Alma  #79

Alma may be derived from the Latin almus, meaning “nourishing” – an epithet given to several Roman goddesses, including Ceres. The 4^th century St. Alma Pompea was married to the semi-legendary King Hoel of Brittany. The name was used by Sir Edmund Spenser in his 1590 poem, The Faerie Queen; he may have been influenced by the Renaissance Italian word alma, meaning “soul”. The name became popular in the 19^th century, when, on September 20 1854, the Crimean War began with the Battle of Alma. The British, French and Ottoman armies defeated the Russians near the Alma River in the Ukraine – the place name is from a Tatar word meaning “wild apple”. After this date, babies of both sexes were named Alma in honour of the military victory. There have been several notable Australian Almas, including violinist Alma Moodie and political activist Alma Elizabeth Marshall. The name left the Top 100 in 1937, but still seems contemporary as it is often used for fictional characters in books, games, films, and TV shows. It would make an interesting alternative to popular names such as Amelia, Anna, or Emma.

Audrey #38

The pet form of the Anglo-Saxon name Etheldreda, meaning “noble strength”, it was the name of a 7^th century English princess and saint whose feast day is June 23. It died out after the Middle Ages, because St Audrey Day Fairs sold low-quality necklaces that were disparagingly called tawdries – which is where we get the word for something cheap and tacky from. Things looked bleak for Audrey, but it was revived in the 19^th century when the Victorians rediscovered many Anglo-Saxon names. The name was already familiar, as Audrey is the simple but honest country girl in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Luckily, the Victorians were also in the middle of a Shakespeare revival, so Audrey was a dead cert for a comeback. Distinguished Australian Audreys include Lady Audrey Georgiana Florence Tennyson, governor’s wife and founder of the first women’s hospital in Adelaide, and Dame Audrey Reader, a charity worker who helped women and immigrants. The name left the Top 100 in 1938, but in the past few years has found its way back there, due to Audrey Hepburn making the name seem cool and stylish. It’s currently #82 in NSW and #58 in Victoria.

Elsie #63

Often said to be a pet form of Elizabeth, technically it’s a pet form of Elspeth, the Scottish form of the name, and was originally Elspie. The name Elsie can be found in songs and poems dating to the 17^th century. Highly regarded Elsies in Australian history include Elsie Grace Rivett, who founded the first free children’s library in Sydney, and Elsie Marion Cornish, renowned landscape gardener. Elsie as a full name tended to suggest a working class background in the past, and all the Elsies in the Australian National Dictionary of Biography are from suitably humble origins. Elsie left the Top 100 in 1941, but is starting to seem fresh again. Sweet, simple and unpretentious, it fits the trend for “cute” names for girls. If you wanted something different from the usual Sophie, Abby or Molly, you might like Elsie.

Hazel #73

This was one of the plant names introduced in the 19^th century. Hazels are hedgerow trees or shrubs which produce edible nuts; the Celts equated hazelnuts with wisdom and poetic inspiration, and the Druids made staffs from hazel branches. It was considered to be one of the trees belonging to the fairies. There are at least two well-known and loved Hazels in Australia – Hazel Hawke, first wife of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who has devoted much of her life to various causes, and Hazel Edwards, the award-winning children’s author who wrote the classic, There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake. Hazel failed to make the Top 100 by 1941, but it’s a name beginning to be used again. Plant names such as Holly are back in the charts, and Hazel contains both the popular AY sound (like Ava) and the popular EL sound (like Isabel). Haze, Hallie, Zella, Zellie and Ellie can be used as nicknames.

Iris #89

Not just a 19^th century flower name, because Iris is also the Greek goddess of the rainbow who served as messenger to the gods. The name literally means “rainbow”, which is where the colourful iris flower got its name from. Irises were used in the Middle Ages as a symbol of monarchy, as the fleur-de-lis pattern depicts. Religious pictures from the medieval period show the Virgin Mary holding an iris to symbolise purity and chastity. Filled with meaning and associations, the name was used by the British aristocracy for both females and males (because the Greeks called the iris flower a “hyacinth”, and Hyacinth was a male name), but quickly became used by all classes, and nearly always for girls. I could find only one famous Iris from Australia – Iris Hart, a beautiful singer and actress. Iris left the Top 100 in 1936, and although it’s used more often now, still seems unusual. To me, this name is artistic and slightly eccentric, but has slightly dark or even punk undertones that give it an edge. It’s a floral name with bite.

