months.now This month

Month Names and Numbers

Which month is number 7? The full name-to-number reference, with where each name came from.

A complete month name and number reference — all twelve with their numbers, standard three-letter abbreviations, and the origin of each name. The current month is highlighted. Useful whenever a form, a filename or a date format wants a number rather than a word.

Numbers are safer than names in data

Month numbers are unambiguous across languages; month names are not, and three-letter abbreviations differ between locales. This is one reason ISO 8601 uses 2026-07 rather than any spelled form — see month names in other languages.

The four numbered names

September, October, November and December literally mean seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth. They kept their names when January and February were added at the start of the year, leaving a permanent off-by-two. July and August were renamed for Julius Caesar and Augustus, replacing Quintilis and Sextilis — the fifth and sixth. Details in where month names come from.

Guides about Month Numbers

Calendar notes Month Names in Other Languages: Latin Roots, Native Names and Numbers How month names work across languages: the Latin-derived families, the languages that number months instead of naming them, and the traps this creates for dates. 5 min read Calendar notes Where Month Names Come From: The Origin of Each Month Name Each month is named after a Roman god, festival, emperor or number. Here is the origin of all twelve names and how the Latin set reached English. 5 min read Calendar notes Why September Is the Ninth Month When Its Name Means Seventh September means seventh yet sits ninth in the year. The explanation is a Roman calendar that began in March, two months bolted onto the front, and no renaming. 5 min read

More months.now pages

This Month The current month with its number, day count, quarter, progress and a calendar grid. Next Month Next month's name, number, day count and calendar — useful for planning ahead. Days in a Month Pick any month and year and get the day count, with the full twelve-month table alongside. Which Quarter The current calendar quarter, how far through it we are, and how fiscal years shift the answer.

Frequently asked questions

What month is number 7?
July. The months run January 1 through December 12, and the table above lists all of them.
Why does September mean seventh?
Because the Roman year originally began in March, making September the seventh month. The name survived when January and February were added at the start.
Are three-letter month abbreviations standard?
In English yes, but they differ by language, which is why numeric months are safer in data.