This is a sample of the many random questions about names which get searched to reach the blog. I do try to answer them in posts if I can, but these are ones which I can’t see any way of subtly working into blog posts at this time.

Is it illegal to call your daughter Talula?

This gets Googled several times a month. I guess it’s because of the little girl from New Zealand called Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii whose name was changed by the courts. The Talula part wasn’t the problem, and it’s perfectly legal as a name.

Are girls named Georgia successful?

I’m sure any successful Georgia would be insulted by the suggestion that their name was entirely responsible for their achievements.

Are there any queens named Nyree?

Not any that rule as monarchs in an official capacity.

Why hasn’t there been an English king named after Alfred the Great?

Maybe because he was a king of Wessex, and not of England. Or because they didn’t want the obvious comparison to be made, in case the other King Alfred was nicknamed Not-So-Great.

What is the queen’s second name?

Ooh, I bet you were doing some royal baby name sleuthing. It’s Alexandra.

Ned Kelly‘s middle name?

He didn’t have one – he was just Edward Kelly.

What does Ballarat mean in Aboriginal language?

It’s thought to come from the local Wathaurong name for the area, balla arat, translated as “resting place”.

What other names were considered instead of Victoria for [the state of] Victoria in Australia?

I don’t think any other names were considered – it was named in honour of Queen Victoria because it was she who signed the Act of Parliament separating it from New South Wales in 1850.

What was the first name for South Australia?

The first Europeans to give it a name were the Dutch in 1627; they called it Pieter Nuyts Land after the chief explorer on their expedition.

What other things is Antarctica called?

The Antarctic, The South Pole (informal), The White Continent (poetic), The Ice (slang).

What is the name of the last [known] planet [in our solar system]?

Neptune, and if you count dwarf plants, Eris.

What was [notorious bank robber] Darcy Dugan’s gang’s name?

They sarcastically called themselves The Lavender Hill Mob or The Lavenders, after the 1951 movie starring Alec Guiness.

Abby, Abbie or Abbey – which is the correct spelling?

As far as I know, there isn’t a “correct” spelling, and these are all accepted short forms of Abigail.

What is the Australian spelling of the name Milly?

There isn’t a specifically Australian spelling, but Millie is more common here, as elsewhere.

How do you pronounce Mila in Australia?

MEE-lah or MEE-luh.

How do you pronounce the name Atticus?

AT-ih-kus.

How is Sadie a nickname for Sarah?

It doesn’t really make sense to me, either!

What name is more modern – Poppy, Sienna or Darcy?

Sienna.

Is Riley a classic name or a modern name?

As a boy’s name, it’s a modern classic.

What’s a girl name that starts with Fin-?

Finola.

Is there a flower named Maude?

There’s a variety of wisteria named Aunt Maude; it’s from the American south.

Is there a rose named Imogen?

Rosa indica v. Imogen was one of the first Australian-bred China tea roses, dating from the 1840s and created by John Bidwill, a friend of John Macarthur’s who was the first person to breed different varieties of plants in Australia. The “Imogen” rose was pure white, with clustered blooms. It doesn’t seem to exist any more.

Baby names that rhyme with Archie

Chachi, and the Japanese name Hachi – but it’s not an exact rhyme, because the stress is on the second syllable, not the first.

Will the name Beatrix become popular because of Fifi Box?

Probably not, but it’s so rare it would be significant if it even began charting.

Will Isabella become dated?

Chances are that it will, eventually. It’s never been this popular before, so I couldn’t put a timeline on it.

What is the name day for Azaria?

December 16.

Is the christening name commonly used in Australia?

If you mean, do most people who are christened in Australia use the name they were christened by as their everyday name, then I’m pretty sure the answer is yes. But if you mean, are most Australian babies christened, and therefore have a christening name to use, then I’m not sure. It’s certainly normal to be christened here, but also normal not to be.

Songs [for the] name Sophie

One is Song for Sophie by the Danish singer Aura Dione, who has spent some time in Australia.

Is the name Reginald used in Russia?

Not usually, but they have their own version of the name, Rengold.

Why do so many boys names become girls names?

I don’t think it’s the case that many boys names become used for girls (I can really only think of a handful of cases where that’s happened). However, unisex names do seem to become more often used by girls than by boys, and that’s because parents of boys have a tendency to stop using them once they become “too girly”. Having said that, there are several formerly unisex names that have become almost entirely masculine, such as Clarence and Elvis, so parents of girls must also sometimes decide that a name has become “too boyish” to use.

Do boys dislike having a unisex name?

I know quite a few boys under 15 that have a unisex name (including one of my nephews), and they are all fine with it. To be fair though, their names are ones which are mostly male, although considered acceptable to give to girls (eg Darcy), almost equally male and female (eg Remy), or so rare that they aren’t strongly associated with any particular gender (eg Bay).

Names of everyone who died in World War I

More than 37 million people (including civilians) died as a result of World War I – that’s a lot of names! I suggest you start at the Australian War Memorial, which has a roll of honour for all Australians killed in service, then ask the staff for help in accessing international war records.

Was there anyone named Mikayla on the First Fleet?

No.