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where does monday tuesday wednesday came from

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday come from a mix of ancient Roman astronomy and older Germanic mythology. Monday is “Moon day,” Tuesday is tied to Tiw/Tyr, and Wednesday comes from Woden/Odin’s day.

Origins

The seven-day week was shaped in the Roman world, where days were linked to the Sun, Moon, and five visible planets; Germanic languages later adapted those names to local gods or concepts. In English, that’s why some days still sound mythological even though the original Roman system was planetary.

The three days

  • Monday: from Old English mōnandæg , meaning “moon day”.
  • Tuesday: from Old English Tīwesdæg , meaning “Tiw’s day,” referring to the Germanic war god Tiw, compared with Mars in the Roman system.
  • Wednesday: from Old English Wōdnesdæg , meaning “Woden’s day,” referring to Odin/Woden, compared with Mercury in the Roman system.

Simple memory trick

Think of it like this: Monday = Moon, Tuesday = Tiw, Wednesday = Woden. That pattern continues through Thursday and Friday with Thor and Frigg, while Saturday keeps a Roman form.

TL;DR

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are not random English words; they’re old weekday names that evolved from Roman planet-based naming and Germanic gods.