While many Slavic languages officially use Latin-derived names for the months of the year in the Gregorian calendar, there is also a set of older names for the twelve months that differs from the Latin month names, as they are of Slavic origin. In some languages, such as the Serbian language these traditional names have since been archaized and are thus seldom used.
The original names of the months of the year in the Slavic languages closely follow natural occurrences such as weather patterns and conditions common for that period, as well as agricultural activities.
Many months have several alternative names in different regions; conversely, a single "Slavic name" may correspond to different "Roman names" (for different months, usually following each other) in different languages.
The Slavic names of the months have been preserved by a number of Slavic people in a variety of languages. The conventional month names in some of these languages are mixed, including names which show the influence of the Germanic calendar (particularly Slovene, Sorbian, and Polabian)[1] or names which are borrowed from the Gregorian calendar (particularly Polish and Kashubian), but they have been included here nonetheless.
In Latvian and Lithuanian, the Baltic names of the months are preserved, which partially coincide with the Slavic ones, which suggests that some of these names may date back to the time of Balto-Slavic linguistic unity. Latvian and Lithuanian names are also shown in this table for comparison.
Words are colored according to etymology.
| Belarusian | Belarusian: студзень studzen′ | Belarusian: люты ljuty | Belarusian: сакавік sakavik | Belarusian: красавік krasavik | Belarusian: чэрвень čèrven′ | Belarusian: ліпень lipen′ | Belarusian: жнівень žniven′ | Belarusian: верасень verasen′ | Belarusian: кастрычнік kastryčnik | Belarusian: лістапад listapad | Belarusian: снежань snežan′ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belarusian: травень traven′ | |||||||||||||
| Ukrainian | Ukrainian: січень sičeń | Ukrainian: лютий ljutyj | Ukrainian: березень berezen′ | Ukrainian: квітень kviten′ | Ukrainian: червень červen′ | Ukrainian: липень lypen′ | Ukrainian: серпень serpen′ | Ukrainian: вересень veresen′ | Ukrainian: жовтень žovten′ | Ukrainian: листопад lystopad | Ukrainian: грудень hruden′ | ||
| Ukrainian: лютень ljuten’ | |||||||||||||
| Rusyn | лютый ljutyj | цвітень cviten′ | жолтень žolten′ | ||||||||||
| Russian archaic | Russian: сечень sečenʹ | Russian: лютень ljutenʹ | Russian: березозол berezozol | Russian: цветень (Russian: цвѣтень) cvetenʹ | Russian: липец (Russian: липецъ) lipec | Russian: листопад (Russian: листопадъ) listopad | Russian: грудень grudenʹ | Russian: студень studenʹ | |||||
| Old East Slavic | стоудѣнь studěnʹ | снежѣнь snežěnʹ | соухїй suhij | берѣзолъ berězolŭ | травѣнь travěnʹ | чѣрвѣнь čěrvěnʹ | липѣнь lipenʹ | сѣрпѣнь sěrpěnʹ | версѣнь versěnʹ | осень osenʹ | листопадъ listopadŭ | гроудѣнь gruděnʹ | |
| Old Church Slavonic | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: просиньць prosinĭcĭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: сѣчьнъ sěčĭnŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: соухъ suhŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: брѣзьнъ brězĭnŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: трѣвьнъ trěvĭnŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: изокъ izokŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: чръвлѥнꙑи črŭvljenyi | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: заревъ zarevŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: роуинъ ruinŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: листопадъ listopadŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: гроудьнъ grudĭnŭ | Church Slavic; Old Slavonic; Church Slavonic; Old Bulgarian; Old Church Slavonic: стоуденъ studenŭ | |
| Bulgarian archaic | Bulgarian: сечен sečen | Bulgarian: люти ljuti | Bulgarian: сухи suhi | Bulgarian: брезен brezen | Bulgarian: тревен treven | Bulgarian: изок izok | Bulgarian: червен červen | Bulgarian: зарев zarev | Bulgarian: руен ruen | Bulgarian: листопад listopad | Bulgarian: груден gruden | Bulgarian: просинец prosinec | |
