The Best Names for August Babies
August is the last full month of summer, and August baby names share the warmth of the season. Including August itself: August is the most popular month name for babies right now — sitting just outside the Top 100 for boys, and recent addition to the Top 1000 for girls. It feels fresh despite its traditionality, never having left the Top 1000. And nicknames Augie and Gus add to August’s charm.
The symbols of the month, such as the birthstones Peridot and Onyx and flowers Poppy and Gladiola, may also inspire a name for your August baby. So too their star sign — a lion-related Leo baby name or virginal Virgo name may be ideal for your August-born son or daughter.
Have you yet to find a name for your August baby? Browse our definitive guide to naming August babies below.
Top August Baby Names
The rise of August has influenced the popularity of fellow August names Augustus and Augustine. And Austin, on the decline since the ‘90s but still just outside the Top 100, is counted among them. We now think of Austin as an independent place name, but it actually originated as a contraction of Augustine.
Other trendy August baby names include Onyx, in connection to Sardonyx, one of August’s birthstones. Onyx is already one of the fastest-rising names in the US, but it could see an additional boost from several celebrity babies born recently, including a son of Iggy Azalea & Playboi Carti, and a daughter of Nick Cannon.
Octavia, meaning “eighth,” relates to August’s position as the eighth month in the Gregorian calendar. It rose over 700 spots in the official US data since its reemergence in 2017, and many parents are embracing it as an alternative to Olivia.
Here, the hottest August baby names right now, all currently within the US Top 800:
- Apollo
- Ari
- Ariella
- August
- Augustus
- Augustine
- Austin
- Caleb
- Cora
- Cyrus
- Dylan
- Jesse
- Leo
- Leonidas
- Nolan
- Oakley
- Octavia
- Onyx
- Poppy
- Summer
August Names for Girls
The zodiac sign of Virgo begins in August, and the maiden image associated with the sign offers plenty in the way of girl names. Among our favorite names related to purity are the multicultural Adara, saintly Agnes, and neglected classic Virginia.
The flowers associated with August are terrific considerations for a baby girl. Poppy is the more conventional choice, while Gladiola is rare and bold. Gladiola could lead you to Gladys, which feels fusty to most but could be quite charming on a little girl.
An inspiring woman born in August may prove to be a worthy namesake for your daughter born this month. Options include Lucille Ball (August 6) — who also went by Lucy — Ingrid Bergman (August 29), Mother Teresa (August 26), and Julia Child (August 15).
Below, the best August names for girls:
- Adara
- Agnes
- Althea
- Augusta
- Ethel
- Gladiola
- Kanya
- Kitty
- Lucille
- Marisol
- Milena
- Oriana
- Rhian
- Tavi
- Teresa
- Vera
- Viola
- Virginia
August Names for Boys
Much of the month of August is taken up by Leo, the zodiac sign of the lion. There are many wonderful leonine names for boys — including the most common, Leo itself — but we are also fond of the Greek mythological Leander, strong Armenian Levon, and spiritually significant Hamza.
Notable August namesakes abound, from heroes of the arts, including Louis Armstrong (August 4) and Alfred, Lord Tennyson (August 6), to heroes of modern medicine, such as Alexander Fleming (August 6), who discovered penicillin. Philosopher John Locke, born August 29th, 1632, has a fashionable surname that would make a great first or middle name for a son.
Below, our favorite August-related baby names for boys:
- Alfred
- Augusto
- Cecil
- Fleming
- Francis
- Gus
- Hachiro
- Hamza
- Leander
- Levon
- Lionel
- Locke
- Louis
- Lyndon
- Octavian
- Ogden
- Tennyson
- Theron
- Timoleon
- Wolfgang
Unique August Baby Names
If you’re in search of a unique name for a child born this month, you may consider that of a saint with a feast day celebrated in August. Striking options for boys include Joachim, an underused Biblical choice; Sebbe, the Swedish variation of Sebastian, and Rufus, which is consistently used in England but shockingly only given to 27 American baby boys in the last year on record.
For girls, Eluned, a name from Welsh legend, is also associated with a saint. Theodota, a potential alternative to Theodora, could easily shorten to Theta — also connected to August as it is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet.
Other uncommon August names for babies include Peridot, one of August’s birthstones. It comes with a wealth of nicknames, including Peri, Doe, and Dot. And Nikini, a Sinhalese name from Sri Lanka, means “full moon in August.”
These unique August baby names were given to fewer than 100 babies in 2022. Below, the best rare names for August babies: