Category Archives: Naming Issues

Historical Naming Patterns in the House of Windsor – Part 1: Brothers for Prince George

15 Sunday Feb 2015

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Queen_Victoria_with_Prince_Arthur

In 2012 I did an article on the historical naming of British monarchs, in preparation for the birth to the next heir to the throne, who turned out to be Prince George Alexander Louis – a slight score for me, as these were the first three boys’ names I suggested.

As Prince George is now expecting a brother or sister, I thought we’d take on what is a rather more difficult challenge – the naming of younger siblings of the future monarch: “spares” to the heir.

I haven’t gone back to the misty beginnings of English royalty, or to William the Conqueror, or even to the House of Hanover, or the reign of Queen Victoria. This will be a modern prince or princess born in the 21st century, and I thought that just looking at those close to the throne in the House of Windsor would be quite enough information.

I earlier looked at the “rules” of naming monarchs, and found that there are also “rules” to naming a monarch’s siblings. We can keep these guidelines in mind as we go, to ensure our expectations remain realistic.

  • All those who were the child of a monarch or an heir to the throne had a name earlier used by royalty – what we think of as traditional English royal names.
  • Nearly all of them had a name that had earlier been used for a British prince or princess. Those that didn’t had names of previous kings and queens. Not one was given an obscure royal name.
  • Perhaps surprisingly, very few of them seem to have been directly named after a relative or family member (although in some cases that information may have been kept private). Those that were, were named after royal grandparents or great-grandparents, usually deceased. Feminisations of male names for girls have not been been used so far (although female Windsors are less common than males, so there is less data to work from).
  • In my earlier article, I pointed out that monarchs were almost never given a name from royalty’s distant past, and that expecting a Queen Matilda or a King Edmund was therefore a forlorn hope. However, not so with a monarch’s siblings. Some were given a name from hundreds of years ago, and one or two even had names from the Middle Ages, so a wider variety of names can be considered.
  • Re-using royal and family names is common, even if there are other members of the royal family who are still alive with the same name – hardly surprising when they are drawing upon a relatively limited number of names. So we can’t rule out a name just because it’s already in use by a cousin or great-uncle. This applies to titles: it seems to be fine for there to be another Prince Soandso, as they can be told apart by their full title. For example, Prince Edward, Earl of Essex doesn’t get muddled with his mother’s cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. Again, this widens the pool slightly.
  • All those who were the child of a monarch or an heir to the throne were given a name that was relatively popular at the time of their birth. Nearly all of them had a name in the Top 100 for their era, while none had a name below the Top 200. This drastically shrinks the number of names on the table.

To find possible names for the siblings of Prince George, in theory all it takes is cross-referencing the UK Top 200 with a list of British royalty (kings, queens, princes, and princesses). Let’s see what the results are for a possible brother to Prince George, a future prince of the United Kingdom, once we remove Prince George’s own three names (slightly risky, as royals have been known to receive a sibling’s middle name as their first name).

Arthur #43
While the idea of a King Arthur would invite ridicule, a Prince Arthur seems suitable. In use by the English monarchy since the Middle Ages, it is a traditional royal name. Queen Victoria’s favourite son was Prince Arthur, while his son was the most recent Prince Arthur, born in the 19th century. The queen’s father had Arthur as one of his middle names, as do Prince Charles and Prince William, so this would link a prince with his father, grandfather, and great-great grandfather. I like the idea, and George and Arthur sound good as brothers. But do the royals consider this middle name material only?
My rating: seven and a half coronets

Frederick #82
There have been three Prince Fredericks, with the most recent the second son of King George III, born in the 18th century. The name is in use by the royal family; for example, Lord Frederick “Freddie” Windsor. Frederick is also a traditional name in the Spencer family, which makes this seem eminently suitable. George and Frederick sound great as brothers – maybe too much so, as this fraternal combination has already been used, by J.K. Rowling! Could the royals cope with the princes being dubbed The Weasley Twins by the press? I hope so.
My rating: seven coronets

Alfred #136
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex, a direct ancestor of the current royal family, so this name has some serious royal clout. There have been three Prince Alfreds, with the most recent a grandson of Queen Victoria who was born in the 19th century. He’s thought to have shot himself after going mad from syphilis, which doesn’t seem that auspicious (although his only crime was being born before the discovery of penicillin). I hope this isn’t a stumbling block, as George and Alfred sound perfect as brothers, while the popular nickname Alfie is very lovable.
My rating: seven coronets

James #9
James is a very royal name, because St James’s Palace is the official residence of the monarchy. As a prince’s name it could be problematic, because the only Prince James was the Scottish “Old Pretender”, who illegally claimed the British throne. Another slight issue is that Prince Edward’s young son is named James, Viscount Severn, and although he isn’t a prince, there is a legal question mark over his non-princely status that an actual Prince James may underline.

A traditional name in the Scottish monarchy, two of Scotland’s King Jameses have been kings of England, ruling as James I and II. With Scotland voting to remain part of the union, the royal family may be eager to choose a Scottish name.

My main objection is that I don’t much like George and James as royal brothers: to me they are too alike and could be confused in public announcements. I feel the heir to the throne needs a distinctive name, and would prefer James in the middle. However, the royals may think differently.
My rating: five and a half coronets

Charles #61
Prince Charles will be the hypothetical prince’s grandfather, and Charles is a traditional British royal name. There have been two kings named Charles, and several princes with the name, controversially including Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender of the Jacobite cause. Charles is a name which comes from the Stuarts, and you could see this as another pro-union Scottish choice. It’s also traditional in the Spencer family, and presumably wouldn’t even be shared for that long, as Prince Charles is due to become king. There is nothing concrete against it, but my gut says no to this, except in the middle. (My gut is often wrong though).
My rating: five coronets

Henry #18
Wonderfully royal, the name Henry has been borne by eight kings and several princes, and is already in use by Prince William’s brother, known as Harry. A non-ruling prince hasn’t been given the name of an uncle before, and while this could happen, I don’t think it shows much imagination for a second son to be given the same name as the previous second son. Besides, what nickname could they give him, because Harry’s taken?
My rating: two and a half coronets

William #8
A suitable royal name, borne by four kings, and multiple princes going back to the Middle Ages. One of those princes is the Duke of Cambridge himself. Although it’s not impossible that a son could be named after him, it’s never been done before in the House of Windsor. Even in non-royal families, it’s not considered traditional for a second son to be named for his father, so this would be a surprise.
My Rating: two coronets

Edward #33
While Edward VIII ruined this name for a future king by his abdication, it’s still fine for a prince, and there have been several Prince Edwards. In fact, there are already two Prince Edwards – the son of Queen Elizabeth, and her cousin. Adding a third seems going a bit far to me.
My Rating: two coronets

David #50
This is a name from Scotland’s royalty. David I was a medieval King of Scotland, who had a strong relationship with the English monarchy, and married an English bride. This is another Scottish choice to celebrate the union, but the royal family have only used this as a middle name (it’s one of Prince Harry’s middle names).
My rating: one coronet

Michael #53
There is already a prince with this name in the royal family, the queen’s cousin, Prince Michael of Kent. He was named after his ancestor, Grand Duke Michael of Russia, and this is not a traditional British royal name. I don’t consider this name likely at all, although not impossible as a middle name.
My rating: half a coronet

Robert #98
A name from Scottish royalty, with the best known example Robert I, or Robert the Bruce, one of Scotland’s national heroes. He fought against England in the Wars of Independence, and because of him, the English crown was forced to recognise Scotland as an independent country. Not only does this name seem anti-union, there is a horrible ballad called Prince Robert, about a man who is poisoned by his mother. Despite being a traditional name in the Spencer family, I can’t feel happy about this.
My rating: half a coronet

Albert #99
Prince Albert was consort to Queen Victoria, and his name became traditional in the royal family as either a first or middle name. The last Prince Albert became King George VI, the queen’s father, and using this name would be a nice gesture were it not for the genital piercing called the Prince Albert. This is a non-starter in my book, although very likely as a middle name.
My rating: zero coronets

John #107
As mentioned in the earlier article, this name has been forbidden in the royal family.
My rating: zero coronets

Andrew #154
Prince Andrew is the second son of Queen Elizabeth, and he is named after his paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. Because his name is not from English royalty, and because the prince is currently embroiled in an international paedophile scandal, his name is unlikely to be used.
My rating: zero coronets

So judging by history, my picks for the prince’s name would be Arthur, Frederick, or Alfred, with an outside chance of James or Charles. There is no overwhelming contender, as there was with Prince George’s name, so I wonder if a surprise choice is on the way, or if a new trend in royal names will make itself felt. Perhaps a royal name from further down the popularity charts is on its way?

