爱华网公历一年有12个月，但不少人并不知道12个月的英语名称的来历。公历起源于古罗马历法,那时罗马一年只有10个月，古罗马皇帝决定增加两个月放在年尾，后来朱里斯·凯撒大帝把这两个月移到年初，成为1月、2月，原来的1月、2月便成了3月、4月，依次类推。这就是今天世界沿用的公历。
January——1月
在罗马传说中，有一位名叫雅努斯的守护神，生有前后两副脸，一副回顾过去，一副要眺望未来。人们认为选择他的名字作为除旧迎新的第一个月的名称，很有意义。英语January，便是由这位守护神的拉丁文名字January演变而来的。
The ancient Romans had a god namedJanus whose head had two faces, looking in opposite directions. Hewas the tutelary deity of doorways, and his festival month was atthe beginning of the year, when he could look both backwards at theold year and forwards to the new one. This month was thereforecalled Jānuārius mensis‘month of Janus’ – whence EnglishJanuary.
February——2月
每年2月初，罗马都要杀牲饮酒，欢庆菲勃卢姆节。这一天，人们常用一种牛、草制成的名叫Februa的鞭子，抽打不育的妇女，以求怀孕生子。这一天，人们还要忏悔自己过去一年的罪过，洗刷自己的灵魂，求得神明的饶恕，使自己成为一个贞洁的人。英语2月February，便是由拉丁文Februar-ius（即菲勃卢姆节）演变而来。
Etymologically, February is the‘month of purification’. The word comes via Old French feverier and late Latin febrārius from Latin februārius(English reintroduced the Latin-ruar- spelling in the 14th century). Thiswas a derivative of februa, a word borrowed into Latin from thelanguage of the ancient Sabine people of Italy which was used todesignate a festival of purification held on 15February.
March——3月
3月，原是罗马旧历法的1月，新年的开始。凯撒大帝改革历法后，原来的1月变成3月，但罗马人仍然把3月看做是一年的开始。另外，按照传统习惯，3月是每年出征远战的季节。为了纪念战神玛尔斯，人们便把这位战神的拉丁名字作为3月的月名。英语3月March，便是由这位战神的名字演变而来的。
The month-name March goes back viaOld French to Latin Martius, literally the ‘month of Mars, thegod of war’ (Mars also gave English martial).
April——4月
罗马的4月，正是大地回春，鲜花初绽的美好季节。英文4月April便由拉丁文April（即开花的日子）演变而来。
Aprīlis was the name given by the Romans tothe fourth month of the year. It is thought that the word may bebased on Apru, an Etruscan borrowing ofGreek Aphrō, a shortened version of Aphroditē, the name of the Greek goddess oflove. In that case Aprīlis would have signified for the Romans‘the month of Venus'. English acquired the word direct from Latin,but earlier, in the 13th century, it had borrowed the Frenchversion, avril; this survived, as averil, until the 15th century in England,and for longer in Scotland. The term April fool goes back at leastto the late 17th century.
May——5月
罗马神话中的女神玛雅，专门司管春天和生命。为了纪念这位女神，罗马人便用她的名字——拉丁文Maius命名5月，英文5月May便由这位女神的名字演变而来。
May the month-name comes via OldFrench mai from Latin Maius. This was originally an adjectivemeaning ‘of Maia’, Maia being a Roman goddess and wife of Vulcan(her name may go back to the same source as Latin magnus ‘large’, and hence denote ‘growth’ or‘increase’). In the month of May the hawthorn comes into flower,and so in the 16th century the tree received the namemay.
June——6月
罗马神话中的裘诺，是众神之王，又是司管生育和保护妇女的神。古罗马对她十分崇敬，便把6月奉献给她，以她的名字——拉丁文Junius来命名6 月。英语6月June便由这位女神的名字演变而来。也有学者认为，Junius可能是个代拉丁家族中一个显赫贵族的姓氏。
June is the month of Juno, the Romangoddess of women and marriage, and wife and sister of Jupiter. Its Latinname was Jūniusmēnsis, ‘Juno’s month’, andJūnius passed into English via OldFrench juin.
