Austen
Novelist Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 in England. Austen published 6 novels in her lifetime including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma — all of which gained significant attention only after her early death in 1817.
Her works were revolutionary in challenging the roles and expectations of women as well as critiquing the British upper class. To this day, Austen’s use of social commentary, irony, and realism fascinates the minds of millions of readers.
Austen is a variation of the 90s hit Austin, which peaked at #9 for boys in 1997. While Austin may feel quite modern, the name is actually a variation of the classical Augustus meaning “great” or “magnificent”.
Austin has mostly stuck to the boys, but literary Austen with its feminist namesake easily crosses into unisex territory. In 2022, 67 boys and 57 girls were given the spelling Austen — rare, but relatively equal.