Full moon names are historically linked to the changing seasons, natural phenomena, animal behavior, and religious/cultural events.

Different regions and cultures have their own names for the full moon throughout the calendar year. This reflects the diversity of human traditions and connections between people and the natural world.

Below is a table showing the full moon names according to the Farmer’s Almanac, and their corresponding months as they are today. Each one is covered in more detail below. 

Full Moon Name	Month
Wolf Moon	January
Snow Moon	February
Worm Moon	March
Pink Moon	April
Flower Moon	May
Strawberry Moon	June
Buck Moon	July
Sturgeon Moon	August
Harvest Moon	September
Hunter's Moon	October
Beaver Moon	November
Cold Moon	December

Rami Ammoun (rami_astro on Twitter) captured the full moon each month of the year.

History of Full Moon Names

These names were historically used as a way to mark the passage of time, understand the changing of seasons, and adapt to the natural world.

Full moon names have been known to originate from:

Full Moon Names and Meanings

It’s important to note that the specific names and associations can vary between different tribes and cultures, and the same names might be used differently in various regions.

Today, these names are often used for cultural and educational purposes and have become a part of popular culture. 

January: Wolf Moon

The Wolf Moon is a name given to the full moon in January, associated with the cold, snowy winters in North America.

It was named after the howling wolves that could be heard more frequently during this time of year. It was believed that wolves howled due to hunger in the winter (when food was scarce) and to establish territory. 

We know now that wolves communicate for many reasons, including marking their territory, coordinating hunting, finding pack members, and reinforcing social bonds. 

Other traditional names for the January Moon emphasize the coldness of the season: Cold Moon (Cree) and Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin).

February: Snow Moon 

The Snow Moon is a name given to the full moon in February, associated with heavy snowfall in many parts of North America. As winter reaches its peak in February, there is typically more snowfall during this month than in any other month. 

Alternative names for this month have typically been tied to animals. The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon. The Ojibwe and Tlingit Bear Moon refers to the time when bear cubs are born.

The Snow Moon in February by Michael Blanchette on Flickr.

March: Worm Moon

The Worm Moon is associated with the month of March. It was initially thought that the name was given to this month to signal the transition from winter to spring in North America.

During this time of year, the ground starts to thaw and earthworms emerge from the soil. It was seen as a sign that spring was coming and the soil would soon be ready for planting. 

However, more research revealed a visit by Captain Jonathan Carver to the Naudowessie tribe, who indicated that the name Worm Moon refers to a type of worm beetle larvae that emerge from the thawing bark of trees.

Other traditional names also mark the transition from winter to spring, including the Sugar Moon, when the sap of the Sugar Maples starts to flow, and the Sore Eyes Moon, which highlights the bright sunlight that reflects off the snow in late winter. 

The Worm Moon in March by Jerry Stone on Flickr. 

April: Pink Moon 

The Pink Moon is the name given to the full moon in April, which is not actually pink in color.

It is named after the early bloom of certain springtime wildflowers – pink ground phlox or moss pink. These wildflowers are native to many areas in North America and are considered an early sign of the spring season.

The Pink Moon is associated with the arrival of spring and the blossoming of various plants and flowers, signifying a time of awakening after the winter months.

May: Flower Moon 

The Flower Moon is given to the full moon in May, when flowers are in full bloom. 

It marks the blossoming of various plants, flowers, and trees that create a colorful landscape during the height of spring.

It has also been known as the Budding Moon, Leaf Budding Moon (Cree), and Planting Moon (Dakota, Lakota), which all touch on the beginning of the spring season.

The Flower Moon by Trevor Jones. 

June: Strawberry Moon 

The Strawberry Moon is the name given to the full moon in June to mark the beginning of the strawberry season and the arrival of other fruits and berries. 

During this month, wild strawberries reach peak ripeness and are ready for harvest. They are typically one of the first berries to ripen and are ready to be gathered, making them an important food staple.

The name was given by the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples. However, the names vary throughout different cultures based on their gardening practices and localized plant growth.

The Strawberry Moon above Roches Point Lighthouse in East Cork, Ireland. David Ahern on Flickr.

July: Buck Moon 

The Buck Moon is the name given to the full moon in July. Each year, male buck deer and other members of the deer family shed their antlers after breeding season. Each spring, as days lengthen, bucks begin to grow a new set of antlers.

During July, the new antlers of male buck deer grow larger and more noticeable. This is linked to their breeding season, where their antlers play a role in securing a mate and issuing dominance amongst other male deer. 

The Buck Moon is one of the brightest summer moons. Rising high in the warm July skies, it can look especially dramatic against hazy horizons or summer thunderstorms.

Its brightness makes it perfect for capturing wide-field nightscapes, city skylines, or reflections over lakes and beaches. Its timing in mid-summer provides some of the most comfortable nights of the year for observing.

