Full Moon Names and Meanings

Moon Folklore Names – UK and USA

Both the USA and UK share some traditional Moon names, particularly those with Anglo-Saxon or Celtic origins, but many common USA Folklore names come from Native-American traditions.
o
US names often reflect natural seasonal events specific to North American geography, such as the Sturgeon Moon, while UK names draw from older European traditions.

oooo

Names & meaning for each months	UK moon folklore Names	US moon folklore names
January	Moon After Yule	Wolf Moon
February	Snow Moon / Storm Moon	Snow Moon
March	Lenten Moon	Worm Moom
April	Egg Moon	Pink Moon
May	Milk Moon / Flower Moon	Flower Moon
June	Hay Moon / Mead Moon	Strawberry Moon
July	Hay Moon / Grain Moon	Buck Moon
August	Grain Moon / Fruit Moon	Sturgeon Moon
September	Harvest Moon	Corn Moon
October	Hunter’s Moon	Hunter’s Moon
November	Blood Moon / Moon before Yule	Beaver Moon
December	Moon before Yule / Cold Moon	Cold Moon

oooo

January

January: Moon after Yule / The Wolf Moon

In the UK
– Moon After Yule
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– The first full moon after the winter solstice.
o
Full Moon in January (UK)
– 2020 Friday 10th January
– 2021 Thursday 28th January
– 2022 Monday 17th January
– 2023 Friday 6th January
– 2024 Thursday 25th January
– 2025 Monday 13th January
– 2026 Saturday 3rd January
– 2027 Friday 22nd January
– 2028 Wednesday 12th January
– 2029 Tuesday 30th January
– 2030 Saturday 19th January

In the US
– Wolf Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Traditionally heard wolves howling during this time in winter.

February

February: The Snow Moon / The Hunger Moon

In the UK
– Snow Moon / Storm Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Refer to winter weather, though wolves are not native to the UK.
o
Full Moon in February (UK)
– 2020 Saturday 8th February
– 2021 Saturday 21st February
– 2022 Wednesday 16th February
– 2023 Sunday 5th February
– 2024 Saturday 24th February
– 2025 Wednesday 12th February
– 2026 Sunday 1st February
– 2027 Saturday 20th February
– 2028 Thursday 10th February
– 2029 Wednesday 28th February
– 2030 Sunday 17th February

In the US
– Snow Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Named for the typically heaviest snowfalls in North America.

March

March: Lenten Moon (UK) / Worm Moon (US)

In the UK
– Lenten Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Refers to the pre-Christian Germanic spring festivals.
o
Full Moon in March (UK)
– 2020 Monday 9th March
– 2021 Sunday 28th March
– 2022 Friday 18th March
– 2023 Tuesday 7th March
– 2024 Monday 25th March
– 2025 Friday 14th March
– 2026 Tuesday 3rd March
– 2027 Monday 22nd March
– 2028 Saturday 11th March
– 2029 Friday 30th March
– 2030 Tuesday 19th March

In the US
– Worm Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Signifies the reappearance of earthworms as the soil thaws.

April

April: Egg Moon / Pink Moon

In the UK
– Egg Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Connected to the Anglo-Saxon spring festival and Easter.
o
Full Moon in April (UK)
– 2020 Wednesday 8th April
– 2021 Tuesday 27th April
– 2022 Saturday 16th April
– 2023 Thursday 6th April
– 2024 Tuesday 23rd April
– 2025 Sunday 13th April
– 2026 Thursday 2nd April
– 2027 Tuesday 20th April
– 2028 Sunday 9th April
– 2029 Saturday 28th April
– 2030 Thursday 18th April

In the US
– Pink Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Named for the pink phlox, an early blooming spring flower.

May

May: Milk Moon or Flower / Flower moon

In the UK
– Milk Moon / Flower Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Refers to cows being milked three times daily or the month of flowers.
o
Full Moon in May (UK)
– 2020 Friday 8th May
– 2021 Wednesday 21st May
– 2022 Monday 16th May
– 2023 Friday 5th May
– 2024 Thursday 23rd May
– 2025 Monday 12th May
– 2026 Friday 1st May
– 2027 Thursday 20th May
– 2028 Monday 8th May
– 2029 Sunday 27th May
– 2030 Friday 17th May

In the US
– Flower Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Refers to the time when flowers are abundant.

