American Indian Moon Names

American Indians gave names to each of the full moons to keep track of the passing year. The names are associated with the entire month until the next full moon occurs. Since a lunar month averages 29 days, the dates of the moons change from year to year. Here are titles most closely associated with calendar months. Abenaki Northeast, Maine January…alamikos…greetings maker moon February…piaôdagos…makes branches fall in pieces moon March…mozokas…moose hunter moon Mid-March…sigwankas…spring season maker moon April…sogalikas…sugar maker moon May…kikas…field maker moon June…nokahigas…hoer moon July…temaskikos…grass cutter moon August…temezôwas…cutter moon September…skamonkas…corn maker moon October…penibagos…leaf falling moon November…mzatanos…freezing river maker moon December…pebonkas…winter maker moon …… …… Algonquin…… Northeast to Great Lakes…… Month …Name of Moon …Meaning January…squochee kesos…sun has not strength to thaw February…wapicuummilcum…ice in river is gone March…namossack kesos…catching fish April…suquanni kesos…when they set indian corn May…moonesquanimock kesos…when women weed corn June…twowa kesos…when they hill indian corn July…matterllawaw kesos…squash are ripe August…micheenee kesos…when indian corn is edible September…pohquitaqunk kesos…middle between harvest and eating corn October…pepewarr…white frost on grass November…quinne kesos…much white frost on grass …… Anishnaabe…… (Chippewa, Ojibwe)…… Great Lakes…… …… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…gichi-manidoo-giizis…great spirits moon February…namebini-giizis…sucker moon March…bebookwaadaagame-giizis(oog)…snow crust moon April…iskigamizige-giizis(oog)…broken snowshow moon May…waabigwani-giizis…blossom moon June…ode'imini-giizis…strawberry moon July…aabita-niibino-giizis…raspberry moon August…miini-giizis…berry moon September…manoominike-giizis…rice moon October…binaakwe-giizis…falling leaves moon November…gashkadino-giizis(oog)…freezing moon December…manidoo-gizisoons…small spirits moon …… Apache…… Southern Plains…… Month …Name of Moon … January…time of flying ants… April…moon of the big leaves… May…season when the leaves are green… July…moon of the horse/time of ripeness… October…time when the corn is taken in… …… Arapaho…… Great Plains…… Month …Name of Moon … January…when snow blows like spirits in the wind… February…frost sparkling in the sun… March…buffalo dropping their calves… April…ice breaking in the river… May…when the ponies shed their shaggy hair… June…when when the buffalo bellows… July…the hot weather begins… late July…when the chokeberries begin to ripen… August…geese shedding their feathers… September…drying grass… October…falling leaves… November…when the rivers start to freeze… December…popping trees… …… Assiniboine…… Northern Plains…… …… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…wicogandu…center moon February…amhanska…long dry moon March…wicinstayazan…sore eye moon April…tabehatawi…frog moon May…indiwiga…idle moon June…wahequosmewi…full leaf moon July…wasasa…red berries August…capasapsaba…black cherries September…wahpegiwi…yellow leaf October…anukope…joins both sides November…cuhotgawi…frost moon December…wicogandu-sungagu…center moon's younger brother …… Cherokee…… East Coast, Carolinas…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…unolvtana…cold moon February…kagali…bony moon March…anvhyi…strawberry moon April…kawohni…flower moon May…ansgvti…planting moon June…dehaluyi…green corn moon July…kuyegwona…ripe corn moon August…galohni…drying up moon September…dulisdi…nut moon October…duninhdi…harvest moon November…nvdadegwa…trading moon December…vskihyi…snow moon …… Cheyenne…… Great Plains…… Month …Name of Moon … January…moon of the strong cold… April…when the geese lay eggs… May…when the horses get fat… September…drying grass moon… October…freeze begins on stream's edge… November…deer rutting moon… December…when the wolves run together… …… Choctaw…… Southeast, Mississippi, Louisiana…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning Early December…Hash Haponi…moon of cooking Late Dec - Early Jan…Hash Haf…moon of sassafras Late January…Hash Chaf Iskono…moon of little famine Early February…Hash Chaf Chito…moon of big famine Late Feb - Early March…Hash Mali…moon of winds April…Hash Bissi…moon of blackberry May…Hash Bihi…moon of mulberry Early June…Hash Takkon…moon of peach Late June - Early July…Hash Watallak…moon of the crane Late July – Early August…Hash Luak Mosholi…green corn festival Late August – September…Hash Tek Inhasi…courting time October…Hash