The days of the week were named by the Romans with the Latin words for the Sun, the Moon, and the five known planets.
These names have survived in European languages, but English names also reflect an Anglo-Saxon influence. See the English day names and their influences in the chart below.
You can also learn more about month names and their origination here.
| English | Latin | French | Italian | Spanish | Saxon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUNDAY |
dies Solis (Sol’s day. Sol was an ancient Roman sun god.) |
dimanche (from the Latin for “Lord’s day”) |
domenica (from the Latin for “Lord’s day”) |
domingo (from the Latin for “Lord’s day”) |
Sunnandaeg (Sun’s day) |
| MONDAY |
dies Lunae (Luna’s day. Luna was an ancient Roman moon goddess.) |
lundi | lunedì | lunes | Monandaeg
(Moon’s day) |
| TUESDAY |
dies Martis (Mars’s day. Mars was an ancient Roman god of war.) |
mardi | martedì | martes |
Tiwesdaeg (Tiw’s day. Tiw was an Anglo-Saxon god of war.) |
| WEDNESDAY |
dies Mercurii (Mercury’s day. Mercury was a messenger of the ancient Roman gods, and a god of commerce.) |
mercredi | mercoledì | miércoles |
Wodnesdaeg (Woden was the Anglo-Saxon king of the gods.) |
| THURSDAY |
dies Jovis (Jupiter’s, or Jove’s, day. Jupiter, or Jove, was the king of the ancient Roman gods, and a god of sky and thunder.) |
jeudi | giovedì | jueves | Thursdaeg
(Thor’s day. Thor was a Norse god of thunder, lightning, and storms.) |
| FRIDAY |
dies Veneris (Venus’s day. Venus was the ancient Roman goddess of love.) |
vendredi | venerdì | viernes | Frigedaeg
(Frigga’s day. Frigg was a Norse goddess of home, marriage, and fertility.) |
| SATURDAY | dies Saturni
(Saturn’s day) |
samedi
(from the Latin for “Sabbath”) |
sabato
(from the Latin for “Sabbath”) |
sábado
(from the Latin for “Sabbath”) |
Saeterndaeg
(Saturn’s day. Saturn was an ancient Roman god of fun and feasting.) |
