The Bottom Line: Quick facts about May!
The Full Story:
- May, from the Latin ‘Maius’, is named after Maia, a Roman goddess of growth.
- May is National Asparagus Month, National Share-a-Story Month and National Burger Month, National Bike Month and National Strawberry Month
- In response to May 1st being dubbed May Day (as the celebration of workers’ rights), May 2nd was named the International Day of Idleness at the World Tramps Congress in Argentina in 1966.
- The Robin Williams film What Dreams May Come (1998) is the only film with the word ‘May’ in its title to win an Oscar (for Best Visual Effects).
- No US President has ever died during the month of May.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream is the only Shakespeare play that mentions a maypole.
- ‘May’ was the 493rd most popular name given to a baby girl in the UK in 2003. ‘Mae’ was 499th.
- In 2004, a study of 40,000 people showed that people born in May think themselves luckier than those born in any other month.
- According to old superstitions, it is unlucky to marry, buy a broom or wash a blanket in May.