Secular Weekday Name Hebrew "Name" Hebrew MeaningSunday Yom Reeshone First day
Monday Yom Shaynee Second day
Tuesday Yom Shlee ́shee Third day
Wednesday Yom Revee ́ee Fourth day
Thursday Yom Khah ́mee ́shee Fifth day
Friday Yom Ha ́shee ́shee Sixth day
Saturday Shabbat RestThe main exception is the seventh day of the week, which is called the Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew). In the
Roman civil calendar, the one currently used by virtually all the world, the days of the week are named after
various pagan or planetary gods. Please see from where the day names originated from. Abbreviations of
various languages follow.
Dan. - Danish, D. - Dutch or Belgic, Fr. - French, G. - German, Ir. - Irish, Hiberno-Celtic, and Gaelic, It. -
Italian, L. - Latin, Sax. - Saxon or Anglo-Saxon, Sp. – Spanish, Sw. – Swedish, W. – Welsh.
1 st day of the week, Sunday (Sun – the Sun god): Sax. sunna-dæg; G. sonntag; D. zondag; Dan.
söndag; Sw. sondag; so called because this day was anciently dedicated to the sun, or to its
worship, the worship of Sun god. It was always the first day of the week.
2 nd day of the week, Monday (Moon – the Moon god): named after the Moon god. Sax. monandæg;
D. maandag; G. nontag; moon and day; being formerly sacred to that planet.
3 rd day of the week, Tuesday (Mars - Tiw): named after Tiu, an ancient Teutonic deity. Sw. Tisdag;
Dan. Tirsdag; D. Dingsdag; G. Dingstag; Sax. Tiwæsdæg or Tuesdæg, from Tig, Tiig, or Tuisco, the
Mars of our ancestors, the deity that presided over combats, strife and litigation. Hence, Tuesday is
court day, assize day; the day for combat or commencing litigation.
4 th day of the week, Wednesday (Mercury - Woden): named after Woden, a god in Norse mythology,
associated with the Roman god (and planet) Mercury. Sax. Wodensdæg; Woden's day; Sw.
Odenstag or Onsdag; from Wodin or Odin, a deity or chief among the northern nations of Europe.5 th day of the week, Thursday (Jupiter - Thor): named after Thor, the supreme god in Norse
mythology, associated with the Roman god (and planet) Jupiter. Dan. Torsdag, that is, Thor's day,
the day consecrated to Thor, the god of thunder answering to the Jove of the Greeks and Romans,
L. dies Jovis; It. Giovedi; Sp. Jueves; Fr. Jeudi. So in G. donnerstag, D. donderdag, thunderday. This
Thor is from the root of W. taran, thunder; taraw, to strike, hit or produce a shock; Gaelic, Ir. toirn, a
great noise; toirneas, thunder. The root of the word signifies to drive, to fush, to strike. In Sw.
thorndon is thunder.
6 th day of the week, Friday (Venus - goddess Frigg or Freia): named after Friga, wife of the god Odin,
or Wodin another god in Norse mythology. Sax. frig-dæg; G. freitag; D. vrydag; from Frigga, the
Venus of the north; D. vrouw, G. frau, Ir. frag, a woman. The sixth day of the week, formerly
consecrated to Frigga.
7 th day of the week, Saturday (Saturn- Roman god Saturn): named after the planet Saturn. Sax.
Sæter-dag; D. Saturdag; Saturn's day.When conversing with the peoples of this world, it is necessary to use these popular names (Sunday,
Monday, Tuesday, etc.); else few would know what we were talking about if only the Biblical numbering
system were used. But it should be remembered that these popular weekday names have pagan roots and
are not found in the Bible.
What and when is the Sabbath?
In the Scriptures the seventh day of the week is called the Sabbath. The word Sabbath is synonymous with
rest, repose, restoration, refreshment, calm, tranquility, freedom, peace, harmony, holiness and
sanctification. It is, therefore, a fitting sign of the Creator's character and aims. The divine record of the
creation is brief; but it leaves one with no doubt that the Creator rested on, blessed and sanctified the
seventh day of the week at the creation of the world. Notice what His Word says on this matter:
―Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God
ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had
made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all
his work which God created and made‖. (Gen 2:1-3)