Wordymology is a series in which the editors at The Free
Dictionary explore the origins of the names of things.
Have you ever
wondered how the days of the week got their names? You can thank two celestial
bodies, four gods, and one goddess (or maybe two)!
The ancient
Mesopotamians first associated the days of the week with figures from
astrology
and mythology, and the ancient Romans kept this tradition alive in their own
naming conventions. The speakers of other languages, though, swapped the Roman
gods and goddesses for some of their own, and that change has had a lasting
impact on the names of the days in modern English.
Sun Day and Moon Day
The first two
days of the week evoke solar and lunar power, respectively. The ancient Romans
celebrated diēs sōlis, meaning “day of
the sun.” “Sunday,”
as we know it, comes from the Old English word Sunnandæg,
which is a translation of the Latin name.
The word “Monday” comes from the Old English word Mōnandæg, meaning “moon's day” (mōna means “moon,” and dægmeans “day”). This is a translation of the
day’s Latin name, diēs lūnae (“day
of the moon”).
Tiu’s Day
The Romans
called Tuesday diēs Mārtis (“day of Mars”) in honor of
Mars, the Roman god of war. In Old English, Mars was replaced with Tiu
(sometimes spelled “Tiw”), the Germanic god of war. As a result, diēs Mārtis became Tīwesdæg in Old English. The names used in
Middle English are even closer to our “Tuesday”: Tewesday and Tuesdai.
Woden’s Day
The Latin name
for Wednesday is dies Mercurii, meaning “day of Mercury.” In Old
English, “Woden” was substituted for Mercury and the name Wōdnesdæg (“Woden's day”) was used
instead. The counterpart of the Norse god Odin, Woden is the supreme god in
Germanic mythology, and is commonly identified with Mercury, the Roman god of
commerce and the messenger of the gods.
Thor’s Day
The Romans
called Thursday diēs Jovis, meaning ”day of Jupiter” (“Jove” is
another name for Jupiter, the supreme Roman god). Yet in Old English, this name
became Thūres dæg, a name likely
influenced by the Old Norse Thōrsdagr,
meaning “Thor's day.” Thor is the Norse god of thunder and the sky, and he is
commonly identified with Jupiter.
Freya’s Day... Or Frigg’s Day
The Latin name
for Friday—diēs Veneris—invokes Venus, the Roman goddess
of love and beauty. In Old English, Venus was replaced with a Norse goddess—but
which one? The Old English name Frigedæg has
been said to refer to both Freya and Frigg, perhaps because they are both are
goddesses of love (like Venus). Either way, TFIF.
Saturn’s Day
“Saturday” is closely related to the Latin diēs Sāturnī, which literally means “Saturn's
day,” referring to the Roman god of harvests and father of Jupiter. The Old
English name Saternesdæg is a
translation of the Latin name, and “Saturday” is not far removed from the
Middle English word for this day: Saturdai.