May 5
- Children’s Day (Japan, Korea)
- Cinco de Mayo
- Constitution Day (Kyrgyzstan)
- Coronation Day (Thailand)
- Europe Day in Europe (uncommon usage, largely replaced by May 9).
- Feast of al-Khadr or Saint George (Palestinian people)
- Indian Arrival Day (Guyana)
- International Midwives’ Day
- Liberation Day (Denmark)
- Liberation Day (Netherlands)
- Lusophone Culture Day (Community of Portuguese Language Countries)
- Martyrs’ Day (Albania)
- Patriots’ Victory Day (Ethiopia)
- Senior Citizens Day (Palau)
- Tango no sekku (Japan)
- May 6
- Martyrs’ Day (Gabon)
- Martyrs’ Day (Lebanon and Syria)
- International No Diet Day
- Teachers’ Day (Jamaica)
- The first day of Hıdırellez (Turkey)
- St George’s Day related observances (Eastern Orthodox Church):
- Day of Bravery, also known as Gergyovden (Bulgaria)
- Đurđevdan (Gorani, Roma)
- Police Day (Georgia)
- Yuri’s Day (Russian Orthodox Church)
- May 7
- Defender of the Fatherland Day (Kazakhstan)
- Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (Vietnam)
- Radio Day (Russia, Bulgaria)
- May 8
- Miguel Hidalgo’s birthday (Mexico)
- Parents’ Day (South Korea)
- Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continues to May 9
- Truman Day (Missouri, United States)
- White Lotus Day (Theosophy)
- World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
- Veterans Day (Norway)
- VE Day in Western Europe. In Eastern Europe it is celebrated on May 9.
- May 9
- Anniversary of Dianetics (Church of Scientology)
- Europe Day (European Union)
- Liberation Day (Guernsey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
- Liberation Day (Jersey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
- Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continued from May 8.
- Victory Day observances, celebration of the Soviet Union victory over Nazi Germany (Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan)
- Victory Day over Nazism in World War II (Ukraine)
- Victory and Peace Day (Armenia) marks both the capture of Shusha (1992) in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, and the end of World War II.
- May 10
- Children’s Day (Maldives)
- Confederate Memorial Day (North Carolina and South Carolina)
- Constitution Day (Federated States of Micronesia)
- Golden Spike Day (1869 – Completion of the First transcontinental railroad – Promontory Summit, Utah)[38]
- Independence Day (Romania), celebrating the declaration of independence of Romania from the Ottoman Empire in 1877.
- Liberation Day (Sark), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
- May 11
- National Technology Day (India)
- Statehood Day (Minnesota)
- Vietnam Human Rights Day (Vietnam)
- May 12
- Saint Andrea the First Day (Georgia (country))
- Day of the Finnish Identity (Finland)
- International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day
- International Nurses Day
- May 13
- Abbotsbury Garland Day (Dorset, England)
- Heroes’ Day (Romania)
- Rotuma Day (Rotuma, Fiji)
- May 14
- Hastings Banda’s Birthday (Malawi)
- First day of Izumo-taisha Shrine Grand Festival. (Izumo-taisha, Japan)
- National Unification Day (Liberia)
- May 15
- Beginning of Tourette Syndrome awareness month. It ends on June 15
- Army Day (Slovenia)
- Constituent Assembly Day (Lithuania)
- Independence Day (Paraguay)
- International Day of Families
- Nakba Day (Palestinian communities)
- Peace Officers Memorial Day (United States)
- Republic Day (Lithuania)
- Saint Ubaldo Day
- Teachers’ Day (Colombia, Mexico, South Korea)
- May 16
- Martyrs of Sudan (Episcopal Church (USA))
- St Brendan Birthday & Feast day
- Mass Graves Day (Iraq)
- National Day, declared by Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan)
- Teachers’ Day (Malaysia)
- May 17
- National Day Against Homophobia (Canada)
- International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, also known as IDAHOT[39]
- Birthday of the Raja (Perlis)
- Children’s Day (Norway)
- Constitution Day (Nauru)
- Galician Literature Day (Galicia (Spain))
- World Hypertension Day
- World Information Society Day
- Liberation Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Navy Day (Argentina)
- Norwegian Constitution Day
- May 18
- Baltic Fleet Day (Russia)
- Battle of Las Piedras Day (Uruguay)
- Day of Remembrance of Crimean Tatar genocide (Ukraine)
- Flag and Universities Day (Haiti)
