The Ultimate Guide To The Abbreviation For March: Why 'Mar.' Is Wrong (According To Experts)

The abbreviation for the month of March is widely known as 'Mar.' or 'Mar', but using it is actually a point of major contention among professional writers, journalists, and technical experts. As of December 2025, while 'Mar.' remains the most common three-letter shorthand, the most influential style guides, including the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook and MLA, explicitly advise against abbreviating March at all. This deep dive explores the standard, technical, and historical uses of the March abbreviation, revealing why this short, five-letter month causes so much confusion in professional contexts.

The standard three-letter form, Mar. (with a period), is the most conventional abbreviation for March in general English usage, especially in handwritten notes, personal calendars, and basic data entry. However, the true complexity of the March abbreviation lies in its varied and often contradictory usage across different industries and international standards.

The Standard Abbreviation and the Style Guide Controversy

For most of the year, abbreviating a month is a straightforward task. January becomes Jan., and September becomes Sept. or Sep. March, however, falls into a unique category alongside April, May, June, and July, where its short length makes abbreviation unnecessary—and even grammatically discouraged—in formal writing.

Why 'Mar.' is Often Considered Incorrect

The primary reason March is frequently left unabbreviated stems from a key rule in major editorial style guides. The rule is simple: if a month's name has five or fewer letters, it should be spelled out in full to maintain clarity and readability.

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• Associated Press (AP) Stylebook: The AP Stylebook, which is the standard for most journalism and corporate communications in the United States, dictates that only months with six or more letters should be abbreviated when used with a specific date (e.g., Aug. 15). March is explicitly listed as one of the months that should never be abbreviated, even when paired with a date.
• Modern Language Association (MLA) Style: Similar to AP, MLA also recommends spelling out the full month name, including March, in the body of a paper. When space is limited, the three-letter form 'Mar.' is acceptable, but the full name is preferred.
• Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS): CMOS is more flexible, allowing for both the full name and the three-letter abbreviation 'Mar.' in tables and notes, but it still emphasizes the importance of consistency within a document.

The takeaway is that in professional writing, your best practice is to always write March in full.

Technical and International March Abbreviations

While editorial style guides govern prose, technical standards and specific industries often require a different, highly precise abbreviation for March. These codes are designed for data processing, global trade, and military logistics, where space and chronological sorting are paramount.

The Military and Government Code: MAR

In military and government contexts, a consistent, three-letter, period-less, and capitalized abbreviation is used to prevent confusion and ensure rapid, clear communication. This is part of the DD MMM YYYY format (Day, Month, Year).

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• Military Abbreviation: MAR
• Usage: This is the standard abbreviation for March in military date formats (e.g., 09 MAR 2025). The use of all caps and no period is a key distinction from general English usage.
• Related Entity: Julian Date Code: Military and logistics operations also frequently use a Julian Date Code, which is a three-digit number representing the day of the year. March 1st would be 060 (or 061 in a leap year), and March 31st would be 090 (or 091). This code eliminates the need for any month abbreviation entirely.

The Global Standard: ISO 8601 and Financial Codes

For global data exchange, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides a universal standard to eliminate confusion across languages and cultures.

• ISO 8601 Numeric Code: 03 (or M03)
• Usage: The ISO 8601 standard, which is the international format for dates, represents March as the two-digit number 03. A March 9, 2025 date would be written as 2025-03-09. This format is crucial for computer systems and databases because it sorts correctly chronologically.

The Commodity and Fiscal Code: H

In the high-stakes world of financial markets, specifically commodity and futures trading, months are often abbreviated to a single, unique letter to save space and ensure rapid data entry. This is one of the most obscure and specialized abbreviations for March.

• Futures Contract Code: H
• Usage: The CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) uses a system of single-letter codes for contract months. The letter H is the designated code for a March contract.
• Related Entity: Fiscal Year (FY): In many countries, including Canada and the UK, the fiscal year begins in April, making March the final month of the financial year. It is often referred to as Period 12 (P12) in accounting and government budgeting.

The Etymological and Historical Context of March

To fully understand the modern abbreviation, it helps to look at the month's history, which reveals why it is so short and why its abbreviation is contentious.

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The Roman God of War: Martius

The name "March" comes from the Latin word Martius, which means "month of Mars." Mars was the Roman god of war, and the month was named in his honor. This is significant because, in the ancient Roman calendar, Martius was originally the first month of the year.

• Original Roman Name: Martius
• Historical Role: The first month of the Roman calendar until around 153 BC, marking the start of the season for military campaigns.
• Calendar Shift: The shift from the Roman calendar to the Julian calendar and eventually the Gregorian calendar moved the start of the year to January, making March the third month. The name, however, remained a short, powerful five-letter word.

March Abbreviations in Different Languages

The abbreviation for March also varies dramatically across different languages, further complicating international communication and highlighting the need for standards like ISO 8601.

• French: mars (often abbreviated to mars, as the full name is short)
• German: März (often abbreviated to März or Mrz.)
• Spanish: marzo (abbreviated to mar.)
• Greek: Mart.

The global variations, from Mar. to H to 03, demonstrate that there is no single, universal abbreviation for March, but rather a context-dependent choice.

Summary of March Abbreviations (15+ Entities)

The table below summarizes the most common and specialized abbreviations for March, providing a quick reference for the appropriate context:

Abbreviation/Code	Context/Standard	Full Name/Entity
Mar.	General English (with a period)	Conventional Three-Letter Abbreviation
Mar	General English (without a period)	Common Shorthand
MAR	Military/Government/Logistics	Military Date Code (DD MMM YYYY)
03	Technical/Global Data Exchange	ISO 8601 Standard Numeric Code
H	Financial Futures & Commodities	CME Group Contract Month Code
P12	Accounting/Fiscal Reporting	Fiscal Year Period 12 (for April-start FY)
March	Journalism/Formal Writing	AP Stylebook & MLA Style (Preferred)
Martius	Historical/Etymological	Ancient Roman Calendar Name
mars	French Language	International Variation
März	German Language	International Variation
mar.	Spanish Language	International Variation
060-090	Logistics/Supply Chain	Julian Date Code Range
Feb.	Related Entity (Month Preceding)	February Abbreviation (AP Approved)
Apr.	Related Entity (Month Following)	April Abbreviation (AP NOT Approved)
Mars	Related Entity (Origin)	Roman God of War

In conclusion, while Mar. is the most common abbreviation, the most modern and expert-driven guidance suggests that spelling out March in full is the safest, clearest, and most professional choice for nearly all editorial content. Only in specialized contexts—like military forms, financial trading, or international data standards—should the unique codes like MAR, 03, or H be used.