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In general, most of our modern calendars stem from their more ancient counterparts which seem to be based on the phases of the Moon. None of these calendars, however, begins it’s months with the full moon and some, like the Chinese, Jewish, Thai and some Hindu calendars, the full moon always occurs in the middle of a month.
The tradition of naming the full moons of each month goes back for hundreds if not thousands of years and tends to be based upon the seasons of the year. The names traditionally describe the weather patterns of the month or resulting conditions. Although the general belief is that this started with early Native American (Algonquian) tribes living in what is now known as the northern and eastern United States, it would be safe to say that this tradition is not confined to these tribes but is more widespread across the northern hemisphere. (see below and click open). It is a very ancient custom and one which has traveled with us down the long road that is time.
The ancients would have kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each full moon as it occurred. This resulted in the month being called by that name (eg: January would be known as ‘month of (?) the Wolf Moon’). Although there are variations on a theme here, there would be certain names recurring across the board of the Native American tribes. This was further adopted by the European settlers who in some cases would change the name in question and give it one of their own.
There are 13 full moons in a year. If you go by the Gregorian 12 month calendar then there would be inevitably be 2 full moons in one month of any year. This ‘Extra Full Moon’ has a significance all of it’s own. (click here for details). As a result, the dates of this and indeed the other full moons would change from month to month and each year due to fact that the lunar month, by its very nature, is 29 1/2 days long instead of the variable lengths of months we have today.
Below is a breakdown and a list of the more widely used names of the Full Moons and - where possible - an interpretation of the origins of the names. Where that has failed, an opinion has arisen, a supposition has surfaced, or sheer ‘shot in the dark’ guesswork has prevailed!.
JANUARY
Wolf Moon
This name comes from the fact that hungry wolf packs would howl outside the villages of Native Americans during this time of the year. This full moon is also known as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule
FEBRUARY
Storm Moon (also Ice Moon)
Sometimes known as the Ice Moon, which speaks for itself given the time of the year.
MARCH
Chaste Moon (also Storm Moon)
Sometimes Storm Moon. In weather folklore March is the month of the Storm Moon due to the shifting seasonal weather patterns in the northern hemisphere. It is also called seed moon, moon of winds, crow moon, and moon of the snow-blind.
APRIL
Seed Moon (also Growing Moon)
Also known as Growing Moon. Probably a European name given that seeds are more usually sewn at this time in the spring.
MAY
Hare Moon
The hare signifies the fertility of Spring, of new life as the sun returns to the earth with re-birth, abundance, new beginnings and good fortune for all.
JUNE
Dryad Moon (also Flower Moon)
AKA Flower Moon. As the spring turns into Summer, The Dryad or Flower Moon has possibly been named so as the Dryads were nymphs in Indo-European and Greek myth that were directly connected with the trees and plants which would now be in full bloom or growth and their fruits would be apparent. All would be bountiful.
JULY
Blessing Moon (also Jay Moon)
This one’s a tough one and I have to say that I don’t actually know the answer... nor can I find any references to this naming or that of it’s first alternate name, but it should speak for itself!
AUGUST
Corn Moon
Corn moon speaks for itself - When the corn is ripe or as near as...
SEPTEMBER
Harvest Moon
Harvest time and the moon that watches the gathering.
OCTOBER
Blood Moon (also Hunters Moon)
AKA Sanguine Moon. This is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox. It is so called as migrating animals and birds could be hunted by the bright autumnal moonlight. This is particularly relevant to the Native American tribes of North America who would hunt their prey by moonlight at this time.
NOVEMBER
Birch Moon (also Snow Moon)
AKA Beaver, Frost or Snow Moon marks the time when the industrious beaver makes it’s home secure against the winter frost and snow. Beavers do not hibernate, but store sticks and logs in a pile in their ponds, eating the underbark. Some of the pile is generally above water and accumulates snow in the winter - an example to the ancients on how to prepare for the harsher conditions ahead.
DECEMBER
Oak Moon (also Winters' Moon)
Oak is the most sacred tree of the Druids and this moon falls during the time of the Winter Solstice - a sacred time of new beginnings, and and the time of the ‘Return of the Sun’. It is the door that looks back over the past and forward into the future.
BLUE MOON
The term "Blue Moon" traditionally refers to an extra moon in a season: if a season had four full moons (rather than the more common three), then the third of the four moons was known as a blue moon and not the 2nd full moon of a given month as it has sometimes been said. However,since there are on the average 12.37 full moons in a year, a "blue moon" must occur on the average every 2.7 years...
Below is a table of the names of the full moons from various cultures including other common names, and the Hindu and Sinhala or Buddhist equivalents (NB: purnima or pornima is Sanskrit for full moon)
A Magical Moon by any other name... Click HERE to read more.
Click header again to close
Positional name
Associated Month
English names
Algonquian names
Other names used
Hindu names
Buddhist names
Early Winter
January
Wolf Moon
Wolf Moon
Moon After Yule, Ice Moon, Rowan Moon*
Paush Poornima
Duruthu Poya
Mid Winter
February
Storm Moon
Snow Moon
Hunger Moon, Storm Moon, Candles Moon, Ash Moon
Magh Poornima
Navam Poya
Late Winter
March
Chaste Moon
Worm Moon
Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon, Death Moon, Ash Moon*
Frost Moon, Long Night's Moon, Moon Before Yule, Yew Moon*
Margashirsha Poornima
Unduvap Poya
WINTER SOLSTICE
Stress relief test or Werewolf detection device -
Howl at these pix of the moon
and see what happens! click here now! Click header again to close
One more thing... Here are some pictures of the moon I took over the year (2007) - and yes, I did really get to see it in spite of the years terrible, wet and soggy summer, AND these
include one lunar eclipse...
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a second opinion...
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