April takes its name from the Latin word aperire, meaning "to open" (just like flowers do in spring!) It is a month of transition. It arrives when winter has just ended and spring is beginning, symbolizing a period of rebirth. It is also said that April may be named after the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. In Old English, April was sometimes called Eastermonab, "Easter month".
四月的名字来源于拉丁语aperire，意思是“开放”。(就像花朵在春天开放一样！) 四月是一个过渡月。冬去春来，它象征着重生。也有人说，四月可能是以希腊爱神阿佛洛狄忒命名的。在古英语中，April有时被称为Eastermonab，即“复活月”。
英文中的一些谚语都与四月的雨有关，如“April showers bring May flowers（四月阵雨带来五月花）”——我们用它来表达希望，并鼓励他人 “尽管目前情况不好，但未来好事仍会发生”，相当于汉语里的 “苦尽甘来”。
May
五月
“唯有牡丹真国色，花开时节动京城。”跨过四月春来时的恬淡柔美，五月无疑是一个花开绚烂的月份。
A vase of flowers on a marble table 大英博物馆藏 图源：The British Museum
The month is connected with the goddess Maia. Maia (in Greek mythology) was daughter of Atlas and mother of Hermes. She was considered a nurturer and an earth goddess, which may explain the connection with this springtime month.
这个月与玛雅女神（the goddess Maia）有关。在希腊神话中，她是阿特拉（Atlas）之女，同时也是赫尔墨斯（Hermes）之母。她被誉为养育者和大地女神，这或许解释了为什么人们会用她来命名一个春季的月份。
June
六月
我们在六月迎来夏天。这个月份旺盛的生命力，或许是人们用女神朱诺为它命名的原因。
June is named after the ancient Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and goddess of marriage and childbirth. June was also once sometimes known as midsummer month.
六月是以古罗马女神朱诺（Juno）命名的。她是主神朱庇特（Jupiter）的妻子，是婚姻与分娩之神。六月也曾一度被认为是仲夏月。
July and August
七月和八月
对学生党来说，七月和八月又是可以享受假期的两个月。懂历史的小伙伴们，有没有觉得七月和八月的英文名有一些眼熟呢？
《凯撒的凯旋（局部）》 大都会艺术博物馆藏
图源：Google艺术与文化
July and August were named after two major figures of the ancient Roman world – the statesman Julius Caesar and Rome's first emperor, Augustus.
“July”和“August”是以古罗马时代的两位重要人物命名的——政治家尤利乌斯·凯撒和罗马的第一位皇帝奥古斯都。
September, October, November and December
九月，十月，十一月，十二月
与前面八个月份名称的丰富内涵相比，后四个月份的命名显得有些“草率”。实话说，它们与中文的月份命名规则十分相似！
September, October, November and December are named after Roman numbers 7, 8, 9 and 10 – they were originally the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth months of the Roman year! Before July and August were renamed after Roman rulers, they were called Quintilis and Sextilis, meaning fifth and sixth months.
九月、十月、十一月和十二月是以罗马数字7（septem）、8（octo）、9（novem）和10（decem）命名的——它们原来是罗马年的第七个、第八个、第九个和第十个月！七月和八月在以罗马统治者的名字命名之前，它们被称为Quintilis和Sextilis，意思是第五和第六个月。
以上就是双语君为大家整理的月份英文名称背后的故事。在四月这个“美神的月份”，赶快抓紧时间去踏青赏春吧！
