“May” comes from the Latin “Maius mensis,” meaning “the month of Maia.”
Maia was a Roman goddess associated with growth, fertility, and nurturing young plants — fitting for a time of year when much of the Northern Hemisphere bursts into bloom.
The poet Ovid suggested another theory: that “May” comes from “maiores” (Latin for “elders”), and June comes from “iuniores” (“the young”). In this interpretation, the months form a sequence, honoring elders first, then the younger generation, who carry things forward.
What other months have interesting name origins? 🌸
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