Moon Names
Throughout history, people have used full moons to mark the passage of seasons, creating a natural calendar. Many full moons were given unique names inspired by signs in nature. Discover the special names and meanings of each full moon of the year.
Where Do Moon Names Come From?
The moon names featured in The Old Farmer's Almanac come from a mix of Native American, Colonial American, and other longstanding North American traditions passed down over generations. For instance, January's "Wolf Moon" likely originated in England and was introduced to North America by European settlers rather than rooted in Native American culture.
Some of the names here may have been used historically but are no longer used by certain groups today. Many names are English interpretations of terms originally used in Native American languages and are only loosely aligned with the months of the Gregorian calendar. You may also notice that some names appear in multiple months.
Why Native Americans Named the Moons
Early Native Americans didn’t use months like we do today with the Julian or Gregorian calendars. Instead, they kept track of time by watching the seasons and the phases of the Moon, though each tribe did this a little differently. Some tribes had four seasons in a year, starting with spring or fall, while others counted five seasons. Some tribes saw a year as having 12 Moons, while others counted 13. Tribes that used a lunar calendar sometimes added an extra Moon every few years to keep up with the changing seasons.
Each tribe named the full or new Moons, or lunar months, in a unique way. Some tribes used 12 names for the year, while others used as few as 5 or 6, and some even changed the names from year to year. A Moon name used by one tribe might be different from that used by another for the same time or might represent a different season altogether. The names often described activities or common events in their area during that time.
Colonial Americans adopted some of these Native American Moon names. They matched them to their own calendar, first the Julian and later the Gregorian, and integrated European traditions. Since most people in North America use the Gregorian calendar today, we’ve listed the Moon names according to that calendar as a familiar reference point.
JANUARY
Full Wolf Moon
The howling of wolves is often heard at this time of year. While some say that wolves howl because they are hungry, wolves actually howl to mark their territory, find other pack members, strengthen social bonds, and gather together for hunting.
FEBRUARY
Full Snow Moon
February is typically a time of heavy snowfall.
MARCH
Full Worm Moon
This Moon is traditionally believed to be named after earthworms that come out of the warming spring soil. However, in the late 1700s, Jonathan Carver suggested that this Moon might actually refer to another kind of “worm” — larvae — that start to appear from tree bark and other winter hiding spots around this time.
APRIL
Full Pink Moon
This full Moon got its name from the blooming of “moss pink,” or wild ground phlox — one of the earliest spring flowers to appear.
MAY
Full Flower Moon
This month, flowers bloom in abundance.
JUNE
Full Strawberry Moon
This was the time to gather ripening strawberries in what is now the Northeastern United States.
JULY
Full Buck Moon
A buck’s (male deer’s) antlers are in full growth mode this time of year.
AUGUST
Full Sturgeon Moon
Sturgeon in The Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were said to be most readily caught during this full Moon.
SEPTEMBER
Full Corn Moon
The Harvest Moon is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. In 2024, this happens in September.
This time also corresponds with the traditional harvesting of corn.
OCTOBER
Full Hunter’s Moon
This is the month when the game is fattened up for winter. Now is the time for hunting and laying in a store of provisions for the long months ahead.
NOVEMBER
Full Beaver Moon
This was the time when beavers finished preparations for winter and retreated into their lodges.
DECEMBER
Full Cold Moon
This is the month when the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights become long and dark.
Cited Sources:
1. https://www.aianta.org/native-american-moon-names/
2. https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names
