Why January?

Where does the word "JANUARY" come from?

by Maria

The turn of a new year is the opportunity to try and learn new things, improve as a person, and strive for an achievement. January is associated with all these things (given that it is the first month of the year), but have you ever thought about where the word actually comes from? If it means anything besides the first month of the year? I asked these questions and did some research. What are the answers?

January is named after Janus, the god of new beginnings, gates, time, and transition in Roman mythology. Roman mythology is the people of ancient Rome’s beliefs and tales. Rome has their own set of gods, similar to Greece and Egypt. Janus is one of them. He is often depicted as having two faces, one looking at the past and one looking towards the future.

It’s relatively easy to guess why the first month of the year was named after this god. January is a fresh start for many, people often creating new years resolutions. It is also a time to reflect on the past year and learn from it.

When you think about it, there are so many things to learn about and discover. Lots of people don’t know the history behind January. Hopefully this mini article helped you gain understanding.