What does August mean?
August comes from the Latin augustus, “great, venerable.”
What does Max mean?
A short form of Maximilian or Maximus, from the Latin maximus, “greatest.”
August vs Max
Which is more popular?
August is more popular than Max today: about 3,958 US babies were given the name August in 2025, compared with 2,025 named Max.
| August | Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Great, venerable | Greatest |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AW-gust | MAKS |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (3,958) | 2009 (3,958) |
| In 2025 | 3,958 | 2,025 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
August
Max
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | August | Max |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 20,323 | 13,641 |
| 2010s | 15,827 | 34,141 |
| 2000s | 3,859 | 27,368 |
| 1990s | 2,153 | 18,216 |
| 1980s | 1,153 | 8,741 |
| 1970s | 1,044 | 4,231 |
| 1960s | 1,234 | 5,023 |
| 1950s | 1,841 | 7,430 |
| 1940s | 2,434 | 8,526 |
| 1930s | 3,208 | 11,757 |
| 1920s | 5,277 | 14,081 |
| 1910s | 4,869 | 10,859 |
| 1900s | 1,245 | 1,567 |
| 1890s | 1,703 | 1,112 |
| 1880s | 2,012 | 765 |
Frequently asked questions
Is August or Max more popular?
August is more popular than Max today: about 3,958 US babies were given the name August in 2025, compared with 2,025 named Max.
What is the difference between August and Max?
August means Great, venerable (Latin origin), while Max means Greatest (Latin origin).
Which name is older, August or Max?
In US records, August first appears in 1880 and Max in 1880, so August has the longer recorded history.