UPDATE: The royal baby was a princess named Charlotte, so none of the names for a prince were necessary after all.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite choices for a possible prince were Arthur, Frederick, and Alfred, while the names William and Andrew received no votes at all. The 4% of people who thought the royal couple would start their own trend in baby names were obviously off base.

(Picture is of Queen Victoria with her son Prince Arthur, a painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter)

The Gentle Art of Discussing Baby Names

16 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Naming Issues

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Being a life-long name-nerd, I spent a lot of my younger years dreaming up names for future children. In these daydreams, I was joined at the hip with someone who agreed enthusiastically with my name choices, or responded joyously : “But my darling! That has always been my favourite name, too!”. At the very worst, I hoped my future other half would be the type who said, “Honestly, I’m not very interested in baby names. Anything you pick you out will be fine, sweetie pie”.

These dreams did not eventuate. My husband turned out not to be the easygoing “whatever you say dear” sort of bloke, and it seemed as if every name I suggested was greeted with: No, Nope, Not that one, I don’t think so, and the occasional Absolutely not. I had a long list of names, and every single one got shot down without explanation. What was most frustrating was that he never suggested any names, so I had no idea what was wrong with all these names, or what names he would prefer.

After lots of arguments that never went anywhere, I came up with a new set of rules. He had to at least tell me what was wrong with the suggested name, or it stayed on the list. And just saying “I don’t like it” wasn’t good enough – he had to explain exactly why he didn’t like it. If his answer was something silly, like “I once worked with someone called that and I didn’t like them”, then the name stayed on the list.

There were a few false starts, as he feared as I would jump down his throat the minute he said anything. But I insisted I’d rather hear the truth, and told him I would hear him out without arguing. He started to elaborate on his Nos, and boy, did the flood gates open.

Sometimes it was hard to hear (some of these were names I loved after all), and sometimes I did break my promise and argued back, but as time went on it got easier and easier. The best part was that we were no longer deadlocked, and as he explained what was wrong with every single name I suggested, I started to get a feel for his tastes. That meant that rather than thrash out every name, I could automatically cross off those similar to ones he disliked.

Here are some of the highlights (?) of the process.

BOYS

Alistair
Him: Too posh. People will think he has a country estate and a trust fund, but instead he’ll have a swing set and a piggy bank.
Me: Perhaps that will teach people not to stereotype names.
Him: There’s breaking stereotypes, and then there’s committing fraud. This is more the second one.

Ari
Him (surprised): Oh … I like that one! What language is it from?
Me: It’s Old Norse.
Him: Awsome, I love Scandinavian names. What does it mean?
Me: Eagle.
Him (outraged): What kind of sick meaning is that? How could anyone be so twisted as to call their child evil?
Me: Not evil … eagle. Like the bird.
Him: Well, now all I can think of is evil when I hear it.
(This ended in a heated discussion about people who don’t listen versus people who don’t speak clearly enough).

Angus
Our surname starts with Wil-, so any name ending with an S sound will end up having SWILL in it. This one sounds like “Anger Swill”.
(I cross off all names ending in an S sound).

Bede
Sounds like bidet.

Dante
We’re not Italian!

Digby
Sounds like a dog’s name.

Edmund
Me: I thought maybe with Teddy as the nickname, but is it too close to Eddie?
Him: It’s too close to Narnia, if you ask me.
Me: But you said yes to Lucy!
Him: Lucy sounds sweet – Edmund sounds like a little creep who will sell you out to the White Witch for a block of Turkish Delight.

Ezekiel
It’s like someone throwing crockery down a flight of stairs. No weird Old Testament names – they’re ugly.

Felix
Too catty. And we can’t have any names ending in X, because it sounds the same as something ending in S.
(I cross off all names ending in X).

Gabriel
Too girly.

Hamish
Him: I really hate Scottish names – they’re ugly and pretentious.
Me: But Scottish names are traditional in your family.
Him: Yeah well this is one tradition coming to an end now because I hate them!
(I cross off all Scottish names, gloomily knowing my parents-in-law will blame me).

Hugo
It’s a cartoon villain name.

Jago
It will get twisted around into Gay Joe.

James
Him: That’s the most boring boy’s name in existence.
Me (enraged): It – is – my – father’s – name!
Him (aghast): What? No! Your dad’s name is Fred!
Me: His name is James – his nickname is Fred!
(This ended in a heated discussion about people who don’t bother to learn their own father-in-law’s name versus people who cause confusion because their nicknames are nothing like their actual name).

Jasper
Him: Yuk, sounds evil.
Me: It doesn’t – Jasper is a saint who brought gifts to baby Jesus.
Him: No, Jasper is a crook who stole Dalmatian puppies so a demon hag could turn them into coats!

Jarvis
“Jar of swill” – don’t you remember the whole discussion we had about Angus?
(Oops, forgot to cross it off).

Jude
Hey Jude, na na na na – aargh that song is an earworm, now I’ll never get it out of my head.

Leander
Him: For a boy or a girl?
Me: It’s a boy’s name.
Him: Well it sounds like a mix of Leanne and Miranda.
Me: What if you think of it more as a mix of Leo and Alexander?
Him: I hate Leo and Alexander.
(I secretly cross Leo and Alexander off the list).

Monty
Monty Python.

Oscar
Too grouchy.

Owen
Sounds as if he will always be owin’ money.

Rafael
We’re not Spanish!

GIRLS

Allegra
Him: What would we call her – Leggy? Where does it come from, anyway?
Me (evasively): Well, Lord Byron had a daughter named Allegra.
Him: What happened to her – did she end up famous, like that other daughter?
Me: Um, no … he took her from her mother and stuck her in a convent, and she died.
Him: That’s horrible! This name should be banned!

Clementine
She drowned!

Cordelia
Him: Her senile father didn’t love her! Why are all these names after girls abused by their dads?
Me: Clementine wasn’t abused.
Him: No, her father committed suicide!

Cressida
Him: Wasn’t she a prostitute?
Me: No.
Him: Well it reminds me of watercress anyway.

Harriet
I only like pretty girls’ names.

Esther
Me: This was my favourite teacher’s name.
Him: Too chemical-y.

Jemima
Him: Would she be named after the rag-doll, or the duck?
Me: Maybe after the beautiful daughter of Job in the Bible.
Him: So we’d be naming our daughter after a woman whose father was tortured for no reason? Can we not have any names from stories where the father has a terrible time, please?
(I cross off Keziah).

Lyra
Sounds like liar.

Madeleine
Me: I’m not sure about this one, what do you think?
Him: Nothing that starts with the word mad.

Saskia
Sounds like a snake hissing.

Sylvia
Him: No names starting with S, because look at the initial.
Me: You mean SW, south-west?
Him: No, S. Wil-, swill!
Me: Oh not this again.

