Unisex name · Latin
August
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: exalted, venerableAugust is a gender-neutral name that comes from Latin and means "exalted, venerable". It is used in English, German, Scandinavian and Polish.
- Meaning
- Exalted, venerable
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #962 in 2025
Meaning and origin of August
As a gender-neutral name, August comes from Latin and means "great, venerable". It is used in English and German.
As a boy's name, August comes from Latin and means "exalted, venerable". It is used in English, German, Scandinavian and Polish.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
August on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about August on 3 lists.
“Exalted, venerable; Latin. Gus for short”
From Classic boy names, traditional Latin and Greek boy names
“Great, venerable; Latin, also the late-summer month”
From Gender neutral names, nature and word names for any gender
“Exalted, venerable; Latin. Gus for short”
From Old man names, grandpa names coming back for babies
How popular is August?
In 2025, 268 girls and 3,958 boys in the US were named August.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #962
- 268 babies, 167 per million girls
- Best rank
- #841 in 2021
- 328 babies that year
- Babies since 1914
- At least 6,270
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 3 per million |
| 1920s | 4 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 5 per million |
| 1970s | 19 per million |
| 1980s | 18 per million |
| 1990s | 37 per million |
| 2000s | 50 per million |
| 2010s | 119 per million |
| 2020s | 187 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,114 | #1,002 | #897 | #845 | #856 | #841 | #865 | #913 | #912 | #962 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #81
- 3,958 babies, 2,317 per million boys
- Best rank
- #74 in 1880
- Most babies: 3,958 in 2025
- Babies since 1880
- At least 68,182
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 1,837 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 1,493 per million |
| 1900s | 917 per million |
| 1910s | 729 per million |
| 1920s | 479 per million |
| 1930s | 304 per million |
| 1940s | 163 per million |
| 1950s | 91 per million |
| 1960s | 64 per million |
| 1970s | 63 per million |
| 1980s | 62 per million |
| 1990s | 111 per million |
| 2000s | 193 per million |
| 2010s | 842 per million |
| 2020s | 1,961 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #193 | #191 | #169 | #167 | #155 | #120 | #109 | #104 | #88 | #81 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of August
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AugusteExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- AugustoExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
Names spelled like August
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AliHigh, exalted (Arabic, boy)
- SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
- BridgetExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BridieExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BrigitteExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- GusGreat, venerable (Latin, boy)
- AgostinoVenerable, great (Latin, boy)
- AgustínVenerable, great (Latin, boy)
- AgustinaVenerable, great (Latin, girl)
Middle names for August
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Latin
- LauraLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- MaxThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
August: common questions
What does the name August mean?
August comes from Latin and means "exalted, venerable". It also has another origin: "great, venerable" from Latin.
Is August a boy or girl name?
August is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 268 girls and 3,958 boys in the US were named August, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name August come from?
August comes from Latin and means "exalted, venerable". Today it is used in English, German, Scandinavian and Polish.
How popular is the name August?
August ranked #962 in the US in 2025, with 268 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of August?
Forms of August with the same meaning and origin include Auguste (French) and Augusto (Italian).
What middle names go with August?
Middle names that flow well with August include Clark, Honor, Hope, Ivy and Lucy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.