NRL star Sam Thaiday, and his wife Rachel, welcomed their first child on April 10, and have named their daughter Gracie Willow. Gracie Thaiday was born at 6.30 pm, and she wasn’t named straight away, as Sam and Rachel wanted to spend some time with her before making the decision. One of the names on their shortlist was Wednesday Thursday Thaiday (Thaiday is pronounced to rhyme with Friday). Sam is captain of the Brisbane Broncos, and has also played for Queensland, the Australian national squad, the Prime Minister’s XIII, and the Indigenous All Stars (he is of Torres Strait Islander descent). Tomorrow he will be playing for Australia against New Zealand in the Anzac Day Test.

NRL player Glenn Hall, and his wife Kylie, welcomed their son Hendrix on April 10, just a few hours before the Thaidays welcomed their daughter Gracie. Hendrix Hall has a brother Lachlan, who died before he was born. Glenn plays for the North Queensland Cowboys.

NRL star Daly Cherry-Evans, and his partner Vessa Rockliff, welcomed their first child two months ago, and have named their daughter Navi. Daly and Vessa must have had quite a few comments and questions on their daughter’s name, because Daly says that people are “reading too much into it”. Navi Cherry-Evans’ name is a variant of Navy, and said exactly the same way. Daly plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, and is also a member of the national squad.

NRL player Beau Ryan, and his wife Kara, welcomed their first child in January, and have named their daughter Remi. Beau and Kara are childhood sweethearts, and were married in October last year. As well as playing for the Cronulla Sharks, Beau also does comedy segments on Channel Nine’s The Footy Show, and Remi’s birth was recently announced on the show.

Rugby union player Luke Burgess, and his wife Emilie, welcomed their first child in November last year and have named their daughter Freya. Freya’s name is right on trend for mythological Scandinavian names, and is already gaining notice in Australia. Luke has played for both the Canberra Brumbies and the New South Wales Waratahs and is a member of the national squad, and in 2011 he signed with French team Stade Toulousain. Luke will be returning to Australia to play for the Melbourne Rebels in the 2014 season.

AFL player Jed Anderson, and his partner Nicky, welcomed their first child last week and have named their son Elijah. Jed, who is still a teenager, just made his début with the Hawthorn Hawks. Elijah Anderson was born in his parents’ home town of Darwin.

Rally driver Eli Evans, and his wife Madeline, welcomed their first child before Easter, and have named their son James. Eli is the younger brother of driver Simon Evans, drives for Honda, and recently won the Quit Forest Rally in Western Australia.

(Photo shows Sam and Rachel Thaiday)