04 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in Celebrity Baby News
≈ Comments Off on Celebrity Baby News: Robbie and Trudie Colville
Local Adelaide cricketer Robbie Colville, and his wife Trudie, welcomed their daughter Sophie on March 24. Sophie Colville was born at 8 pm at Flinders Medical Centre, weighing 4 kg (9 lb). She joins big sister Claire, aged 3.
Robbie plays for Reynella, who won their grand final match against St Peter’s Old Collegians on the same day Sophie was born.
04 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in Celebrity Baby News
Rory Sutherland and his wife Cheynna welcomed their daughter Aurelia on March 13. Aurelia Sutherland joins big brother Eston.
Rory is originally from Canberra, and has been racing competitively since the age of 14. He has won many international races, and currently rides for Team Saxo-Tinkoff. At one point, Rory lived in Colorado in the United States, which is where he met his wife Cheynna. The family are now based in Girona, Spain. Although the name Aurelia is a little dated in Spain, here it is becoming very fashionable.
Matt Wilson and his wife Meg welcomed their son Hugo on March 21. Matt was a member of the national team, and after surviving cancer took up professional cycling. He came first in the National Road Race Championships in 2004, and the Herald Sun Tour in 2007. He retired last year.
(Photo shows Rory winning the first stage of the Tour of Utah last year)
04 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in Celebrity Baby News
≈ Comments Off on Celebrity Baby News: AFL Babies
Nick Malceski and his wife Laura welcomed their first child early this year, and have named their son Harrison. Nick plays for the Sydney Swans, who won the Grand Final last year. He and Laura (nee Smyth) were married in 2011, and spent their honeymoon in Bali.
Mark LeCras and his wife Emily welcomed their first child in February, and have named their daughter Molly. Mark plays for the West Coast Eagles, and he and Emily (nee Marshall) were married in 2011.
(Photo shows Nick and Laura)
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Blog News
≈ Comments Off on Article in New Issue of Matilda Magazine
Tags
Appellation Mountain, Baby Name Pondering, Jane Austen names, Matilda magazine, name data, rare names, surname names, US name popularity
Kate and Sarah have a new issue of Matilda magazine out. They are having a few problems with their website at present, but the second issue of Matilda looks great. There’s sage advice from Abby at Appellation Mountain, some wonderful surname names from Brooke at Baby Name Pondering, name interviews, names from Jane Austen from Kelli at The Name Freak, Easter ideas, and more.
I have an article in it titled Beyond Liv and Zeke: One Syllable Names. It looks at some of the one syllable names that don’t make the Top 1000 in the United States, such as Bo, Nox, Haze and Jinx. I had a lot of fun scouring the US data to find some gems … and some curiosities.
Thanks Kate and Sarah for another fantastic issue!
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Name Data
≈ Comments Off on The Top 40 Names at Baby Center Australia for 2012
Now that all the official data is out, here are the most popular names from parenting website Baby Center Australia, which has expanded their list from a Top 20 to a Top 40. It counts up the birth announcements from the site’s members, so although it is a national list, it only gives you an idea of name trends amongst the type of parents who join parenting websites (which is really helpful if you happen to fit that demographic yourself). Unlike the data from states and territories, Baby Center combines spellings, so that Isabelle, Isabel, Isobel and Izobelle etc all count as one name
GIRLS
BOYS
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Name Data
≈ Comments Off on Name Trends from Baby Center Australia – Girls
Biggest Movers Up
Also Up
Isla, Scarlett, Emily, Sophia, Lily
Amelia gained the most popularity, going up 11 places to make #1. This does remind me of an article from last year, which said that Amelia proved an across-the-board favourite in Sydney. This name is increasingly rapidly in popularity in the US, and is already #1 in the UK, so it doesn’t seem outrageous to predict it reaching that position here too. Isabella and Isabelle also did very well, after Isabella had a fall last year (said to be because Twilight came to an end; no word on what has made it more popular again). New to the Top 20 – Isla, Scarlett and Sophia.
Biggest Movers Down
Also Down
Ella, Chloe, Hannah, Olivia, Grace, Sienna, Charlotte, Emma
Charlie has fallen dramatically, not just off the Top 20, but right off the Top 40. Interestingly, Charlotte fell slightly too. Lucy, Emma and Hannah also left the Top 20. Ava dropped more than 10 places; maybe Eva is rising to take its place?
