August
August is both a given name and surname developed from the Latin, Augustus. Derived from the Latin word augere, meaning "to increase", Augustus had the meaning "esteemed" or "venerable" and was a title given to Roman emperors.
- German
- Polish
- Swedish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of August
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
August is both a given name and surname developed from the Latin, Augustus. Derived from the Latin word augere, meaning "to increase", Augustus had the meaning "esteemed" or "venerable" and was a title given to Roman emperors.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Polish
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Finnish
- Catalan
- English
The Story of August
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of August as a girl name dates back to 1914, when 6 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 328 newborns named August — #841 in the national rankings. About 32% of every August on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, August ranks #929 for girls with 283 births, holding steady (-3%). All told, over 7K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put August on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 210 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 4,150 Augusts were born — ranking #80 that year. About 34% of every August on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, August ranks #80 for boys with 4,150 births, rising sharply (+53% over the past five years). All told, over 72K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of August
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with August. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like August
Phonetically similar names — useful when August is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about August
What does the name August mean?
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How popular is August in 2026?
When was August most popular?
In which U.S. states is August most popular?
Is August a unisex name?
What names go well with August?
What are nicknames or variants of August?
About the name August
August is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 72K births in the dataset. August's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #74. Use the chart and map above to compare August's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.