Full Moon Names

Gary

Full Moon Names are different in every culture. Some are tied to the seasons. Some relate to the environment where people lived. While other names just seem very fanciful. The Full Moons throughout the year have been given names by various cultures down through the centuries (and probably millennia).

Since the Moon orbits the Earth roughly every 27 days, which is shorter than the length of a month, there are 13 or 14 full moons each year rather than 12.

In the West, we typically refer to the second full moon in a month as a Blue Moon. And each year, there are 1 to 2 Blue Moons – full moons that don’t have other specific names like those below.

During a total lunar eclipse, the moon takes on a red of coppery hue and it is sometimes referred to as a Blood Moon. This shouldn’t be confused with the formally named Blood Moon in the English Medieval and Neo Pagan calendars below.

Wolf Moon – Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, wolf packs prowled hungrily around villages in both Europe and America, so this became a name for January’s full moon on both sides of the world.

Flower Moon – the name given to the full moon in April or May by different Native Americans. The different months chosen may have to do when spring arrives in their part of the country.

Harvest Moon – another common name in different cultures for the full moon around September/October. For Native Americans it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. Farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon.

Cold Moon – Different cultures give this name to their December or January full moon. It depends on which month is the coldest in that part of the world.

 

Chinese
January:Holiday MoonJuly:Hungry Ghost Moon
February:Budding MoonAugust:Harvest Moon
March:Sleepy MoonSeptember:Chrysanthemum Moon
April:Peony MoonOctober:Kindly Moon
May:Dragon MoonNovember:White Moon
June:Lotus MoonDecember:Bitter Moon
Celtic
January:Quiet MoonJuly:Moon of Claiming
February:Moon of IceAugust:Dispute Moon
March:Moon of WindsSeptember:Singing Moon
April:Growing MoonOctober:Harvest Moon
May:Bright MoonNovember:Dark Moon
June:Moon of HorsesDecember:Cold Moon
Celtic Ogham
(Dec 24 – Jan 20):Birch (Beith) – New start. Start of a journey. Overcoming difficulties.
(Jan 21 – Feb 17):Rowan (Luis) – Protection. Quickening (new life).
(Feb 18 – March 17):Ash (Nion) – The world tree (Yggdrasil). Provides links and connections. Inner & outer worlds connected.
(March 18 – April 14):Alder (Fearn) – Balances male & female aspects. An oracle.
(April 15 – May 12):Willow (Saille) – Flexibility, adaptability, a feminine tree. Wisdom gained from adversity.
(May 13 – June 9):Hawthorn (Huath) – Opens heart, purity, innocence, helps preparation for tasks.
(June 10 – July 7):Oak (Duir) – Provides strength & courage. A door to inner strength and spirituality. Provides protection.
(July 8 – Aug 4):Holly (Tinne) – Symbol of everlasting life & unconditional love. Provides balance, direction & protection.
(Aug 5 – Sept 1):Hazel (Coll), – Fertility, wisdom, knowledge. Helps provide inspiration & inner guidance. Powerful for divining.
(Sept 2 – Sept 29): Bramble (or vine) (Muin) – Helps with linking & connections.
(Sept 30 – Oct 27):Ivy (Gort) – Preservation. Transformation through persistence. Helps with perseverance and overcoming obstacles.
(Oct 28 – Nov 24):Wheatstraw(or Reed) (Ngetal) – Source of life. Authority. Sovereignty.
(Nov 25 – Dec 23):Elder (Ruis) – Regeneration. Helps with seeing a beginning in the end.
See The Celtic Ogham Calendar for more information on this calendar
English Medieval
January:Wolf MoonJuly:Mead Moon
February:Storm MoonAugust:Corn Moon
March:Chaste MoonSeptember:Barley Moon
April:Seed MoonOctober:Blood Moon
May:Hare MoonNovember:Snow Moon
June:Dyan MoonDecember:Oak Moon
Neo Pagan
January:Ice MoonJuly:Rose Moon
February:Snow MoonAugust:Lightening Moon
March:Death MoonSeptember:Harvest Moon
April:Awakening MoonOctober:Blood Moon
May:Grass MoonNovember:Tree Moon
June:Planting MoonDecember:Long Night Moon
New Guinea
Name:Rainbow Fish MoonName:Black Trevally Moon
Name:Parriotfish MoonName:Open Sea Moon
