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How did the name Wednesday preserve the memory of Woden or Odin?

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Germanic religion and mythology Battle scenes and ships depicted on a memorial stone from Gotland, Sweden, late 8th century. In the third panel from the top, a warrior is being hanged in a tree as a sacrifice to Odin, whose cult is represented by an eagle and a twisted knot.

The name Wednesday preserves the memory of the powerful Norse deity Odin—also known as Woden—by serving as a linguistic link to his role in Germanic religion and mythology.

In the Roman calendar, the fourth day of the week was dedicated to the god Mercury, known as Mercurii dies. When Germanic peoples adopted the seven-day week, they replaced the Roman deity with their own supreme god, Woden, who was often identified by Latin writers with Mercury. Consequently, the Old English term wōdnesdæg literally translates to "Woden’s day".123

This etymological connection highlights how English weekday names evolved from a blend of Roman and Anglo-Saxon traditions. While Romance languages like French (mercredi) retain the direct reference to Mercury, the English name Wednesday remains a direct testament to the cultural significance of Woden, the sovereign god of inspired mental activity, poetry, and war.451