| Macedonian archaic | Macedonian: коложег koložeg | Macedonian: сечко sečko | Macedonian: цутар cutar | Macedonian: тревен treven | Macedonian: косар kosar | Macedonian: жетвар žetvar | Macedonian: златец zlatec | Macedonian: житар žitar | Macedonian: гроздобер grozdober | Macedonian: студен studen | Macedonian: снежник snežnik | ||
| Serbian archaic | Serbian: дерикожа derikoža | Serbian: лажитрава lažitrava | Serbian: цветањ cvetanj | Serbian: трешњар trešnjar | Serbian: жетвар žetvar | Serbian: гумник gumnik | |||||||
| Croatian | siječanj | veljača | ožujak | travanj | svibanj | lipanj | srpanj | kolovoz | rujan | studeni | prosinac | ||
| Slovene archaic | prosinec | svečan | sušec | mali traven | veliki traven | rožnik | mali srpan | veliki srpan | kimavec | vinotok | listopad | gruden | |
| Slovak archaic | veľký sečeň | malý sečeň | brezen (brezeň) | duben (dubeň) | květen (kveteň) | lipen (lipeň) | klasen (klaseň) | srpen (srpeň) | malý rujen | veľký rujen | mrazen (mrazeň) | ||
| ľadeň | sečeň | ||||||||||||
| Czech | leden | únor | březen | červen | červenec | září | říjen | prosinec | |||||
| Polish | styczeń | luty | kwiecień | czerwiec | lipiec | sierpień | wrzesień | październik | grudzień | ||||
| brzezień (archaic) | trawień (archaic) | ||||||||||||
| łżykwiat (archaic) | |||||||||||||
| Kashubian | stëcznik | gromicznik | strëmiannik | łżëkwiat | czerwińc | lëpińc | zélnik | séwnik | rujan | lëstopadnik | gòdnik | ||
| luti | kwiecéń | miodownik | serzpiéń | wrzeseń | pazdzérznik | grëdzéń | |||||||
| Lower Sorbian archaic | wezymski | swěckowny | pózymski | jatšownik | rozhelony | smažki | žnjojski | jacmjeński | požnjenc | winski | młośny | zymski | |
| Upper Sorbian archaic | wulki róžk | mały róžk | nalětnik | jutrownik | róžownik | smažnik | pražnik | žnjenc | winowc | nazymnik | hodownik | ||
| Polabian extinct | ledemån | rüzac | zürmån | chåidemån | laisemån | pąťustemån | zeminik | haimån | jisinmån | vaińamån | zaimamån | trübnemån | |
| Lithuanian non-Slavic | sausis | vasaris | kovas | balandis | gegužė | birželis | liepa | rugpjūtis | rugsėjis | spalis | lapkritis | gruodis | |
| Latvian archaic, non-Slavic | ziemas | sveču | sērsnu | sulu | lapu | ziedu | liepu | rudzu | viršu (silu) | veļu | salnas | vilku |
The Croatian months used with the Gregorian calendar by Croats differ from the original Latin month names.
| No. | Latin name | English name | Croatian name | Croatian meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin: Ianuarius | January | Croatian: siječanj | from cutting or hewing wood[12] but there are also dialectal terms Croatian: svečan, svičen, sičan that have a meaning 'festive', so there is a possibility of a meaning 'festive month' (as there are several holidays celebrated in January)[13] | |
| 2 | Latin: Februarius | February | Croatian: veljača | month in which days become longer, Croatian: oveljiti se = to get bigger;[14] or to wallow, to roll Croatian: valjati, to indicate unstable weather[15] | |
| 3 | Latin: Martius | March | Croatian: ožujak | lying month (Croatian: laž>ož; Croatian: laž = a lie), because the weather is changing often[16] [17] | |
| 4 | Latin: Aprilis | April | Croatian: travanj | from growing grass, Croatian: trava[18] | |
| 5 | Latin: Maius | May | Croatian: svibanj | from budding Cornel tree Croatian: svib[19] | |
| 6 | Latin: Iunius | June | Croatian: lipanj | from linden tree, Croatian: lipa[20] | |
| 7 | Latin: Iulius | July | Croatian: srpanj | from reaping with a sickle, Croatian: srp[21] | |
| 8 | Latin: Augustus | August | Croatian: kolovoz | from driving a wagon (for harvest) — wheel Croatian: kolo + drive Croatian: voz[22] | |
| 9 | Latin: September | September | Croatian: rujan | from an archaic verb for deer roaring[23] or from a poetic word for blushing, rosy[24] | |
| 10 | Latin: October | October | Croatian: listopad | from falling leaves — leaf Croatian: list + fall Croatian: padati[25] | |
| 11 | Latin: November | November | Croatian: studeni | from cold, Croatian: studen[26] | |
| 12 | Latin: December | December | Croatian: prosinac | the beginning of the Sun's shining, to dawn Croatian: sinuti;[27] or from Croatian: sinji, greyish blue color[28] |
The names of Czech months are, as in Belarusian, Croatian, Kashubian, Polish, and Ukrainian, not based on the Latin names used in most European languages. The suffix -en is added to most of the months' names.
