The Gregorian calendar, which is the most frequently used calendar used in the United States and many other parts of the world, has been used since all the way back into 1582. The months have been around for thousands of years, however, the history of these names aren’t commonly known. 

January, the first month of the year, originates from the Roman god Janus, who is the god of transitions. His name is based on the Latin word for “doorway,” which makes sense, considering the fact that many people use the month as a time to open to a new chapter in their life. Janus is famously depicted with two different faces since he symbolizes both beginnings and endings, with one face looking into the past, and the other into the future. 

In ancient Roman times, the gates of the temple of Janus were opened to indicate that Rome was at war and to allow the god’s power to assist Roman soldiers. When closed, it meant that peace, an extremely rare and celebrated event, was throughout the empire and would be secured inside. These doors were said to have been closed only in 235 BC, after the Punic wars.

Cites –

https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/whats-name-months-year

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gregorian-calendar

https://wordsmarts.com/january-name/?lctg=b47287bf-a39b-45f7-9d63-19f293ec4520

https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names

https://okmag.com/blog/the-two-faces-of-january

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/encyclopaedia_romana