Ursula
Him: Don’t you realise the joke on Friends was that Phoebe had a nice name while her evil twin Ursula had an awful one?
Me: So you like the name Phoebe?
Him: Yes.
Me: Me too, let’s add it to the list.
(Partial success!)

Virginia
It looks like virgin and sounds like vagina.

Zara
I hate names that start with Z.

As we worked through the process, it was apparent what names had to go – apart from anything Scottish, Old Testament, starting with Z, ending with X, or starting or ending with S. He didn’t like names that had negative meanings or associations, especially ones from childhood, and was exquisitely sensitive towards anything which sounded even vaguely negative or ridiculous.

Fussy and over-sensitive about names? Now that’s something a name nerd can understand. We weren’t so different after all.

POLL RESULTS
People thought the names that were most unfairly rejected by my husband were James and Harriet. However, there seemed to be sympathy for his views on Bede and Jarvis, as they received no votes to “save” them.

(Cartoon from the Daily Mail)

Baby Names That Don’t Always Travel Well

12 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in Naming Issues

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suitcase-man-desert

Last month I had an article on baby names that are widely popular all over the world, and this post is its opposite – a look at some baby names which are common or accepted in Australia, but can be problematic in other countries.

While an international name means that most people understand your name easily, these are names that not everyone are going to immediately “get”. They may need explanation, a thick skin, and in some cases, a nickname or more appropriate middle name to the rescue.

I often see Australians having a laugh at foreigners with “funny” names, so this is a reminder that one day your child could be the foreigner with the funny name!

BOYS

Banjo
It’s the name of our national poet, but let’s face it, it will sound weird to people in other countries.

Connor
Sounds very much like the French word connard, which is an extremely rude insult.

Duncan
In Australia this is an underused classic. However, in many parts of the world, the American company Dunkin’ Donuts makes people associate the name with sugary deep-fried dough. It’s enough for Nancy from Nancy’s Baby Names to consider the name unusable – she’s from New England, which is where Dunkin’ Donuts originated. Dunkin’ Donuts are rapidly expanding through the United States, and sold in many countries around the world. They used to be here too, and I can’t remember the name being an issue – maybe I didn’t eat enough doughnuts.

Hamish
Although popular here for decades, this is a very rare name in the United States, and according to Nameberry, is seen as “redolent of Olde Scotland”. Even Angela Mastrodonato from Upswing Baby Names sees Hamish as much too stereotypically Scottish for American use. In German, Hamish sounds just like the word hämisch, meaning “bitter, spiteful”.

Harry
In many parts of the United States, this name is commonly pronounced the same way as the word hairy. It is enough of a problem that the city of Fort Wayne in Indiana decided not to name a government building, or any streets, after a popular mayor named Harry Baals (Baals pronounced like the word “balls”). However, there is a Harry Ball [baseball] Field in Massachusetts which doesn’t seem to have caused any issues.

Kai
Kai is a common name for boys and girls in many countries of the world – but not New Zealand. Why? Because it’s the Maori word for “food”.

Kevin
This Australian classic that we were happy to elect to high public office seems to be the most internationally despised name, with Germans in particular discriminating against Kevins. They even have a word for it: Kevinism (like racism, but more socially acceptable). In the UK, it’s short form Kev is another word for chav.

Luke
In Russian it sounds the same as the word for man hole.

Ned
In Scotland, ned is very derogatory slang for “thug, lout”, and even in parts of England isn’t viewed favourably (rather in the fashion of Kevin).

Rex
A classic name in Australia, but considered to be a dog’s name in Central and Eastern Europe: in Germany, they cannot seem to disassociate it from German Shepherd star, Inspector Rex. We also have a tradition of dogs called Rex, and Inspector Rex is on here television here too. Go figure.

GIRLS

Allegra
An allergy medication in the United States – it’s sold as Telfast here.

Bebe
In French, this is the word for baby. Comedian Adam Hills has a daughter called Beatrice, nicknamed Bebe, and during this year’s comedy festival in (French-speaking) Montreal, he noted the puzzled and disdainful reactions he received when announcing his daughter’s name (much like here if you told people you’d called your baby, Baby). In Finland, a bebe is a type of cake.

Harriet
Harriet was one of the fastest-rising names of last year. But in Iceland it became a huge problem for one family, with the threat of Harriet’s passport being cancelled. Harriet doesn’t make sense grammatically in Icelandic, so it is on the list of banned baby names. Of course, that only applies to babies born to at least one Icelandic parent – it won’t stop someone named Harriet living in Iceland. However, English people who work in Iceland and have names that aren’t on the official list say their names have made communication very difficult, due to the problems with Icelandic grammar. I suspect that in countries which have official lists of names, anyone with a name that doesn’t make the list might be seen in a negative light, as they won’t have a “real name”.

Jemima
Fashionable Jemima is a “problem name” in the United States, where Aunt Jemima is a highly popular brand of breakfast foods. The image for Aunt Jemima is an African-American woman, originally a stereotyped figure from a minstrel show. Even though the modern icon of Aunt Jemima is quite different, many white Americans still feel uncomfortable about the brand’s racially-loaded history. They may also be discomfited that Jemima was a “slave name” – probably an Anglicisation of one of the many similar-sounding African names. African-Americans seem less conflicted about using the name Jemima, and can even feel positive towards the affirming side of the trademark.

Lola
Means “grandmother” in the Philippines – it’s the opposite problem to Bebe.

London
In Britain this is considered a “weird name”. Well fair enough – imagine if you met an Englishwoman named Canberra Smith! (I think it would be cool, but still weird).

Nikita
Although nearly always a female name here, in Russia and eastern Europe it is a male name. Rocking up and declaring yourself to be a girl named Nikita is the same as a woman in Australia explaining she’s named Nicholas.

Piper
Sounds very similar to the Dutch word pijpen, which literally means “playing the flute”, but is also vulgar slang for oral sex. Apparently sounds enough like it to be readily confused by Dutch speakers.

Pippa
This just entered the Top 100 in Australia, rising since the royal wedding in 2011. However, in Sweden it is a vulgar word for sexual intercourse, and in Italy, slang for masturbation or a hand job. In Poland, the word pipa is pronounced just like Pippa, and means “vagina”; as in English, this word can be used as an insult against a person.

Poppy
In German, Poppy sounds similar to poppen, a vulgar slang term for sexual intercourse. Names with a P-p sound seem to be a bit of an issue.

What names do you know of that might be a problem in other countries?

Popular Here, There and Everywhere: Baby Names That Travel Well

07 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by in Naming Issues

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Happy Father’s Day! Because dads mean the world to us, today we’ll be looking at names that are popular in many parts of the world.

While some people shy away from popular names, there’s a lot to be said for having a name that is familiar in many countries. It makes travel and working overseas that little bit easier, and if you have a particular cultural background, it’s nice to know relatives in your country of origin will be easily able to understand your child’s name. Even if your child never leaves Australia’s shores, it’s a global village, and they will most likely meet, study, and work with people who have come here from other countries.

To me, a name with high international recognition needed to be popular in as many regions as possible, so that as a mimimum, it needed to be Top 100 in the English-speaking countries of Australia, New Zealand, England/Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Canada, and the USA. It also needed to be popular in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Northern Europe (Scandinavia).

I’ve included common and popular international variants of names, as long as I thought an English-speaker could easily identify them, and short forms as well. You need to remember that even in cases where the name is spelled identically, it probably won’t be said in exactly the same way, but most people are fine with that. In many countries, my name is said AHN-ah, rather than AN-a, and to me this is not only perfectly comprehensible, but makes my name sound warmer and more exotic.

International name data came from Behind the Name, Essential Baby, and Nancy’s Baby Names.

