Tag Archives: Arabic names

Uncommon Girls Names from the Birth Announcements of 2011-12

14 Sunday Jun 2015

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Althea
Variant of the ancient Greek name Althaea, perhaps derived from the Greek word althos, meaning “healing”. In mythology, Althaea was a queen with a son named Melager. When Melager was a baby, the Three Fates turned up, rather like the fairy godmothers in a certain tale. One said he would be noble, the second that he would be brave, but the third did the usual grumpy godmother routine, and said his life would last only as long as a certain piece of wood burning on the fire. Althaea immediately took the wood and blew it out, burying it secretly so that none should ever find it again. When Melager was grown into the brave and noble prince predicted by The Fates, he got into a quarrel while hunting, and killed his uncles. When Althaea discovered Melager had murdered her brothers, she took revenge by setting fire to the piece of wood, so that her son died. Afterwards she committed suicide. This isn’t the happiest name story ever, but the poet Richard Lovelace wrote To Althea, From Prison while imprisoned for a political protest. The famous poem is very romantic, and the name Althea has been used since the 17th century because of it, while never being very common. One attraction of this literary name is the potential to use fashionable Thea as a nickname.

Carys
Modern Welsh name derived from caru, meaning “to love”, and given the common -ys ending found in Welsh names, such as Gladys and Glenys. It has been in use since the early 20th century, and is currently #328 in England/Wales, although falling in popularity. The name gained interest as a celebrity baby name, when Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta Jones chose it for her daughter. It is meant to be pronounced KAH-ris, but the few people called Carys I know in Australia all say their name to rhyme with Paris, and this pronunciation is even used in Wales sometimes (kuh-REES is really pushing it though). Leaving aside possible pronunciation pitfalls, this is a modern name that is feminine without being frilly.

Isolde
In medieval romance, Isolde the Fair is a stunningly beautiful golden-haired Irish princess with a gift for healing, who is married off to King Mark of Cornwall. Due to a mix-up with a love potion, Isolde falls passionately in love with Tristan, her husband’s nephew and adopted son, with tragic consequences. Tristan actually ends up married to a different Isolde, a Breton princess called Isolde of the White Hands, who he weds for the curious reason that she has the same name as his true love. Their marriage is never consummated, and fed up and jealous, Isolde of the White Hands eventually takes her revenge. The stories originally had nothing to do with Arthurian legends, but became part of them. Adapted by Gottfried von Strassberg in the 12th century, Isolde is a German translation of Iseult, used in French versions of the tale. The Welsh form of the name is Esyllt, and although there are many arguments over the name’s meaning, the most convincing theory is that it is from the Celtic for “she who is gazed upon”, to suggest an overwhelming beauty. The name Isolde has been used since the Middle Ages due to the Tristan and Isolde legend, without ever becoming common: the composer Richard Wagner, who wrote the opera Tristan and Isolde, had an illegitimate daughter named Isolde. A romantic literary name fit for a fairytale princess, you can say Isolde almost any way you like, but common pronunciations would be i-SOL-duh or i-ZOL-duh.

Jamilla
Variant of the Arabic name Jamila, the feminine form of Jamil, meaning “beautiful”. The name became better known in the English-speaking world in 1944 through the romantic fantasy film Kismet, starring Marlene Dietrich as Lady Jamilla, a captive queen who falls in love with a rascally beggar. Set in an Arabian Nightsy type world, at one point, Dietrich does an erotic dance with her legs painted gold, so the name got a rather sexy image. Jamilla works well cross-culturally, and is easy to explain to people, as it is said like Camilla with a J. The popular short form Milla is an added attraction.

Lowenna
Modern Cornish name meaning “joy”, used since the early 20th century, and in rare but fairly steady use in England/Wales. The name is something of a favourite in fiction, even being chosen for historical novels set in Cornwall hundreds of years ago, when it is unlikely the name was in use. Lowenna can be found in the US in the 19th century, where it may be a variant of Louanna, or other names based on Louisa. It was used in the stage version of Rip Van Winkle, written in 1859 (Lowenna is Rip’s daughter; in the original story, his daughter was called Judith). A drawcard is that the name is very similar to the Indigenous name Lowanna, meaning “girl, woman”, giving this name a rather Australian feel.