- Independence Day (Somaliland) (unrecognized)
- International Museum Day
- Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day (Sri Lankan Tamils)
- Revival, Unity, and Poetry of Magtymguly Day (Turkmenistan)
- Teacher’s Day (Syria)
- Victory Day (Sri Lanka)
- World AIDS Vaccine Day
- May 19
- Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkey, Northern Cyprus)
- Greek Genocide Remembrance Day (Greece)
- Hồ Chí Minh’s Birthday (Vietnam)
- Malcolm X Day (United States of America)
- National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
- Hepatitis Testing Day (United States)
- May 20
- Day of Remembrance (Cambodia)
- Emancipation Day (Florida)
- European Maritime Day (European Council)
- Independence Day (Cuba)
- Independence Day, East Timor
- Josephine Baker Day (NAACP)
- National Awakening Day (Indonesia)
- National Day (Cameroon)
- World Metrology Day
- May 21
- Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)
- Circassian Day of Mourning (Circassians)
- Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)
- Navy Day (Chile)
- Saint Helena Day, celebrates the discovery of Saint Helena in 1502.
- World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (International)
- One of the three festivals of Vejovis (Roman Empire)
- May 22
- Abolition Day (Martinique)
- Harvey Milk Day (California)
- International Day for Biological Diversity (International)
- National Maritime Day (United States)
- National Sovereignty Day (Haiti)
- Republic Day (Sri Lanka)
- Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (Ukraine)
- Unity Day (Yemen)
- World Goth Day
- May 23
- Constitution Day (Germany)
- Labour Day (Jamaica)
- Students’ Day (Mexico)
- World Turtle Day
- May 24
- Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Roman Catholicism)
- Aldersgate Day/Wesley Day (Methodism)
- Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador)
- Commonwealth Day (Belize)
- Independence Day (Eritrea)
- Lubiri Memorial Day (Buganda)
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (Eastern Orthodox Church) and its related observance:
- Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgaria)
- Saints Cyril and Methodius, Slavonic Enlighteners’ Day (North Macedonia)
- May 25
- Africa Day (African Union)
- African Liberation Day (African Union)
- Day of Youth
- Geek Pride Day
- Independence Day (Jordan)
- Liberation Day (Lebanon)
- May Revolution (or Revolución de Mayo), a national holiday in Argentina
- International Missing Children’s Day
- Last bell (Russia, post-Soviet countries)
- Liberation Day (Lebanon)
- National Day (Argentina)
- National Missing Children’s Day (United States)
- National Tap Dance Day (United States)
- Towel Day
- May 26
- Crown Prince’s Birthday (Denmark)
- Independence Day (Guyana)
- Independence Day (Georgia)
- Mother’s Day (Poland)
- National Day of Healing (Australia)
- National Paper Airplane Day (United States)
- May 27
- Armed Forces Day (Nicaragua)
- Children’s Day (Nigeria)
- Mother’s Day (Bolivia)
- Navy Day (Japan)
- Slavery Abolition Day (Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin)
- World MS Day
- Start of National Reconciliation Week (Australia)
- May 28
- Armed Forces Day (Croatia)
- Downfall of the Derg Day (Ethiopia)
- Flag Day (Philippines) (Display of the flag in all places until June 12 is encouraged)
- Independence Day (Armenia)
- Republic Day (Nepal)
- TDFR Republic Day
- Youm-e-Takbir (Pakistan)
- May 29
- Army Day (Argentina)
- International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (International)
- Oak Apple Day (England), and its related observance:
- Castleton Garland Day (Castleton)
- Statehood Day (Rhode Island and Wisconsin)
- Veterans Day (Sweden)
- World Digestive Health Day
- May 30
- Anguilla Day (Anguilla)
- Canary Islands Day (Spain)
- Indian Arrival Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Lod Massacre Remembrance Day (Puerto Rico)
- Mother’s Day (Nicaragua)
- Parliament Day (Croatia)
- May 31
- Anniversary of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Brunei)
- Castile–La Mancha Day (Castile-La Mancha)
- Visitation of Mary (Western Christianity)
- World No Tobacco Day (International)
See also[edit]
- List of historical anniversaries
References[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to May.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to May.
