In Taylor Swift’s “august,” the narrator yearns for James.
The song presents the perspective of a girl involved in a brief summer romance with James, who is already connected to Betty. The narrator hopes the relationship might become permanent, but James ultimately returns to Betty. This makes “august” the viewpoint of the person left outside the established relationship.
The character is not named in the song’s title. Fans often call the narrator Augustine or August, but that is a descriptive fan interpretation rather than the central name asked for here. James and Betty are the explicitly named figures who connect the three songs.
The fictional triangle is completed by “cardigan,” associated with Betty’s perspective, and “betty,” told from James’s perspective. Swift described the songs as exploring multiple sides of a teenage love triangle rather than presenting a single autobiographical account.