August
Meaningvenerable · Latin
- US rank
- #81
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #74 in 1882
3,958 babies were named August in the US in 2025. It has climbed 74 places in five years.
Nicknames & spellings
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1914–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about August you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous August
August Kekulé
German organic chemist (1829–1896)
Choose August and your child shares a first name with August Kekulé, a German organic chemist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “August, like who?” August Kekulé's Wikipedia article is available in 71 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about August Kekulé on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author Verlag / publisher: J.F. Lehmann, München, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 432 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named August, 3,958 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other August.
- HistoryAugust has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Augusts, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1882, when it reached #74.
- Then vs nowAugust is 15× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 6,337 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 432.
- TrendAugust has climbed 74 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #81. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedAugust is the #20 boy name in 2 states, including Minnesota, Missouri and Missouri. It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Latin, August means “venerable”.
About the name August
August is a boy name of Latin origin meaning “venerable”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-ust”. US birth records list August for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked #74 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #81, with 3,958 babies.
Origin:Latin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 3.8 | 266,667 girls |
| 1920s | 4.1 | 244,499 girls |
| 1930s | 0.5 | 2,083,333 girls |
| 1950s | 0.3 | 3,225,806 girls |
| 1960s | 4.8 | 207,039 girls |
| 1970s | 19 | 52,994 girls |
| 1980s | 18 | 54,289 girls |
| 1990s | 38 | 26,392 girls |
| 2000s | 51 | 19,802 girls |
| 2010s | 119 | 8,382 girls |
| 2020s | 186 | 5,363 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,837 | 544 boys |
| 1890s | 1,497 | 668 boys |
| 1900s | 924 | 1,083 boys |
| 1910s | 742 | 1,348 boys |
| 1920s | 479 | 2,086 boys |
| 1930s | 304 | 3,286 boys |
| 1940s | 167 | 5,976 boys |
| 1950s | 92 | 10,898 boys |
| 1960s | 64 | 15,669 boys |
| 1970s | 63 | 15,800 boys |
| 1980s | 62 | 16,057 boys |
| 1990s | 111 | 8,989 boys |
| 2000s | 193 | 5,186 boys |
| 2010s | 847 | 1,180 boys |
| 2020s | 1,962 | 510 boys |
More Latin boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Unisex name: Luca · man from Lucania
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Alexander · defender of men
Questions about the name August
What does the name August mean?
August means “venerable” in Latin.
What is the origin of the name August?
August has Latin roots in our records. Other Latin names include Oliver, Theodore, Lucas.
Is August a boy or girl name?
August is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name August?
August ranked #81 for US boys in 2025, given to 3,958 babies. Its best year was 1882 (#74).