echo date(" g:i a ") code example

Example 1: date to string php

$date_string_prepared = date_create("2020-08-07");
$date_string = $date_string_prepared->format("d M Y");
// result 07 Jul 2020

Example 2: name of today php

$datetime = DateTime::createFromFormat('YmdHi', '201308131830');
echo $datetime->format('D');

// or 

$date = new \DateTime();
echo $date->format("D");