2021 in Roman numerals at a glance
- Roman numeral
- MMXXI
- Lowercase
- mmxxi
- Letters
- 5
- Parts
- M · M · X · X · I
- Subtractive pairs
- None
- Read aloud
- twenty twenty-one
- Leap year?
- No
How MMXXI is built
Roman numerals are written one decimal place at a time, from the largest place to the smallest. Converting each digit of 2021 separately and joining the pieces gives MMXXI:
| Place | Digit | Value | Numeral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thousands | 2 | 2,000 | MM |
| Hundreds | 0 | 0 | — (zero has no symbol) |
| Tens | 2 | 20 | XX |
| Ones | 1 | 1 | I |
Reading it back, left to right:
- M = 1,000 → running total 1,000
- M = 1,000 → running total 2,000
- X = 10 → running total 2,010
- X = 10 → running total 2,020
- I = 1 → running total 2,021
Why MMXXI has 5 letters
Every year from 2000 to 2099 begins with MM (2,000); the rest of MMXXI after MM — XXI — spells out 21. Of the 201 years from 1900 to 2100, 146 have a longer numeral and 23 a shorter one.
The rules MMXXI follows
- Largest to smallest. MMXXI uses the symbols M, X and I (5 characters in all), and the values never increase from left to right except inside a subtractive pair.
- No subtraction needed. None of the digits of 2021 is a 4 or a 9, so MMXXI is purely additive: just add the symbol values.
- Repetition. MM repeats M two times and XX repeats X two times. I, X, C and M may repeat up to three times in a row; V, L and D never repeat.
The year 2021 in Roman numerals: where it appears
- Credits, diplomas and keepsakes. Many productions still print the copyright year as a numeral, and recent dates such as MMXXI are popular for wedding bands, tattoos and anniversary gifts.
- Championship numbering. The pro football championship played in early 2021 was game LV (55), since the series began with game I in January 1967.
- On a calendar. 2021 was not a leap year (365 days), and January 1 fell on a Friday. A full date such as July 4, 2021 is often written VII · IV · MMXXI.
To turn a complete birth date or wedding date into numerals — with dots, dashes or spaces in US or day-first order — use the Roman numeral date converter.
Years around 2021 in Roman numerals
| Year | Roman numeral | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | MMXVI | 5 |
| 2017 | MMXVII | 6 |
| 2018 | MMXVIII | 7 |
| 2019 | MMXIX | 5 |
| 2020 | MMXX | 4 |
| 2021 | MMXXI | 5 |
| 2022 | MMXXII | 6 |
| 2023 | MMXXIII | 7 |
| 2024 | MMXXIV | 6 |
| 2025 | MMXXV | 5 |
| 2026 | MMXXVI | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write 2021 in Roman numerals?
2021 is written MMXXI. Break it into M (1000), M (1000), X (10), X (10), I (1) and add the parts: 1000 + 1000 + 10 + 10 + 1 = 2021.
How do you say MMXXI?
Read the value, not the letters: MMXXI is the year 2021, said “twenty twenty-one.” Spelling out the letters one by one is only useful when checking a carving or engraving.
What year comes after MMXXI?
2022, written MMXXII. The year before, 2020, is MMXX.