Canadian Women: APRIL, MAY, and JUNE

 For generations, parents have drawn inspiration from the natural world when naming their children—flowers, seasons, and yes, even months.

Naming girls after the month of their birth became especially popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when poetic and nature-inspired names like April, May, and June came into fashion. Each of these names evokes freshness, growth, and light—qualities that many parents wished upon their daughters.

In this post, we’re spotlighting some remarkable Canadian women who bear these calendar-inspired names and have made lasting contributions in the arts, sciences, politics, and beyond.

WRITERS

April Bulmer
Born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1963, April Bulmer is a prolific poet whose work explores spirituality, femininity, and multicultural identity. She holds three master's degrees, including one in theology, and her poetry has appeared in many Canadian literary journals.

June Callwood

June Callwood
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Born in Chatham, Ontario, on June 2, 1924, June Callwood was a distinguished journalist, author, and social activist. She began her career as a reporter at the Globe and Mail and went on to publish over 20 books, including The Law Is Not for Women and Jim: A Life with AIDS. Callwood founded or co-founded more than 50 Canadian social action organizations, such as Casey House, a Toronto hospice for people with AIDS, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation. She received numerous accolades for her humanitarian efforts before passing away on April 14, 2007. ​writerstrust.com

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ARTISTS

June Clark
Born in Harlem, New York, in 1941 and later immigrating to Toronto, June Clark is a celebrated visual artist known for her mixed-media work exploring themes of identity, memory, and displacement. She became a prominent figure in Toronto’s Black arts community and exhibited widely in Canada and abroad.

Danielle April
Born on July 1, 1949, in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, Danielle April is a versatile artist known for her work in painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, printmaking, and drawing. Her art often explores themes of time and memory. April studied at the École des beaux-arts de Québec and earned a bachelor's degree in visual arts from Université Laval. She has received several awards, including the Prix d’excellence de la Culture Videre in 2002, and her works are part of various permanent collections. ​

Mabel May
Henrietta Mabel May, born on September 11, 1877, in Montreal, Quebec, was a prominent painter and a founding member of the Beaver Hall Group and the Canadian Group of Painters. Her work often depicted Canadian landscapes and urban scenes. May's contributions significantly impacted the Canadian art scene, and she continued to be active in art education until her death on October 8, 1971, in Burnaby, British Columbia. ​

PERFORMING ARTS

May Irwin

May Tully
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 Born as Georgina May Campbell on June 27, 1862, in Whitby, Ontario, May Irwin was a renowned actress and singer. She gained fame for her performances in vaudeville and was known for her comedic timing and charm. Irwin starred in one of the first films ever shown in Canada, Thomas Edison's The Kiss (1896), which was considered scandalous at the time. She retired from acting in 1922 and passed away on October 22, 1938, in New York City. ​Wikipedia+1Famous Canadian Women+1Famous Canadian Women

May Tully

May Tully
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 Born Mary Gertrude Tully in the 1880s in Nanaimo, British Columbia, May Tully was a Canadian actress, writer, director, and producer. She was active in both theater and film and was known for her work in early 20th-century entertainment. Tully passed away on March 9, 1924, in New York City. ​Wikipedia

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SCIENTISTS and INNOVATORS

Dr. May Cohen

Dr. May Cohen
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Born in Toronto in 1931 and passing in 2023, Dr. May Cohen was a trailblazing physician and feminist medical educator. A champion of women's health, she co-founded the Women's Health Office at McMaster University and helped shape gender-sensitive medical curricula across Canada.

Dr. June James
Born on June 23, 1939, in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. June James immigrated to Canada and became the first Black woman accepted into the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba in 1960. She is a distinguished pediatrician and immunologist, known for her contributions to allergy and immunology research. Dr. James was also the first Black woman to receive the Order of Manitoba on June 15, 2004. ​

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POLITICIANS

April Engeran
Although not widely known nationally, April Engeran made history as one of the first Métis women to serve on a Northern community council in Saskatchewan in the early 2000s. She advocated for Indigenous housing, education, and women's services in remote areas.

June Rowlands

June Rowlands
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Born in Toronto in 1924 and passing in 2017, June Rowlands was the first woman to serve as mayor of Toronto (1991–1994). She also served on the Toronto City Council and the Board of Control and was known for her tough stance on civic order and community safety.

Notes:

*Find out more about these inspiring women by reading about their work and lives online. Each of the above has a Wikipedia page (as well as lots of other material on them). You can see what they look like if here is no image on here. The ones who have ''creative commons" under their pictures have more information about their photos on their Wikipedia page. Thank you!

*I was very inspired by these women and know that you probably are as well. But I also know a number of inspiring and creative women who don't have Wikipedia pages but who are called April, May, or June. Perhaps you know someone who isn't listed on here-- feel free to tell a little about that April, May, or June in the comments below-- what is particularly outstanding about them? Have any of the people on this page had a big influence on your life that you would like to share about? Thanks for that!!

*AI was used in editing this blog post. I approve.