An Old Nursery Rhyme
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child has to work for its living,
But a child that's born on the Sabbath day
is fair and wise and good and gay.
Hopefully most people don't hold these to be true. In any case the Everything Perpetual Calendar helps find birth days of the week.
Sunday, the first day of the week, is named for the sun. Romans called this day dies solis, day of the sun. Anglo-Saxons of England called this day sunnandaeg, sun day. Early Christians made this their Sabbath, or day of worship and rest since Jesus was said to have risen from the dead on a Sunday.
Monday, the second day of the week, is named for the moon. The Romans called it dies lunae, day of the moon. Anglo-Saxons called it monandaeg, moon day.
Tuesday, the third day of the week, is named for Tyr, the Norse god of war. The Roman name for this day was dies Martis, Mar's day after their god of war. Anglo-Saxons called it Tiwesdaeg, Tiw's (Tyr's) day.
Wednesday, the fourth day of the week, is named for Woden (Odin), the supreme Norse god. Romans called this dies Mercurii, Mercury's day, for their messenger of the gods. Anglo-Saxons called this Wodnesdaeg, Woden's day.
Thursday, the fifth day of the week, is named for Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Romans called this day dies Jovis, Jove's day, after Jupiter, their ultimate god. Anglo-Saxons called this day Thuresdaeg, Thor's day.
Friday, the sixth day of the week, is named for Frigg, the Norse goddess of the heavens and married love and the wife of Odin. The Roman name for this day is dies Veneris, Venus's day, for their goddess of love. The Anglo-Saxon name for this day was Frigedaeg, Frigg's day.
Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is named for Saturn, the Roman god of farming. Romans called this day dies Saturni, Saturn's day. This became Saeterdaeg to Anglo-Saxons. Jews made this day their Sabbath because it is said that God had created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.