Lux
Latin for “light”. Lux was used as a male name in medieval Germany, as a short form of Lukas, or a corruption of the German nickname Luchs, meaning “lynx” – this is the origin of the Lux surname. Lux began to be used as an English name by the 17th century, when it was used for girls: in general, English-speakers have preferred it as a female name, although it has been used as a male name too, particularly in North America, which has a history of high immigration from central Europe. The name may be used in a Christian sense, as Fiat lux means “Let there be light”, a famous quote from Genesis to show the beginnings of creation, or even a specifically Catholic context as Lux Aeterna (“eternal light”) is used in Latin prayers to refer to heaven. However, the meaning of light is positive to almost everyone, and the name also has a science-fiction feel to it, because lux is a scientific measurement of luminosity (there is a video game character named Lux, Lady of Luminosity). The name has had publicity from the film The Virgin Suicides, with Kristen Dunst as Lux Lisbon, and from the daughter of One Direction’s stylist – once known in the press as Baby Lux, and almost a celebrity in her own right. A short, cool, luxurious-sounding name that also works well in the middle.

Posy
Can be used as a short form of other names, or with the meaning “a small bouquet of flowers” in mind. The word posy comes from poesy, meaning “poetry”, and has been used to mean a bunch of flowers since the late 16th century – a slightly earlier definition of the word was a motto inscribed inside a ring. Posy has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and although it sounds very dainty and feminine, it has quite often been given to boys. The reason is because Posy is also a surname, after the town of Pusey in Oxfordshire, meaning “pea island”. Although the name Posy has never been very common, there are a few Posys in fiction to give it some publicity. Posy Fossil is one of the main characters in Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes, a brilliant young dancer filled with ambition. More recently, Posy Hawthorne is a sweet little sister in The Hunger Games, and in the romantic comedy About Time, Posy Lake is the protagonist’s eldest daughter. Although Posy began as a short form of Josephine, you could use it for a wide variety of names, including Sophia and Penelope – British cartoonist Posy Simmonds, from The Guardian, is named Rosemary.

Satine
In the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge!, Nicole Kidman plays the role of Satine, a Parisian cabaret star and courtesan who has never known love until she falls for a poor English writer. Satine, which is presumably a professional or stage name, is French for satin, the familiar glossy fabric – its name comes from the Chinese city of Quanzhou (once a major shipping port for silk), which was called by the Arabic name of Zayton during the Middle Ages. Zayton is the Arabic word for “olive”, to symbolise peace, perhaps due to the mix of cultures living and working in the city. This makes Satin or Satine a possible honour name for Olive, weirdly enough. Satine has been used as a name since the 19th century, and although it is not a traditional French name, it has sometimes been used as a baby name in France since the film came out. A soft, exotic-sounding name with an Australian connection.

Shiseido
The name of a highly successful Japanese cosmetics company, and one of the oldest in the world, being founded in 1872. The company’s name is taken from the classic Chinese text, the I Ching (Book of Changes), and can be translated as “How wonderful is the virtue of the earth, from which all things are born!”. The company believes that this embodies its resolve to create new products that will enhance clients’ well being, and also helps to promote an image which is healthy and environmentally sound. Although there are many brand names used as personal names (such as Chanel and Armani), and some existing personal names used for brands (such as Mercedes and Nike), I have only ever seen one baby given the name Shiseido. That makes it very unusual, but it’s rather attractive, and has a lovely, carefully-crafted meaning. Pronounced shi-SAY-doh, you could use Sadie as a short form, although the baby I saw had Sass as her nickname.

Sorcha
Gaelic name meaning “brightness, radiance”. It can be found in medieval Irish documents, so it has a long history. In Ireland it is sometimes Anglicised as Sarah, because of the similar sound, while in Scotland it is more often Anglicised as Clara, which has the same meaning. The Irish actress Sorcha Cusack, who came to prominence in the 1970s as Jane Eyre, and is still on TV now as the housekeeper in Father Brown, has given it publicity in recent decades, and the name isn’t uncommon in Ireland. The correct pronunciation is SAWR-kuh or SAWR-i-kuh, but in practice a wide variety of pronunciations is tolerated in Ireland and Scotland, including SAWR-sha, which is probably easier for English-speakers, and sounds like familiar Sasha (although liable to be confused with another Irish name, Saoirse). An unusual yet very usable name.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Carys, Isolde and Posy, and their least favourite were Lowenna, Jamilla and Shiseido.

(Picture shows Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge!)

