Origin and history of January

January(n.)

late 13c., Ieneuer (early 12c. in Anglo-French), from Old North French Genever, Old French Jenvier (Modern French Janvier), from Latin Ianuarius (mensis) "(the month) of Janus" (q.v.), to whom the month was sacred as the beginning of the year according to later Roman reckoning.

The English word is cognate with Italian Gennaio, Provençal Genovier, Spanish Enero, Portuguese Janeiro. The form was gradually Latinized by c. 1400. It replaced Old English geola se æfterra "Later Yule." In Chaucer, a type-name for an old man. Also see New Year's Eve.

also from late 13c.

Entries linking to January

Janus

ancient Italic deity, to the Romans the guardian god of portals, doors, and gates; patron of beginnings and endings, c. 1500, from Latin Ianus, literally "gate, arched passageway," perhaps from PIE root *ei- "to go" (cognates: Sanskrit yanah "path," Old Church Slavonic jado "to travel"). He is shown as having two faces, one in front the other in back (they may represent sunrise and sunset and reflect an original role as a solar deity). His temple in Rome was closed only in times of peace. Related: Janian.

New Year's Eve

"evening before the first day of the new year," c. 1300; "þer þay dronken & dalten ... on nwe gerez euen" ["Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"]. The Julian calendar began on January 1, but the Christian Church frowned on pagan celebrations of this event and chose the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) as its New Year's Day.

The civic year in England continued to begin January 1 until late 12c., and though legal documents then shifted to March 25, popular calendars and almanacs continued to begin on January 1. Gower ("Confessio Amantis," late 14c.) writes of "The frosti colde Janever, Whan comen is the newe yeer," and in 1579 Spenser ("Shepherd's Kalendar") wrote that "according to the simplicitie of common understanding" the year began in January. The calendar reform of 1751 restored the Julian New Year in England.

New Year's was the main midwinter festival in Scotland from 17c., when Protestant authorities banned Christmas, and continued so after England reverted to Christmas, hence the Scottish flavor ("Auld Lang Syne," etc.).

New Year's gathering in public places began 1878 in London, after new bells were installed in St. Paul's. In Pepys' day the turning of the year was celebrated at 1 a.m.

For New Year's Day, Middle English used yeres dai (c. 1300).

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