Rising since 1985, #81 for boys today.
Popularity of August since 1880
Babies named August per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 0 | 2,012 |
| 1890s | 0 | 1,703 |
| 1900s | 0 | 1,245 |
| 1910s | 21 | 4,869 |
| 1920s | 49 | 5,277 |
| 1930s | 5 | 3,208 |
| 1940s | 0 | 2,434 |
| 1950s | 6 | 1,841 |
| 1960s | 86 | 1,234 |
| 1970s | 289 | 1,044 |
| 1980s | 315 | 1,153 |
| 1990s | 673 | 2,153 |
| 2000s | 933 | 3,859 |
| 2010s | 2,078 | 15,827 |
| 2020s | 1,815 | 20,323 |
Meaning & origin
August is an immigrant name enjoying a second American life. Common among the German and Scandinavian families of the late nineteenth century, it appears in the first federal records of 1880, it faded with that generation, then turned around in 1985 and has climbed ever since, hitting its highest rank on record, No. 81, in 2025.
About one in every 432 boys received the name that year, and its strongest states make an eclectic trio: Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Missouri. That mix, crunchy New England, urban professional, and Midwestern heartland, captures the name's unusual breadth of appeal.
Parents get three names in one: the imperial dignity of Augustus, the golden warmth of late summer, and the nicknames Auggie and Gus, which land on opposite ends of the charm spectrum. Alongside Otto, Felix, and Theodore, August sits squarely in the vintage revival that shows no sign of slowing.
August rests on the Latin adjective augustus, 'venerable, consecrated, majestic', the honorific the Roman Senate granted the first emperor, whose title in turn named the month. As a given name, August is the standard German, Scandinavian, and Polish form of Augustus, and it arrived in America in force with nineteenth-century German and Scandinavian immigrants; it appears in the very first federal records of 1880. The name faded through the middle of the twentieth century as that immigrant generation aged, then began a long climb in 1985 that has accelerated with the fashion for vintage, substantial boys' names, reaching its highest recorded rank in 2025.
Where August is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“August” around the world
Where August lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Ireland
7
babies in 2025
New Zealand
40
babies in 2025
Quebec
22
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#94
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Auggie, Gus
Famous people named August
- August Wilson · two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright
- August Strindberg · Swedish playwright and novelist
Sibling names for August
Names that share August's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Hazel, Iris, Margot, Clara, June, Ada, Adeline, Elodie, Eloise, Evelyn, Ivy, Josephine, Marceline, Ruby, Stella, Sylvie, Violet, April, Cecelia, Rosalie, Ernestina, Novella, Ophelia, Albertina, Amaryllis, Amethyst, Apryl, Arabelle, Azalee, Charlette, December, Emaline, Evelena, January, Marigold, October, Olevia, Otilia, Rosena, Somer, Tuesday, Aprile, Aprill, Avarose, Clarrissa, Jessamine, Jessamyn, July, Laurelle, November, Ottilie, Adabelle, Alixandra, Aprille, Artesia, Avalene, Castella, Cecilie, Holiday, March, Rosabell, September, Valetta, Carmeline, Agusta, Apryle, Arrabella, Athalee, Emilene, Evoleht, Hyla, Isobelle, Marguerette, Tilia, Verita, Vinetta
Brothers: Felix, Otto, Ezra, Theodore, Arthur, Everett, Rowan, Alphonse, Langston, Auguste, Legrand, Ruffin, Zebastian, Amaurie, Ignatz, Sinjin
Names like August
Names whose popularity has moved with August's over the last 50 years.