BOYS

Alexander/Alexandar/Aleksander
I have treated these variants as the same name, because certain countries regard them so in their popularity charts. This means that Alexander is popular in the English-speaking world, as well as in Western Europe, including Austria and the Netherlands. It is a favourite in Eastern Europe, solidly popular across most of Scandinavia, and a familiar name in South America. Alexander is Top 10 in Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, Iceland, Malta, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, and the USA, and most popular in Russia, where it is #2. So far so good, but what makes Alexander such an international winner is the widespread popularity of its short forms and variants. Just look at Alex, which is popular in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, England/Wales, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Slovenia, South America, Spain, and Sweden, and Top 10 in Armenia and Catalonia, while Xander is popular in Belgium. Alejandro is popular in Catalonia and South America, and Top 10 in Spain. Alexandre is popular in Belgium and France, and Alessandro Top 10 in Italy and Switzerland. Further east, Alexandru is Top 10 in Moldova, while Iskander and Eskandar are familiar names in Iran and Arabic countries. Credit Alexander the Great, who conquered the known world more than 2000 years ago, and whose name is famous in both east and west.

Daniel
As well as being popular in the English-speaking world, all-rounder Daniel is popular right across Europe, where it performs well in Eastern Europe, and is Top 100 in every Scandinavian country. It’s also a popular name in South America. Daniel is Top 10 in Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Russia, Scotland, South America, and the USA, and is the #1 name in Spain. Short form Danny is popular in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Danijel is popular in Croatia, while Daniil, the Russian form, is Top 10 in Belarus.

David
David is popular in the English-speaking world, and widely across Western Europe, including Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. It also does well in Eastern Europe, and is popular in two Scandinavian countries, Norway and Sweden. Furthermore, it is a popular name in South America. David is Top 10 in Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Spain, and Switzerland, and most popular in Moldova and Brazil, making #2 in two hemispheres. When it comes to international variants, Dawid is popular in Poland, Davide is Top 10 in Italy, while Davit is the #1 name in Armenia.

Adam
Being the oldest name in the Book does give you widespread recognisability, which is why you can find Adam fairly evenly through the English-speaking world, and in many countries of Western, Eastern, and Northern Europe. Adam is Top 10 in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Ireland, and is most popular in Malaysia at #3. The Turkish form Adem is popular in Turkey, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Samuel
Samuel is popular in the English-speaking, and widely across Western Europe, including Austria, France, Malta, the Netherlands, and Spain. In Eastern Europe it’s popular in the Cezch Republic and Hungary, while in Scandinavia Samuel is popular in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Samuel is Top 10 in New Zealand and South America as a whole, and most popular in Canada, where it is #5. Short form Sam is popular in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Sweden. Of its international variants, Samuele is Top 10 in Switzerland, and Samvel is Top 10 in Armenia.

Runners-up: Benjamin, Oliver, and Liam.

GIRLS

Sophia/Sofia
I have treated Sophia and Sofia as one name, since several countries do so when calculating their most popular names – including Australia. Sophia/Sofia is the queen of international names; poular around the globe, and familiar in a host of countries. As well as the English-speaking world, it is popular right across Europe, the whole of South America, and in Malaysia as well. Sophia/Sofia is a Top 10 name in Australia, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Malaysia, Moldova, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland, and is the #1 name in Brazil, Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Russia, South America as a whole, and the USA. Furthermore, it has several international variants, such as Zsofia, which is Top 10 in Hungary, and Zofia, which is Top 10 in Poland. It sounds similar to the unrelated Arabic name Saafiya, giving it a very high recognition factor.

Emma
Emma is popular in the English-speaking world, and across the whole of Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. It charts in several Eastern European countries and is Top 100 in every part of Scandinavia. It is also highly popular in South America. Emma is Top 10 in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, South America as a whole, and the USA, and is # 1 in Belgium, Finland, France, Norway, and Switzerland. Its international variant Ema, often pronounced exactly the same way as Emma, is popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Czech Republic, and Top 10 in Croatia and Slovenia.

Anna
Popular in the English-speaking world, and in Western Europe, where it charts in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Anna also does well in Scandinavia, and is a particular favourite in Eastern Europe. Top 10 in Armenia, Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, and Russia, it makes #1 in Austria. The international variant Ana is popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Catalonia, Spain, and South America as a whole, and is Top 10 in Croatia and Slovenia. The many international variants and pet forms give this a high recognition factor, and there are several similar-sounding names in Arabic and Asian languages as well.

Ella
Ella is popular in the English-speaking world, and in Europe, including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Demark. It is Top 10 in Canada, Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden, and #1 in Malta. The similar Ela, often pronounced the same way, is popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia, as well in Turkey, where it means “hazel-coloured, honey-brown”.

Eva
Eva is popular in the English-speaking world, and in several European countries, including Austria, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Croatia, Iceland, and Norway. It is a Top 10 name in Northern Ireland and Switzerland, and most popular in Slovenia, at #2.

Runners-up: Mia, Olivia, and Sarah/Sara

Looking at the names, you can see certain themes at work. The big tip to finding an internationally popular girls name seems to be something short and simple that is easily pronounced in a variety of languages and accents. For boys’ names, the Bible is a unifying factor. In her recent interview at Baby Names from the Bible, Clare noted that one of the appealing things about biblical names is that so many people around the world share in a tradition of names handed down for thousands of years.

POLL RESULTS: People’s favourite international names were Alexander and Anna. Alexander received more than 50% of the vote, while Anna received more than 30% of the vote.

My Top 100 Predictions – How Accurate Were They?

29 Sunday Jun 2014

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Before the 2013 birth data was released, I published my predictions of what names could be joining the Top 100 at some point, based on how frequently I’d seen them in birth notices that year. Now that all the data is out, I thought I’d go back and see how accurate this method was.

CORRECT

Indi/Indie
I only said that if all spellings were combined this name would already be Top 100, but Indie joined the national Top 100 at #94, and the Top 100 of New South Wales at #100. Meanwhile, both Indi and Indie joined the Queensland Top 100 at #92 and #90.

Louis/Lewis
This was another situation where if both these spellings were counted as one name, it would be a Top 100 name. As it happened, Louis not only joined the national Top 100 at #74, it was the fastest-rising name of the year. Lewis also joined the Top 100 at #97.

Harriet
I suggested it was ready to make the Top 100 this year, which it did – Harriet joined the national Top 100 at #89, and was one of 2013’s fastest-rising names to boot.

Elsie
I predicted Elsie would be in the national Top 100 within the next two years; it made #91 last year.

Pippa
I said that Pippa could make the national Top 100 within the next two years. It was quicker than that, making #95.

Indigo
This seemed likely to become a Top 100 name at some point, and it joined the national Top 100 at #96.

Peyton
I thought Peyton was a possibility to make Top 100 one day; it joined the national Top 100 at #98.

Parker
I picked this to become a future Top 100 name, and it joined the national Top 100 at #98.

PARTIALLY CORRECT

April
I thought April might join the national Top 100 this year, but it didn’t, although it was Top 100 in Queensland (new), Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Asha
I thought this had a chance to join the national Top 100, which didn’t happen, although it did make the Top 100 in the Australian Capital Territory.

Spencer
I thought that Spencer had a shot at making the national Top 100, and although that didn’t happen, it was one of the fastest-rising names in Victoria, which does look promising for the future.

Theodore
This seemed like a possibility to make the Top 100 within five years. It joined the Top 100 in Queensland, and was one of the state’s fastest-rising names, which is very encouraging.

Alana
I said that if all spellings were combined this name would already be Top 100, but it did join the Top 100 in the Australian Capital Territory, scraping in at #99.

Lexi
As above. It joined the Top 100 in Victoria at #90.

Amity
I thought this was a possibility to make Top 100 one day: although it didn’t make the national Top 100, it did join the Queensland Top 100 at #86 and was one of the state’s fastest-rising names.

Jude
I thought perhaps this might make Top 100 at some point. It has already joined the Victorian Top 100.