Name:Palolo Worm MoonName:Tiger Shark Moon
Name:Flying Fish MoonName:Rain & Wind Moon
American Indian (Cherokee)
January:Cold MoonJuly:Ripe Corn Moon
February:Bony MoonAugust:Fruit Moon
March:Windy MoonSeptember:Nut Moon
April:Flower MoonOctober:Harvest Moon
May:Planting MoonNovember:Trading Moon
June:Green Corn MoonDecember:Snow Moon
American Indian (Choctaw)
January:Cooking MoonJuly:Crane Moon
February:Little Famine MoonAugust:Women’s Moon
March:Big Famine MoonSeptember:Mulberry Moon
April:Wildcat MoonOctober:Blackberry Moon
May:Panther MoonNovember:Sassafras Moon
June:Windy MoonDecember:Peach Moon
American Indian (Other)
January:Wolf MoonJuly:Buck Moon
February:Snow MoonAugust:Sturgeon Moon
March:Worm MoonSeptember:Corn/Harvest Moon
April:Pink MoonOctober:Hunter/Harvest Moon
May:Flower MoonNovember:Beaver Moon
June:Strawberry MoonDecember:Cold/Long Nights Moon
American Indian (Dakotah Sioux)
January:Moon of the Terrible
February:Moon of the Raccoon, Moon When Trees Pop
March:Moon When Eyes Are Sore from Bright Snow
April:Moon When Geese Return in Scattered Formation
May:Moon When Leaves Are Green, Moon To Plant
June:Moon When June Berries Are Ripe
July:Moon of the Middle Summer
August:Moon When All Things Ripen
September:Moon When The Calves Grow Hair
October:Moon When Quilling and Beading is Done
November:Moon When Horns Are Broken Off
December:Twelfth Moon
Colonial American
January:Winter MoonJuly:Summer Moon
February:Trapper’s MoonAugust:Dog Day’s Moon
March:Fish MoonSeptember:Harvest Moon
April:Planter’s MoonOctober:Hunter’s Moon
May:Milk MoonNovember:Beaver Moon
June:Rose MoonDecember:Christmas Moon
North American
January:Old MoonJuly:Thunder Moon
February:Snow MoonAugust:Green Moon
March:Sap MoonSeptember:Fruit Moon
April:Grass MoonOctober:Harvest Moon
May:Flower MoonNovember:Hunter’s Moon
June:Rose MoonDecember:Cold Moon
Wiccan
January:Wolf MoonJuly:Mead Moon
February:Storm MoonAugust:Wyrt Moon
March:Chaste MoonSeptember:Barley Moon
April:Seed MoonOctober:Blood Moon
May:Hare MoonNovember:Snow Moon
June:Dyad MoonDecember:Oak Moon
Southern Hemisphere
January:Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Mead Moon
February:Grain Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Wyrt Moon, Corn Moon, Dog Moon, Barley Moon
March:Harvest Moon, Corn Moon
April:Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon
May:Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon, Frost Moon
June:Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Long Night’s Moon
July:Wolf Moon, Old Moon, Ice Moon
August:Snow Moon, Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, Wolf Moon
September:Worm Moon, Lenten Moon, Crow Moon, Sugar Moon, Chaste Moon, Sap Moon
October:Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Waking Moon
November:Corn Moon, Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Hare Moon
December:Strawberry Moon, Honey Moon, Rose Moon
South African
January:Thunder MoonJuly:Old Moon
February:Grain MoonAugust:Hunger Moon
March:Harvest MoonSeptember:Storm  Moon
April:Hunter’s MoonOctober:Seed  Moon
May:Fell MoonNovember:Flower Moon
June:Cold MoonDecember:Fruit Moon

I haven’t found any source that breaks down the Southern Hemisphere full moon names by region or country.

Since the seasons are 6 months behind those in the northern hemisphere, some of the names you’d see used in the northern hemisphere will be used six months later in the Southern hemisphere.

Some full moon names are unique to the Southern hemisphere like the Hay Moon, Grain Moon and Long Night’s Moon.

The Norse (Viking) calendar was based on the lunar cycle rather than the solar one. While they don’t appear to have had specific names for Full Moons, their months were named for for each lunar cycle (moonth) of the year. There’s a lot of information on the Norse calendar on this page.

If you know of any other Full Moon names, please let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

Gary

23 thoughts on “Full Moon Names”

  1. ariel

    Hello Gary,

    Wow this was so interesting. Amazing how the people who are so much more in tune with Mother Earth choose the names of the moon, yes?

