There were over 200 hundred different moon names across the Germanic world due to the many regional dialects being spoken and each name was a reflection of its local climate or culture. Below I have shared the most widely known and you will notice that some of them are influenced by the Christian calendar. Solar month names which were invented by national romantics had endings such as ‘monat’, ‘ing’, ‘ert’ and ‘ung’. Some names were used for multiple months which can lead to some confusion. For example, Wintermanat, Windmanot and Herbistmanoth were used for the month of September as well as for October and November. In Denmark, the months of June and July were both known as ‘Adder Month’.
I. Lunar Month (Late Jol Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Aeftera Geola (Late Jol Moon) or Giuli (Yule or Christmas Month). Old High German - Wintarmanoth (Winter Month) or Hartimanoth (Hard Month; referring to the hard ice on the ground). Danish - Renden (Reindeer Month) or Glugmaned (Wind Month). Old Norse - Jolmanathr (Yule Month) or Hrutmanuthr (Ram’s Month).
II. Lunar Month (Wallow Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Solmonath (Mud Month or Wallow Month). The Venerable Bede writes that the Anglo Saxons offered cakes to the gods during this month. Old High German - Hornung (meaning horn, corner or nook, ‘the child conceived in the corner’, the bastard child or the short end of the stick. This month is the shortest in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ‘Hornung’ means a child born out of wedlock in Old Norse). German - Sprokelmonat (this month was named after a female figure called Frau Sprokelske meaning ‘The Blaster’, the one who cracks the winter ice open like the sun. She shakes out her cloaks which causes the winds of February. From German speaking regions there is also Wiwermond meaning ‘Old Wives Month’, which refers to the women’s processions that symbolised the exorcism of winter. The snow is caused by the women shaking their aprons just like the folktale of Frau Holle. Danish - Thormaen. Old Norse - Thorri or Thorrmanad (named after the mythical winter jotun-giant meaning frosty drought). And also Morsugur (Fat Sucker).
III. Lunar Month (Lent Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Hrethmonath/Rhethmonath (named after a goddess called Hretha/Rheda). Hlydmonath or Hlytha (Month of the Loudly Thundering Torrents). Old High German - Lenzinmanoth (Spring Month). Danish - Thurrmanad/Tormaned (the month associated with the god Thor, in which weather becomes dry again). And Faremaen (Sheep month). Old Norse - Goi (Goa was most likely a fertility goddess. In the Flateyarbok she is the daughter of the mythical king Thorri. Her name is similar to Frau Gaue or Frau Gode from northern Germanic mythology. Andreas Zautner in his book ‘The Lunisolar Calendar of the Germanic Peoples’, writes that there is also a Germanic snow goddess called Fru Gyja.
IV. Lunar Month (Easter Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Eosturmonath (Easter Month) and Aprelismonath. Bede mentions a goddess called Eostre and says that a feast was dedicated to her during this month. Old High German - Ostarmanoth Danish - Maimaen Old Norse - Einmanathr (may mean first month referring to the first month of summer).
V. Lunar Moon (Merry Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Thrimilce (Named after the cows being milked three times a day) as well as Maius and Maiusmonath. Old High German -Wunnemanoth (Merry Moon. ‘Wunne’ may mean pasture or joyful month). In Swabia it was sometimes Lustmonat (Lustful Month). Danish - Sommermaen (Summer Month). Old Norse - Gaukmanathr (Month of the Cuckoo) or Sathtith (Time of Sowing) or Harpa (meaning unknown).
VI. Lunar Month (Fallow Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Aerra Litha (Early Litha Month) Litha means soft or navigable. Both Litha months (June and July) have calm winds. In the Old English Metrical Calendar, this month is mentioned as Searmonath (Dry, arid, hot month). Also Seremonath, Mithsumormonath and Juniusmonath. Old High German - Brachmanoth (Fallow Moon; when the uncultivated land was ploughed using the three-field rotation method). Danish - Ormemaen (Adder Month). Old Norse - Eggtith and Stekktith (The Time of Eggs, the Season for Roasting Meat, Lamb-Fold-Time). And Skerpla (meaning unknown).
VII. Lunar Month (Hay Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Aeftera Litha (Late Litha month). Also Maedmonath (Month of Cutting Hay and preparing winter fodder). And Juliusmonath. Old High German - Hewimanoth (Hay Moon). Danish - Hoemaen (Hay Moon). Old Norse - Solmanathr (Month of the Sun) or Heyannir (Hay Time).