Koinchush…moon of the wildcat November…Hash Koichus…moon of the panther …… Comanche…… Southern Plains…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…toh mua…year moon February…positsu mua…sleet moon March…tahpooku mua…cottonball moon April…tahma mua…new spring moon May…totsiyaa mua…flower moon June…puhi mua…leaf moon July…urui mua…hot moon August…tahma mua…summer moon September…taboo mua…paperman moon October…yuba mua…fall moon November…yubaubi mua…heading to winter moon December…wahi mua…evergreen moon …… Cree…… Northern Plains, Canada…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…gishepapiwatekimumpizun…moon when the old fellow spreads the brush February…cepizun…old moon March…migisupizum…eagle moon April…kiskipizun…gray goose moon May…aligipizun…frog moon June…sagipukawipizun…moon leaves come out July…opaskwuwipizun…moon when ducks begin to molt August…opunhopizun…moon young ducks begin to fly September…weweopizun…snow goose moon October…opinahamowipizun…moon the birds fly south November…kaskatinopizun…moon the rivers begin to freeze December…papiwatiginashispizun…moon when the young fellow spreads the brush …… Creek…… Southeast, Alabama, Georgia…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…rv'fo cusee…winter's younger brother February…hotvlee-hv'see…wind moon March…tasahcucee…little spring moon April…tasahcee-rakko…big spring moon May…kee-hvsee…mulberry moon June…kvco-hvsee…blackberry moon July…hiyucee…little harvest August…hiyo-rakko…big harvest September…otowoskucee…little chestnut moon October…otowoskv-rakko…big chestnut moon November…echolee…frost moon December…rvfo-rakko…big winter …… Haida…… Alaska…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…táan kungáay…bear hunting moon February…hlgit’ún kungáay…goose moon March…xitgáas kungáay…noisy goose moon April…xíit kungáay…migratory geese moon May…tahálaa kungáay…food-gathering moon June…gáan kungáay…berries ripen moon July…chíin kungáay…salmon moon August…k’íit’aas kungáay…cedar bark for hat & baskets September…kálk kungáay…ice moon October…cha’áaw kungáay…bears hibernate November…t’a’áaw kungáay…snow moon December…gáangálang kungáay…ripe berries …… Hopi…… Southwest, Arizona…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…paamuya…moon of life at it's height February…powamuya…moon of purification and renewal March…osomuyaw…moon of the whispering wind April…kwiyamuyaw…moon of windbreak May…hakitonmuyaw…moon of waiting June…uyismuya…moon of planting July…nimanmuya…moon of the homedance August…paamuya…moon of joyful September…nasanmuyaw…moon of full harvest October…angaqmuyaw…moon of long hair November…kelmuya…moon of fledgling hawk December…kyaamuya…moon of respect …… Kalapuya…… Pacific Northwest, Oregon…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…atalka…stay inside February…atchiulartadsh…out of food March…atcha-uyu…women dig camas April…amanta kotantal…time for pounding camas May…atantal…camas blooming time June…anishnalya…camas ripe July…ameku…mid summer August…akupiu…end of summer September…atchiutchutin…after harvest October…atchalankuaik…start getting sagittair roots November…alangitapi…moving inside for winter December…adshampak…not bad weather …… Lakota…… Northern Plains…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…wiotehika wi…hard moon February…cannapopa wi…moon when the trees crack because of the cold March…istawicayazan wi…moon of the sore eyes April…wihakaktacepapi wi…moon when the wife had to crack bones for marrow fat May…canwape to wi…moon of the green leaves June…wipazatkan waste wi…moon when the berries are good July…canpasapa wi…moon when the chokecherries are black August…wasutoa wi…moon of the ripening September…canwape gi wi…moon of the brown leaves October…canwape kasna wi…moon when the wind shakes off leaves November…waniyetu wi…moon when winter begins December…wanicokan wi…moon when the deer shed their antlers …… Mohawk…… Eastern Woodlands…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…tsothohrhko:wa…the big cold February…enniska…lateness March…ennisko:wa…much lateness April…onerahtokha…budding time May…onerahtohko:wa…time of big leaf June…ohiari:wa…ripening time July…ohiarihko:wa…time of much ripening August…seskehko:wa…time of freshness September…seskhoko:wa…time of much freshness October…kentenha…time of poverty November…kentenhko:wa…time of much poverty December…tsothohrha…time of cold …… Omaha…… Central Plains, Nebraska…… …… Month…Name of Moon… January…moon when snow drifts into tipis… February…moon when geese come home… March…little frog moon… June…moon when the