Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in medieval Europe, especially in Spain and France. It was also borne by a 16th-century king of Portugal who died in a crusade against Morocco.
As a given name it has increased in popularity starting from the 1980s, likely because it is viewed as a full form of Max [1].
As an English name it can also derive from the month of August, which was named for the Roman emperor Augustus.