Why is the midsummer soltice called midsummer when it is also the first day of summer? I have read somewhere that it is referring to the fact that it is the peak of summer not the exact middle of summer, but surely this would still be July?

Gnomon

The English language evolved in England, which is a temperate oceanic climate rather than a continental one. In such climates, the seasons start much earlier, and 21 June is in fact about the middle of summer. Here in Dublin, Ireland, which is the same sort of climate, the first signs of summer happen about mid May, and the first signs of autumn in mid August. Jul 19 06, 7:37 AM

Baloo55th

The trouble is that people like to regiment and organise things. And you can't really do that with seasons. Perhaps with monsoons, you can, but European seasons, no. The 'first day of' for seasons is just rubbish. The old saying 'cast ne'er a clout till may be out' was a better indication of the start of summery weather. Not the month of May, but the may blossom - the hawthorn. First comes the blackthorn, which blooms before the leaves appear, then comes the hawthorn (after the leaves have appeared. When the may blossom is seen, the weather is almost always warmer (average temperature, not freak warm days). Jul 19 06, 3:00 PM