Austin

Where the name comes from

• Latin, through Old French and Middle English
  Venerable, majestic. This comes from the Latin word augustus, which is the root of the name Augustine.
  Latin Augustinus, from augustus ('venerable, majestic, noble'), plus the name-forming ending -inus. In Old French the name was shortened to Aousten, and in English it became Austin.
  Austin began as a medieval shortened form of Augustine. A record from about 825 years ago already calls St. Augustine of Canterbury 'Austin.' The name Austin appears in English baptism records from the 1500s. The deeper origin of Latin augustus is less clear. It may come from the word for a priest who read omens, meaning 'blessed by good omens.' It may also come from a root meaning 'increased.'
• Old Norse (minor, uncertain source)
  No separate meaning is given here. The Scandinavian name Eystein was sometimes replaced with Austin.
  Danish Eystein, swapped for Austin or Augustin
  A writer in 1884 suggested that the Danish name Eystein was turned into Austin to sound more churchly. She thought this might explain some English Austins. This is a side theory. It is not the main origin.

Austin across traditions

• Christian. In medieval Europe the name spread mainly because of St. Augustine of Hippo, an early church thinker from North Africa who lived about 1,600 years ago. In England it got a second boost from St. Augustine of Canterbury. He was sent from Rome about 1,430 years ago and became known as 'the Apostle of the English.'
• Spanish and Latin American. The Spanish form of the name is Agustín, from the same Latin Augustinus. San Agustín is also a Spanish place name. It comes from churches and shrines dedicated to St. Augustine.
• Irish. The Irish Gaelic form of Augustine is Oistín. The surname Ó hOistín means 'descendant of Oistín,' and in English it sometimes became Austin.
• American (Texas and the Southwest). Austin, the capital of Texas, was named in 1839 for Stephen F. Austin, 'father of Texas.' He brought American settlers into what was then part of Mexico.
• US popularity. Most popular in the 1990s, when it was the #22 boys' name of the decade (SSA).

Who carried it

• St. Augustine of Hippo (Lived about 1,670 to 1,600 years ago): Early Christian thinker and bishop in North Africa. He is the main reason the name spread across medieval Europe.
• St. Augustine of Canterbury (Died about 1,420 years ago): Italian monk who brought Christianity to southern England and founded the church at Canterbury. In early Middle English writing he is called 'Austin.'
• Stephen F. Austin (1793–1836): Often called the father of Texas. The Texas capital is named for him.

Forms in other languages

Austen, Auston, Augustine, Augustin, Agustín

Austin in letter-number systems

Hebrew, Greek and other traditions gave every letter a number, and read meaning into the totals. These are the counts, computed; the readings are inside the Innerverse.