Get month name from number in PostgreSQL

Question

I have a table with a column month(integer). In this column I store values like 1, 2, .. 12.
But I have to show the month name

Answer 1

There might be a quicker answer, but it seems to be possible by:

• Turning your int into a string
• Reading that string as a timestamp
• Displaying the month of the timestamp.

For example:

select to_char(to_timestamp(to_char(4, '999'), 'MM'), 'Mon')

returns 'Apr'.

You can turn it into a function:

create function to_month(integer) returns varchar as
$$
    select to_char(to_timestamp(to_char($1, '999'), 'MM'), 'Mon');
$$ language sql

and use it throughout your code.

select to_month(month_column) from mytable

Answer 2

Basically what @small_duck already posted, but a couple of improvements:

SELECT to_char(to_timestamp (4::text, 'MM'), 'TMmon')

• A plain cast to text 4::text is enough, no need for to_char(..).

• Question asks for lower case "jan", there is a template pattern for that: mon.

• If you want to localize the output, prefix the template with the modifier TM.