Augustus

Augustus is a Latin name meaning 'great,' 'venerable,' or 'majestic' — from the Latin augere, meaning 'to increase' or 'to honor.' It was the title awarded to the first Roman Emperor, Octavian, in 27 BCE, and was subsequently used by emperors and royalty throughout Western history, giving it an unmatched imperial gravitas.

Augustus is a name that arrives with its own announcement. There is no casual version of Augustus — it is fully committed to grandeur, and a pet with this name had better have the personality to match. For a large, dignified dog — a Newfoundland, a Great Dane, a Saint Bernard — it is a perfect fit, lending the animal an appropriate Roman-emperor quality. The nickname Gus brings it completely back to earth: warm, friendly, and easy, turning the imperial into the lovable in a single syllable. Augustus is the rare name that works both as ceremony and as comfort.