New to the Top 20
Gone from the Top 20
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Name Data
≈ Comments Off on Name Trends from Baby Center Australia – Boys
Tags
Baby Center Australia, celebrity baby names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, name trends, names from movies, popular names, surname names, unisex names
Biggest Movers Up
Also Up
Benjamin, Lucas, Samuel, Ethan, Mason
James returned to the Top 20 after dropping off it in 2011 – Baby Center suggests the 50th anniversary of James Bond films may be a factor, which doesn’t seem too implausible. Samuel is also back on the list, no theories as to why. Xavier was new to the list last year, and continues his ascent; Benjamin was new too, and went up slightly. Baby Center believes this because of model Gisele Bundchen’s son Benjamin, born in 2009. Cooper and Jackson are two surname names doing well, with Mason new to the Top 20. Liam made modest gains, which Baby Center attributes to the success of One Direction. As Harry is suddenly doing really well in the official data, this seems fairly convincing.
Biggest Movers Down
Also Down
Lachlan, Max, Jacob, Joshua, Noah
Riley really stood out, diving 25 places right off the Top 20, and Charlie also fell more than 10 places, so it became less popular for both sexes. Old favourites William and Jack took a bit of a tumble, while Alexander, new to the Top 20 last year, left it this year. Oliver was the only name to stay at the same position, maintaining his presence as the #1 name. Baby Center noted that there were fewer alternative spellings for boys’ names in 2012, suggesting a shift back to basics.
New or Returned to the Top 20
Gone from the Top 20
No Change in Position
31 Sunday Mar 2013
Posted in Your Questions Answered
≈ Comments Off on Your Questions Answered: How Popular is That Name?
Tags
classic names, Google, name data, name popularity, name trends, popular names, UK name popularity, US name popularity
With all the state and territory data out before Easter, this seems the perfect time to cover those questions people have asked about name popularity.
In a way, it’s a bit pointless, because all the data is out, and these questions can be answered by accessing information on the blog under Links to Name Data, or under the category archive for Name Data.
However, I did think it might be interesting for others to know what names people were most concerned about. In some cases, they could indicate names that are on the rise.
I couldn’t answer all the questions Googled to reach the blog, but I gave precedence to those searched for multiple times, those asking about Australian data, and those asking specific questions.
GIRLS NAMES
How many baby girls were named Bonnie in 2012, and in which age group is the name Bonnie most popular?
There were 54 babies named Bonnie born in Victoria, and 10 in Tasmania, and those are the only states who have data on that name available so far (there were 117 in New South Wales in 2011). Bonnie has never been more popular than it is now, so it is most popular on babies and small children.
Is the name Darcey going up the charts, and is it more popular in the UK?
Darcey doesn’t rank, and there is no evidence of it going up the charts. It is #126 in England/Wales for girls, so I’d say it is more popular there.
Is the name Eva too popular?
It hard to say whether a name is “too popular” – some people think any name that shows up on the data at all is too popular, while other people think the #1 name isn’t too popular to use. Eva is a classic name, in the Top 30 and rising in most states and territories, which makes it fairly popular. It’s really up to you what’s “too popular”.
How popular is the name Fiona in Australia?
It’s not as popular now as it was in the 1970s, when it hit its peak. At the moment it’s #424 in New South Wales, and #337 in Victoria.
Popularity of name Florence in Australia?
It’s #284 in New South Wales and rising, and #199 in Victoria.
Is Hazel a common name, and is it becoming popular?
It’s not common, but on the other hand it’s not rare either. It is currently #264 and rising in popularity in New South Wales, and it is only just outside the Top 100 in Victoria.
Popularity of the name Iris in Australia
It is #317 in New South Wales and #252 in Victoria.
Popularity of name Mary in Australia
It is just outside the Top 100 in New South Wales, and has been there since the 1990s. It’s much the same in Victoria – #116.
Popularity of the baby name Millicent in Australia
It is #572 and falling in New South Wales, and #383 in Victoria.
Is the name Olive popular in Australia, and how popular is it?