| No. | Latin name | English name | Czech name | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ianuarius | Czech: leden | From led, "ice". | ||
| 2. | Februarius | Czech: únor | Probably from the word root -nor-, infinitive form nořit (se), "to plunge, to welter", as the ice welters under the lake surface. | ||
| 3. | Martius | Czech: březen | Either from bříza, "birch", or from březí, "gravid, with young", as the forest animals, mainly hares and rabbits, are pregnant at that time.[29] | ||
| 4. | Aprilis | Czech: duben | Derived from dub, "oak". | ||
| 5. | Maius | Czech: květen | From květ, "blossom". Originally máj, "May". The word květen first appeared in Jungmann's translation of Atala from 1805 as a poetism and translation for French lune de fleurs (month of flowers), but quickly gained acceptance. Jungmann was probably also influenced by the Polish word kwiecień ("April"). | ||
| 6. | Iunius | Czech: červen | Either from červený, "red", or from červ, "worm", both related to fruit. | ||
| 7. | Iulius | Czech: červenec | The same as červen with a diminutive suffix ec, lit. "small červen". | ||
| 8. | Augustus | Czech: srpen | From srp, "sickle" - used for harvesting. | ||
| 9. | September | Czech: září | From Old Czech zářij, from za říje. (See říjen.) Folk etymology derives it from zářit, "to blaze, glow, radiate, shine". | ||
| 10. | October | Czech: říjen | From říje, "rutting", the time when the – mainly deer – males want to couple. | ||
| 11. | November | Czech: listopad | Literally "leaf-fall". | ||
| 12. | December | Czech: prosinec | Either from prosit, "to pray, beg, to ask, to plead", possibly relating to holidays at this time, or from prosinalý, "pallid", from siný, deep blue, because the sky is usually pallid at this time. |
See main article: Macedonian months. The Macedonian language has two sets of names of the months of the Gregorian calendar. The most commonly used set of names is derived from the Latin month names and these are used by the vast majority of the Macedonian population. However, there is also a set of older names for the twelve months of Slavic origin that differ from the Latin month names, although their usage is archaized and largely restricted to folk literature and religious calendars issued by the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
The origin of the Macedonian month names is closely related to the agricultural activities that occur in the corresponding period, or to the weather conditions common for that period. Some months have alternative names in different regions. The usage of modern Latin month names among Macedonians started towards the end of the 19th century, as a result of mass education.
| No. | Latin name | English name | Macedonian Cyrillic | Macedonian Latin | Old Macedonian name | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ianuarius | January | Јануари | Januari | Коложег | Koložeg | Month of burning tree trunks | |
| 2. | Februarius | February | Февруари | Fevruari | Сечко | Sečko | Month of ice | |
| 3. | Martius | March | Март | Mart | Цутар | Cutar | Month of blossoming | |
| 4. | Aprilis | April | Април | April | Тревен | Treven | Month of grass | |
| 5. | Maius | May | Мај | Maj | Косар | Kosar | Time of flowering grasses and shrubs | |
| 6. | Iunius | June | Јуни | Juni | Жетвар | Žetvar | Time of maturity of the first yield of fruits | |
| 7. | Iulius | July | Јули | Juli | Златец | Zlatec | Golden month | |
| 8. | Augustus | August | Август | Avgust | Житар | Žitar | Month of wheat | |
| 9. | September | September | Септември | Septemvri | Гроздобер | Grozdober | Month of harvesting grapes | |
| 10. | October | October | Октомври | Oktomvri | Листопад | Listopad | Month of leaves falling | |
| 11. | November | November | Ноември | Noemvri | Студен | Studen | Month of cold | |
| 12. | December | December | Декември | Dekemvri | Снежник | Snežnik | Month of snow |
The names of Polish months are, as in Belarusian, Croatian, Czech, Kashubian, and Ukrainian, not based on the Latin names used in most European languages, with the exception of March and May, which were borrowed from the Gregorian calendar.
