August comes from the Latin Augustus, a title meaning "great" or "venerable" that the Roman Senate gave to the first emperor; the month of August is named after him. In Germany and Scandinavia the name has been in continuous use for centuries, and American parents have rediscovered it as a vintage choice. August rose from number 613 in 2000 to the top 100 in 2024 and reached number 81 in 2025, its best rank in this century.