| English. | French. | German. | Lett. |
| Augustus | Auguste | August | Aujusts |
| Gussy | Justs | ||
| Russian. | Hungarian. | ||
| Avgust | Agoston | ||
| FEMININE. | |||
| English. | German | Italian. | Lusatian. |
| Augusta | Auguste | Augusta | Avgusta |
| Gussie | Asta | Gusta | |
| Guste | Gustylka | ||
| Gustel | |||
The Welsh formed the name of Awst from Augustus; but it does not seem to have been elsewhere used, except as an epithet which the flattering chroniclers bestowed upon Philippe III. of France, until about the middle of the sixteenth century, a fancy seized the small German princes of christening their children by this imperial title. August of Anhalt Plotzgau appears in 1575—seven years earlier, August of Braunsweig Luneburg. Then August of Wolfenbüttel names his daughter Anne Augusta; and we all recollect the Elector Johann August of Saxony, memorable as the prisoner of Charles V. Thenceforth these names flourished in Germany, and took up their abode in England with the Hanoverian race.
The diminutive had, however, been adopted under the Roman empire in later times, and was borne by the great Father Augustinus of Hippo, and his namesake, the missionary of the Saxons. This was chosen by a Danish bishop as a Latinization of his proper name of Eystein (island stone); and it has always been somewhat popular, probably owing to the order of Augustin or Austin Friars, instituted in honour of the first St. Augustin, and once the greatest sheep owners in England. S
| English. | French. | German. | Spanish. |
| Augustin | Augustin | Augustin | Augustino |
| Austin | |||
| Portuguese. | Italian. | Polish. | |
| Agostinho | Aogostino | Agostin | |
| FEMININE. | |||
| Irish. | French. | German. | Italian. |
| Augusteen | Augustine | Augustine | Agostina |
| Stine | Portuguese. | ||
| Agostinha | |||
Section III.—Blasius.
Some consider Blasius to be a mere contraction of the Greek basilios (royal); but long before that name prevailed, at least among historical personages, we hear of Blatius, Blattius, or Blasius, as a man of Salapia, in Apulia, whose name seems to have signified a babbler. Nevertheless, Blasio was a surname in the Cornelian gens, and Blasius was Bishop of Sebaste, in Nicomedia, where he was martyred in 316. In the time of the Crusades, his relics were imported from the East, he became patron of the republic of Ragusa; and from a tradition that he had been combed to death with iron combs, such an implement was his mark, and he was the favourite saint of the English wool-staplers. The only vestige of this as a name in England is, however, in Goldsmith’s Madam Blase; but in Spanish Blas is used, as no reader of Gil Blas can forget. Blasius is found in Bavaria; and Plase, Blase, Bleisig, and Bläsing, are surnames thence derived.
| English. | French. | Spanish. | Portuguese. |
| Blaze | Blaise | Blas | Braz |
| Blase | Blaisot | ||
| Italian. | German. | Dutch. | Russian. |
| Biagio | Blasius | Blaas | Vlassij |
| Biasio | Blasi | Vlass | |
| Baccio | Blasol | ||
| Servian. | Illyrian. | Hungarian. | |
| Blazej | Blasko | Balás | |
| Vlaho | |||
| Bearck |
The Germans have even the feminine Blasia.[[63]]
[63]. Smith; Brand; Michaelis.