It has recently joined the Top 100 in some states, but in some areas it fell in popularity last year, so it’s hard to say right now how popular it will get. It is #99 in New South Wales, #94 in Victoria, and #92 in Tasmania.
When was the name Stacey popular?
In the 1970s and 1980s, and it was most popular in the 1980s.
Popularity of name Zara in Australia for 2012
It is #27 in New South Wales, #26 in Victoria, #43 in Queensland, #24 in South Australia, #32 in Western Australia, #49 in Tasmania and #20 in the Australian Capital Territory.
BOYS NAMES
Popularity of name Banjo in Australia
It is #376 in Victoria, which is the only state to have data available for that name.
Is the name Callum becoming popular in the United States?
I wouldn’t say so. It is in the 800s and apparently stable. Compared to Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it’s a Top 100 name, it doesn’t seem popular to me at all there.
Is Darcy popular as a boy’s name in Australia, and how popular is it?
Darcy has a significant history as a boy’s name in Australia, and it has been in the Top 100 since the early 2000s. However, it has been falling for a while now, and may not be Top 100 for much longer. It is #100 in New South Wales, #95 in Victoria, #91 in Queensland, #76 in Tasmania, and #92 in the Australian Capital Territory
Declan name popularity Australia
It is just outside the Top 100 in New South Wales, and falling in popularity. It is #74 in Victoria, #60 in Queensland, #50 in Tasmania, #50 in Western Australia, and #56 in the Australian Capital Territory.
Ezra name popularity Australia
It is #347 in Victoria, and that’s the only state with data on the name available.
Is the baby name Flynn becoming popular, and how many boys have the name Flynn in Victoria?
I’d say it is already popular, as it in the Top 100 and rising in almost every state and territory. 389 boys named Flynn were born in Victoria between 2010 and 2012, and there were almost a thousand born in the 2000s, so there are quite a few little Flynns out there.
Is Hamish a common name in Australia?
Yes – it began charting in the 1950s, rose sharply in the 1980s and was Top 100 by the 1990s. It’s still in the Top 100, but falling in popularity.
Popularity of name Jake in Tasmania
It is currently #41.
Jasper name popularity
It’s #91 in New South Wales, #65 in Victoria, #82 in Queensland, #51 in Tasmania, and #30 in the Australian Capital Territory.
Popularity of Jed as a boy’s name in NSW
It is #214 and falling.
Popularity of the name Nash in Australia
It is #177 in Victoria, which is the only state to have data available on that name.
How common is the name Taj in Australia?
It’s certainly not uncommon, having charted here since the 1980s. However, it’s never been in the Top 50 except in Western Australia, and in several states it’s never been in the Top 100.
29 Friday Mar 2013
Posted in Birth Announcements
Multiples
Fraser and Darcy – both boys (Mason)
Lachlan Douglas and Liliana Tina
Bethany, Sophia and Nathaniel
Girls
Aisling Grace (Niamh)
Alexandra Serenity
Alice Sinclair (Mae, Charlotte)
Amiah Yuya (Tyron, Naomi, Joel, Aron, Jemimah)
Aviana Nelly
Cleo Rae
Darby Milla (Emmerson, Mackie)
Elliana Litsa
Felicity Jane (Sidney, Khristopher)
Gertrude Frances (Henry)
Livia Joyce
Nora Grace (Eva)
Orla Agnes
Parker Jade
Sadie Vaughan (Will)
Boys
Aster Mixon (Tyler)
Beau Mario
Caleb Roman
Camden Patrick
Cooper Alf (Wyatt)
Cruz Valentino (Cortez)
Hamish Malcolm Frederick (Cerys, Freya)
Jobe Vincent (Janaya)
Jorge Harold (Dilana)
Julius Lucio (Oscar)
Jye Emmanuel Ingai (Matari)
Memphis Leigh
Solomon Diego
Theodore Robert (Hadrian)
Zane Leonard (Zachary, Zoe, Zeva)
Most popular names this week
Girls: Emma and Sienna
Boys: Harry
(Picture shows the church in the village of Oxley, near Hay, New South Wales)
28 Thursday Mar 2013
Posted in Famous Names
Tags
Arthurian names, car names, changing names, classic names, english names, fairytale names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, German names, Latin names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, nicknames, Roman names, Shakespearean names, surname names, William Shakespeare
American chat show host, Ellen DeGeneres, was in Australia this week. She follows in the footsteps of Oprah Winfrey, another American chat show host who brought her show to Australia, in 2010. However, while Oprah managed to get around quite a bit, Ellen (who was recovering from ‘flu), just popped in to Sydney and Melbourne.
