Full Moon names
To keep track of the days, different cultures gave the Full Moon of each month specific names. Here are some commonly used Full Moon names in North American culture:
January - Wolf Moon
Also known as the Moon after Yule, Old Moon or Snow Moon, the Full moon in January was named after howling wolves.
Blue Moon is a Full Moon with no name
February - Snow Moon
February ’s Full Moon was dedicated to the snowy conditions that marked the month. It was also sometimes called the full hunger moon by North American tribes who would find their food sources depleted due to the winter.
March - Worm Moon
The last Full Moon of the winter season in March , is also known as the Lenten Moon, the Crow Moon to signify the crows that appear at the end of winter, and Sap Moon to mark the time for harvesting maple syrup from maple tree saps. It is also known as the Worm Moon because of the earthworms that come out at the end of winter and herald the coming of spring.
April - Pink Moon
The first Full Moon in April is sometimes called the Paschal Moon in the ecclesiastical calendar because it is used to calcualate the date for Easter - the first Sunday after the Paschal Moon is Easter . The name Pink Moon comes from the pink flowers – phlox – that grow in many places at the beginning of spring. Other names for this full moon include Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon and Fish Moon.
May - Flower Moon
The May Full Moon is known as Flower Moon to signify the flowers that bloom during this month. Other names for the Full Moon are Milk Moon and Corn Planting Moon.
June - Strawberry Moon
June ’s Full Moon is named after strawberries that become plentiful during this month.
July - Buck Moon
The Full Moon for the month of July is called Buck Moon to signify the new antlers that emerge from Buck Deers' foreheads around this time if the year. This Full Moon is also known as Thunder Moon or Hay Moon.
August - Sturgeon Moon
The Full Moon for August is called Sturgeon Moon because of the large number of fish that can be easily found in the lakes in North America. Other names for this Full Moon include Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
September - Harvest Moon
September ’sFull Moon is called Harvest Moon because farmers tend to harvest their crops around the full Moon.
October - Hunter's Moon or Blood Moon
Traditionally, tribes spent the month of October preparing for the coming winter. This included hunting, slaughtering and preserving meats for use as food. This led to October’s Full Moon being called the Hunter’s Moon and sometimes Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon. However, this should not be confused with a Total Lunar Eclipse - Blood Moon
November - Beaver Moon
According to folklore, the Full Moon for November is named after Beavers who become active while preparing for the winter.
December - Cold Moon
December is the month when winter begins for most of the Northern Hemisphere, hence, its Full Moon is called the Cold Moon.
Full Moon Names