INCORRECT

Bonnie
Because this was already Top 100 in Victoria, I thought it might keep rising and join the national Top 100 as well. It didn’t – in fact it left the Victorian Top 100 as well. It’s only on the Tasmanian Top 100.

Billie
This is another name which seemed as if it might take off since it was already on the Victorian Top 100. Like Bonnie, it fell instead.

Penelope
This was new to the national Top 100 and several state Top 100s, and one of the fastest-rising names of the year – in Victoria, it moved up more than 100 places! Did I see it coming? Nope; it moved much faster than I thought possible. I didn’t even see that many Penelopes in birth notices – maybe six or seven in the year, and never more than one in an individual week.

Nathaniel
This was new to the national Top 100 and several state 100s, and one of the fastest-rising names of the year. If I had seen enough examples in birth notices, I would have checked it and seen that it was only just outside the Top 100 and risng steeply. But I didn’t.

Ayla
This joined the national Top 100, and was one of the the fastest-rising names. I did notice several Aylas in birth notices, but there didn’t seem enough to make any firm predictions about it.

Daisy
This joined the Top 100, and was one of the fastest-rising names. There were quite a few Daisys in birth notices, and in retrospect, I should have paid more attention to the fact that it was only just outside the Top 100 in Victoria. Missing this one really was a careless mistake.

Ariana
This just scraped in at #100. There was little data on Ariana for me to be able to predict its future with any certainty, and I certainly don’t recall seeing more than a few in birth notices.

Nevaeh
I’m still scratching my head as to how this made the Top 100, when it only charted in Queensland – generally a name has to make the Top 100 in either New South Wales or Victoria to be in the national Top 100. No, I didn’t see it coming, didn’t see very many in birth notices, and frankly I still think there was an error somewhere!

There were eight hits, eight misses, and eight that weren’t exactly right, but didn’t seem quite wrong either. It seems as if predicting the future top names based on my own observations gave some mixed results, and although I still think it was a worthwhile exercise, I’m left with some doubts about its usefulness.

POLL RESULTS
71% of people thought using birth notices to predict future popularity was generally useful, with 50% saying it was mostly accurate, but with some notable misses, and a generous 21% thinking it was pretty much spot on.

Only 5% of people were totally unimpressed with the method, with 3% saying it was mostly inaccurate with some notable hits, and a harsh 2% seeing it as pretty much a complete failure.

24% hedged their bets by saying it was pretty much fifty-fifty each way.

Popular Names in Regional Australia for 2013

25 Sunday May 2014

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All the birth data from 2013 is in, both national and state, but what about the names that are popular in your particular city or region? For most of you, I can’t really help out. But in those few cases where local papers published some statistics, they provided some interesting comparisons with the data overall.

In only a few cases does the information come from birth registries. Most of it is taken from birth notices, and you have to remember that not everyone puts a birth notice in the paper when they have a baby – these days many people prefer to use social media, or even just send everyone a text. It is also becoming less common for local papers to have a section in the paper for birth notices.

Information from hospitals can be incomplete too, because (apart from people having home births) parents haven’t always chosen a baby name in advance to give the paper. I notice from viewing baby photos released from hospitals that people from other cultures usually don’t give a name when they are photographed, and I’m not sure whether that’s because it’s usual to choose the name some time after birth, or whether it isn’t customary to tell strangers the name of a new baby.

So by no means official, but still worth a read, especially if you are from one of these areas.

In the Newcastle area, in the Hunter Valley region, the most popular boy’s name was William, and the most popular girl’s name was Olivia. Other popular boys’ names were Lachlan at #2, Charlie at #3, and Cooper and Darcy at #4 and #5. For girls, it was Lilly at #2, Lucy #3, Mia #4 and Ruby #5. During the year, I looked through all the baby photos released by Newcastle hospitals, and was surprised at how few Jacks and Charlottes there were, while Stellas and Calebs abounded.

The NSW birth registry revealed that the most popular names for babies in the Clarence Valley region around the city of Grafton were Harrison and Ruby, and there was an equal number of babies with either of these names.

In Tamworth, in the New England region, Lachlan and Matilda were the most popular names, and for boys, William and Liam were the next-most popular boys’ names. Popular girls’ names included Chloe, Elizabeth, Indi and Willow. There were significantly more boys in the paper than girls – 93 to 57.

In Orange, in New South Wales’ Central West region, the most popular baby names were James, Amelia and Annabelle. Other popular boys’ names were Isaac, William, Thomas and George, while popular girls’ included Isabella, Isabelle, and Lara.

In Mudgee, also in the Central West, the most popular baby name was Charlie as a boy’s name, with Archer, David, Logan and Liam all appearing more than once. There don’t seem to have been any girls’ names which appeared more than once.

I saw all the baby photos released from the hospital in the city of Queanbeyan, in the Eden-Monaro region, and the #1 baby name overall was Henry – 30% of all babies bore this name, with about two-thirds of the boys called Henry.

In Wagga Wagga, in the Riverina region, the most popular boy’s name was Brock (not in the Top 100), and the most popular girl’s name was Evie. Charlie, Darcy, Isaac, Jacob, Mason and Tom came second for boys, with Ivy the second-most popular girl’s name, and Matilda and Georgie tieing for third spot. There was no third place winners for boys.

In Albury and Wodonga, which straddle the border between New South Wales and Victoria, the most popular boy’s name was Jack, and the most popular girls’ names were Grace and Lily. Harry and Oliver were second for the boys, and Chloe for the girls. Patrick and William were third for the boys, while there was no clear winner for third place amongst the girls, with nine names receiving the same amount of use – Ella, Elsie, Evie, Imogen, Isla, Lara, Mia, Pippa and Scarlett.

In Ballarat, in Victoria’s Central Highlands, the most popular names for boys were Jack or Jackson #1, Tom or Thomas #2, Hudson and William #3, Cooper #4, and Harrison, Harry or Henry #5. For girls it was Charlotte and Ruby #1, Emily #2, Ella #3, Annabelle, Isabelle, Mila, Mia and Sophie at #4, and Ava, Isabella, Indianna, Matilda and Madison at #5. It was noted how the number of birth notices had dwindled over the years, with the rise of Facebook and other social media.

In Warrnambool, on Victoria’s south-west coast, William and Liam were the most popular boys’ names, with Matilda most popular for girls. Jackson, in all its spelling variants, was second for boys, and Charlotte second for girls.

In Hamilton in western Victoria, the most popular baby names were William and Mia, with other popular names for boys being Aiden and Thomas, while Amelia, Ava, Beatrice, Emma, Fiona, Grace, Lucy, Olivia, Jessica, Matilda, Ruby and Sophie were popular for girls. Hamilton also counts middle name usage, with Grace the most common middle name overall.

In the Wimmera region around the city of Horsham in western Victoria, the most popular boy’s name was Jack, and there was no clear winner for girls’ names, although Evie, Holly, Layla, Mia, Pippa, Zara and Zoe were all used more than once. There were more birth notices for boys – 107 boys to 80 girls.

In Queensland, birth registries made some note of regional popularity. Lachlan was the #1 name in Townsville, and tied with Jack for first place in Cairns and the Rockhampton area. Cooper was the most popular boy’s name name in Ipswich, while Hunter came first in the Wide Bay region. Mia was #1 in both the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions, Olivia was #1 for girls in Ispwich, and Ruby was #1 for girls in Cairns.

Hospitals in Mackay in Central Queensland revealed that the top names for boys were Braxton and Nate, while for girls they were Lilly and Seanna (which has never charted – is this a misprint for Sienna?).

In Port Lincoln, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, the most popular names for boys were Noah, Levi and Hunter, while Ella, Olive and Mila were most popular for girls. The paper noted that two out of three of the Ellas had the same middle name – they were both Ella Michelle. The most popular middle name for girls was Rose, and William and James were the most popular middle names for boys.

