Betty is James’s established girlfriend in Taylor Swift’s Folklore love triangle.
The triangle is told through “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” “cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective, “august” follows the unnamed girl who has a summer relationship with James, and “betty” gives James a chance to address his actions.
The songs are connected by recurring names and events, but they are not arranged as a simple chronological retelling. Each track emphasizes a different emotional viewpoint, allowing the same relationship conflict to feel different depending on who is speaking.
Fans often identify the “august” character as a person rather than a month, but the song itself leaves her unnamed. The month becomes her symbolic identity, which helps explain why the title returns so prominently in every August trend.