James is the boy involved in the summer romance described in Taylor Swift’s “august.” He is part of Folklore’s fictional teenage love triangle with Betty and the unnamed female narrator of “august.”
The song presents the narrator’s perspective as she falls for James during a brief summer relationship. James is already connected to Betty, and the broader story reveals that he eventually returns to Betty. This makes “august” a story of longing and loss rather than a straightforward romance with a lasting resolution.
A common mix-up is calling the narrator Augustine or Augusta as though either were her official name. Swift said she imagined possible names for the character, but the song itself does not name her. James, by contrast, is explicitly identified in the linked Folklore narrative.