<P> The names of Roman months originally functioned as adjectives ( e.g. , the January kalends occur in the January month ) before being treated as substantive nouns in their own right ( e.g. , the kalends of January occur in January ) . Some of their etymologies are well - established : January and March honor the gods Janus and Mars ; July and August honor the dictator Julius Caesar and his successor , the emperor Augustus ; and the months Quintilis , Sextilis , September , October , November , and December are archaic adjectives formed from the ordinal numbers from 5 to 10 , their position in the calendar when it began around the spring equinox in March . Others are uncertain . February may derive from the Februa festival or its eponymous februa ( `` purifications , expiatory offerings '' ) , whose name may be either Sabine or preserve an archaic word for sulphuric. April may relate to the Etruscan goddess Apru or the verb aperire ( `` to open '' ) . May and June may honor Maia and Juno or derive from archaic terms for `` senior '' and `` junior '' . A few emperors attempted to add themselves to the calendar after Augustus , but without enduring success . </P>
<P> The names of Roman months originally functioned as adjectives ( e.g. , the January kalends occur in the January month ) before being treated as substantive nouns in their own right ( e.g. , the kalends of January occur in January ) . Some of their etymologies are well - established : January and March honor the gods Janus and Mars ; July and August honor the dictator Julius Caesar and his successor , the emperor Augustus ; and the months Quintilis , Sextilis , September , October , November , and December are archaic adjectives formed from the ordinal numbers from 5 to 10 , their position in the calendar when it began around the spring equinox in March . Others are uncertain . February may derive from the Februa festival or its eponymous februa ( `` purifications , expiatory offerings '' ) , whose name may be either Sabine or preserve an archaic word for sulphuric. April may relate to the Etruscan goddess Apru or the verb aperire ( `` to open '' ) . May and June may honor Maia and Juno or derive from archaic terms for `` senior '' and `` junior '' . A few emperors attempted to add themselves to the calendar after Augustus , but without enduring success . </P>
where does the month of april get its name
where does the month of april get its name
the Etruscan goddess Apru or the verb aperire ( `` to open '' )
the Etruscan goddess Apru or the verb aperire ( `` to open '' )