June

June: Hay Moon or Mead Moon / Strawberry Moon

In the UK
– Hay Moon / Mead Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Signifies the time for hay harvest or the traditional brewing of mead.
o
Full Moon in June (UK)
– 2020 Friday 5th June
– 2021 Thursday 24th June
– 2022 Tuesday 14th June
– 2023 Sunday 23rd June
– 2024 Saturday 22nd June
– 2025 Wednesday 11th June
– 2026 Monday 26th June
– 2027 Saturday 19th June
– 2028 Wednesday 7th June
– 2029 Tuesday 26th June
– 2030 Saturday 15th June

In the US
– Strawberry Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Marks the ripening of wild strawberries.

July

July: Hay Moon or Grain Moon / Buck Moon

In the UK
– Hay Moon / Grain Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Named for harvesting hay, with Grain Moon referring to ripening crops.
o
Full Moon in July (UK)
– 2020 Sunday 5th July
– 2021 Saturday 21st July
– 2022 Wednesday 13th July
– 2023 Monday 3rd July
– 2024 Sunday 21st July
– 2025 Thursday 10th July
– 2026 Wednesday 29th July
– 2027 Sunday 18th July
– 2028 Thursday 6th July
– 2029 Wednesday 25th July
– 2030 Monday 15th July

In the US
– Buck Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Named for the male deer (bucks) who are growing new antlers.

August

August: Grain Moon or Fruit Moon / Sturgeon Moon

In the UK
– Grain Moon / Fruit Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Named for the ripening of grain or wild fruits.
o
Full Moon in August (UK)
– 2020 Monday 3rd August
– 2021 Sunday 22nd August
– 2022 Friday 12th August
– 2023 Tuesday 1st August
– 2024 Monday 19th August
– 2025 Saturday 9th August
– 2026 Friday 28th August
– 2027 Tuesday 17th August
– 2028 Saturday 5th August
– 2029 Friday 24th August
– 2030 Tuesday 13th August

In the US
– Sturgeon Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Named by North American fishing tribes for the abundance of sturgeon in the Great Lakes.

September

September: Harvest Moon / Corn Moon

In the UK
– Harvest Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which helps farmers harvest late.
o
Full Moon in August (UK)
– 2020 Monday 3rd August
– 2021 Sunday 22nd August
– 2022 Friday 12th August
– 2023 Tuesday 1st August
– 2024 Monday 19th August
– 2025 Saturday 9th August
– 2026 Friday 28th August
– 2027 Tuesday 17th August
– 2028 Saturday 5th August
– 2029 Friday 24th August
– 2030 Tuesday 13th August

In the US
– Corn Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Marks the time when corn is ready to be harvested.

October

October: The Hunter’s Moon

In the UK
– Hunter’s Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– The full moon after the Harvest Moon, used for hunting before winter.
o
Full Moon in October (UK)
– 2020 Thursday 1st and Saturday 31st October (Blue Moon)
– 2021 Wednesday 20th October
– 2022 Sunday 9th October
– 2023 Saturday 28th October
– 2024 Thursday 11th October
– 2025 Tuesday 7th October
– 2026 Saturday 26th October
– 2027 Friday 15th October
– 2028 Tuesday 3rd October
– 2029 Monday 22nd October
– 2030 Friday 11th October

In the US
– Hunter’s Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Historically a time for hunting and stocking up on meat before winter.

November

November: Blood Moon or Moon Before Yule / Beavers Moon

In the UK
– Hunter’s Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– Refers to the slaughtering of livestock before winter or being the last full moon before Yule.
o
Full Moon in November (UK)
– 2020 Monday 30th November
– 2021 Friday 19th November
– 2022 Tuesday 8th November
– 2023 Monday 27th November
– 2024 Friday 15th November
– 2025 Wednesday 5th November
– 2026 Tuesday 24th November
– 2027 Sunday 15th November
– 2028 Thursday 2nd November
– 2029 Wednesday 21st November
– 2030 Sunday 10th November

In the US
– Beavers Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Named for the time when beavers build their winter dams.

December

December: The Cold Moon / Cold Moon

In the UK
– Hunter’s Moon
o
Meaning in the United Kingdom
– The last full moon before the winter solstice, or marks the onset of cold weather.
o
Full Moon in December (UK)
– 2020 Wednesday 30th December
– 2021 Sunday 19th December
– 2022 Thursday 8th December
– 2023 Wednesday 27th December
– 2024 Sunday 15th December
– 2025 Thursday 4th December
– 2026 Thursday 24th December
– 2027 Monday 13th December
– 2028 Saturday 2nd and Sunday 31st December (Blue Moon)
– 2029 Thursday 20th December
– 2030 Monday 9th December

In the US
– Cold Moon
o
Meaning in the United States
– Refers to the onset of cold weather and long nights.

oooo

When is the next full Moon?

Back to the Observing the Moon page