Girls Names from the British Royal Family

10 Sunday May 2015

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I hope everyone had a very happy Mother’s Day! It’s expected that the new princess will increase the current trend for baby names inspired by royal traditions, so here are some names for girls from the House of Windsor. I’ve focused particularly on the names of some of the younger royals.

Alexandra
Alexandra is one of the most common girls’ names in the British royal family. It was introduced to it by Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII. A Danish royal, she was extremely popular with the British public, and much admired as a setter of fashion. After her, the name became a favourite to pass down, including to Queen Alexandra’s granddaughter, Lady Alexandra Duff, and her great-granddaughter, Princess Alexandra, the queen’s cousin; Alexandra is one of the queen’s middle names. Alexandra is the feminine form of Alexander, and unlike many other feminisations of masculine names, Alexandra seems to have come first. It was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera in her role as protector, and can be understood as “she who saves warriors”. St Alexandra was a legendary martyr, and the name is traditional amongst European royalty. Alexandra was #239 in the 1900s, and dropped off the charts in the 1910s and ’20s. Returning in the 1930s, its popularity jumped in the 1950s, and it was Top 100 by the early 1970s. It peaked in 1995 at #14, and is currently #75. A dignified classic with a host of nickname options, including popular Lexi.

Cosima
Lady Cosima Windsor is the daughter of the Earl of Ulster, and a great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 2010, she is 27th in line to the throne. Cosima is the feminine form of the Cosimo, the Italian form of Greek Cosmas, meaning “order” (related to the British name Cosmo). A famous musical namesake is Cosima Wagner, the daughter of Franz Liszt and wife of Richard Wagner. British socialite Countess Cosima von Bülow Pavoncelli has given the name a very fashionable air, and the name has been chosen for their daughters by celebrities Nigella Lawson, Sofia Coppola, and Claudia Schiffer. You may also remember young actress Cosima Littlewood, who played Adele in the mini-series Jane Eyre, while Australians will be reminded of Cosima De Vito, singer and Australian Idol contestant. Elegant and sophisticated, Cosima is an upper-class choice that works well multiculturally.

Eloise
Eloise Taylor is the eldest daughter of Lady Helen Taylor, a granddaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 2003, she is 39th in line to the throne. Eloise is the English form of Éloïse, from the Old French Héloïse. It’s thought to be from the Germanic Helewidis, from name elements meaning “healthy, whole”, and “wood, forest”. The name became famous because of Héloïse, a brilliant medieval scholar and feminist, famous for her scandalous affair and secret marriage to her distinguished teacher, Pierre Abélard, who was castrated in punishment. Their tragic romance has captured people’s imaginations for centuries, and it is a tradition for lovers and the lovelorn to leave letters on their reputed grave in Paris. Eloise entered the charts in the 1970s, making #498. It was the same decade that 8-year-old Eloise Worledge was abducted from her home in Melbourne, with the case still unsolved. Eloise rose steeply in the 1990s, when the song Eloise featured at Eurovision, and joined the Top 100 in 2011. One of the fastest risers of 2013, this pretty, stylish name is currently #71 and still rising. I picked this name to be in the Top 10 by 2028.

Imogen
Imogen Lascelles is a daughter of Mark Lascelles, and a great-great-granddaughter of George V; born in 1998, she is not in line to the throne as her father was born out of wedlock. Imogen is a name created by William Shakespeare for his romance Cymbeline: in the play, Imogen is a princess of ancient Britain, and a virtuous wife who is falsely accused of infidelity. The name is a variation of Innogen, which comes from the Old Irish Ingen, meaning “maiden, daughter”; Innogen was a legendary British queen. Modern scholars consider that the substitution of Imogen for Innogen was a misprint, especially as Shakespeare already used the name Innogen in Much Ado About Nothing, so this would be a rare example of a name created from a printing error. Imogen first entered the charts in the 1970s, debuting at #724 for the decade, perhaps inspired by sexy English pin-up and actress Imogen Hassall. The name Imogen rose steeply during the 1990s, and entered the Top 100 in 2001. Currently Imogen is #34 and stable, and was one of the fastest-rising names in New South Wales for 2013. Chic and British with a superior literary heritage – not too shabby for a “made up” name!

