NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

August

From the Latin name meaning "venerated, consecrated, majestic".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

August is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for August popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #317, with 140 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 140 births.

This profile covers 745 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

August is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 796 living people in the UK are called August. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • August ranked #317 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 140 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 140 boys were registered as August.
  • August ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #209 in 2024.
  • About 796 living people in the UK are estimated to have August as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 87.4% of August registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#317

2024

Births in 2024

140

Latest year

Peak year

2024

140 births

Estimated living

796

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for August

In England and Wales birth records, August has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 87.4% of registrations are for boys and 12.6% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

87% boys
13% girls
Boys745 (87.4%)Girls107 (12.6%)

August registered for boys

  • Ranked #317 in 2024
  • 140 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (140 births)

August registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,192 in 2024
  • 5 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (17 births)

Meaning

What does August mean?

The name August has its origins in the Latin language and dates back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "augustus", which means "consecrated" or "venerable". This name was originally used as a title bestowed upon the first Roman emperor, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, by the Roman Senate in 27 BC.

The month of August was later named after this esteemed emperor to honor him. Prior to this, the month was called Sextilis, as it was the sixth month in the ancient Roman calendar. The transition to the name August solidified the emperor's legacy and cemented his place in history.

One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name August was Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor who ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD. He ushered in the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace and stability in the Roman Empire, and oversaw significant cultural and infrastructural developments.

Another prominent historical figure with the name August was August the Strong, born in 1670, who was the Elector of Saxony and later became the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. He is renowned for his lavish lifestyle, patronage of the arts, and his contributions to the architectural wonders of Dresden.

In the realm of literature, August Wilson, born in 1945 and died in 2005, was a renowned African American playwright who won numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His works, such as "Fences" and "The Piano Lesson", poignantly explored the experiences of African Americans in the 20th century.

August Strindberg, born in 1849 and died in 1912, was a Swedish playwright, novelist, and essayist who is considered a pioneer of modern theater. His plays, such as "Miss Julie" and "The Dance of Death", explored themes of class conflict, gender roles, and the human condition with remarkable depth and insight.

August Bebel, born in 1840 and died in 1913, was a German socialist politician and writer who played a pivotal role in the development of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. He championed workers' rights, women's suffrage, and social reforms, leaving a lasting impact on the German political landscape.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name August, a name with rich historical roots and associations with power, reverence, and cultural significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

August over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as August in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For August, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 140 births in 2024, compared with 140 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
03673109145199620102024

Decades

August by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether August was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #439 483 5
2010s #1550 223 10
2000s #3003 33 7
1990s #2861 6 2

Geography

Where August is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for August. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

August ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #209 in 2024.

Scotland
20
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

August in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#209 in 2024

7 years of NRS records, 49 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#404 in 2024

2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named August

  • August Brooksbank

    son of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank; ninth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II

    2021-

  • August Inigo Cayzer

    (born 2000)

    2000-

  • August Vanistendael

    writer; poet; trade unionist

    Belgian poet and author (1917–2003)

    1917-2003

  • August Vaigo

    teacher; lawyer; pedagogue

    Estonian lawyer (1908-1988)

    1908-1988

  • August Vares

    military personnel

    Estonian military personnel (1899-1985)

    1899-1985

  • August Closs

    germanist; university teacher; literary scholar

    Professor of German studies and author on German poetry

    1898-1990

  • August Torma

    military personnel; diplomat

    Estonian diplomat (1895–1971)

    1895-1971

  • August Vask

    military personnel; military officer

    Estonian military personnel (1891-1958)

    1891-1958

Related

Names similar to August

FAQ

August: questions and answers

How popular is the name August in the UK right now?

In 2024, August was ranked #317 for boys in England and Wales, with 140 births registered.

When was August most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 140 babies registered as August in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of August?

From the Latin name meaning "venerated, consecrated, majestic".

How many people are called August in the UK?

A total of 745 babies have been registered as August across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 49 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Where is August most common?

In the latest published local rankings, August ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #209 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.