| No. | Latin name | English name | Polish name | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ianuarius | Polish: styczeń | Inherited from Old Polish sieczeń, from Proto-Slavic *sěčьnь (“winter month of cutting wood”), derived from Proto-Slavic *sěča (“cutting wood”), from Proto-Slavic *sěťi (“to cut”), with -ty- possibly by influence from the word tyka (“pole, rod, branch, beam”).[30] | ||
| 2. | Februarius | Polish: luty | Inherited from Old Polish luty, from Proto-Slavic *ľutъ (“harsh, cruel, severe”).[31] | ||
| 3. | Martius | Polish: marzec | Borrowed from Middle High German marz, from Old High German merzo, from Latin Mārtius (“of or belonging to Mars, the god of war”). Diplaced Old Polish brzezień.[32] | ||
| 4. | Aprilis | Polish: kwiecień | Inherited from Proto-Slavic *květьnь, derived from Proto-Slavic *květъ (“flower”). Diplaced Old Polish łżykwiat.[33] | ||
| 5. | Maius | Polish: maj | Borrowed from Latin Maius (“of or belonging to Maia, the goddess of growth”). Diplaced Old Polish trawień.[34] | ||
| 6. | Iunius | Polish: czerwiec | Inherited from Old Polish czyrwiec. By surface analysis, from czerw (“maggot; red dye made from bugs”) + -iec. Diplaced Old Polish czyrwień possibly under influence of marzec and later lipiec.[35] | ||
| 7. | Iulius | Polish: lipiec | Inherited from Proto-Slavic *lipьcь. By surface analysis, from lipa (“linden, lime-tree, basswood”) + -iec. Diplaced Old Polish lipień.[36] | ||
| 8. | Augustus | Polish: sierpień | Inherited from Proto-Slavic *sŕ̥pьnь. By surface analysis, from sierp (“sickle”) + -eń.[37] | ||
| 9. | September | Polish: wrzesień | Derived from wrzos (“heather”) + -eń.[38] | ||
| 10. | October | Polish: październik | Derived from paździerz (“boon, hurds, shives, shoves”) + -nik.[39] | ||
| 11. | November | Polish: listopad | Inherited from Proto-Slavic *listopadъ. By surface analysis, from liść (“leaf”) + -o- + padać (“to fall”).[40] | ||
| 12. | December | Polish: grudzień | Inherited from Proto-Slavic *grudьnъ. By surface analysis, from gruda (“clod, heap, lump”) + -eń.[41] |
The names of Russian months used with the Gregorian calendar by vast majority of the Russian population. The most of names for the twelve months of Slavic origin that is differ from the Latin month names and standardized set of archaic that issued by Old Church Slavonic.
| No. | Latin name | English name | Russian Cyrillic | Russian Latin | Russian name (archaic) | Transliteration | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ianuarius | January | Russian: Январь | Janvar' | Russian: Сечень | Sečen' | Month of cutting wood | |
| 2. | Februarius | February | Russian: Февраль | Fevral' | Russian: Лютень | Ljuten' | Month of harshing | |
| 3. | Martius | March | Russian: Март | Mart | Russian: Берeзозол | Berezozol | Month of birch | |
| 4. | Aprilis | April | Russian: Апрель | Aprel' | Russian: Цветень (Russian: Цвѣтень) | Cveten' | Month of blossoming | |
| 5. | Maius | May | Russian: Май | Maj | Russian: Травень | Traven' | Month of grass | |
| 6. | Iunius | June | Russian: Июнь | Ijun' | Russian: Червень | Červen' | Month of gules | |
| 7. | Iulius | July | Russian: Июль | Ijul' | Russian: Липец (Russian: Липецъ) | Lipec | Month of linden tree | |
| 8. | Augustus | August | Russian: Август | Avgust | Russian: Серпень | Serpen' | Month of sickle | |
| 9. | September | September | Russian: Сентябрь | Sentjabr' | Russian: Вересень | Veresen' | Month of heather | |
| 10. | October | October | Russian: Октябрь | Oktjabr' | Russian: Листопад (Russian: Листопадъ) | Listopad | Month of leaves falling | |
| 11. | November | November | Russian: Ноябрь | Nojabr' | Russian: Грудень | Gruden' | Month of heap | |
| 12. | December | December | Russian: Декабрь | Dekabrí | Russian: Студень | Studen' | Month of cold |
