Where do the names of the days of the week come from?

TL;DR

The days of the week in English are named after pagan gods, with Sunday named after the sun and Monday named after the moon.

Transcript

Hi. I'm Gill at www.engvid.com, and today we're going to be looking at the days of the week and the origin of the names of the days, which are obviously different in different languages, but in the English language, the days, a lot of them, apart from the sun and the moon, a lot of the days are named after gods. Not... Not god, not the Christian go... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥳 The days of the week in English have origins in pagan religions.
• 😎 Sunday and Monday are named after celestial bodies, the sun and the moon.
• 🫱 Tuesday is named after the god Tiu, associated with war and the sky.
• 📛 Wednesday is named after Woden, the chief god of the pagan pantheon.
• ⚡ Thursday is named after Thor, the god of thunder.
• 🥰 Friday is named after Freya, the goddess of love.
• 📛 Saturday is named after Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why are the days of the week named after gods?

The days of the week are named after pagan gods because before Christianity, people believed in a group of gods and goddesses, and the days were named after them.

Q: What is the origin of the name Sunday?

Sunday is named after the sun, as it was considered the most important celestial body that provided warmth and light.

Q: Who is the god associated with Thursday?

Thor is the god associated with Thursday, known for his association with thunder and lightning in northern European mythology.

Q: Why are there similarities between the names of the days in different languages?

The similarities in the names of the days in different languages can be attributed to shared cultural and historical influences, as well as the translation of certain gods' names.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The days of the week in English are named after pagan gods.

• Sunday is named after the sun, Monday after the moon, and Tuesday after the god Tiu.

• Wednesday is named after Woden, Thursday after Thor, Friday after Freya, and Saturday after Saturn.