Austin

Austin began as a medieval English contraction of Augustine, which traces back to the Latin augustus, "great" or "venerable." The short form stuck, spread, and eventually crossed the Atlantic, where Stephen F. Austin gave Texas its capital and a certain frontier swagger. The name entered the U.S. top ten in the 1990s, coinciding with the cultural reach of Austin Powers and a broader vogue for place names. It has cooled somewhat since, which only makes it more wearable. Austin carries a lived-in charm, a little saddle leather, a little espresso. It moves comfortably between genders, though it still leans boy.