In an intercalary year, three moons were called Litha. This month was known as Thrilitha. In Danish it was Sildemaen (Late Month).
VIII. Lunar Month (Crop Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Weodmonath (Month of the Weed; when grass grows abundantly) or Augustusmonath. Old High German - Erntemonat (Crop Month) and Erntemond (Crop Moon) or Aranmanoth and Arnotmanoth. Danish - Kornmaen (Grain Crop Month). Old Norse - Tvimanathr (Double Month), Aukanaetur, (From the root word to increase or augment) and Sumarauki (from ‘Summer-eke’, an intercalary week, inserted every seventh year at the end of summer).
IX. Lunar Month (Harvest Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Haligmonath (Holy Month, the month of sacrifices and sacred rites). The southern Anglo Saxons called it Haerfestmonath (Harvest Month). Old High German - Herbstmonat (Harvest Month) and Herbstmond (Harvest Moon) and Witumanoth (Wood Month). Danish - Fiskemaen (Fishing Month). Old Norse - Kornskurtharmanathr (Corn Cutting Month).
X. Lunar Month (Winter Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Winterfylleth (Winter Full Moon; the beginning of winter) or Winmonath (Wine Month) and Se teothamonath (The Tenth Month). Old High German - Wintermanot (Winter Month) and Windumemanoth (Grape Harvest Month or Vintage Month). It was later contracted to Weinmonat (Wine Month) and Weinmond (Wine Moon). Danish - Saedemaen (Autumn Sowing Month). Old Norse - Haustmanathr (Harvest Month).
XI. Lunar Month (Slaughter Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Blodmonath (Month of Sacrifice; the traditional time for butchering and sacred blot). Old High German - Herbistmanoth, Wintermanoth, Windmonat (similar to previous months). German - Nebelmonat (Misty Month) and Nebelmond (Foggy Moon). Danish - Polsemaen (Sausage Month) and Slagtemaned (Slaughter Moon). Old Norse - Gormmanathr (Slaughter Month; ‘gur’ and ‘gor’ are terms for the contents of eviscerated intestines).
XII. Lunar Month (Early Jol Moon)
Anglo Saxon - Aerra Geola (Early Jol) and Giuli. In Christian times this month was called Geohholmonath in Old English. Old High German - Wihimanoth (Hallowing Month) or Heilagmanoth (Sacred Month) referring to the Christmas feast and Christmond (Christ Moon) Danish - Julemaen (Jule Month) and Kristmaned (Christ Month). Old Norse - Ylir (Yule) and Frermanathr (Frost Month). In Christian times this month was called Jolmanuthr.
I hope that you will find this article useful especially if your spiritual practice is rooted in Germanic traditions. If you would like a deeper dive into lunisolar calendars then I have these articles, ‘The Celtic Wheel of the Year’, ‘The Origins of Christmas and Yule (Part 2)’ and ‘The Yule Feast’. Historically, there are so many beautiful moon names besides these ones. My favourites are ‘Stay Home Moon’ (Jan) ‘Bear Moon’ (Feb) ‘Mother’s Moon’ (May) ‘Darkest Depths Moon’ (Nov) and ‘Long Night Moon’ (Dec). Do you have some favourites that are historical or have you created your own moon names that you use? I would love to know.
Take care and brightest blessings, Elissa
2024 Dates for Germanic Festivals (Blots):
Yule 25th January-27th January
Althing/Marklo 25th March
Sigurblot 23rd April-25th April
Winter Nights 17th October-19th October
Yule 2025 13th January-15th January
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Moon, Myth and Image by Jules Cashford (2003). The Lunisolar Calendar of the Germanic Peoples by Andreas E. Zautner. De Temporum Ratione by the Venerable Bede (8th century). Islendingabok by Ari Thorgilsson (12th century). Fasti Danici by Olaus Wormius (17th century). Vita Karoli Magni by Einhard (9th century). Germania by Tacitus (1st century). Looking for the Lost Gods of England by Kathleen Herbert (2000). The Sagas of the Icelanders by Penguin Books (2000)
This is incredible! Such an amazing resource. Thank you! 🌙
This is great, Elissa, thank you for putting it together. I have an interest in lunar-solar ‘calendars’ and festivities, so this is wonderful to read. I think I have got myself confused along the way somewhere because I had thought that there were 13 moons somewhere? I think I may have misunderstood something though!