(Photo is of the town of Mudgee)

The Fastest Rising Top 100 Names of 2013

20 Sunday Apr 2014

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Aria and Louis

GIRLS

Aria
In 2012 Aria was a newcomer to the national Top 100, and one of its highest-risers. In 2013 its success continued as the #1 rising name in Australia and Queensland, and a top rising name in New South Wales and Victoria. Aria is one of the main characters in the Pretty Little Liars book and television series, and also sounds similar to Arya from Game of Thrones. Its Italian origins make this a good cross-cultural choice too.

Evelyn
Classic Evelyn was the #1 rising name in the Northern Territory, and one of the top rising names nationally, as well as in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. In 2012 it was a top rising name nationally, and last year increased the speed at it which it rose. Ivy was the fastest-rising girls’ name of 2012, and here’s another name with a V, following hard on the heels of Evie, Eva and Ava.

Penelope
I suspect Penelope’s entrance into the Top 100 has caused some dismay. It’s certainly made me eat humble pie, as I was foolish enough last year to reassure parents that Penelope was not too popular when you had a careful look at the available data. I began to get an inkling I had made a boo-boo when day after day, I saw that the search term popularity of penelope in australia had come up yet again. I couldn’t help worrying that if all these people trustingly chose the name Penelope, its popularity was sure to increase dramatically. My fears were not unfounded, as Penelope rose more than 100 places to be the #1 rising name in Victoria, and was a top rising name nationally and in New South Wales. A slew of celebrity babies named Penelope has helped this name become hot property, and it’s back on the Top 100 for the first time since the 1970s.

Samantha
Perenially popular Samantha had been gradually sliding down the Top 100 for over a decade, but last year got a boost, going up 15 places nationally and 58 places in Victoria, as well as being a top rising name in the Australian Capital Territory, and joining the Western Australian Top 50. Perth-born model and singer, Samantha Jade, who won The X-Factor in 2012, and recently had a starring role in the hit INXS mini-series, Never Tear Us Apart, probably has something to do with it. Popular breakfast television presenter Samantha Armytage may be another factor.

Lola
Lola was the #1 name rising in New South Wales and a top rising name in Queensland. Short forms such as Maggie and Elsie did well in the charts in 2013, and although Lola is part of this movement, it seems much cheekier and flirtier than its retro sisters. Could it be the next Ruby?

BOYS

Louis
Even though classic Louis has charted since the 1900s, it was a newcomer to the Top 100 last year. It rose at least 27 places to become the #1 rising name in the country for 2013, as well as a top rising name in New South Wales and Victoria. Louis has been rising steeply for several years now, and it was only a matter of time before it made the Top 100 – but being chosen as a royal middle name can’t have done any harm.

Hudson
Hudson was one of the fastest-rising names of 2012, and continues to power up the charts. It was the #1 rising name in New South Wales, and a top rising name nationally, as well as in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. This name has been doing very well since being chosen as a baby name by two celebrities – TV chef Curtis Stone in 2011, and pop star Guy Sebastian in 2012.

Nathaniel
Nathaniel is another newcomer to the Top 100 charts, having charted in the 1900s then dropped off the charts until the 1960s. It was the #1 rising name in Victoria, and a top rising name nationally, and in New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. This retro name has been making smooth and steady progress up the charts for decades, and its entry into the Top 100 coincides with the release of the first successful singles of pop singer Nathaniel (thanks to Ebony at Babynameobsessed for this tip). Another famous Australian namesake is Nathaniel Buzolic from The Vampire Diaries. This provides another way to get the popular short form Nate.

George
Remember those reports from Baby Center that Prince George hadn’t had any effect on the popularity of the name George? And how they said that before any official data had been released? Well now some has, and the name George was a top rising name nationally, and in Queensland and Western Australia (our most monarchist states?). George rose 11 places to #60; its highest ranking since the 1970s. As well as the little Prince currently gracing our shores, there is a baby George in Downton Abbey, the heir to an earldom. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are fans of the show, making their choice of George a possible subconscious small-screen homage. It’s interesting to note that George, Alexander and Louis all became more popular last year.

Lincoln
Lincoln was a fast-rising name of 2012, and before all the data had come in, I predicted that it would make the national Top 50 for 2013. It rose 17 places and just scraped in at #50, so a close call! Lincoln was also a top rising name in Victoria and Western Australia. Lincoln Younes plays “River Boy” Casey Braxton on Home and Away, and the name Lincoln has been increasing in popularity ever since he joined the show in 2011.

Other Names That Rose

  • Lillian – top riser nationally and in New South Wales
  • Eloise – top riser nationally and in Victoria
  • Olive – top riser nationally and in Victoria
  • Violet – #1 rising name in Western Australia and Tasmania
  • Indigo – top riser in Victoria and Queensland
  • Felix – top riser nationally and in New South Wales
  • Ryder – top riser nationally and in Tasmania
  • Lewis – top riser in Victoria and Tasmania
  • Hugo – top riser in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory
  • Finn – top riser in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory

NOTE: I have chosen those names which increased in popularity in the most number of states and territories, making their popularity widest across the board in Australia. For the positions of each name in individual states and territories, please refer to the Name Data category for more information.

POLL RESULTS: People’s favourite fastest-rising names were Penelope and Louis.

What I Know About Australian Names

09 Sunday Feb 2014

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1000posts

This will be my 1000th blog post since I started blogging nearly three years ago in 2011 – something which fills me with a certain amount of awe, coupled with a strong feeling I may have posted too often!

When Abby from Appellation Mountain reached her 1000th blog post in 2010, she decided to share a few of the things she had learned about names as a blogger. I thought about doing that, then realised how embarrassing it would be to admit how little I knew to begin with. And I’ve learned so many things that I’d need another blog with 1000 blog posts to explain all that I’ve learned writing this blog.

So instead I will share a few things I have learned about Australian names.

1. Australia, like other countries, has its own unique name trends

Matilda, Lachlan and Banjo mean more to us than in other countries. Darcy is a boy’s name here, Asher is unisex, and Avery is only for girls. We have a special connection with Talia, but prefer to spell it Tahlia.

Adrian was popular here for much longer than in other countries; Mitchell and Chelsea are still popular here while they have disappeared from the Top 100s of other places; Mervyn and Dulcie were only ever popular in Australia, while Derek and Gillian never became popular here.

Because of our relatively small population size, name trends often show up earlier in Australia than elsewhere, so that names such as Isabella and Jayden were Top 100 here long before anywhere else. Does that mean that current Australian favourites like Amity and Braxton will become popular elsewhere? Only time will tell!

Although Australia’s name trends are heavily influenced by both the UK and US, and sometimes by Europe, only one country can claim to be our baby name twin, and that is New Zealand. It’s seldom acknowledged, but we share more than 70% of our popular names with our Trans-Tasman cousins.

2. Every state and territory is a little different when it comes to names

Queensland is crazy for royal baby names – any name chosen by royalty will invariably rise in popularity this state. New South Wales is the only state with Arabic names in the Top 100 – Muhammad would be in the Top 30 there if all spellings were combined. Tasmanians adore vintage names, Western Australians tend to shun the classics for the contemporary, the Northern Territory has many names of Indigenous significance, and South Australians love a quirky middle name. The ACT has the strictest naming laws, and are therefore the most conservative at choosing baby names. Victorians are the name nerds of Australia – they are deeply interested in name trends, worry about popularity, and are the most likely to announce their baby’s name in the newspapers. I probably couldn’t function (as a blogger) without them.

3. Rural and regional Australians are the best at choosing interesting names

I love name stories and birth notices from country Australia, because they always have the most diverse selection of names, and the most unusual names and colourful name combinations. If it wasn’t for local newspapers, I don’t think I could keep doing the Birth Announcements each week.

