The Old Farmer's Almanac, which began publishing full moon names in the 1930s, says some Native American tribes called July's full moon the "buck moon" because it occurs in early summer, when male deer (bucks) typically begin growing new antlers covered in velvety fur.

Find out what time the full moon rises on July 10, 2025, how to see the Buck Moon from your location, and why it looks bigger near the horizon.

July’s full moon is called "the Buck Moon” because in July, velvet antler growth, called antlerogenesis, makes an older buck’s rack often very noticeable and actually at its peak growth rate.