Why are English days named what they are?

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Ever wondered why Monday is called Monday or how Wednesday got its name? The names of the days of the week in English have fascinating origins, rooted in ancient history and steeped in mythology. Understanding these origins not only enriches our language ability but also provides intriguing insights into cultural heritage.

Origins of the days of the weeks names
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Origins of the seven-day week

The concept of a seven-day week has ancient origins, tracing back to the Babylonians around 1500 BCE. The Babylonians, keen astronomers, divided their lunar cycle into four weeks of seven days each, aligning with the phases of the moon. This practice was later adopted by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who found the seven-day cycle practical and meaningful.

The ancient Hebrews' influence also played a crucial role in establishing the seven-day week. According to the biblical account of creation, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, establishing a divine precedent for a seven-day cycle. This tradition was deeply ingrained in Hebrew culture and religious practices.

By the 1st century CE, the Romans had formalized the seven-day week, integrating it into their calendar system. This structure, combining astronomical observations and religious traditions, eventually spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, becoming the foundation of the modern seven-day week we use today.

In the Arabic and Hebrew calendars, the day begins at sunset, which contrasts with the Swahili concept of the day starting at sunrise and the Western world, where the day starts at midnight. This highlights the cultural influences on how days are numbered and identified within these different calendrical systems.

Origins of days of the week

How did Monday get its name? Meaning of Monday

Monday is named after the Moon. The Old English word for Monday was ѴDzԲԻæ, which translates to "Moon's day". This naming convention is quite common across various languages; for instance, in Latin, it's dies Lunae, also meaning "day of the Moon".

Tuesday name origin

Tuesday is named after the Norse god (also known as Tyr), a god of war and sky. The Old English term վɱæ directly reflects this association. The connection to Mars, the Roman god of war, can also be seen in other languages, such as French (mardi).

Why is Wednesday called Wednesday?

Wednesday is named after (or Woden), the chief god in Norse mythology. The Old English ´ǻԱæ translates to "Woden's day". This day is associated with Mercury in Roman mythology, which is why it's called éDZ in Spanish and mercredi in French.

Thursday name meaning

Thursday is named in honor of , the Norse god of thunder. The term 'Thor's day' serves as the etymological basis for Thursday. In Old English, it was Þū԰æ (Thunor’s day). The link to Jupiter, the Roman king of gods and god of thunder, explains the name jeudi in French and jueves in Spanish.

Friday history and meaning

Friday is named after (also known as Frigga or Freya), the Norse goddess associated with love and beauty. The Old English term æ means "Frigg's day". In Roman mythology, this day is linked to Venus, the goddess of love, which is reflected in names like viernes in Spanish and vendredi in French.

Saturday name origin

Saturday is unique among the English day names as it retains its Roman origin, specifically named after the Roman god , the Roman god of wealth and time. The Old English æٱԱæ directly references this deity. Interestingly, in other Germanic languages, the name often refers to the Sabbath, such as Samstag in German.

Sunday - The sun's day

Sunday is named after the Sun. Icelandic uniquely retains 'only the Sun' as the name for Sunday, rejecting names derived from pagan gods. The Old English ܲԲԲԻæ translates to “Sun’s day”, reflecting its importance and reverence in various cultures. This name is consistent across many languages, highlighting the widespread significance of the Sun.

The importance of understanding day names etymology

Understanding the etymology of day names helps language learners grasp the historical context and deepens their appreciation of English. These names are more than just labels for days; they are windows into ancient beliefs, cultures and linguistic evolution. The influence of Greek and Latin names on the naming of the days of the week during the Greco-Roman tradition is particularly notable, as the classical planets from Hellenistic astrology played a significant role in this process.

Exploring the origins of the day names in English reveals a blend of mythology, history and language evolution. From the Moon to Norse gods to Roman deities, each name tells a story of cultural significance.

Read our blog posts 'Fantasy, the English language and Tolkien' and 'How the English language has changed over the decades'.

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    In the early years of primary school, a child's brain is developing more quickly than it ever will again. Young minds are in the process of forming their very first habits, and so learning to pay attention on purpose will have a .

    The why: why is this particularly important in schools?

    If you're a teacher wondering why this is important, mindfulness has many benefits in the classroom. Perhaps the most notable is its facility for improving children's attention span during English lessons and elsewhere in life. This is increasingly important as children are immersed in a world of digital screens and social media. Learning to focus can help to counteract the constant demands on their attention and develop greater patience and staying power for any one activity.

    , experts agree that our attention span varies depending on what we are doing. The more experience we have of how much attention a certain situation needs, the more the brain will adapt and make it easier for us to focus on those situations.

    The brains of school-age children develop rapidly. So, the more we can do to demonstrate to them what it feels like to pay attention for a prolonged period, the more likely they are to be able to produce that level of attention in similar situations.

    For teenagers it is even more important. During adolescence, our brains undergo a unique period of neural development. The brain rapidly streamlines our neural connections to make the brain function as efficiently as possible in adulthood. Like a tree shedding branches, it will get rid of any pathways that are not being used and strengthen up the areas that are being used: use it or lose it. So if teenagers are not actively using their ability to pay conscious attention and spending too much time in automatic pilot mode, through screen use and in periods of high exam stress, the brain won't just not strengthen their capacity to focus; it may make it harder for them to access the ability to pay attention in future.

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    2. Mindful snacking

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    • Hold the snack in your hand and notice five things you can see about it
    • Close your eyes and notice five things about the way it feels in your hand or to touch
    • Keep the eyes closed and notice five things you can smell about the snack
    • Bring the snack slowly to your mouth and taste it – notice five different subtle tastes

    3. Counting the breath

    A brilliantly simple exercise to teach the brain to focus attention on one thing for a longerperiod of time. It can be done anywhere and can also have the helpful side effect ofreducing stress through passively slowing down the breath.

    • Close your eyes or take a soft gaze in front of you
    • Focus your attention on the breath going in and out at the nostrils
    • Notice the breath temperature on the way into the nose compared to its temperature on the way out
    • Count 10 breaths to yourself – in 1, out 1; in 2, out 2; and so on
    • If the mind wanders, gently guide it back to the breath
    • When you get to 10 you can either stop there or go back to 1 and start again
    • In time, it will become easier to stay focused for the full 10 breaths and for even longer

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