Did you know September derives its name from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven,” reflecting its position as the seventh month in the early Roman calendar?
Before the Julian reform of 45 BCE, the Roman year began in March, which made September the seventh of ten months. When January and February were later added to the start of the year, September became the ninth month, but its name remained unchanged.
The Roman calendar’s numerical naming pattern also survives in October (octo, eight), November (novem, nine), and December (decem, ten). September’s retention of its original name offers a linguistic trace of Rome’s early timekeeping practices and the evolution of the Western calendar.
