August

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY

August is the German and Polish form of the Latin name Augustus. Augustus derives “from the adjective augustus great, magnificent (from augere, to increase).” The use of the name Augustus is as much of a title as a name, since it began to be adopted by certain Roman emperors, “starting with Octavian (Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus), the adopted son of Julius Caesar, who assumed it in 27BC and is now generally known as the Emperor Augustus.”

Augustus later (with the derivation Augusta), enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in England in the 18th century. In certain periods of history, an eye is sometimes cast back to what are considered the more romantic or imperial periods and people, their names, architecture and the whole zeitgeist tends to follow suit.^[1]

POPULARITY

According to the Social Security Administration, August is experiencing something of a resurgence in popularity. Its recent ranking as 607th most popular name in the United States (see chart below) is the highest the name August has ranked since 1959. August experienced a steady decline over the last century after reaching its most popular ranking in 1915 at 162nd. August consistently dropped about 100 spots per decade over the last 100 years and reached its lowest point in 1983 at 926th. Since then, it has experienced something of a resurgence and seems to be gaining the approximately 100 spaces per decade it once lost.

Social Security Administration

FACTS

• August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of the seven months with 31 days. (30 days hath September, April, June and November...all the rest have 31, except February which stands all alone.) August begins with the sun in the zodiac sign of Leo and ends in the zodiac sign of Virgo.^[1]
• "August" is a yet to be released motion picture (2008) starring Josh Hartnet. It will tell the story of two brothers who are working to keep their brokerage business in business in the month before the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

NAMESAKES

• August, CA Population (1990): 6376 ^[1]

FAMOUS PERSONS

• August Mencken was the brother of celebrated writer H.L. Mencken
• August Wilson (1945 - 2005) was a Pulitzer Prize winning American playwright.^[1]

Author: Mike Szimanski

NOTES