Tuesday

Tuesday is a rare English feminine given name derived directly from the day of the week. The day name itself comes from Old English Tiwesdæg, meaning "Tiw's day" — Tiw being the Anglo-Saxon form of the Germanic god Tyr, the god of war, justice, and single combat. The day was a translation of the Latin dies Martis (Mars's day), equating Tiw with the Roman god Mars.

As a personal name, Tuesday is one of several day-of-the-week names used in English-speaking countries, though it remains far less common than names like Sunday or Wednesday in many cultures. Its usage as a given name is largely modern, possibly influenced by popular culture or the desire for unique, word-based names.

The name's root god, Tyr (Old Norse Týr), is a prominent figure in Norse mythology. According to the mythology, Tyr is a son of Odin and is known for his role in binding the wolf Fenrir, during which he lost his right hand. He is foretold to fight and be slain by the hound Garm at Ragnarök. The name Tyr is connected to the Indo-European sky god *Dyēws, also the source of the name Zeus.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Tuesday as a day of the week holds various significances across cultures. In many Western traditions, twice used to be considered the third day of the week, but modern ISO standards put it second. In the Islamic calendar, Tuesday is the fourth day, starting from Saturday. Some medieval superstitions considered Tuesday an unlucky day due to its association with Mars (war). In the Icelandic, Faroese, German (Dienstag), Dutch (dinsdag), and Swedish (tisdag) languages, the day is simply derived from the same divine being.

Notable Bearers

The name is famously borne by American actress Tuesday Weld, whose stage name was chosen by William Wellman and taken from the day of the week she was born (Tuesday). This use has undoubtedly contributed to the name's awareness although it hasn't achieved widespread popularity.

Related and Variant Forms

The name Tuesday is directly linked to its root Tiw, the Anglo-Saxon deity. The mythological archetype surfaces in other names like Tyr and indirectly Zeus, both from Indo-European roots meaning "sky" or "god."

• Meaning: "Tiw's day" — named after the Germanic god Tiw/Tyr
• Origin: Old English Tiwesdæg
• Type: First name (uncommon; also used as a surname)
• Usage regions: English-speaking countries (rare)