Austine

Meaning & origin

Austine is a rare unisex name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1918. It reached its highest point of use in 1927, when it was given to just a handful of children each year, all but disappearing by mid-century. In the decades since, it has seen only occasional births, with a modest uptick in the early 2000s. The name's trajectory is stable but negligible; it has never ranked among the top 1,000 names. Austine is likely a diminutive or respelling of Austin, itself a short form of Augustine, and carries the same Latin-derived connotations of dignity and reverence. Its sparse use across nearly a century makes it a genuine rarity, appealing to parents seeking an obscure yet traditional-sounding name.

Austine is likely a feminine variant of Austin, itself a medieval vernacular form of the Latin name Augustinus (a derivative of Augustus, meaning 'majestic' or 'venerable'). It has been in occasional use in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, though it remains rare. The name appears in U.S. records from 1918, peaking in the 1920s, but has never been widely popular.