How Many Months in a Year?
There are 12 months in a year in the Gregorian calendar. Seven months have 31 days, four have 30 days, and February has 28 days (or 29 in a leap year). Together they add up to 365 days — or 366 in a leap year.
Quick Answer
Months in a year
12
31-day months
7
Jan Mar May Jul Aug Oct Dec
30-day months
4
Apr Jun Sep Nov
All 12 Months — Days & Quarters
| # | Month | Days | Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | 31 | Q1 |
| 2 | February | 28 (29 leap) | Q1 |
| 3 | March | 31 | Q1 |
| 4 | April | 30 | Q2 |
| 5 | May | 31 | Q2 |
| 6 | June | 30 | Q2 |
| 7 | July | 31 | Q3 |
| 8 | August | 31 | Q3 |
| 9 | September | 30 | Q3 |
| 10 | October | 31 | Q4 |
| 11 | November | 30 | Q4 |
| 12 | December | 31 | Q4 |
| Total (common year) | 365 | ||
Months by Quarter
A year divides evenly into 4 quarters of 3 months each. Quarters are widely used in business reporting, fiscal planning, and school calendars.
Jan · Feb · Mar
90 days(91 leap)
Apr · May · Jun
91 days
Jul · Aug · Sep
92 days
Oct · Nov · Dec
92 days
How to Remember Days Per Month
The classic trick is the knuckle method: make a fist and count across your knuckles and valleys starting from the index finger knuckle. Knuckle = 31 days; valley = 30 days (or 28/29 for February).
The Rhyme
“Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, save February alone, which has twenty-eight days clear and twenty-nine in each leap year.”
Quick Reference
31 days (7 months):
Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Oct, Dec
30 days (4 months):
Apr, Jun, Sep, Nov
28/29 days (1 month):
Feb — 28 common year, 29 leap year
Month Name Origins
Most month names come from Latin — either Roman gods, emperors, or number words. Notably, September through December are named after Latin numbers 7–10, a relic from when the Roman calendar only had 10 months (March was month 1).
| Month | Named After |
|---|---|
| January | Janus — Roman god of beginnings |
| February | Februa — Roman purification festival |
| March | Mars — Roman god of war |
| April | Aperire (Latin) — "to open" |
| May | Maia — Roman goddess of growth |
| June | Juno — Roman goddess |
| July | Julius Caesar — renamed in his honor |
| August | Augustus Caesar — renamed in his honor |
| September | Septem (Latin) — "seven" (9th month, originally 7th) |
| October | Octo (Latin) — "eight" (originally 8th) |
| November | Novem (Latin) — "nine" (originally 9th) |
| December | Decem (Latin) — "ten" (originally 10th) |
Months in Other Time Units
| Period | Months | Approx. Days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | ~0.23 | 7 |
| 1 month | 1 | 28–31 |
| 1 quarter | 3 | 90–92 |
| Half a year | 6 | 181–184 |
| 1 year | 12 | 365 or 366 |
| 2 years | 24 | 730 or 731 |
| 5 years | 60 | 1,826 or 1,827 |
| 10 years (decade) | 120 | ~3,652 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many months are in a year?
There are 12 months in a year in the Gregorian calendar: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
How many days are in each month?
7 months have 31 days (January, March, May, July, August, October, December), 4 months have 30 days (April, June, September, November), and February has 28 days in a common year or 29 days in a leap year.
Which month has the fewest days?
February has the fewest days — 28 in a common year and 29 in a leap year. All other months have 30 or 31 days.
How many months are in a quarter?
A year is divided into 4 quarters, each containing 3 months. Q1: January–March, Q2: April–June, Q3: July–September, Q4: October–December.
How many months is 6 months?
6 months is exactly half a year. Depending on which half, it spans either 181 days (January–June in a common year) or 184 days (July–December). On average, 6 months is approximately 182.5 days.