August: Sturgeon Moon 

The Sturgeon Moon is the name given to the full moon in August. 

The name comes from a large, ancient, freshwater fish species from the Great Lakes that was frequently caught during this part of the summer. 

These fish could be found in lakes and rivers during the late summer months, marking the peak of sturgeon fishing season. They were a food staple for Indigenous people in the region.

Today, lake sturgeons are rare due to overfishing and habitat destruction, though there are still approximately 29 species worldwide. 

The Sturgeon Moon by Rami Ammoun. 

September: Harvest Moon 

The Harvest Moon is the name for the full moon in late summer, usually in September. Also known as the Corn Moon, it is the nearest full moon to the autumnal equinox.

This means if October’s full moon happens to be closer to the autumnal equinox, then September’s full moon will be known as the Corn Moon, and October’s moon will be the Harvest Moon.

It is associated with the harvest season when crops, like corn, pumpkins, and gourds, are typically harvested. 

Unlike other full moons, this particular moon rises at almost the same time (after/near sunset) for several nights in a row. This provided farmers with additional hours of bright moonlight that illuminated their fields to complete their harvest before fall and frost.

The Harvest Moon rising over St. Catharines, Ontario (2016) by Trevor Jones. 

October: Hunter’s Moon 

If the Harvest Moon happens in September, then the full moon for October is the Hunter’s Moon. 

As mentioned above, the full moons in September and October are tied to an astronomical event – the autumnal equinox. This means that the full moon that happens closest to the autumnal equinox will be the Harvest Moon.

The Hunter’s Moon is the full moon that follows the Harvest Moon, which could occur in October or November. 

The Hunter’s Moon is tied to the hunting season in autumn, a time when people would gather food supplies in preparation for winter. Similar to the Harvest Moon, the additional moonlight aided hunters in tracking animals and navigating through the woods. 

The Hunters Moon in October captured from my backyard using a small telescope.

November: Beaver Moon 

The Beaver Moon is the name given to the full moon in November that signifies the preparation many animals take before the onset of winter. 

During this time, beavers were actively building and repairing their dams and lodges for the colder months ahead. In addition to restoring their homes, they would also increase their food stores before winter. 

During the fur trade, it was also the season when beavers were captured for their thick pelts. The Cree and Assiniboine peoples also marked this change in season with the names Frost Moon and Freezing Moon.

The Beaver Moon captured through passing clouds from my backyard. 

December: Cold Moon 

The Cold Moon is the name given to the full moon in December. Much like the name suggestions, it reflects the cold and frosty weather typical for this time of year, associated with the onset of the winter season. 

Because it occurs close to the winter solstice, it appears especially high and bright, casting long shadows and illuminating snowy landscapes in northern latitudes. Its crisp, clear light often coincides with cold, stable air that can make for sharp, detailed views through binoculars or a telescope.

For astrophotographers, the Cold Moon is best enjoyed for lunar photography, winter landscape scenes, or time-lapse sequences where its brilliance dominates the night.

The Cold Moon in December by Bill Bowman on Flickr. 

Rare Full Moons

Blue Moon

We typically experience one full moon per month, for a total of 12 full moons each year. This is thanks to the moon phase cycle, which lasts approximately one month. 

But if we look more closely at the duration of the moon phase cycle, there are 29.5 days between full moons, which adds up to 354 days to complete the 12 moon phase cycles.

This means that there is a 13th full moon observed within a calendar year every 2.5 years. This full moon is referred to as the Blue Moon.

As you may have guessed, this name has nothing to do with the actual color or appearance of the full moon. It simply marks an additional full moon for the year, which rarely happens.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’, which refers to something that doesn’t happen very often, this is where it comes from.

Blood Moon

A Blood Moon is used to describe a total lunar eclipse when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon. As Earth blocks sunlight from hitting the Moon, sunlight is scattered in longer red and orange wavelengths.

These wavelengths are refracted (i.e., bent) by the Earth’s atmosphere, causing the Moon to take on a reddish appearance. This red glow is why it is called the Blood Moon.

I captured a ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse through an astronomical telescope.

 

Supermoon vs Micromoon

The terms ‘supermoon’ and ‘micromoon’ are used to describe the two extremes in the apparent size of the full Moon, based on its position in its elliptical orbit around Earth. 

Supermoons are observed when the full moon is closest to Earth’s orbit (i.e., perigee) during its orbit around Earth. A micromoon would be observed when the full moon is further from Earth (i.e., apogee).

The phenomenon of a supermoon occurs several times a year. However, not all supermoons are equally impressive; the degree of “super” depends on how close the Moon is to its perigee during a given occurrence.

During a supermoon, the moon will appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter in the night sky than during a typical full Moon.