Thursday is sometimes referred to as "Friday's Friday," meaning it's the herald of Friday and, therefore, the weekend.

That said, if you start thinking of Thursday as having something special about it, you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Get your fill of surprises about this day with these fun Thursday facts.

1. The name Thursday is derived from the Old English Þūnresdægand the Middle English Thuresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from the influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr) meaning "Thor's Day," after the Norse God of Thunder and son of Odin, Thor.

2. Many Germanic-derived languages name Thursday after Thor, like "Torsdag" in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, "Donnerstag" in Germany, and "Donderlag" in the Netherlands.

3. As Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of Thor, the Latin name for Thursday was "lovis Dies," meaning "Jupiter's Day."

4. The astrological and astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter is sometimes used to represent Thursday.

5. Thursday is the fourth day of the week in many cultures, following Wednesday and preceding Friday.
The concept of a seven-day week has been around for centuries, and many cultures have assigned specific meanings and associations to each day of the week.

6. In many cultures, Thursday is associated with the color purple.
Purple has long been considered a royal color, and is often associated with wealth, power, and wisdom. It is also associated with creativity and spirituality, and is a popular color for meditation and other spiritual practices.

7. Thursday is the busiest day of the week for some businesses, including grocery stores and restaurants.
Many people do their grocery shopping and eat out on Thursdays, in preparation for the weekend. This can lead to longer lines and wait times at popular stores and restaurants.

8. Leonardo Da Vinci, an artist, inventor, pioneer, and genius (and probably a time traveler), was born on Thursday, April 15, 1452.

9. The astrological sign for Thursday is Sagittarius, which is associated with expansion, travel, and adventure.
Sagittarians are known for their love of learning, their sense of humor, and their optimistic outlook on life. They are often drawn to careers that allow them to explore the world and expand their knowledge and experiences.

10. In Latin, the possessive case of Jupiter was either "lovis" or "jovis," and therefore, most languages derived from Latin reflect this in their naming of Thursday, like the Spanish "jueves," the French "jeudi," or the Italian "giovedi."

11. In most of the languages spoken in India, the word for Thursday is "Guruvara," with vara meaning "day," and "guru" is the style for Brhaspati, who is a guru to the gods and a regent of the planet Jupiter.

12. In the Judeo-Christian liturgical calendar, Thursday is often abbreviated to Th or Thu.

13. In Christianity, Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, is the Thursday before Easter, which is the day that The Last Supper took place.

14. "Ascension Thursday" is 40 days after Easter and is when Christ was said to have ascended to heaven.

15. Back in the USSR during the 1970s and 1980s, Thursday was known as the "Fish Day" of the week, where the nation's food service institutions would serve fish rather than meat.

16. Estonians did not work on Thursdays and called their Thursday nights "evenings of Tooru."
Some historians say that Estonians would gather in holy woods known as "Hiis" on Thursday nights, where a bagpipe player would sit and play whilst people danced and sang until dawn.

17. Thursday is the name of a six-piece post-hardcore rock band from America formed in 1997.

18. On Thursday, June 20, 1782, the fledgling United States of America decided to do some branding and selected the Bald Eagle as its official emblem.

19. In some American high schools during the 1950s and 1960s, wearing the color green on a Thursday would lead to people believing you were gay.

20. In the U.K., elections are always held on a Thursday. This may seem a little odd, especially considering there's no specific reason why other than tradition. The last U.K. election to be contested that did not occur on a Thursday was back in 1931, when everybody voted on a Tuesday.

21. In the UK, many newspapers are traditionally published on Thursdays. This tradition dates back to the 18th century, when newspapers were first becoming popular in England.
Many of the country's largest and most influential newspapers, including The Times and The Guardian, still publish on Thursdays to this day.

22. In Australia, most movie premieres are often held on a Thursday.

23. In the Thai Solar Calendar, the color orange is associated with Thursday.

24. In Buddhist Thailand, Thursday is considered to be "Teacher's Day," and it is believed that a person should begin their education on a Thursday.
Thai students still pay homage to this belief by holding gratitude ceremonies for their teachers that are always held on a Thursday.
Following in the same vein, graduation days at universities in Thailand almost always occur on a Thursday.

25. In some African cultures, Thursday is considered a day for honoring ancestors and spiritual leaders.
Many people perform rituals and make offerings to their ancestors on Thursdays, as a way of honoring their heritage and seeking guidance from those who have passed on.

Sources
Wales Online
Wikipedia - Thursday