buffalo bulls hunt the cows… July…moon when the buffalo bellow… September…moon when the deer paw the earth… …… Passamaquoddy…… Northeast U.S. - St. Croix River Region…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…opolahsomuwehs…whirling wind moon February…piyatokonis…when the spruce tips fall March…siqon…spring moon April…ponatom…spring moon May…siqonomeq…alewive moon June…nipon…summer moon July…accihte…ripening moon August…apsqe…feather shedding moon September…toqakiw…autumn moon October…amilkahtin…harvest moon November…kelotonuhket…freezing moon December…punam…frost fish moon …… Ponca…… Southern Plains…… Month…Name of Moon… January…snow thaws moon… March…water stands in the ponds moon… June…hot weather begins moon… July…middle of summer moon… August…corn is in the silk moon… October…when they store food in caches… …… Potawatomi…… Great Lakes…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…mkokisis…moon of the bear February…mnokesis…moon of the rabbit March…cicakkises…moon of the crane May…te'minkeses…moon of the strawberry June…msheke'kesis…moon of the turtle July…we'shkitdaminkese…moon of the young corn August…e'mnomukkises…moon of the middle October…e'sksegtukkisis…moon of the first frost November…pne'kesis…moon of the turkey …… Pueblo…… Southwest, New Mexico…… Month…Name of Moon… February…moon of the cedar dust wind… March…moon when the leaves break forth… June…moon when the leaves are dark green… September…moon when the corn is taken in… November…moon when all is gathered in… …… Shawnee…… Midwest, Ohio, Pennsylvania…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…ha'kwi kiishthwa…severe moon February…haatawi kiishthwa…crow moon March…shkipiye kwiitha…sap moon April…poosh kwiitha…half moon May…hotehimini kiishthwa…strawberry moon June…mshkatiwi kiishthwa…raspberry moon July…miini kiishthwa…blackberry moon August…po'kamawi kiishthwa…plum moon September…ha'shimini kiishthwa…papaw moon October…sha'teepakanootha…wilted moon November…kini kiishthwa…long moon December…washilatha kiishthwa…eccentric moon …… Shoshone…… Great Basin, Nevada, Wyoming…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…goa-mea'…freezing February…isha-mea'…coyote March…yu'a-mea'…warming April…badua'-mea'…melting May…buhisea'-mea'…budding June…daa'za-mea'…summer starting July…daza-mea'…summer August…guuteyai-mea'…hot September…yeba-mea'…fall October…naa-mea'…rutting November…ezhe'i-mea'…cold December…dommo-mea' …winter …… Sioux…… Great Plains, Dakotas, Nebraska …… Month…Name of Moon… January…wolves run together… February…dark red calves… March…sore eye moon… April…red grass appearing… May…moon when the ponies shed… June…strawberry moon… July…red blooming lilies… August…cherries turn black… September…calves grow hair… October…changing season… November…falling leaves… December…when deer shed their horns… …… Tlingit…… Pacific Northwest Coast…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…t’aawak dís…goose moon February…s’eek dís…black bear moon March…héentáanáx kayaan’I dís…underwater plants sprout April…x’eigaa kayaaní dís…budding moon of plants and shrubs May…at gadaxéet yinaa dís…moon before pregnancy June…at gadaxéet dís…birth moon July…xaat dísi…salmon moon August…sha-ha-yi…berries ripe on mountain September…dis yádi…big moon October…dís tlein…young animals moon November…kukahaa dís…scraping moon December…shanáx dís…unborn seals are getting hair …… Winnebago…… Great Lakes…… Month…Name of Moon… February…fish-running moon… April…planting corn moon… May…hoeing-corn moon… July…corn-popping moon… November…little bear's moon… December…big bear's moon… …… Wishram…… Columbia River, Washington, Oregon…… Month…Name of Moon… January…her cold moon… February…shoulder to shoulder around the fire moon… March…long days moon… April…the 8th moon… May…the 9th moon… June…fish spoils easily moon… July…salmon go up rivers in a group moon… August…blackberry patches moon… September…her acorns moon… October…travel in canoes moon… November…snowy mountains in the morning moon… December…her winter houses moon… …… Zuni…… Southwest, New Mexico…… Month…Name of Moon…Meaning January…dayamcho yachunne…when limbs of trees are broken by snow February…onon u'la'ukwamme…no snow in trails March…li'dekwakkya ts'ana…little sand storm April…li'dekwakkya lana…great sand storm May…yachun kwa'shi'amme…no name June…ik'ohbu yachunne…turning moon July…dayamcho yachunne…when limbs of trees are broken by fruit September…li'dekwakkwya ts'ana…corn is harvested October…li'dekwakkwya lana…big wind moon December…ik'ohbu yachunne…sun has traveled home to rest