August has arrived. Often the hottest month of the year, August marks the end of summer. Here are some fun facts which you may not have known about the 8^th month of the year.

• August was named by the Romans after Julius Caesar’s grand nephew, Caesar Augustus, who became the Roman Emperor Augustus. He ruled from 27BC to AD14.
• August was named by the Anglo-Saxons as weodmonath which meant weed month.
• The August birthstones include the sardonyx and the peridot. Peridot is a green gemstone and said to be a host to special powers and bring the wearer power, influence and a good year. Sardonyx is a gemstone reddish brown in color, with white banding. It was a popular gemstone with the Ancient Greeks and the Romans and is often used in cameo designs on jewelry. August is represented by the flowers gladiolus and poppies.
• In 2014 in Sweden, August was the 55^th most common baby boy name that was given to newborns. About a quarter of the boys named August were actually born in August.
• The zodiac signs under which people born in August fall are Leo and Virgo. It is said that Leos a more outgoing, creative and dramatic people while Virgos are dedicated to helping others while paying close attention to detail.
• Famous people who were born in August include Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Barbara Windsor, Geri Halliwell, Louis Walsh, Barack Obama, Tony Bennett, Macaulay Culkin, Sean Connery, James Corden, Usain Bolt, David Walliams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Whitney Houston to name a few.

Enjoy these last days of summer in this month of August!