Augustus
Augustus Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
/au̯.ˈɡus.tus/
Meaning of Augustus: The name Augustus derives from the Latin augustus, meaning "venerable," "majestic," or "consecrated by augury." The Roman Senate bestowed the title Augustus on Gaius Octavius in 27 BC - the heir of Julius Caesar who ended the Republic's civil wars and established the Principate. The title associated his rule with sacred augural sanction and divine favor.
The Latin root augere (to increase, to bless) underlies both augustus and the English words "augment" and "augury." Roman augurs were priests who interpreted omens from bird behavior, and the title augustus implied the gods' blessing through ritual observation. The month of August takes its name from this emperor.
Augustus spread through the Roman Empire as a name for emperors and an honorific for their heirs and successors. More than 70 Roman emperors and co-emperors bore the title over five centuries. Christian Europe retained the name through the medieval period via saints and bishops, and it remained in scholarly and ecclesiastical use through the Renaissance.
What Does Augustus Mean? Origin & Etymology
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Augustus enjoyed wide use among educated European families who valued its classical associations. The era of Augustan literature in early 18th-century England - writers like Addison, Pope, and Swift - kept the name in cultural circulation as a marker of classical learning and restraint.
According to SSA records, Augustus ranked in the US top 200 for boys in the late 19th century, fell from use through most of the 20th century, and re-entered the top 500 around 2014, reaching rank 408 as of 2024. According to Etymonline, the modern English adjective "august" meaning "impressive and majestic" derives directly from the same Latin root as the name.
How Popular Is Augustus?
Numerology & Symbolism of Augustus
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Augustus – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Augustus
What does the name Augustus mean?
The name Augustus comes from Latin, the language of the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church. Latin names often referenced virtues, natural phenomena, or Roman deities, giving them a classical resonance that persisted through medieval and Renaissance Europe.
How popular is the name Augustus in the United States?
According to SSA records, Augustus ranked #408 for boy names in the United States, with 787 births recorded in the most recent annual count. The name hit its highest SSA rank in 2024. It has held a consistent place in US naming statistics across multiple decades.
Where does the name Augustus come from?
The name Augustus comes from Latin. It entered English use through the linguistic and cultural channels typical of Latin-origin names—whether through religious texts, migration, or the prestige associated with classical learning. Today it is recognized as a boy’s name across the English-speaking world.