Each full moon of the year has a traditional name that reflects the season in which it falls. The names are a kind of folk calendar, and many witches use them to give each month's full moon ritual its own theme.
With scripts turned on, this panel lists the dates of the next twelve full moons, calculated for your own time zone.
Where the names come from
The list in common use today is a blend. Some of the names are taken from those used by various Native American peoples, each of whom had, and has, a calendar of its own. Others were brought by European settlers, and a few go back to medieval England. The names were gathered together and made popular by almanacs during the twentieth century.
This means that there is no single authentic list. Different peoples in different places named the moons for what was happening around them, and the names varied from one valley to the next. Treat the table below as one well-loved tradition, and feel free to use the alternatives.
The twelve moons
| Month | Common name | Other names | Season and themes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wolf Moon | Old Moon, Ice Moon | The depth of winter. Rest, protection, and planning. |
| February | Snow Moon | Hunger Moon, Storm Moon | The leanest time. Endurance, purification, and hope. |
| March | Worm Moon | Sap Moon, Crow Moon | The thaw. Awakening and new beginnings. |
| April | Pink Moon | Egg Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon | Named for early pink wildflowers. Growth and renewal. |
| May | Flower Moon | Planting Moon, Milk Moon | Blossom everywhere. Fertility, joy, and creativity. |
| June | Strawberry Moon | Rose Moon, Mead Moon | The first fruits. Love, sweetness, and abundance. |
| July | Buck Moon | Thunder Moon, Hay Moon | High summer, when bucks grow new antlers. Strength and ambition. |
| August | Sturgeon Moon | Grain Moon, Red Moon | The harvest begins. Gratitude and gathering in. |
| September | Corn Moon or Harvest Moon | Barley Moon | The main harvest. Completion and balance. |
| October | Hunter's Moon or Harvest Moon | Blood Moon, Falling Leaves Moon | Preparation for winter. Ancestors and release. |
| November | Beaver Moon | Frost Moon, Mourning Moon | The first hard frosts. Letting go and settling in. |
| December | Cold Moon | Long Night Moon, Oak Moon | The longest nights. Stillness, reflection, and the return of light. |
The Harvest Moon and the Hunter's Moon
The Harvest Moon is not tied to a month. It is the full moon that falls closest to the autumn equinox. In most years that is the September full moon, and in some years it is the one in early October. Around the equinox the full moon rises soon after sunset for several evenings in a row, which once gave farmers extra light for bringing in the crops.
The Hunter's Moon is the full moon that follows the Harvest Moon. When the Harvest Moon falls in October, the September full moon is called the Corn Moon.
What is a blue moon?
A year usually has twelve full moons, but the lunar cycle is slightly shorter than a calendar month, so every two or three years there is a thirteenth. The extra one is called a blue moon. By the most common modern definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a single calendar month. By an older definition, it is the third full moon in a season that has four.
The moon does not turn blue. Many witches treat a blue moon as a time for unusual or long-term workings, in the spirit of the phrase once in a blue moon.
Supermoons and eclipses
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is near its closest point to the earth, so that it looks a little larger and brighter than usual. The word dates from 1979 and is not a traditional term, but there is no harm in enjoying a brighter moon.
A lunar eclipse happens when the earth's shadow falls across the full moon, which often turns it a coppery red. Practitioners disagree about eclipses. Some avoid magical work during them and regard the energy as unsettled. Others treat an eclipse as a rare and potent moment. If you are new, simply go out and watch.
If you live in the Southern Hemisphere
These names follow the northern seasons. A Snow Moon makes little sense in a southern February. Some Southern Hemisphere witches shift the names by six months, so that the Cold Moon falls in June. Many prefer to choose names that fit their own land and climate.
Naming your own moons
This is a worthwhile exercise wherever you live. At each full moon for a year, go outside and write down what is happening: what is flowering, what the weather is doing, which birds are present. Then give that moon a name of your own. After twelve months you will have a calendar that belongs to your own place, which is exactly what the old names were.