4. Australians are patriotic namers

When I first started Waltzing More Than Matilda, I couldn’t help wondering if anyone would be interested in a blog about Australian names, and more importantly, I wasn’t sure if Australians would be interested!

Happily, my doubts have been proven wrong, because every day people come to the blog searching for Indigenous Australian names, names of Australian plants, names of Australian towns and cities, names of famous Australians, and asking for “patriotic Australian names” to use for their son or daughter.

It seems that there are many people at least considering a name with an Australian “flavour” for their children.

5. Australian parents are AWESOME namers!

There’s a vocal, mean-spirited and ignorant group of people who think it’s fun (or funny) to insist that Australians are too stupid or tasteless to be allowed to name their own children. According to this mob, who often seem to work in the media, you only have to read a few birth notices to see that Australian babies are given increasingly bizarre “made up names” with a bewildering range of spellings and punctuation that render them barely comprehensible.

Well, I read birth notices every day, and have done for years, and I can tell you that that is absolute tripe. Most babies are given fairly common names like Emily and Liam, and even less common names are usually traditional like Walter and Patricia, familiar like Axel and Clementine, or are from other cultures, like Malini and Ngemba. Variant spellings are generally low-key and easily coped with, such as Scarlette or Jaxson – out of the thousands of babies’ names I read each year, perhaps four or five have given me real difficulties in understanding them.

Australian parents, let me tell you that you are doing a great job! A brilliant job! An outstanding job at naming your babies! You make reading birth announcements a joy and an adventure!

Whether you chose the name Audrey or Behati. Whether you preferred Thomas or Zephyr. If you picked Felix or Kylen or Huckleberry or Lenny or Percival or Diamond. Opted for Eloise or Mietta or Taiyah or Rafferty or Storm or Xanthe. If your heart told you that the perfect name was Acacia or Digger or Lawson. Or you knew straight away that only Jack or Charlotte or Hamish would do. You all did the right thing, and you all did very well.

You impress and amaze me every day. Thank you.

Could These Be The Top 100 Names of the Future?

07 Tuesday Jan 2014

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imagesThese are my picks for names to keep an eye on, based on certain names that kept turning up in birth announcements, but are not yet on the national Top 100.

GIRLS

Would Already Be Top 100 If Combined Spellings Were Counted

  • Alana/Alanna/Alannah – Alana is already Top 100 in Victoria
  • Lexi/Lexie
  • Indi/Indie/Indy
  • Macey/Maci/Macie/Macy
  • Mali/Mahli/Marlee/Marley/Marli/Marlie

On Track to Reach the Top 100

  • Bonnie – maybe as soon as this year, already Top 100 in Victoria
  • Harriet – maybe as soon as this year, already Top 100 in Victoria
  • Billie – maybe as soon as this year, already Top 100 in Victoria
  • April – maybe as soon as next year, only just outside the Top 100
  • Asha – maybe as soon as next year, only just outside the Top 100
  • Pippa – probably within the next couple of years, already Top 100 in some states
  • Elsie – probably within the next couple of years
  • Maggie – perhaps within the next couple of years
  • Florence – perhaps within the next 5 years
  • Freya – perhaps within the next 5 years
  • Kaylee – perhaps within the next 5 years
  • Adeline – perhaps within the next 10 years
  • Georgie – perhaps within the next 10 years
  • Mabel – perhaps within the next 10 years

Possible Future Top 100 Names

  • Anastasia
  • Felicity
  • Maisie
  • Peyton/Payton
  • Darci/Darcie/Darcy
  • Zahlee/Zahli/Zali/Zarli
  • Amity
  • Makenna
  • Everley
  • Indigo

Long Shots

  • Clementine
  • Cleo
  • Emmeline
  • Susannah

BOYS

Would Already Be Top 100 If Combined Spellings Were Counted

  • Louis/Lewis
  • Caden/Cayden/Kaden/Kayden
  • Cobi/Cobie/Coby/Kobi/Kobe/Koby

On Track to Reach the Top 100

  • Spencer – maybe as soon as this year, already Top 100 in Victoria
  • Zane – probably within the next couple of years
  • Vincent – perhaps within the next couple of years
  • Jimmy – perhaps within the next 5 years
  • Theodore – perhaps within the next 5 years

Possible Future Top 100 Names

  • Jude
  • Cruz
  • Ari
  • Axel
  • Jax
  • Xander/Zander
  • Asher
  • Sonny
  • Parker
  • Nash
  • Lenny
  • Kade
  • Alfie
  • Cohen
  • Sidney
  • Maximus

Long Shots

  • Camden
  • Layne

NOTE: The future of boys names is much less predictable, because in a lot of ways parents are more conservative when naming girls. Girls tended to have traditional names with a history that could be tracked, while boys much more likely to have “new” names that have only recently come into common use. On the other hand, when girls were given unusual names, they tended to be much more out there than a boy with an unusual name.

How Unisex is a Unisex Name?

20 Sunday Jan 2013

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boy_girl_symbolsI intimated that we’d probably do a couple of things with the complete 2012 name data from Victoria, now that it’s been released, and something I thought might be interesting would be to look at the unisex names in the data, and see whether they were used more often for girls or boys, or evenly for both.

Unisex Names More Popular for Girls

  1. Addison – 76 girls, 7 boys
  2. Ashley – 31 girls, 13 boys
  3. Eden – 65 girls, 7 boys
  4. Harper – 144 girls, 25 boys
  5. Sasha – 30 girls, 6 boys
  • There are only five names used by both sexes that are significantly more popular for girls.
  • Some parents chose names for their sons which had a reasonable history of being established as feminine by usage, and which are gaining rapidly in popularity for girls, such as Addison and Eden.
  • Ashley is the only one of these names which has a reasonable history of usage by both sexes.
  • The most feminine unisex name is Harper, which has the biggest gap between the sexes.

Unisex Names More Popular for Boys

  1. Alex – 89 boys, 9 girls
  2. Bailey – 93 boys, 15 girls
  3. Casey – 16 boys, 7 girls
  4. Charlie – 264 boys, 63 girls
  5. Darcy – 78 boys, 10 girls
  6. Hunter – 156 boys, 8 girls
  7. Jamie – 31 boys, 6 girls
  8. Jordan – 120 boys, 13 girls
  9. Phoenix – 48 boys, 14 girls
  10. Riley – 217 boys, 9 girls
  11. River – 21 boys, 9 girls
  • There are more than twice as many names used by both sexes that are significantly more popular for boys.
  • Casey, Charlie, Darcy, Jamie and Jordan have a reasonable history of usage as unisex names.
  • Most of these “more boyish” names, even if still popular, are falling in popularity for boys; Charlie and Hunter are the ones who buck this trend, and are still increasing in male popularity.
  • The most masculine unisex name is Riley, which has the biggest gap between the sexes – a much bigger gap than between the boys and girls called Harper.
  • Some parents will choose a name for their child which is Top 100 for the opposite sex (such as Harper or Bailey), so name popularity isn’t always a factor in whether a name is considered a “boy” name, or a “girl” name.

Unisex Names Given Fairly Evenly to Girls and Boys

  1. Ariel – 12 boys, 11 girls
  2. Asher – 35 boys, 26 girls
  3. Blair – 15 boys, 12 girls
  4. Brooklyn – 17 girls, 15 boys
  5. Emerson – 14 girls, 8 boys
  6. Frankie – 12 boys, 9 girls,
  7. Morgan – 13 boys, 11 girls
  8. Quinn – 30 boys, 24 girls
  9. Remi – 11 boys, 7 girls
  10. Remy – 19 girls, 14 boys
  11. Taylor – 31 girls, 20 boys
  12. Tully – 10 girls, 8 boys
  13. Yi – 10 boys, 8 girls
  14. Zi – 7 girls, 7 boys
  • These 14 names could be considered “truly unisex”, in that they are used by both sexes in roughly equal numbers.
  • None of the names are popular, which makes me wonder if once a name gains a high level of use, it will tend to skew towards one sex rather than another.
  • The most unisex name is the Chinese name Zi, with the same number of boys and girls possessing it.