July——7月
罗马统治者朱里斯·凯撒大帝被刺死后，著名的罗马将军马克·安东尼建议将凯撒大帝诞生的7月，用凯撒的名字——拉丁文Julius（即朱里斯）命名之。这一建议得到了元老院的通过。英语7月July由此演变而来。
July was the month in which JuliusCaesar was born. Originally in ancient Rome it was calledQuintilis, literally ‘fifth month’ (the Romanyear began in March), but after the death and deification of Caesarits name was changed in his honour. Latin Jūlius passed into English via Anglo-Normanjulie, and until the 18thcentury the word was usually pronounced to rhyme with truly (as therelated woman’s name Julie still is).
August——8月
朱里斯·凯撒死后，由他的甥孙屋大维续任罗马皇帝。为了和凯撒齐名，他也想用自己的名字来命名一个月份。他的生日在9月，但他选定8月。因为他登基后，罗马元老院在8月授予他Augustus（奥古斯都）的尊号。于是，他决定用这个尊号来命名8月。原来8月比7月少一天，为了和凯撒平起平坐，他又决定从2月中抽出一天加在8月上。从此，2月便少了一天。英语8月August便由这位皇帝的拉丁语尊号演变而来。
The month of August was named by theRomans after their emperor Augustus (63BC–14 AD). His name wasCaius Julius Caesar Octavian, but the Senate granted him thehonorary title Augustus in 27 BC. This connoted ‘imperial majesty’,and was a specific use of the adjectiveaugustus ‘magnificent, majestic’ (source ofEnglish august ); it may derive ultimately from the verbaugēre ‘increase’ (from which English getsauction and augment).
September——9月
老历法的7月，正是凯撒大帝改革历法后的9月，拉丁文Septem是“7”月的意思。虽然历法改革了，但人们仍袭用旧名称来称呼9月。英语9月September，便由此演变而来。
September is etymologically the‘seventh’ month. The word comes from Latin September, a derivativeof septem ‘seven’ (the Roman year started withMarch). Other English descendants of Latin septem, which is a distant relative ofEnglish seven, include septet and septuagenarian.
October——10月
英语10月，来自拉丁文Octo，即“8”的意思。它和上面讲的9月一样，历法改了，称呼仍然沿用未变。
The Romans calculated the beginningof their year from March, and so the eighth month was calledoctōber or octōbrismēnsis, literally ‘eighth month’ (termsderived from Latin octō ‘eight’). OtherEnglish words derived from Latin octō or its close Greek relativeoktó include octagon, octane, octave, octet,and octopus (fromGreek októpous, literally ‘eightfoot’).
November——11月
罗马皇帝奥古斯都和凯撒都有了自己名字命名的月份，罗马市民和元老院要求当时的罗马皇帝梯比里乌斯用其名命名11月。但梯比里乌斯没有同意，他明智地对大家说，如果罗马每个皇帝都用自己的名字来命名月份，那么出现了第13个皇帝怎么办？于是，11月仍然保留着旧称Novem，即拉丁文“9”的意思。英语11月November便由此演变而来。
The ancient Romans calculated thebeginning of their year from March. Hence they named their ninthmonth novembris or novembermēnsis. November and novembris were derivatives of Latinnovem ‘nine’.
December——12月
罗马皇帝琉西乌斯要把一年中最后一个月用他情妇的Amagonius的名字来命名，但遭但元老院的反对。于是，12月仍然沿用旧名Decem，即拉丁文“10”的意思。英语12月December，便由此演变而来。
December was originally so named bythe ancient Romans (Latin December) because it was the tenth monthof their calendar (which began with March). The term was derivedfrom Latindecem ‘ten’. It reached English via OldFrench decembre.
注：文字来自百度-知道。英语来源于word origins,图片来源网络。