See main article: article and Slovene months. Many of the names in the standardized set of archaic Slovene month names first occur in the Škofja Loka manuscript, written in 1466 by Martin of Loka.[42]
| No. | Latin name | English name | Slovene name | Slovene name (archaic) | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ianuarius | Slovenian: januar | Slovenian: prosinec | '(sun) shining through';[43] [44] | ||
| 2. | Februarius | Slovenian: februar | Slovenian: svečan | perhaps 'dry' or 'cut' (influenced by svečnica 'Candlemas'); | ||
| 3. | Martius | Slovenian: marec | Slovenian: sušec | '(earth) dry (enough for cultivation)'; | ||
| 4. | Aprilis | Slovenian: april | Slovenian: mali traven | 'small grass'; | ||
| 5. | Maius | Slovenian: maj | Slovenian: veliki traven | 'large grass'; | ||
| 6. | Iunius | Slovenian: junij | Slovenian: rožnik | 'flowers' (a translation of German Rosenmonat); | ||
| 7. | Iulius | Slovenian: julij | Slovenian: mali srpan | 'small sickle' (i.e., reaping); | ||
| 8. | Augustus | Slovenian: avgust | Slovenian: veliki srpan | 'large sickle' (i.e., reaping); | ||
| 9. | September | Slovenian: september | Slovenian: kimavec | 'nodding (fruit)'; | ||
| 10. | October | Slovenian: oktober | Slovenian: vinotok | 'wine flowing' (a translation of German Weinmonat); | ||
| 11. | November | Slovenian: november | Slovenian: listopad | 'falling leaves'; | ||
| 12. | December | Slovenian: december | Slovenian: gruden | 'biting (cold)' or 'clumped (earth)'; |
The names of Ukrainian months are not based on the Latin names used in most European languages. Latin names are not used at all, though it's possible to hear distorted versions of Russian or Polish names in surzhyk sometimes. The suffix -en is added to most of the months' names.
| № | Months | Transliteration | Meaning | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English name | Ukrainian name | ||||
| 1. | Ukrainian: січень | sichen | Derives from – place, cleared from trees and plants, which is itself derived from (of the same meaning).[45] It is a reference to slash-and-burn agricultural practice.[46] [47] | ||
| 2. | Ukrainian: лютий(arch. Ukrainian: лютень) | liutyi (liuten) | Derives from – fierce, savage. It was called so due to an extremely cold temperatures.[48] Both names were used simultaneously up to the first half of the XX century, but the simplified adjective form prevailed eventually.[49] [50] [51] [52] | ||
| 3. | Ukrainian: березень | berezen | Derives from – birch. Birches usually begin to bloom in the end of March, which is also a time of a birch sap collection.[53] | ||
| 4. | Ukrainian: квітень | kviten | Derives from – bloom. It was called so due to the intensive blooming of most known species of flowers, growing in Ukraine. It is also has connections with the birch bloom.[54] | ||
| 5. | Ukrainian: травень | traven | From – grass. The name comes from various grasses that abundantly cover the earth with green growth in this months. | ||
| 6. | Ukrainian: червень | cherven | From – cochineal, a bug active in the first half of summer. The month used to share this name with the bug previously. | ||
| 7. | Ukrainian: липень | lypen | From – linden. This name is associated with the exuberant flowering of linden trees and the period of collecting linden honey. | ||
| 8. | Ukrainian: серпень | serpen | From – sickle. This month marks the start of grain harvest in Ukraine. Sickle is the most known tool used in this process. | ||
| 9. | Ukrainian: вересень | veresen | From – heather.[55] Heather is a honey plant, which usually begins to bloom in the start of this month. | ||
| 10. | Ukrainian: жовтень | zhovten | From – yellow. This names comes from autumn yellowing of leaves. | ||
| 11. | Ukrainian: листопад | lystopad | Literally means leaf-fall. It is a combination of Ukrainian words листя and пад – leaves and fall respectively. | ||
| 12. | Ukrainian: грудень | hruden | From – lump. A reference to snow conditions of this month. | ||