Look up May in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- ^ «U101 College Search». shgresources.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11.
- ^ The Earth passed the junction of the signs at 13:49 UT/GMT May 20, 2020, and will pass it again at 19:37 UT/GMT May 20, 2021.
- ^ «Astrology Calendar», yourzodiacsign. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.
- ^ «May is Better Hearing & Speech Month». asha.org.
- ^ «Raise CF Awareness». cff.org. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
- ^ «What Can I Do for May Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month?». www.lifewitheds.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
- ^ «May is Garden for Wildlife Month». nwf.org.
- ^ «Raising awareness of Huntington’s Disease».
- ^ «International Mediterranean Diet Month». oldwayspt.org.
- ^ Cactuslab. «NZ Music Month 2015 — Official Site». nzmusicmonth.co.nz.
- ^ «National Pet Month – promoting responsible pet ownership across the UK». nationalpetmonth.org.uk.
- ^ «Skin Cancer Awareness Month Reminder». skincancer.org. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
- ^ «World Trade Month». Archived from the original on 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
- ^ Frank Ranieri. «Miles for Hope is now Brain Tumor Alliance». milesforhope.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15.
- ^ «Hamburgers and Purifiers for All | we really do eat massive hamburgers!». Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
- ^ «Denver’s Best Burgers – Celebrate National Burger Month with the Mile High City’s 25 tastiest beef-and-bun combos». 5280 Magazine. 5280 Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ «Community Action Awareness Month». nd.gov. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18.
- ^ «Electrical Safety Foundation International». esfi.org.
- ^ «National Foster Care Month 2015: Building Blocks Toward Permanent Families». childwelfare.gov.
- ^ «National Golf Month at Mipins». nationalgolfmonth.com.
- ^ «May is Hepatitis Awareness Month». cdc.gov. 2 April 2021.
- ^ «NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH 2005». nmam.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ McGuire, Holly; Keil, Kathryn (2010). Chase’s 2010 Calendar of Events. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
- ^ «National Osteoporosis Foundation». nof.org.
- ^ «Stroke Awareness Resource Center». Stroke.org.
- ^ «National Water Safety Month». nationalwatersafetymonth.org.
- ^ GovTrack.us: Tracking the U.S. Congress[dead link]
- ^ «National Small Business Week Virtual Summit». National Small Business Week Virtual Summit. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. «Social Media: Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 5-11, 2019». www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ «New Zealand Sign Language Week». Archived from the original on 2018-05-06. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- ^ «green office week». US Forest Service. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ «Walk Safely to School Day, 2020». Walking SA. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ «EMS Week». www.acep.org. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- ^ «2019 Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week». Go By Bike BC. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. «U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Endangered Species Day». fws.gov. Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- ^ «NATIONAL PIZZA PARTY DAY – Third Friday in May». National Day Calendar.
- ^ «Маевки». homofestivus.ru. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- ^ «Ceremony at «Wedding of the Rails,» May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah». World Digital Library. 1869-05-10. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
- ^ «IDAHOT Forum 2018 — Lisboa | From global to local politics: Equality everywhere, for everyone». www.cig.gov.pt. 10 February 2018. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
"Special Days in May 2023".techhelpguide.com.
May is known as a month of transition. If you live in the northern hemisphere, the fresh cold winds are gone, and the rains of early spring.
By the time May comes around, the spring flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and life is starting to seem a little more joyful day by day!
