Gods, Planets, and Puns: The Surprising Origins of the Days of the Week

We plan our lives around them, count down the hours until the weekend because of them, and occasionally "have a case of the Mondays" thanks to them. But have you ever stopped to wonder why Thursday isn't called "Apple Day" or "Fifthday"?

The names of our days are a linguistic time capsule. They tell the story of ancient civilizations looking at the stars and trying to make sense of the universe. From Viking warriors to Roman emperors, here is the breakdown of how our week got its names.

The Magic Number Seven

Why seven days? Why not ten? We owe the seven-day week to the Ancient Babylonians. They were master astronomers who observed seven prominent celestial bodies in the sky: the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.

Because they believed these seven bodies were gods influencing earthly affairs, they assigned each one a day. When the Romans later adopted this system, they used their own gods. Later still, the Germanic and Norse people "translated" those Roman gods into their own deities. That’s why English is such a weird mix of Latin and Norse!

1. Sunday (The Sun’s Day)

• Source: Old English Sunnandæg

• The Vibe: Pure Astronomy

In almost every culture, the Sun gets the top spot. The Romans called it dies solis (Day of the Sun). Since the Sun was the brightest and most important object in the sky, it naturally took the lead. While many days on this list changed to honor specific gods, Sunday stayed true to its literal roots: it is quite simply the day dedicated to the Sun.

2. Monday (The Moon’s Day)

• Source: Old English Mōnandæg

• The Vibe: The Sun’s Sidekick

If Sunday belongs to the Sun, Monday belongs to its nightly counterpart. The name comes from the Old English word for "Moon." In Latin, it was dies lunae (which is why Monday is Lunes in Spanish and Lundi in French).

Trivia Nugget: In many ancient traditions, the Moon was seen as a symbol of transition and "flux," which might explain why Monday always feels a little chaotic!

3. Tuesday (Tiw’s Day)

• Source: Old English Tīwesdæg

• The Vibe: The God of War

This is where the Norse influence kicks in. The Romans called this day dies Martis after Mars, their god of war. When the Germanic people adopted the calendar, they looked for their own version of Mars. They chose Tiw (or Tyr), the one-handed Norse god of single combat and justice.

The Trivia: Tyr famously lost his hand to the giant wolf Fenrir to save the other gods. So, every time you’re "fighting" through a Tuesday, you’re honoring a god of war.

4. Wednesday (Woden’s Day)

• Source: Old English Wōdnesdæg

• The Vibe: The Chief God

If you’ve ever wondered why there is a silent "d" in Wednesday, it’s because of Woden (more commonly known today as Odin). The Romans dedicated this day to Mercury, the messenger god, because he was fast and clever. The Germanic tribes felt Odin—the All-Father and god of wisdom and magic—was the best fit for Mercury’s role.

5. Thursday (Thor’s Day)

• Source: Old English Thunresdæg

• The Vibe: The God of Thunder

This is perhaps the most famous origin story. The Romans called this dies Iovis, or Jupiter’s Day. Jupiter was the god of the sky and thunder. Naturally, the Norse substituted him with their own hammer-wielding, lightning-tossing hero: Thor.

• Roman: Jupiter (Thunder God)

• Norse: Thor (Thunder God)

• Modern English: Thursday

6. Friday (Frigg’s Day)

• Source: Old English Frīgedæg

• The Vibe: Love and Beauty

Friday is named after Frigg (or potentially Freya—scholars still argue about it), the Norse goddess of love, marriage, and motherhood. This was a "translation" of the Roman dies Veneris, named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

It’s fitting that the day we all love the most is named after the goddess of love itself!

7. Saturday (Saturn’s Day)

• Source: Old English Sæternesdæg

• The Vibe: The Odd One Out

Here is a great piece of trivia for your readers: Saturday is the only day of the week that kept its Roman name in English. The Norse didn't have a great equivalent for Saturn (the god of agriculture and time), so instead of swapping him for a Viking god, the English language just stuck with the Latin. In Scandinavian countries, however, Saturday is often called Laugardagur, which translates to "Washing Day" or "Bath Day."

Quick Reference Table: The Cosmic Connections

Why does Spanish and French sound so different?

If you’ve ever taken a Spanish class, you’ll notice that Martes (Tuesday) sounds like Mars, and Jueves (Thursday) sounds like Jove (Jupiter). This is because the "Romance" languages stayed loyal to the original Roman Latin names.

English, however, is a Germanic language. We took the Roman structure but invited the Vikings to do the naming.

Conclusion: A Week of Wonders

The next time you’re struggling to get through a "Woden’s Day" or celebrating the arrival of "Frigg’s Day," remember that you’re participating in a tradition that is thousands of years old. Our calendar is a map of the stars and a tribute to the gods of old.