Latin: Julius. Named after Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Prior to that time its name was Quintilis from the word quintus, fifth (it was the 5th month in the old Roman calendar).
We aren't the only ones celebrating our independence this month. July is also the Independence Day month for Venezuela (July 5), Malawi (July 6), Argentina (July 9), Colombia (July 20), and Peru (July 28).
July is the start of Dog Days (July 3rd through August 11th), considered the hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Often referred to as the 40 Dog Days but can be as short as 30 and as long as 50 or more days. In past times, the Dog Days were believed to be an evil period when the seas boiled, the wine went sour, and creatures went "languid," thereby making man have burning fevers and hyterics. Also it was believed this was the time when dogs went mad. In ancient times, a brown dog was sacrificed to appease the rage of Sirius, the Dog Star, which in times past, rose at approximately the same as sunrise, and therefore believed to be the cause of the excessively hot days.
What month or months in the same calendar year starts on the same day of the week as July? A good hint would be months that have the same starting day of the week as April, and even January for leap years. You can check our calendar display or you can use any other Gregorian calendar that you wish.
January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December
January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December