James is the 17-year-old boy loved by the narrator in Taylor Swift’s “august.”
The song follows a fictional female character who becomes involved with James during a brief summer romance. James is already connected to Betty, which places the narrator inside the love triangle explored across three Folklore songs.
James’s perspective appears in the song “Betty,” while Betty’s perspective appears in “Cardigan.” “august” therefore functions as the third side of the story, focusing on the girl who hopes the relationship might become permanent.
Swift did not present the narrator as a named character in the song. She said she imagined names such as Augusta or Augustine privately, but the character is generally identified by her role in the story rather than by a formal name.