Named after the Anglo-Saxon god, Woden, the German version of Odin, of Norse mythology, the forth day of the week is also the middle of the week, often referred to as hump day.
In fact, all the days of the week are named after gods. Sunday, the Sun god; Monday, the Moon god, Tuesday, Tyr (or Mars); Wednesday, Woden; Thursday, Thor; Friday, Frigg (or Venus); and Saturday (Saturn, yet in Norse tradition it was named after Laugardagr meaning “washing day”).
Interesting to note, modern German calls the fourth day of the week Mittwoch, meaning (appropriately) “middle of the week.”
In case you are wondering why Wednesday’s child is full of woe it might help to read the poem.
- 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 works hard for a living,
- And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
- Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.