In the first name statistics published for France in 2025, an old male first name, which almost disappeared at the end of the 20th century, returns to the top 100 and surprises maternity wards. This first name, which only had around ten births in 1989, is now close to 900 babies per year according to data from the National Directory for the Identification of Natural Persons operated by INSEE. Its incredible trajectory tells of parents’ rediscovered taste for retro names.
This first name is Augustwhich was given to 895 boys in 2025 and rose to 63rd place among male first names, according to INSEE figures taken up by specialized sites. In 2016, there were still only 469 newborns to wear this century-old choice, then 661 in 2019, a sign of regular progression. For many young parents, Auguste offers a compromise: a
retro first name steeped in history, but rare enough to retain a touch of singularity.
Why the first name Auguste is making a comeback in 2025
Popularity curves show that Auguste experienced a first golden age at the beginning of the 20th century, with around 2,950 births in 1906 then 2,365 in 1920, before a slow fall until the low point of 1989, when only ten babies received this first name. After decades of oblivion, the rise began in the 2010s. In 2025, Augustus once again approaches 900 annual births and is well ahead of its August variant.
In the first name files, the average age of people named Auguste today reaches 97 years, a detail which reminds us how this choice is anchored in family history. The first name remains very masculine, even though it was given to five girls in recent data. Its return appeals to couples who want to honor an ancestor while offering their child a first name perceived as solid, sweet to the ear and elegant.
Origin of Augustus: from Rome to the nursery
THE
first name Auguste comes from the Latin “augustus”, which means “venerable” or “great”. In ancient Rome, this title was worn by Octavian when he became Emperor Augustus in 27 BC, which gives this first name a coloring of dignity and success. For a baby of 2025, this historical root is not necessarily explained on a daily basis, but it nourishes the image of a classic, cultivated and reassuring first name.
According to the Nominis website, Augustus is celebrated on February 28, in memory of the missionary Saint Auguste Chapdelaine, and also on October 7 during a local festival in Bourges, which explains the sometimes different dates from one calendar to another. Some portraits still associate Augustus with the sign of Aries and the number 4, in a more symbolic approach. The first name has several related forms, such as August, Augusto or Augustus, and a very popular modern nickname: Gus.
Auguste, a retro first name that is part of an underlying trend
The newfound success of Auguste follows a cycle well identified by demographers: first names often return around a century after their peak, when the generation which carried them en masse disappears. The figures of Auguste Rodin, Auguste Renoir, Auguste Comte, Auguste Lumière and Auguste Bartholdi also maintain an artistic and intellectual image that speaks to many families.