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August
Simon is still at the top of our baby boy name list.I am wondering if I can run August by you as well. It is also high on our list because (1) it's a name with a long history, (2) it is German and fits with our German heritage and last name. I have never met an August, but I saw the name fairly often when working with mid-century German records at work, which is where I got the idea to use it.Here's what I am wondering. First, do you like it? Second, I notice that the name made a huge jump in popularity recently. In 2008, it was ranked 609 for boys. The next year, it jumped to rank 476. I also just learned, via Name Berry, that 4 celebrity babies have been named August, including 1 baby girl(?!). Name Berry also put the name on their list of "hipster" names. Does anyone know what has made the name more popular recently? I am curious who is using the name and it it is taken on any new associations?
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I think it's a great name actually and I personally prefer it to Simon. I think if you love it, then use it. I wouldn't worry too much about celebrities using it, as it's not that common a choice.
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I was seriously considering this name when I had #1, but I had a daughter instead. My #1 boy's names have changed since, but I still like it. My family and DH's family are German and I have a relative with the name August.
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Im not sure why it's gaining in popularity but I prefer Auguste or Augustin which are both legitimately m/f uni-sex names.
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Are they? I didn't know that. Just going on sound, I would have thought that August/Augustus/Augustin/Auguste were masculine, and Augusta feminine. I would suppose Augustine swings either way.
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I think theyre definitely more masculine names and prefer them on boys but when I look on french sites for names Augustin and Auguste always come up as "mixte" or uni-sex (for some reason behindthename doesnt like that word lol)Augustine is def female but according to one site even Augusta is mixte but I doubt it gets much use from boys.
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I think for Augustin and Auguste whether they are considered masculine or feminine really depends on the language. I can only make certain statements for German usage: Here August, Augustus, Augustin and Augustinus are strictly masculine while Auguste, Augusta, Augustine and Augustina are strictly feminine.ETA: Wow, I just typed August A LOT!

This message was edited 11/24/2011, 4:07 AM

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maybe Augustine is male in some places too? There are a lot of things I didnt know about August names until now lol
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I don't love August, but there is something super squee about the nickname Gus. Anyways, I can't see any real reason not to like August. I doubt it will ever become extremely popular so that's not a worry.
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I think I'm never going to like it enough to use it but it's an ok name.
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I know an Agustin in middle school. He's Mexican- American. It doesn't have any strong associations for me.
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I've been liking August lately too. Ever since someone misunderstood my August due date as the name August. :) I think it's a bit to serious sounding for me to actually use, but I'd love to see some little Augusts around.
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I really like it! I've always liked the Augusty names, but it ranked behind Augustine, Augustus, and Augustin. But now I'd put it right up there with Augustine and Augustus, both which I love a lot. Becuase I stopped thinking of it as a month name and started thinking of it as a word name. And the word august is an appealing word.I've never heard of anyone named August, but I do know of a baby Augustine (squee). It definitely seems like the types of names that could rise in popularity, but I don't think August would ever get common enough that it would be a "concern."
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the movie "August Rush"
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I see that this was released in 2007. Mystery solved?
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I'm quite fond of August. I like Augustin/Augusten a bit better, for no particular reason, but I think they're both quite classy and would age well.In terms of 'who's using it,' I think Name Berry got it right about it being a bit hipster; it's definitely part of the retro trend.
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Edit; Celeb NamesEdit to last sentence: "if it has..."If anyone is curious about the celebrities that choose the name, this is what Name Berry wrote:"August has been heating up in Hollywood--used by Mariska Hargitay, Lena Olin and Jeanne Tripplehorn, (and by Garth Brooks for his daughter), and is rapidly becoming the preferred month of the year for boys."
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10 Year Name HistoryEdit again! Sorry, I am exhausted. My eyes swam and I got the year wrong. The jump happened between 2007 and 2008. Here is August's 10-year ascent:2010 429
2009 433
2008 476
2007 609
2006 618
2005 636
2004 672
2003 653
2002 665
2001 644
2000 613
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I think the movie August Rush came out in '07---probably a part of the popularity jump. It's a movie about a little boy named August Rush.
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