Friday is the day between Thursday and Saturday, widely recognized as the fifth and final day of the working week in many Western countries. However, its role varies globally, serving as the first or even last day of the weekend in other nations, such as Iran. Notably, countries like Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait shifted their traditional Friday-Saturday weekend convention, with changes occurring around September 1, 2006, and a year later in Kuwait.

The English name "Friday" originates from the Old English "frīġedæġ," meaning "day of Frig," reflecting a historical association between the Norse goddess Frigg and the Roman goddess Venus, after whom the planet was named. This planetary naming convention is echoed in Romance languages (e.g., French vendredi from "day of Venus"), while other languages derive their names from unique cultural and religious significance: Arabic (al-jumʿah) from "gathering," Greek (Paraskevi) from "preparation" for the Sabbath, and Irish/Icelandic from "fast day."