def month_by_name(name):
    """ Return the number of a month by (locale-independently) English name """

    ENGLISH_NAMES = [
        'January', 'February', 'March', 'April', 'May', 'June',
        'July', 'August', 'September', 'October', 'November', 'December']
    try:
        return ENGLISH_NAMES.index(name) + 1
    except ValueError:
        return None