    What a fun and informative read. Thank you for this.

    In peace and gratitude, Ariel

    Reply
    1. Administrator

      Hi Ariel,

      I’m sure there are many other names for Full Moons that I haven;t come across yet. The Mayans were expert astronomers and I’m sure they had their own names for full moons. I don’t know if such names have ever been translated or published.

      The Moon played a huge role in ancient people’s lives, probably up to as far as the Industrial Revolution. After that, science really kicked in and aside from the religious and cultural meaning of the Moon, we began to learn what a huge effect it has on Earth and everything that lives on it.

      I’m not aware of any comparatively recent names for full moons. I think they probably need an environmental or cultural context.

      Gary

      Reply
  2. Lawrence Bredenkamp

    Well that was very interesting.

    I’m guessing the New Guinea names would apply to us here in New Zealand.

    I have Maori flatmates and will ask them in the morning if the Maori have specific names for the full moons. I am sure they will have.

    Reply
    1. Administrator

      Hi Lawrence, please let me know if your flatmates do know of full moon names used in Maori culture. I’d love to be able to add them to the list!

      Reply
      1. Tepora Watene

        Tena koe Gary, hi Gary, I can provide you with all the names of our moon according to my Maori culture. Kia ora, by for now, Tepora Watene, Aotearoa New Zealand.

        Reply
  3. Maja

    Very interesting post. I did not know that the Moon has different names in other cultures. It seems to me that the American Indians had the Moon names somehow the closest to nature, which was understandable as they lived in harmony with nature. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    1. Administrator

      I’d be curious to know if the different Native American tribes each had their own names for Full Moons or whether common names were used among all tribes.

      I’m sure my list is only a partial one. I haven’t found any names that were used by South American cultures. Yet. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Sharon

    This is such an interesting read, Gary. Never have I thought there were so many names by the different cultures. And I saw Harvest Moon being the most shared among them.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Sharon

    Reply
    1. Administrator

      I guess harvest time was one of the most important times of the year, Sharon. It would determine if there was going to be enough food to get people through Winter. And whatever the settled culture, that was something they all had in common. I suppose it’s not too surprising that many of them came up with the same name for the Full Moon at that time of the year!

      Reply
  5. Arya Beltaine

    Hi, thanks for the article!

    I would love your opinion on what names you recommend I use. I have Scottish heritage but have lived in Australia my whole life. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Gary

      Hi Arya, for your Scottish heritage, look at the Celtic Moon Names. I’ve added Full Moon names for the Southern hemisphere to the bottom of the list which will cover Australia. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a breakdown of names by culture, country or region, so it’s a collective list.

      Reply
    1. Gary

      Hi Lebo, after some research I was able to find full moon name for South Africa. I’m still looking for more country-specific full moon names for that continent.

      All the best,
      Gary.

      Reply
  7. Karen Ward

    Hi Gary,
    well done and thank for a very informative article. I am looking for specifically Irish Full Moon names and wonder if you have come across any as opposed to the Celtic and British Isles. Warm blessings, Karen

    Reply
  8. Gabrielle

    Awesome post! I’m doing research about this subject and was wondering if you have the sources of where you got the names of the moons for the different cultures. Would love to use this information but need to be able to trace the source to validate its use in my work.
    Thank you so much!

    Reply
  10. Atul Sinha

    Very nicely written article. I totally loved it. I just wished that if you could also have added the full moon names in terms of Indian culture, like in India, the full moon is known as Purnima. And same goes with the names of all the monthly occurring Full moons.

    Apart from that, I really love this article.

    Reply
  12. Sandra Prater

    I am in Colombia, South America, and just saw the December full moon referred to as the Plantain Leaf (Hoja de Plátano) Moon. Now I can’t find the post, drat!

    Reply
  13. Julie R Moore

    I study Mayan history and language as a hobby. I am sure they named their moons, because the named every day of their 13-day- long week. They had 20 weeks of 13 days in a calendar year. By their naming system, the same name for a specific individual day also fell into a system of 20 weeks. This gave every day its own specific name. for example July 27,1938 was The month of Jaguar and the 11th day was Lizard. This is my Husbands’ birthday in Mayan. I was born in The month of Rabbit in the 1st day of Rabbit, which makes me a 1-Rabbit. Typical one rabbit people are known to be drunks or just a little crazy, and the Mayans just let them be.

    Reply

Leave your comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.