Isla
Isla Phillips is the daughter of Mark Phillips, a granddaughter of Princess Anne, and great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth; born in 2012, she is 15th in line to the throne. Isla is a Scottish name taken from an archaic spelling of the island of Islay in the Hebrides, which is said IE-luh, not IZ-lay. The island’s name is of unknown origin and meaning. Islay began as a male name in the 18th century, and Isla gradually became seen as a specifically feminine spelling of the name which overtook the male form in the 19th century (Islay is more commonly given to girls now too). Isla first entered in the charts in the 1990s, debuting at #891 for the decade – propelled there by actress Isla Fisher, who was then in popular soap opera Home and Away. The name zoomed up the charts during the 2000s when Fisher became a gossip mag staple as aspiring Hollywood actress and partner of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Isla entered the Top 100 in 2008 at #74 and is currently #13 and rising. I picked this name to be in the Top 5 by 2028.

Ophelia
Ophelia is one of the middle names of Lady Gabriella Windsor, a writer known professionally as Ella Windsor. She is the sister of Lord Frederick Windsor, who has been featured on the blog as a royal dad. Lady Gabriella is the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, and a great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 1981, she is 45th in line to the throne. Ophelia is well known as the title character’s tragic love interest in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Shakespeare did not create the name, but took it from the Italian form Ofelia in Jacopo Sannazaro’s 1504 pastoral romance, Arcadia – Sannazaro was a huge influence on 16th century literature. The name Ophelia looks to be taken from the ancient Greek ophelus, meaning “help”, to suggest “assistant”. Sannazaro may have invented the name, but there are examples of men in ancient Greece with male forms of the name, such as Ophelion, so it seems plausible that the ancient Greeks could have used Ophelia as a female name. Beautiful and elaborate, Ophelia is rising in the UK, and this seems like a very hip alternative to popular Olivia.

Senna
Senna Lewis is the daughter of Lady Davina Lewis; she has received quite a bit of press in the Antipodes, because her father is a New Zealander, the first Maori to marry into the British royal family. Senna is a granddaughter of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and a great-great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 2010, she is 29th in line to the throne. Senna can be a variant of the Arabic name Sana, meaning “brilliance, radiance, splendour”; it is one of the five daily prayers in Islam. It can also be a nature name after the flowering senna plants, whose name has the same Arabic source and meaning. There are numerous varieties of senna, some of which are grown as ornamental trees and shrubs, but widely familiar as a herbal laxative. The name Senna was used for a minor character in the Twilight series, sparking recent interest in the name, but the name had been used several times previously in science-fiction and fantasy. It’s also associated with the Brazilian Formula 1 champion, Ayrton Senna, often considered the best of all time. Similar to popular Sienna, this unusual botanical name has potential.

Sophia
Sophia is one of the middle names of Lady Amelia Windsor, a daughter of George Windsor, granddaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and great-great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 1995, she is 36th in line to the throne. Sophia of Hanover was the heiress to the throne of Great Britain, and mother of King George I, and only her descendants can be in the line of succession. It was a very popular name amongst Hanoverian royalty. Sophia is from the Greek for “wisdom”, a cardinal virtue of Greek philosophy that was taken up by Christian theologians, who have seen Holy Wisdom as a divine energy, and in Orthodox Christianity especially, the second person in the Trinity. In Christian legend, St Sophia was a martyr who had daughters named Faith, Hope, and Love – personifications of the chief Christian virtues. Sophia was #181 in the 1900s, and dropped off the charts in the 1930s and ’40s. It came back in the 1950s, the same decade Sophia Loren became an international film star, at #414. It charged up the charts in the 1980s and joined the Top 100 in 1997. Currently it is #16 and rising; when combined with the variant Sofia (climbing faster than Sophia), it is in the Top Ten at #7. Lovely and gracious with a wonderful meaning and history, expect Sophia to keep climbing.

Tanit
Tanit Lascelles is a daughter of James Lascelles, and a great-granddaughter of King George V; born in 1981, she is not in the line of succession because she was born out of wedlock. Tanit is the name of a Punic and Phoenician goddess who was the chief deity of ancient Carthage, the equivalent of the goddess Astarte. She was a goddess of the sun, moon and stars, a goddess of war and civic protector, a mother goddess, patron of sailors, good luck figure, and fertility symbol. The meaning of her name is disputed – one theory is that it comes from the word for lament, and should be translated as “she who weeps”, perhaps to indicate that she mourns for a dying god, such as Adonis. Others translate her name as “serpent lady”, linking her with Tannin, the dragon-like sea monster of Near Eastern mythology (sometimes called Leviathan), and believe her name is one of the titles of Asherah, from the Bible. Pronounced TAN-it, this is an exotic and unusual name that fits in with Australian name trends.

