Which Folklore character does Taylor Swift’s “august” narrator call James?

In Taylor Swift’s “august,” James is Betty’s boyfriend.

The song presents a fictional summer romance between James and an unnamed girl who believes the relationship might become something more. However, James is already connected to Betty, and the broader Folklore narrative eventually has James return to Betty after the summer ends.

This relationship structure explains why “august” is frequently discussed with “cardigan” and “betty.” The three songs approach the same imagined love triangle from different viewpoints. The narrator of “august” is not given a canonical personal name in the lyrics.

Swift has said she privately imagined names such as Augusta or Augustine for the girl, but those are not her official name in the song. Fans often call her Augustine, so that nickname should not be confused with the explicitly named characters James and Betty.