If you’re on the other side of the world, in the southern hemisphere, then it’s a time when summer is long gone. The fall winds have swept by, and the nights are getting colder and darker.
It’s a time of change, yet still delightfully warm.
Again, May is a time of change, no matter where in the world you are.
What is it about May that’s so significant though? Let’s take a look at this a-may-zing month!
The name May is the modern-day English adaption of the Latin word Maius, which has origins going back to the time of the ancient Greeks. They named the month of May (or Maius) after the Greek goddess of growth.
A Roman poet by the name of Ovid had different ideas surrounding the etymology of the naming of May. He claimed that it was from the word Maiores, the Latin for “elders,” that the month gained its name.
The word May wasn’t actually used until the middle ages were on their way out, around the 15th Century AD. Up until then, the Roman word Maius was still used.
May used to have a very different name in Old English. Back then, the month was referred to as the “month of three milkings.” Unsurprisingly, this meant that during this month, you could milk your cows up to three times per day!
May was once considered an incredibly ill-omened time to get married. There’s an adage for it actually, which goes: “Marry in May and you’ll rue the day.” It’s not clear where exactly the saying comes from, but there must have been a pretty good reason not to get married in one of the most beautiful months of the year!
May isn’t just a bad time to get married, though. There’s the Cornish superstition that buying a new broom in May is unlucky. Oh, and apparently, you shouldn’t wash any blankets either!
May is the month that the Eurovision song contest is held every year. For those not in the know, Eurovision is an international song contest that has been held every year since 1956. Some of the contest winners over the years have gone on to be incredibly successful groups, with the most notable being ABBA!
May is a special time for Star Wars fans worldwide and always a good reason to re-watch the movies. May the 4th is celebrated as Star Wars day, due to the way the date sounds similar to “May the Force.” We won’t start the debate over whether the old movies are better than the new ones, because we all know the answer to that!
Every year there is a particular meteor shower in May called the Eta Aquariids meteor shower. Discovered in 1870, this meteor shower passes by Earth between April 19 and May 28. It’s easiest to view it from the equatorial regions of the world and can be glimpsed passing by just before dawn.
It is said that those born in May have a greater chance of being more successful in life and experience more love. While this may not be scientifically factual, it has been noticed that people born in May understand the importance of love and success more than others.
The Empire State Building opened its doors on May 1, 1931. At the point of its construction, it held the record for being the tallest building in the world. Many other sky-high constructions have since dwarfed it, but it’s still an awe-inspiring feature of the New York cityscape!
Back in the day in Europe, it wasn’t a good May if you didn’t celebrate it with a maypole. In the UK, at least, they were present since at least 1350 AD. Celebrants would erect a long pole and attach flowers, garlands, and strips of fabric to it, around which certain dances would take place.
May is a pretty good month for US presidents. Every other month of the year, at least one US president has died, but never in May!
May is pretty exclusive when it comes to days of the week. No other month in one single year starts or finishes on the same weekday as May. Basically, if the first of May is on a Friday, and the 31st of May is on a Sunday, no other months in the year will start or end on a Friday or a Sunday!
The birthstone for May is the emerald. Emeralds are a type of stone called beryl and typically range from a deep-sea green to a lighter color. Emeralds are symbols of fertility and rebirth.
May actually has two birth flowers – the Lily-of-the-Valley and the Hawthorn. The Hawthorn flower is a symbol of hope, while the Lily-of-the-Valley represents the return of happiness and sweetness.
May also has two Zodiac signs, Taurus and Gemini. People born under the sign of Taurus are said to be ambitious and smart, yet trustworthy. Those born under the sign of Gemini are said to be passionate, adaptable, and smart.
May has some pretty interesting month-long observances. In the U.K., May is National Pet Month and National Smile Month. In the US, May is National Burger Month, Older Americans Month, and National Military Appreciation Month.
May also has some pretty wacky days! Hawaii celebrates Lei Day on the first of May, which also happens to be May Day. Utah celebrates Golden Spike Day on May 10th after the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed. May 29th is celebrated as Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day!