Zenouska
Zenouska Mowatt is the daughter of Marina Ogilvy, a granddaughter of Princess Alexandra, and great-great-granddaughter of King George V. Born in 1990, she works for a luxury gifts company, and is 52nd in line to the throne. Zenouska is a name her parents created from putting sounds together – she uses Zen as a nickname, and it seems plausible that the inspiration was the Buddhist school of Zen. However, it sounds like a genuine Russian nickname, in the style of Anouska, and seems very suitable for someone of Russian heritage. Zenouska Mowatt is a great-granddaughter of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, who was a granddaughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. It just shows that a “made up” name can sometimes work very well.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Eloise, Imogen and Isla, and their least favourite were Senna, Tanit, and Zenouska.

(Picture shows Lady Amelia Sophia Theodora Mary Margaret Windsor, who made her début into society in Paris, 2013; photo from Le Journal des Femmes)

Celebrity Baby News: Sporting Baby Round Up

28 Saturday Feb 2015

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Golfer Adam Scott, and his wife Marie, welcomed their daughter Bo Vera on February 15. Last year Adam was the #1 ranked golfer in the world for several months, and won the Masters Tournament in 2013. His first tournament for this year’s season will be the World Golf Championships in Miami this March.

Rugby league footballer Mike Cooper, and his partner Katie, welcomed their son George early in February. Mike is an English player who played for the Warrington Wolves, and is currently in Australia on contract to the St George Illawarra Dragons, so his son’s name really fits the team. Although George is born in Australia, and has an Australian birth certificate, Mike is adamant his son is a little Englishman, so he has a very patriotic name.

Rugby union footballer Will Genia, and his wife Vanessa, welcomed their daughter Olivia on January 27. Will is originally from Papua New Guinea, plays for the Queensland Reds, and is also on the national squad.

Pakistani cricket great Wasim Akram, and his Australian-born wife Shaniera [pictured], welcomed their daughter Aiyla on December 27 last year in Melbourne – the Arabic name Aiyla means “moonlight”. Wasim has two sons named Tahmoor, aged 17, and Akbar, aged 14, from his previous marriage. The Akram family are in Australia while Wasim commentates on the Cricket World Cup, and they will return home to Pakistan at the end of next month.

Australian rules footballer Alipate Carlile, and his partner Jo Sutton, welcomed their daughter Essena on March 31 last year. Alipate is originally from Fiji, and plays for Port Adelaide. He and Jo are expecting another child in a few months.

Celebrity Baby News: Football Babies

17 Saturday Jan 2015

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Rugby union player Sonny Bill Williams, and his wife Alana Raffie, welcomed their daughter Imaan on November 18 last year. Sonny Bill is a New Zealander from a sporting family who has played rugby in both France and New Zealand, and is signed with the Chiefs for this season. He also plays for the national side, and is the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks, having converted to Islam in 2008. He is also a heavyweight boxer, taking up the sport in 2009; he will fight American Chauncy Welliver in Sydey at the end of the month. Sonny Bill has lived in Australia and played rugby league for the Bulldogs and the Roosters, so he has a high profile here, and his wife Alana, a former dancer, is an Australian of South African heritage. The couple met through Facebook in June 2013, and were married six weeks later. Apparently Alana liked the name Armani (meaning “faith”), and Sonny Bill was keen on Eman (meaning “safety”); Imaan seems to be a good compromise, because it sounds like dad’s choice, and has the same meaning as mum’s choice.

Australian rules footballer Shane Savage, and his partner Sarah, welcomed their son Jett Isaac on January 6. Shane began his career at Hawthorn in 2009, and since last year has been signed with St Kilda. Originally from New Zealand, he moved to Australia as a child.

(Photo shows Alana and Sonny Bill)

Interesting Boys Names from the 2014 Birth Announcements

07 Sunday Dec 2014

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Do you worry there are no interesting names left for boys, or that only girls can have unusual names? Not so! For the final list of the year, here are a dozen rare names for boys that were recently used for real babies by Australian parents. 

Arion
In Greek mythology, Arion was an immortal talking horse who was the son of the sea god Poseidon, known for being extremely swift. The horse is referenced in the Percy Jackson fantasy series, and the Mistubishi Starion is meant to be a cross between star and Arion. There was a real person named Arion in Greek history – a famous poet and singer. However, even he became legend, as a folk tale sprung up that he had been kidnapped by pirates and miraculously rescued by dolphins, who were attracted by his beautiful singing and carried him safely to shore on their backs. The name may be from the Greek for “braver”, and is pronounced AR-ee-on. This name fits in well with the trend for AR names, has fashionable Ari as the nickname, and sounds similar to Aryan and Orion.

