Did you ever wonder “Why is January the first month of the year?” And do you know where the word January comes from? I had these same questions! I did some research and here is what I found.
The first month of the year is called January, the name comes from the ancient Roman god Janus. Janus is a god with 2 heads. One head looks ahead and the other looks behind.
Keep reading to learn more interesting facts about this Roman god who is always looking forward and backward.
January Etymology
Etymology – the origin and history of a particular word
The January etymology takes us back to ancient Roman times with a connection to ancient Roman mythology. The Romans named the first month after their god, Janus.
Janus (/ˈdʒeɪnəs/ JAY-nəs; Latin: Ianvs [ˈi̯aːnʊs]) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus
January is the first month of the year. It’s a time for serious thoughts.
We look back at the year behind us, and we can see all of our experiences and everything we learned in the past 365 days.
We also look forward to the coming year. We plan and work to improve our lives.
So we look at our past year and use what we have learned to prepare us for the new year.
We look forward and back, a little bit like the Roman god Janus. Janus has two heads that face in opposite directions. One looks back to the past year and one looks forward to the New Year.
Janus
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Janus’ name comes from a Latin word that means “door.” Doors can symbolize opening and closing, beginning and ending, so it’s a good meaning to use at the end of one year and the beginning of the next. SOURCE
symbolize verb (symbolize something) to be a symbol of something
synonym represent
- “The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil.”
Fun Facts
I’m an English teacher living in Japan. Every day, I’m experiencing new things about Japan and Japanese culture. During my first year here (2006) I heard the name of a common new year party that companies, clubs, and friends enjoy at the end of the year. It’s called a bōnenkai (忘年会).
These 3 characters mean 忘 “forget,” 年 “year,” and 会 “gathering.” It’s a party to forget the previous year. I like this meaning.
Of course, we learned things and made progress last year, but the idea is to “forget” any negative things that happened. The focus is on a successful and beautiful future. We don’t let any negative past experiences affect us.
Did you know? One of the moons of Saturn is also called “Janus.” It is named after the same Roman god.
Where Does The Word January Come From? Conclusion
- January is a time for thinking about the year that has passed. We remember what we did and what we learned.
- It’s also a time to think about the year ahead. We make plans and set goals for the future.
- Just like Janus, we look back and look forward at the same time.
So the first month of the year is called January, a name that comes from Janus. A god with 2 heads (one looking ahead and one looking behind) whose meaning is related to doors. It’s the perfect fit!
What did you learn from this past year? What are your plans and your hopes for the coming year?
Welcome to a new year.
A new beginning.
A fresh start.
I wish you all the best this coming year and every year! Share with us in the comments!
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Helpful links for more info about how January got its name.
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/months/january.html
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/whats-name-months-year