Many famous people were born in May, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Karl Marx, Clint Eastwood, Wes Anderson, John F. Kennedy, Queen Victoria, and Catherine the Great!
As you can see, May isn’t just a fantastic time of the year for weather – it’s also got some pretty cool history.
As the fifth month of the year, it would be so easy for it to slip by without notice, if not for all the interesting observances throughout the month!
A month is a unit of time, used with calendars, that is approximately as long as a natural orbital period of the Moon – the words month and Moon are cognates.
The traditional concept arose with the cycle of Moon phases – such lunar months (“lunations”) are synodic months and last approximately 29.53 days.
Each month has either 28, 30, or 31 days during a common year, which has 365 days. During leap years, which occur nearly every 4 years, we add an extra (intercalary) day, Leap Day, on 29 February, making leap years 366 days long.
From excavated tally sticks, researchers have deduced that people counted days in relation to the Moon’s phases as early as the Paleolithic age.
Our current Gregorian calendar and its predecessor, the Julian calendar, both have 12 months. However, the month names we use today are derived from the Roman calendar, which initially had only 10 months, with the calendar year starting in March (Martius).
The Gregorian Calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world today. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a minor modification of the Julian calendar, reducing the average year from
365.25 days to 365.2425 days, and adjusting for the drift in the ‘tropical’ or ‘solar’ year that the inaccuracy had caused during the intervening centuries.
The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC and replaced the Roman calendar. The Julian calendar is still used in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts of Oriental Orthodoxy as well as by the Berbers.
The Roman calendar, was a very complicated lunar calendar, based on the moon phases. It required a group of people to decide when days should be added or removed in order to keep the calendar in sync with the astronomical seasons, marked by equinoxes and solstices.
The Hellenic calendars, the Hebrew Lunisolar calendar and the Islamic Lunar calendar started the month with the first appearance of the thin crescent of the new moon.
January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The first day of the month is known as New Year’s Day. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter) and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer). January is named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions in Roman mythology.
February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Having only 28 days in common years, February is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. The Roman month Februarius was named after the Latin term februum, which means “purification”, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar.
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The name of March comes from Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus.
April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, the fifth in the early Julian. The Romans gave this month the Latin name Aprilis but the derivation of this name is uncertain. The traditional etymology is from the verb aperire, “to open”, in allusion to its being the season when trees and flowers begin to “open”, which is supported by comparison with the modern Greek use of άνοιξη (ánixi) (opening) for spring.
May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. May was named for the Greek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for “elders,” and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or “young people” (Fasti VI.88).
June is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The Latin name for June is Junius. Ovid offers multiple etymologies for the name in the Fasti, a poem about the Roman calendar. The first is that the month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, the goddess of marriage and the wife of the supreme deity Jupiter – the second is that the name comes from the Latin word iuniores, meaning “younger ones”, as opposed to maiores (“elders”) for which the preceding month May (Maius) may be named. Another source claims June is named after Lucius Junius Brutus, founder of the Roman Republic and ancestor of the Roman gens Junia.
July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is on average the warmest month in most of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the second month of summer, and the coldest month in much of the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the second month of winter. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of Roman general Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Before that, it was called Quintilis, being the fifth month of the 10-month calendar.
August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the 6th month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in
753 BC, with March being the first month of the year. In 8 BC, it was renamed in honor of Emperor Augustus. According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.
September is the ninth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It marks the beginning of the ecclesiastical year in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is the start of the academic year in many countries of the northern hemisphere, in which children go back to school after the summer break, sometimes on the first day of the month. September comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven,” because it was the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.
October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The name for this month comes from the Roman word for “eighth” – octavus – as it was the eighth month of the Roman year. The Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair). It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
November is the eleventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It takes its name from the Latin word for the number nine. November was referred to as Blōtmōnaþ by the Anglo-Saxons. Brumaire and Frimaire were the months on which November fell in the French Republican Calendar.
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. December got its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC which began in March.