Each month’s full moon has a traditional name, from the Wolf Moon in January to the Cold Moon in December. The names used in North America today were popularized by almanacs and draw on Native American, colonial American and European traditions.
The twelve names
| Month | Common name | The name refers to |
|---|---|---|
| January | Wolf Moon | Wolves heard howling in midwinter |
| February | Snow Moon | Heavy snowfall |
| March | Worm Moon | Earthworms and the thawing ground |
| April | Pink Moon | Early pink wildflowers |
| May | Flower Moon | Spring flowers in bloom |
| June | Strawberry Moon | The strawberry harvest |
| July | Buck Moon | New antlers on male deer |
| August | Sturgeon Moon | Sturgeon fishing in the Great Lakes |
| September | Corn Moon | The corn harvest |
| October | Hunter’s Moon | The hunting season before winter |
| November | Beaver Moon | Beavers preparing for winter |
| December | Cold Moon | Long, cold nights |
Many other names exist. Different Native American nations have their own names for each moon, and European traditions add more.
Harvest Moon and Hunter’s Moon
The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, around September 22. It usually falls in September and sometimes in early October. The full moon after it is the Hunter’s Moon.
Blue Moon
A Blue Moon is most often defined as the second full moon in one calendar month. An older definition is the third full moon in a season that has four. Either way it happens every two to three years.
Supermoon and micromoon
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is near its closest point to Earth, so it looks slightly larger and brighter. A micromoon is the opposite. “Supermoon” is a popular term, not a strict scientific one.
Black Moon
A Black Moon usually means a second new moon in one calendar month.
See the names for the coming year
Our moon calendar shows the name of each upcoming full moon in your own time zone.
Using the names
Some people use the month’s name as a theme for their full moon ritual, for example gratitude for a harvest of any kind in autumn.
Is the moon really a different color?
No. The names describe the season. The moon can look orange near the horizon in any month.
Do other parts of the world use these names?
They fit the seasons of the northern hemisphere. Cultures around the world have their own moon names.