She did seem to take a bit of a shine to Melbourne, saying it reminded her of Boston and New Orleans, and even said that it was possible she and Portia would live there one day. Ellen is practically an Australian-in-law, because her wife, model and actress Portia de Rossi, is from Australia.
Portia was born Amanda Lee Rogers in Geelong. She changed her name as a teenager to sound more exotic and interesting – Portia is after the heroine of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, and de Rossi is an Italian surname, which probably means “red” (like Russell).
Portia de Rossi is the name of the mother of famous Italian poet Torquato Tasso, but I’m not sure whether the young Amanda Rogers was aware of that. Since her marriage, Portia has legally changed her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres. I don’t know where the James comes from.
The name Ellen is a medieval form of Helen, making it the English equivalent of Elaine. Ellen was a fairly common name in the Middle Ages, and features in the English fairy tale Childe Rowland, where Burd Ellen is Rowland’s sister, who must be rescued from Elfland. Childe and Burd don’t mean how they sound – childe was a title given to the eldest son in a noble family, while burd means “lady, maiden”. In some versions of the tale, they are the children of Queen Guinevere, and Merlin also plays a significant role in the story.
Ellen is a classic name in Australia, which was at its most popular in the 1900s, when it was #20. It remained on the Top 100 until the 1950s, and made its way back there in the 1990s, when it reached #92. It’s been fairly stable for a few years now, and in 2011 rose slightly from #517 to #470. Although this looks like quite a jump, it represents just two more babies named Ellen.
With Ella and Ellie in the Top 100, and Elle, Eleanor and Elena rapidly gaining in popularity, and retro Nelly, Nellie, Nella and Nelle becoming increasingly hip name choices, Ellen seems extremely usable, with a host of cute and fashionable nicknames. Simple, pretty and unpretentious, I feel that we will see more of this name in years to come.
Portia is a variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, from the Latin for “pig”. A lot of people have problems with this name meaning, but the Fabii were named after the broad bean, and perhaps the Porcii gained their name from pig farming.
Another possibility is that in many parts of the ancient world, pigs were sacred animals of the Underworld, fertility and the moon, and there may have been some religious connotations to the name (and in fact pig farming itself had a distinctly religious side, as the Romans were very fond of sacrificing pigs to the gods). Many ancient gods and goddesses were connected with swine, such as Osiris, Adonis, Attis, Demeter, Persephone, Freya and Ceridwen. They were beasts of a mysterious and ancient power, and held in awe.
The most illustrious branch of the Porcius family were the Catones, which included Cato the Elder and his great-grandson, Cato the Younger. Cato the Younger had a beautiful, intelligent daughter named Porcia, and she married her cousin, Marcus Junius Brutus – famous for being one of the key people in the assassination plot against Julius Caesar. Porcia was the only woman who knew of the conspiracy, and as such she plays a role in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.
However, when we think of Portia, we automatically think of Portia from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, a beautiful and brilliantly intelligent lady who manages to get her own way while still showing obedience. She steals the show and saves the day in a gripping cross-dressing courtroom drama as her fine legal mind swoops in on a loophole in the law. Even now we sometimes call a gifted female lawyer a Portia. The role of Portia was once famously played by actress Ellen Terry.
Portia is an elegant literary name, with historical and fictional namesakes who have both beauty and brains. People seem to either love it, or find it pretentious. Another issue is that it sounds like the name of the car company, Porsche. (Porsche is a German surname derived from the name Boris). Because some people do use Porsche as a girl’s name, a certain type of parent does worry that a daughter named Portia will have her name confused with little girls named Porsche.
So Portia is not without her issues as a baby name, but still a very lovely one nonetheless.
POLL RESULT: Ellen received an approval rating of 46%, and Portia a rating of 31%.
(Photo shows Ellen and Portia on Sydney Harbour)
Waltzing More Than Matilda 