Josephine #92

This is the Anglicised form of a French feminine form of Joseph; it gained prominence as a baby name after being used by the royal families of Europe (in fact it is the name of Princess Mary’s new daughter,Princess Josephine of Denmark). It’s such a familiar name that it’s easy to find successful Australian Josephines. Josephine Mitchell, who played Jo Loveday in soap opera A Country Practice. Jo Vallentine, Greens Party senator and peace activist. Josephine Tomic, gold medallist in cycling. Josephine Starrs, cyberfeminist artist. Josephine O’Neill, film critic. Josephine is the first name of biographer Blanche d’Alpuget, the present wife of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Josephine disappeared from the Top 100 in 1943, but has remained in constant use so that it seems neither old-fashioned or trendy. For a solid stayer with royal blood, who not consider Josephine? Nicknames range from the sensible Jo to the cute Josie to the tomboy Joey to the froufrou Fifi to the cool Joss, and many more.

Lillian #85

This is often said to be an elaboration of the name Lily, but as Lillian was used from the 16^th century, and Lily not until the 19^th, this doesn’t add up. More likely it began as a pet form of Elisabeth, since Lili is used as a nickname for it in France and Germany. There’s some very interesting Lillians from Australian history, including Lillian Roxon, pioneering rock journalist to whom Germaine Greer dedicated The Female Eunuch (Health Minister Nicola Roxon is her niece). Lillian May Armfield was one of the first female plain clothes police detectives in the world, and dealt with some of the darkest elements of the 1930s underworld. Gone from the Top 100 by 1941, Lillian is now back in the game. It sounds like the popular Lily, and has the trendy double-L in it. It’s currently #95 in New South Wales, #36 in Tasmania, and #49 in the ACT.

Margot #95

A pet form of the French name Marguerite which was used amongst royalty and aristocracy, Margot did well in the 1930s since Margaret was the #1 name for that decade. Prominent Australian Margots include Margot Robbie, a young actress who played bad girl Donna Freedman on soap opera Neighbours, and Margot Hilton, a writer who was married to actor Graeme Blundell for many years and co-wrote a biography of Brett Whitely with him. Although it slid off the Top 100 in 1941, the elegant Margot is still quietly in use, and the attractive Miss Robbie hasn’t done its image any harm. Margot doesn’t fit with any of the current trends, but why would you want a name that sounds like everyone else’s anyway?

Olive #74

The English form of the Roman name Oliva, which refers to both the olive tree and its fruit. There was a legendary Italian Saint Oliva, known as Blessed Olive. The Crusaders introduced the name Olive to England in the 12^th century; returning from the Holy Land, they often gave their children names of Biblical import in honour of their religious duty. Olives play a major role in the Bible, from the dove bringing an olive branch to Noah after the Flood, to Christ ascending to Heaven from the Mount of Olives. It was a name used for both males and females, and in fact just the other day I saw a baby boy named Olive. There are a number of extraordinary Olives in Australian history, including Aboriginal-rights activist and archaeologist, Olive Muriel Pink, and Olive May King, an adventurous traveller and mountain-climber who was a heroic ambulance driver during World War I. Olive hasn’t been on the Top 100 since 1937, but today is starting to seem like a daringly cool name. Not only an alternative to the uber-popular Olivia, it’s a celebrity baby name since Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen named their first daughter Olive in 2007.

Winifred #87

This is the Anglicised form of the Welsh name Gwenfrewi, meaning “blessed reconciliation”, and there was a 7^th century Welsh saint of this name. A healing spring called St Winifred’s Well which emerged at the site of the saint’s death is known as the Lourdes of Wales, and features in the medieval poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. When the name became used in England in the 16^th century, Gwenfrewi was altered to look like the male name Winfred, which is Anglo-Saxon and means “friend of peace”. Amazing Australian Winifreds include Dr Winifred Barbara Meredith, an obstetrician dedicated to improving neonatal care, and Winifred Kiek, the first woman in Australia to be ordained as a Christian minister. Winifred didn’t make it into the Top 100 of 1940, and I don’t see any signs of it making a comeback. But I’m including it because I think it’s adorable! To me, it seems soft and innocent on a little girl, but serious and intellectual on a grown woman. Nicknames include Wynne, Winnie, Freda, Fred and Freddie.

NOTES

All names are from the Top 100 for the decade 1930-1939. The data used comes from the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

The image used is a painting entitled Moira Madden, later Moira Hallenstein by Arthur Challen (1937). It belongs to the State Library of Victoria.