Articles About Full Moon Names (14)

Inquisitive Palomino horse with a white blaze standing in a field at sunset. The mountains and sky glow red from the setting sun.

Full Moon Names

Ancient cultures gave names to the Full Moon. These names are still in use today.

A big yellow Full Moon setting behind snowy Alaska Range mountains near Denali with pine trees in the foreground.

January: Wolf Moon

January’s Full Moon is named after howling wolves. In some cultures, it's known as the Quiet Moon, Severe Moon, and the Moon after Yule.

February: Snow Moon

The February Full Moon is named after the snow on the ground. Some Native American tribes named this the Hunger Moon, others call it the Storm Moon.

Crows flying across the sky in front of a Full Moon.

March: Worm Moon

The Full Moon in March is the Worm Moon, but if it occurs on or after March 21 it is also the Paschal Moon. It's also called Lenten, Crow, Crust, Chaste, Sugar, and Sap Moon.

Mountainside filled with pink flowers under a pink sunset sky.

April: Pink Moon

The Pink Moon is the Full Moon in April. It is also called Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, Egg Moon, and Paschal Moon. When is the Pink Moon?

Out of focus cherry blossoms framing a sharp Full Moon in the middle of the image.

May: Flower Moon

The Full Moon in May is known as the Flower Moon or Full Flower Moon. Other names include Milk Moon and Hare Moon. What is the meaning behind these names?

Paddleboarders below the strawberry moon at Barceloneta beach, Barcelona, Spain.

June: Strawberry Moon

What is a Strawberry Moon, also called Rose Moon? When is the next Strawberry Full Moon in 2024, why does it happen in June, and how did it get its name?

A herd of mule deer standing in tall grass in front of a blurry Full Moon.

July: Buck Moon

The Full Moon in July is the Buck Moon. It is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and Wyrt Moon.

A woman goes for a stand up paddleboard trip at night under a full moon on a small lake in Ontario, Canada.

August: Sturgeon Moon

The Full Moon in August is called the Sturgeon Moon, named after North America’s largest fish. Other names for this Full Moon include Grain Moon, Corn Moon, Lynx Moon, and Lightning Moon.

A big orange Full Harvest Moon over the city lights of Yokkaichi city in Mie prefecture, Japan.

The Harvest Moon 2024

The Harvest Moon varies between September or October in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the Full Moon nearest the autumnal (fall) equinox.

A big, yellow Full Moon partially covered with clouds rising over a field of grains out of focus.

September: Harvest and Corn Moon

The September Full Moon can be both the Harvest Moon and the Corn Moon. Most years, the Harvest Moon is in September, but around every three years, it’s in October.

Full moon at dawn over an island with buildings lit up by the rising sun in a lake. Flying geese are silhouetted against the ombre sky.

October: Hunter’s Moon

October’s Full Moon is the Hunter’s Moon. It's also called the Drying Rice Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Every three years or so, it's also the Harvest Moon.

A big orange pink Full Moon rising behind snowy mountains and reflected on an icy lake.

November: Beaver Moon

The Full Moon in November is named after beavers. It is also called Frost Moon and Mourning Moon, depending on the winter solstice.

December: Cold Moon

The December Full Moon is called the Cold Moon, Long Nights Moon, the Moon before Yule, Oak Moon, and Wolf Moon.