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July

Seventh month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
7 min read
Source updated July 23, 2026
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July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., being the month of his birth. Before then it was called Quintilis, being the fifth month of the calendar that started with March.

It is on average the warmest month in most of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the second month of summer, and the coldest month in much of the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the second month of winter. The second half of the year commences in July. In the Southern Hemisphere, July is the seasonal equivalent of January in the Northern hemisphere.

"Dog days" are considered to begin in early July in the Northern Hemisphere, when the hot sultry weather of summer usually starts. Spring lambs born in late winter or early spring are usually sold before 1 July.

01Symbols

July's birthstone is the ruby, which symbolizes contentment.

Its birth flowers are the larkspur and the water lily. The zodiac signs are Cancer (until July 22) and Leo (July 23 onward).

Ruby gemstone
Ruby gemstone
Blue delphinium (Larkspur)
Blue delphinium (Larkspur)
White water lily
White water lily
In recent decades, the number of warm temperature records in July has outpaced cold temperature records over a growing portion of Earth's surface.
In recent decades, the number of warm temperature records in July has outpaced cold temperature records over a growing portion of Earth's surface.

02Observances

This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.

Month-long

Non-Gregorian

(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown before the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)

Movable

First Friday

First Saturday

First Saturday and Sunday

First Sunday

Sunday closest to 2 July

First full week in July

First Monday

5 July or following Monday if it's a weekend

Day after first Monday

Second Monday

Second Thursday

Second Sunday

Nearest Sunday to 11 July

Third Monday

Third Sunday

Second to last Sunday in July and the following two weeks

Third Tuesday

Fourth Sunday

Friday preceding the Fourth Saturday and the following Sunday

Fourth Thursday

Last Saturday

Last Sunday

Thursday before the first Monday

Following Friday

Last Friday

Fixed Gregorian

Chart shows changes in global average temperature annually in July of each year
Chart shows changes in global average temperature annually in July of each year
July, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
July, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
Fireworks in Washington, DC, to celebrate Independence Day on July 4
Fireworks in Washington, DC, to celebrate Independence Day on July 4
Watch videos about JulyExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “July”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Images, from Wikimedia Commons:

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Related topics

List of days of the year

The following is a list of days of the year corresponding to the Gregorian calendar. These pages list the historical events, births, deaths, and holidays and observances of the specified day of the year.