Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative), Religious Society of Friends

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Guide to Quaker Calendar Names

The common names of days of the week and months of the year,such as "Sunday" and "January", were adopted in honor of pagan deities. Friends have traditionally rejected such vocabulary and have called the days of the week and the months of the year by their numbers, as shown below:

First Month - January First Day - Sunday Second Month - February Second Day - Monday Third Month - March Third Day - Tuesday Fourth Month - April Fourth Day - Wednesday Fifth Month - May Fifth Day - Thursday Sixth Month - June Sixth Day - Friday Seventh Month - July Seventh Day - Saturday Eighth Month - August Ninth Month - September Tenth Month - October Eleventh Month - November Twelfth Month - December

In the 20th Century, many Friends began accepting use of the common date names, feeling that any pagan meaning has been forgotten. The numerical names continue to be used, however, in many documents and more formal situations.