Taylor Swift's “august” describes the unnamed female character longing for James.
The song is part of a fictional love triangle on Folklore. James is already connected to Betty, but he has a brief summer relationship with the girl whose perspective is heard in “august.” The narrator hopes the romance means more than it ultimately does.
Swift uses James, Betty, and the unnamed girl to construct a story that unfolds across three songs. “cardigan” presents Betty's perspective, “betty” gives James's perspective, and “august” focuses on the girl caught outside the established relationship.
Some listeners call the narrator Augustine or August, but the song does not formally establish that as her canonical name. James is the clearly named character associated with the romance, while the female narrator remains unnamed in the song's official account.