International Octopus Day, also known as World Octopus Day, is celebrated on October 8th each year to raise awareness about the intelligence, unique biology, and conservation needs of octopuses and other cephalopods. The date was chosen because of the octopus’s eight arms and the Latin root octo for eight, which is also present in the word “October.”

Why October 8th?
– Eight Arms: The most straightforward reason is that octopuses have eight arms, a feature reflected in the number of the month.
– Latin Connection: Both the word “October” and “octopus” come from the Latin word octo, meaning eight.

That quirky alignment is probably why, when people ask me the old question — “If you could be reincarnated as any creature, which would you choose?” — my answer is always the same: the octopus.

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When Ink Meets Iron

Now, I admit, part of why I’m so drawn to them is the way octopuses have wriggled their way into steampunk culture. For some inexplicable reason, octopuses and gears just go together. During the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, the octopus often symbolized sprawling rail networks and mechanical reach. Their eight arms mirrored the many “arms of invention” that powered the age.

Steampunk artists and jewelers have long leaned on the octopus as a motif — goggles, brass, and tentacles twisted together into something both industrial and organic. Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea set the tone with monstrous deep-sea cephalopods, and later, Lovecraft’s Cthulhu locked them into pop culture forever as mysterious, strange, and endlessly adaptable. The Pirates of the Caribbean films picked up that same imagery too, with their terrifying depiction of the Kraken rising from the depths — another reminder that the octopus has always lived at the crossroads of awe, fear, and imagination.

Why I’d Be an Octopus

For me, the octopus embodies intelligence, problem-solving, and adaptability. They can slip through the tiniest gaps, camouflage at will, and escape predators in ways that seem like magic. Honestly, those qualities resonate with me. In life and in writing, sometimes I’ve had to squeeze through tight spots, blend in, or completely reinvent myself.

And let’s be real: eight arms wouldn’t hurt. Imagine juggling blogging, LEGO building, geocaching, workouts, and still having a couple arms left free to hold Jen’s hand or brew iced coffee. That’s efficiency!

Closing Thought

On World Octopus Day, I celebrate the octopus not just as a quirky holiday mascot, but as a symbol of resilience, intelligence, and imagination.

So what about you? If you could reincarnate as any animal, — and why is it an octopus?