Basil
From the Greek name Basileios, meaning “king”. Saint Basil the Great was a 4th century bishop and one of the fathers of early Christianity. A great theologian and preacher, he cared for the poor and was one of the founders of monasticism. Recognised as a Doctor of the Church, in Greek tradition he brings gifts to children on New Year’s Day, making him an eastern version of Santa Claus. A common name in the east, there are numerous other saints named Basil (including Basil the Great’s father), and a few Byzantine rulers. Brought to Britain by the Crusaders, we often think of Basil as a particularly “English” name, thanks to actor Basil Rathbone, who played Sherlock Holmes, Basil Fawlty, and Basil Brush, and it has a rather old-school gentlemanly feel. The herb basil has the same meaning as the Greek name. Basil is also an Arabic name meaning “valiant, courageous”, so this would be an unexpected cross-cultural choice with the Australian nickname Baz or Bazza.

Cassius
Roman family name. The Cassii were of great antiquity, and said to be one of the noblest families in Rome; the Via Cassia in the city is named after them. They seem to have been from southern Italy, where they owned large estates, and their name may not be Latin in origin, but Oscan; the meaning of Cassius is probably not traceable. One of the best known of the family is the Cassius who instigated the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar. Famously, William Shakespeare writes of him as having “a lean and hungry look” in his tragedy Julius Caesar, while in Dante’s Inferno, he is chewed by Satan in the centre of Hell, alongside Judas Iscariot. Despite this, the name came to be associated with those who stood up to tyranny and injustice. There are two saints of the name – Cassius of Clermont, and Cassius of Narnia (are you able to resist a saint of Narnia?). The name is strongly associated with boxer Muhammad Ali, who was named Cassius Clay after his father, and his father was named in turn after a politician who worked for the abolition of slavery. Depending on how you pronounce it, you can use either Cass or Cash as the nickname, both of which are on trend.

Fenris
Norse mythology tells of a monstrous wolf who is the son of Loki and a giantess; Odin raised the wolf himself, but the gods kept him bound in fear of his power. It is foretold that at the end of the world, one of this wolf’s sons will swallow the sun, and the other swallow the moon. All fetters will break, and the great wolf will go free, with flames burning from his eyes and nose. In a great battle, he will swallow the god Odin, killing him, but Odin’s son will in turn slay the wolf. The wolf is called Fenrir, meaning “fen-dweller” (a fen is a type of wetland), or Fenrisúlfr, translated into English as Fenris Wolf. Fenris has appeared as a character in comic books and video games, and in fantasy novels such as Arthur Quinn and the Fenris Wolf. Norse mythology names are in fashion at present, and this one is very cool.

Fyfe
Scottish surname after the historic kingdom of Fife, on a peninsula in east Scotland between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth. The region is one of the country’s historic counties, and is the location of St. Andrews. Once a Pictish stronghold, Fife became a politically important area, and until the 15th century, the Earl of Fife was the highest peer in Scotland, and had the privilege of crowning the nation’s monarchs. The meaning of Fife is not known – it was originally Fib, and according to legend, Fib was one of the sons of the founder of the Picts. The name Fyfe has nothing to do with the flute known as a fife, which comes from the German for “pipe”, although this does give it a rather musical feel. Known in Australia as the surname of AFL footballer Nat Fyfe, and cartoonist Andrew Fyfe, this is a handsome Scottish choice with plenty of history.

Joachim
From the Latinised form of Yehoyaqim, a Hebrew name meaning “established by Yahweh”. In the Old Testament, there was a king of Judah with this name, and his name is transliterated as Jehoiakim; it seems to be a throne name, because he was named Eliakim by his parents. According to early Christian tradition, Joachim was the name of the Virgin Mary’s father, and he is venerated as a saint in Christianity and honoured in Islam under the name Imran. Legend states that Joachim was a wealthy, pious man married to a woman named Anne; although they loved each other dearly, they were unhappy at their childless state, believing it to be a sign of God’s displeasure. At the climax of their story, an angel tells Anne that she is pregnant, and that her child will be known throughout the world. Anne joyfully rushes to meet her husband, embracing him at the city gate to tell him the glad tidings. The name Joachim has been more common in continental Europe than in English-speaking countries, and was used amongst royalty: a contemporary example is Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger brother of Crown Prince Frederik. Strong and distinctive, this has familiar Joe as the obvious nickname.

