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August for a boy (Gus for short) too girly?

42 replies

ilovebooks · 04/04/2014 13:41

DS3 due July, 1 & 2 are Samson and Laurie.
DP and I agree on very little.. I like Scandi names and August is one of my favourites, with Gus for short.
I haven't heard this much and am slightly worried others would presume it is a girls name.
What do you think?
Augustus sounds a bit too much and reminds me of Augustus Gloop! Really love Magnus with nn Gus but DP doesn't like it at all.
Thank you!

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WetAugust · 04/04/2014 22:20

Imagine this - he's asked for his date of birth. Knowing he's called August somebody is bound to say 'Which day in August were you born?'

Erm - I was born in July.

That's going to make him embarrassed and make the parents that named their July-born baby August seem a bit dim.

If you call him Magnus he'll get Magnum. Of that there is no doubt.

I like Gus though (but Gus O'Donnell is an Augustine and pretty yummy too).

AddUpToNothing · 04/04/2014 23:46

See, I would never assume someone with a month as a name was born in that month. In fact, I'd assume the opposite. The same with seasons and days of the week!

I think August is one of those unisex names that you tend to associate with the sex that you know. I quite like it. And Augustus even though, like you, it reminds me of Augustus Gloop.

helzapoppin2 · 04/04/2014 23:57

I like August. Just a bit of warning. My son has a unisex name, and the chutzpah to carry it off, but at the moment is applying for jobs and it causes a bit of confusion. Although it says on his cv that he is male, sometimes they expect a woman to turn up for the interview.

3boys3dogshelp · 05/04/2014 00:03

I agree with the july/august confusion. If a boy called August told me his birthday was in july I'd be a bit Confused. Angus is better. X

JennyPiccolo · 05/04/2014 00:09

Angus!

BackforGood · 05/04/2014 00:17

Odd name for a person.

Angus would be FAR better if you want to give him a long name that you can then shorten to 'Gus'

HolidayCriminal · 05/04/2014 00:18

I read a book with a lead male (English) character called August.
He turned out to be son of a Sun-god or something.
But it's a boy name to me, anyway.
Though I don't like Gus at all.

nooka · 05/04/2014 05:19

August just isn't a name at all to me, male or female.

Oh and I just had to say that Augustine is not a girls name! (nor is it derived from August, it's derived from Augustus and the month was named for the Emperor Augustus)

Oriunda · 05/04/2014 08:58

Prefer Augustus. Still Gus and no doubt about being a month/girls' name.

Forago · 05/04/2014 09:14

Martins son in the bridge was called August wasn't he? I loved the way they pronounced it in Danish - Owgoost. But in English I think it sounds a touch bland. Love Gus though, think I'd be tempted to call him Angus, or just Gus.

Are you Scandinavian?

BigPawsBrown · 05/04/2014 09:22

I love it, but a YA book The Fault In Our Stars has an august (gus) and the movie's out this summer. Would guess gus would be about to get really popular.

HemlockStarglimmer · 05/04/2014 10:00

August means respected and impressive.

Nothing wrong with using it for a name if you like it.

OneMoreThenNoMore · 05/04/2014 10:05

I like Augustus or Fergus, but love Angus! August sounds like it's missing an "us" at the end.

mrsbug · 05/04/2014 10:06

I prefer Angus or magnus. I would assume that someone called august was born in that month, I wouldn't know if it was a male or female name.

ilovebooks · 05/04/2014 18:09

Thank you very much for the advice everyone.

The baby could arrive in August as due date end of July, originally August from LMP.

We do like the Scandi pronunciation Ow- Goost as seen in the Bridge, although obviously that would be daft as we live in the SE. Will chip away at DP for Magnus I think and Angus is lovely too.
Plenty of time to fight it out!

OP posts:
nooka · 05/04/2014 18:16

A Fault in Our Stars is going to be very big. I have a huge fan in my household counting down the days to the movie. I don't know how much appeal it will have outside of it's teen audience though. The Gus is an Augustus.

RoadToTuapeka · 06/04/2014 04:20

I'd have thought August to be a girl's name. I like Gus as a nn and like pencil's alternative suggestions esp Fergus.

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