July was named by the Roman Senate to honor Julius Caesar, as it was his birth month. Before 44 B.C., it was called Quintilis, which is Latin for “fifth,” because it was the fifth month of the early Roman calendar.
Despite being the first month of the second half of the year, the exact midpoint of a standard year is July 2 at 1:00 pm.
Three U.S. Presidents passed away on July 4: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both in 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration) and James Monroe (in 1831).
July 4 is also celebrated in the Philippines, which officially gained its independence from the U.S. on that same date in 1946.
Because metal expands in warm weather, the Eiffel Tower can grow up to 6 inches taller during July heatwaves.
July is a massive month for space exploration. Apollo 11 launched on July 16, 1969, and Neil Armstrong took his famous first steps on the moon on July 20.
The scorching, sultry “Dog Days of Summer” begin on July 3. The phrase comes from the ancient Greeks and Romans, who blamed the intense summer heat on the alignment of Sirius, the “Dog Star.”
In the United States, July is National Ice Cream Month, National Hot Dog Month, and National Watermelon Month.
July 2 is celebrated as World UFO Day. The date was chosen to commemorate the famous Roswell incident, which allegedly happened in July 1947.