Lazarus
From the Greek form of Eleazar, a Hebrew name meaning “God is my help”. In the New Testament, Lazarus of Bethany was the brother of Martha and Mary, and one of the followers of Jesus. He was famously brought to life by Jesus, four days after his death, and his story contains the shortest and perhaps most quoted sentence in the Bible: “Jesus wept”. This is the biggest miracle performed by Jesus in the New Testament, and one which leads directly to his own death and resurrection, which Lazarus foreshadows. Lazarus is regarded as a saint, and according to Christian tradition, he lived another thirty years after his raising, and never smiled again. Jesus also told a parable about a beggar covered in sores named Lazarus, and because of this, the name Lazarus became associated with the care of those with leprosy, with leper hospitals called lazar houses. It’s currently in the news as the surname of Glenn Lazarus or “the brick with eyes”, rugby league star turned senator. A name that embodies a spectacular miracle of hope, Lazarus is an eye-catching choice that fits in with current trends, and has Laz, Lazar, and Lazy as nicknames.

Makoto
Japanese name meaning “truth, faith, sincerity”, and pronounced mah-ko-to. It is unisex, but more common for boys. Makoto is often used in Japanese video games and manga, so may be reasonably familiar to some English-speakers. It’s an attractive boy’s name with a very positive meaning and easy to pronounce; exotic but not too strange. The baby I saw in a birth notice had Mako as his nickname; if this sounds similar to Marco, it would make the name seem like an appealing cross-cultural name choice.

Riordan
Anglicised form of the Irish surname O’Rioghbhardain, meaning “son of Rioghbhardan”. Rioghbhardan is a Gaelic byname meaning “royal bard”. Poets and singers were held in high regard in ancient Irish society; they were not mere entertainers, but also historians, scholars and advisers to the king. The O’Riordans came from Tipperary, and are strongly associated with Cork. Ballyrearden in Cork is named for them. The surname has recently become well known because of American novelist Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson fantasy series, and others. Riordan is pronounced REER-dun, or REE-uh-dun, but the surname has taken on such a variety of pronunciations, like ROAR-den, ROY-uh-dun and RYE-uh-dun, that you might feel free to say it in almost any way you like. Rio could be used as the nickname.

Royce
English surname derived from Royse, a medieval form of Rose; it is thus one of those rare surnames taken from a female name rather than a male one, and could honour someone named Rose . The name is strongly associated with the luxury car brand Rolls-Royce, co-founded by English engineer Sir Frederick Royce. A famous Australian namesake is botanist Robert Royce, for whom the genus of shrubs Roycea is named. There are several famous sporting Royces in Australia, including former AFL star Royce Hart, who played for Richmond in the 1960s and ’70s. Roy names are bang on trend at the moment, and if you’re one of those people who get all het up about girls with masculine surnames like Addison and Mackenzie, here’s your chance to even the score slightly.

Stellan
Swedish name of obscure origin. The first known person with the name came to Sweden from Germany in the 16th century, so it may be from the German language, yet the name is not used in Germany, which casts doubt on that theory. It isn’t a particularly common name in Sweden, but has become known here because of Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, who has been in such films as Good Will Hunting, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Thor. Stellan became a celebrity baby name when actors Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connolly named their son Stellan after their friend Stellan Skarsgård. This is a handsome heritage choice which sounds to English-speakers like a masculine form of Stella, and so may be understood as having the same meaning – “star”.

Wulfric
Anglo-Saxon name meaning “wolf power, wolf ruler”, and pronounced with the first syllable to sound like the word wolf. Wolves were numerous in Anglo-Saxon times, and it’s not surprising that wulf was a common element in Old English names. The Anglo-Saxons saw the wolf as a symbol of warrior strength, and in stories wolves were protectors of the god Woden, and of royalty. The gloriously named Wulfric Spot was chief councillor to King Ethelred the Unready; his mother was a noble lady named Wulfrun, and the city of Wolverhampton is said to be named after her. Saint Wulfric of Haselbury was a 12th century hermit who managed to wield quite a bit of influence as a prophet and healer even over royalty; he correctly predicted the death of Henry I. Despite these interesting namesakes, Wulfric is a name more common in fiction than real life, and you may know it as one of the middle names of the wizard Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter. An English name with plenty of history but little contemporary use, this fits in well with the current fashion for animal names. Despite its ferocious meaning, it seems eccentric and lovable to me.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Stellan, Cassius and Riordan, and their least favourite were Joachim, Royce and Makoto.

