The word moon has been around as long as the English language, which is not surprising because the moon was critically important to early civilizations. It comes from the Old English mona and shares a root with the word month—because the moon revolves around the Earth once a month. While the sun stays the same day after day, the moon changes every night, allowing ancient peoples to identify the days and months and seasons.
Today, we have calendars and clocks to help us keep track of time. But some of the old names for the moon (especially a full moon) have stuck. We use them in expressions, as part of our own lunar observations, or—if you're a fan of astrology—to read your star chart.
Many, though not all, of these names for moons are linked to traditions related to ecology and ways of life. While you might have heard of some of the names we're referring to, we bet there are lots that will surprise you.