Theoretically Unisex Names Overwhelmingly Used by Girls

  1. Alexis – 112 girls, 5 or less boys
  2. Allie – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  3. Allison – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  4. Ally – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  5. Angel – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
  6. Arya – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
  7. Aubrey – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  8. Avery – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  9. Bonnie – 52 girls, 5 or less boys
  10. Brooke – 24 girls, 5 or less boys
  11. Cassidy – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  12. Chelsea – 104 girls, 5 or less boys
  13. Chelsey – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  14. Clare – 18 girls, 5 or less boys
  15. Cleo – 34 girls, 5 or less boys
  16. Clover – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  17. Coco – 23 girls, 5 or less boys
  18. Courtney – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  19. Crystal – 15 girls, 5 or less boys
  20. Dakota – 25 girls, 5 or less boys
  21. Dana – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  22. Ebony – 66 girls, 5 or less boys
  23. Elisha – 9 girls, 5 or less boys
  24. Erin – 31 girls, 5 or less boys
  25. Esme – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  26. Evelyn – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
  27. Florence – 26 girls, 5 or less boys
  28. Gigi – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
  29. Ginger – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  30. Harlow – 18 girls, 5 or less boys
  31. Indiana – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
  32. Indie – 29 girls, 5 or less boys
  33. Indigo – 36 girls, 5 or less boys
  34. Indy – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
  35. Iris – 20 girls, 5 or less boys
  36. Jade – 53 girls, 5 or less boys
  37. Jessie – 14 girls, 5 or less boys
  38. Joyce – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  39. Kalani – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  40. Kelly – 14 girls, 5 or less boys
  41. Kelsey – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  42. Koa – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  43. London – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  44. Madison – 134 girls, 5 or less boys
  45. Maria – 26 girls, 5 or less boys
  46. Marley – 40 girls, 5 or less boys
  47. Mary – 42 girls, 5 or less boys
  48. Mika – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  49. Miley – 22 girls, 5 or less boys
  50. Mischa – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
  51. Nicola – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
  52. Nikita – 27 girls, 5 or less boys
  53. Nikki – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
  54. Noor – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  55. Olive – 53 girls, 5 or less boys
  56. Paige – 85 girls, 5 or less boys
  57. Paris – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  58. Payton – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  59. Pearl – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
  60. Peyton – 24 girls, 5 or less boys
  61. Piper – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
  62. Reese – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
  63. Ruby – 419 girls, 5 or less boys
  64. Sage – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
  65. Scarlet – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
  66. Scarlett – 256 girls, 5 or less boys
  67. Shelby – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
  68. Shiloh – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  69. Skye – 43 girls, 5 or less boys
  70. Stacey – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
  71. Stevie – 16 girls, 5 or less boys
  72. Sydney – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  73. Teagan – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
  74. Tegan – 9 girls, 5 or less boys
  75. Tia – 23 girls, 5 or less boys
  76. Vivian – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
  77. Wendy – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
  78. Willow – 129 girls, 5 or less boys
  79. Winter – 22 girls, 5 or less boys

The most feminine unisex name is Ruby, which is #3 for girls and in very rare use for boys (quite possibly, no boys at all). Ruby does have some usage as an Australian male name in the 19th century.

Theoretically Unisex Names Only Used by Boys

  1. Adrian – 37 boys, 5 or less girls
  2. Aiden – 144 boys, 5 or less girls
  3. Ali – 65 or less boys, 5 or less girls
  4. Arlo – 28 boys, 5 or less girls
  5. Ash – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  6. Beau – 75 boys, 5 or less girls
  7. Blake – 163 boys, 5 or less girls
  8. Bodhi – 19 boys, 5 or less girls
  9. Brodie – 55 or less boys, 5 or less girls
  10. Brody – 35 boys, 5 or less girls
  11. Cameron – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
  12. Campbell – 35 boys, 5 or less girls
  13. Chance – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  14. Chase – 94 boys, 5 or less girls
  15. Chris – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
  16. Clancy – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
  17. Coby – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
  18. Cody – 48 boys, 5 or less girls
  19. Colby – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  20. Cooper – 248 boys, 5 or less girls
  21. Dallas – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
  22. Dion – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
  23. Dusty – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  24. Dylan – 146 boys, 5 or less girls
  25. Elliot – 41 boys, 5 or less girls
  26. Elliott – 24 boys, 5 or less girls
  27. Evan – 50 boys, 5 or less girls
  28. Ezra – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
  29. Finlay – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
  30. Finley – 23 boys, 5 or less girls
  31. Francis – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  32. Harley – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
  33. Hayden – 119 boys, 5 or less girls
  34. James – 381 boys, 5 or less girls
  35. Jay – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
  36. Jesse – 65 boys, 5 or less girls
  37. Joey – 10 boys, 5 or less girls
  38. Jonty – 15 boys, 5 or less girls
  39. Jude – 60 boys, 5 or less girls
  40. Julian – 70 boys, 5 or less girls
  41. Kai – 89 boys, 5 or less girls
  42. Koby – 51 boys, 5 or less girls
  43. Kody – 10 boys, 5 or less girls
  44. Logan – 178 boys, 5 or less girls
  45. Luca – 113 boys, 5 or less girls
  46. Luka – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
  47. Mason – 266 boys, 5 or less girls
  48. Max – 283 boys, 5 or less girls
  49. Maxwell – 49 boys, 5 or less girls
  50. Memphis – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
  51. Micah – 32 boys, 5 or less girls
  52. Milan – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
  53. Miller – 21 boys, 5 or less girls
  54. Musa – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
  55. Myles – 16 boys, 5 or less girls
  56. Noah – 409 boys, 5 or less girls
  57. Oakley – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  58. Parker – 31 boys, 5 or less girls
  59. Rafferty – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
  60. Reece – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
  61. Reed – 7 boys, 5 or less girls
  62. Reid – 9 boys, 5 or less girls
  63. Reilly – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
  64. Rory – 36 boys, 5 or less girls
  65. Rowan – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
  66. Ryan – 228 boys, 5 or less girls
  67. Sam – 66 boys, 5 or less girls
  68. Saxon – 26 boys, 5 or less girls
  69. Shane – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
  70. Sean – 32 boys, 5 or less girls
  71. Sidney – 7 boys, 5 or less girls
  72. Sunny – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
  73. Toby – 78 boys, 5 or less girls
  74. Tristan – 38 boys, 5 or less girls
  75. Troy – 9 boys, 5 or less girls
  76. Zion – 15 or less boys, 5 or less girls

The most masculine unisex name is Noah, which is #6 for boys, and very rare for girls (perhaps not used at all). Noah can also be a Hebrew name for girls, from a completely different derivation than the male name Noah. I was not able to find any women named Noah in Australian records, but this might be because the high volume of male ones obscured them.

So … how unisex is a unisex name? Disappointingly, the answer seems to be “not very”. Most unisex names are in fact used much more by one sex over another, and those that are given fairly equally to both boys and girls do not have a high level of use.

I see no reason why a boy cannot be called Sage, or a girl Memphis, but even these obviously unisex names are skewed either female or male in the data.

Some people worry that girls are “taking all the boys names“, which will lead to some kind of naming cataclysm of epic proportions. Others look forward to an era when parents feel free to choose whatever name they like, unconstrained by gender.

So far, there is little evidence of either this fear or hope coming into being. Although we all seem to know a boy named Jade or a girl named Arlo, their numbers are too insignificant to show up in the data.