Why do Americans write the month first?

Question

Why do Americans write the month first, then the date and say it out loud like that?
I mean- wouldn't you want to know the date first- even if you're a bit of a thicko like me you'd remember which month we're in?

All great answers.
I hope everyone knows both ways- as it can be very confusing for an international- most follow the dd/mm/yy system but some Americanised companies do it mm/dd/yy. Just be sure to ask!

Answer 1

we like to be different, between this and our miles, pounds, etc...

Answer 2

You know, that's a really good question to be honest with you.

I'm American and I have no idea why. I've always been taught to put the month first.

Perhaps I should do a little research. Sorry I wasn't much of a help though. I'm guessing it has something to do with rebellion from the English, trying to do everything differently from the English back when our country was an infant (still is pretty young). Hmmm.....

Answer 3

It`s the standard way in computing to do it this way - when files are stored in date order it makes things easier to find if month comes first. For example a certain date in 2001 :-
091101 the next day would then be 091201 and so on ,much easier to find and link together files from September using this way than searching for 110901 and 120901 because then you`d have to look through every 11th and 12th just to find September.
The Americans aren`t completely stupid ,lazy yes but not totally stupid LOL

Answer 4

As a Brit living in the States, I have to say i have never figured it out and it took me a long time to get used to it. I still mess up after 15 years.
Having said that, legal forms, contracts, buying a house etc. are done the right way (to me anyway).

Answer 5

As you can see from most of the answers from Americans so far, they don't know why they do only that they do it because they were taught it. It may work fine for them in their own country, but very confusing (and creating potential for errors) when dealing with international companies.

Answer 6

I am English, and work in computers - programming etc. Whilst it does seem wierd orally, the American date format actually makes a lot of sense logically.
Take 3 dates for example

UK 03/08/07 01/10/07 12/09/07.
If you sorted them numerically, computers always start from the left, so the date order sorted would by 01/10/07, 03/08/07 then 12/09/07 - all wrong.

American format 08/03/07 10/01/07 09/12/07 would sort - left to right) as

08/03/07 09/12/07 10/01/07 - correctly sorted. (dont forget - this means 3rd Aug, then 12th Sept, then 1st Oct)

Answer 7

I'm not sure, but I do know that we Americans do many things different from the rest of the world (currency, language/slang, side of the road we drive on, some traditions, etc).

Answer 8

that's just the way we were taught. however, having served in the military for 24 years, i now write it 7 June 07.

Answer 9

They want to be Different to us real English people !

Eg they got there indenpendence , Thats why you find alot of American words Different from Full Correct English :)


English = Comdon American = Rubber
English = Lorry American = Truck

You see what i mean :)

Answer 10

My birthday is March 30th or the 30th of March.
Sounds like Alice in Wonderland

Answer 11

I don't know how other countries say the date, but we say, for example: June seventh 2007.

Therefore we write it the same way.