August
Early Middle English August(us), re-Latinized from Old English Agustus, from Late Latin Agustus, from Latin augustus (“month of August”), from the agnomen Augustus…
Every August since 1880 — 74,452 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of August
August is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #81 in 2025 with 3,958 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 74,452 American babies have been named August — about 92% boys and 8% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 4,226 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where August stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
August year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 268 | #962 | 3,958 | #81 |
| 2024 | 291 | #912 | 3,894 | #88 |
| 2023 | 291 | #913 | 3,459 | #104 |
| 2022 | 321 | #865 | 3,420 | #109 |
| 2021 | 328 | #841 | 3,160 | #120 |
| 2020 | 316 | #856 | 2,432 | #155 |
| 2019 | 319 | #845 | 2,389 | #167 |
| 2018 | 300 | #897 | 2,291 | #169 |
| 2017 | 259 | #1,002 | 2,061 | #191 |
| 2016 | 228 | #1,114 | 2,092 | #193 |
| 2015 | 249 | #1,058 | 2,093 | #195 |
| 2014 | 232 | #1,102 | 1,545 | #241 |
| 2013 | 129 | #1,647 | 1,043 | #319 |
| 2012 | 131 | #1,639 | 946 | #333 |
| 2011 | 119 | #1,729 | 720 | #395 |
| 2010 | 112 | #1,821 | 647 | #427 |
| 2009 | 110 | #1,904 | 651 | #432 |
| 2008 | 108 | #1,950 | 582 | #477 |
| 2007 | 100 | #2,038 | 413 | #609 |
| 2006 | 86 | #2,230 | 384 | #618 |
| 2005 | 88 | #2,107 | 343 | #636 |
| 2004 | 75 | #2,311 | 301 | #673 |
| 2003 | 73 | #2,304 | 304 | #654 |
| 2002 | 97 | #1,845 | 281 | #665 |
| 2001 | 97 | #1,821 | 290 | #643 |
| 2000 | 99 | #1,761 | 310 | #613 |
| 1995 | 78 | #1,820 | 249 | #663 |
| 1990 | 23 | #4,250 | 146 | #845 |
| 1985 | 29 | #3,090 | 118 | #820 |
| 1980 | 41 | #2,345 | 108 | #851 |
| 1975 | 24 | #2,974 | 104 | #814 |
| 1970 | 13 | #4,255 | 110 | #783 |
| 1965 | 11 | #3,967 | 110 | #713 |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,794 | 148 | #640 |
| 1955 | — | — | 151 | #600 |
| 1950 | — | — | 203 | #469 |
| 1945 | — | — | 201 | #420 |
| 1940 | — | — | 258 | #354 |
| 1935 | — | — | 270 | #332 |
| 1930 | — | — | 432 | #271 |
| 1925 | — | — | 514 | #252 |
| 1920 | 10 | #3,115 | 610 | #211 |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,918 | 709 | #162 |
| 1910 | — | — | 144 | #188 |
| 1905 | — | — | 109 | #175 |
| 1900 | — | — | 148 | #144 |
| 1895 | — | — | 190 | #101 |
| 1890 | — | — | 206 | #84 |
| 1885 | — | — | 193 | #86 |
| 1880 | — | — | 210 | #74 |
Famous people named August
- August Strindberg Writer · 1849–1912
- August Ferdinand Möbius Mathematician · 1790–1868
- August Kekulé Chemist · 1829–1896
- August von Mackensen Military personnel · 1849–1945
- August Weismann Biologist · 1834–1914
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name August mean?
Early Middle English August(us), re-Latinized from Old English Agustus, from Late Latin Agustus, from Latin augustus (“month of August”), from the agnomen Augustus (“venerable”) of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus, possibly from…
How popular is the name August in 2025?
August ranked #81 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,958 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named August?
74,452 babies have been named August in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name August most popular?
August peaked in 2025, when 4,226 newborns received the name.
Is August a boy or girl name?
August is used for both: about 8% of babies named August have been girls and 92% boys.
Is the name August rising or falling?
August is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named August?
Well-known people named August include August Strindberg (writer), August Ferdinand Möbius (mathematician), August Kekulé (chemist).