(Photo shows St Andrews golf course in Fife, recognised as the home of golf)

Interesting Girls Names From the 2014 Birth Announcements

30 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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I’m always on the look-out for unusual names in the birth notices, and here are a dozen that are little used, but have intriguing histories. If you are looking for a rare yet genuine name, but fear choosing something too strange, you can take heart that these names have all been recently used by real life Australian parents.

Anjali
Sanskrit name meaning “divine offering”, from the word anj, meaning “to honour, to celebrate”. The Añjali Mudrā is a gesture of respect used in India as a greeting, where the palms join over the heart. If you go to yoga classes, you may greet each other with an Añjali Mudrā; it’s also part of several yoga positions. Anjali is quite a common name in India, and you may know the name as that of the wife of Indian cricket star, Sachin Tendulkar. A pretty Indian name that works very well in English-speaking countries, it is usually pronounced UN-juh-lee, although English-speakers may prefer an-JAH-lee.

Cataleya
Latin American form of cattleya, a type of South American tropical orchid with large, showy flowers. The orchid is named after English horticulturist William Cattley, who was the first European to successfully bring one into bloom. His surname comes from Catley in Herefordshire, meaning “wildcat wood”. Readers of Marcel Proust may recall that in Swann’s Way, the courtesan Odette wore a cattleya as decoration on her gown one evening, and her lover Swann removed it for her. As one thing led to another, they used cattleya as a private word between them for lovemaking. Cataleya was the highest-rising girls’ name in the United States last year, rocketing into the Top 500 from nowhere. The reason is the 2011 action film Colombiana, where the heroine is the assassin Cataleya, who leaves a cattleya as her calling card. Exotic and with a tough girl namesake, it is pronounced kah-tah-LAY-uh.

Damaris
In the New Testament, a woman named Damaris is mentioned as a convert of Saint Paul in Athens. Very little is known about her, although it is assumed she was a woman of high social status, but she is recognised as a saint in the Orthodox faith, and there is a street named after her in Athens. Her name is a matter of debate: the most popular theory is that is from the Greek word damalis, which literally means “heifer”, but is understood as “young girl”. Another is that it is derived from damar, the Greek word for “wife”. Once fashionable in 17th century England, this is a little-used biblical name that has gained modern glamour by American swimsuit model Damaris Lewis. The name is pronounced DAM-uh-ris.

Esperanza
Spanish form of the Latin name Sperantia, meaning “to hope”; esperanza is the Spanish vocabulary word for “hope”. The name got some publicity in 2010 because of Campamento Esperanza (“Camp Hope”), set up in Chile by friends and relatives after a cave-in at a mine; many weeks later their prayers were answered when all 33 miners were rescued. The following year, jazz singer Esperanza Spalding was named Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. The name also has a motherly vibe, for Esperanza is the wife of Zorro, and mother of his beloved daughter Elena in The Mask of Zorro, while the mare who gives birth to the stallion Spirit in the animated movie is named Esperanza. Another famous mum is Oscar Wilde’s mother, who wrote under the pen name Speranza. Esperanza is a cool name that’s unusual, but not unfamiliar.

Farrah
Variant of Farah, a unisex Arabic name meaning “joy”. The name is well known because of the glamorous 1970s actress Farrah Fawcett, who passed away a few years ago. Farrah Fawcett posed for an iconic photograph wearing a red Speedo swimsuit, so there is an Australian connection to her. More recently, Farrah King from the hip hop outfit Cherish has given it fresh publicity. Soft and pretty, Farrah is an Arabic name which works well cross-culturally.

Fauve
Modern French name, which is pronounced to rhyme with the word mauve. Fauve literally means “wild beast” in French, referring to beasts of prey, and especially the big cats, such as lions and tigers. The word has a very artistic heritage, because in the early twentieth century, les Fauves were a group of modern artists who were known for their bold use of bright colours; they got their name because their work was criticised as looking like something a wild beast would produce. Henri Matisse is one of the most famous of this group. However, fauve has another meaning in French, and that is “yellowish-brown” – a tawny lion colour which would suit someone with dark blonde hair. Fauve is an uncommon name in France, and a rare one here, although not unheard of. It’s very daring, but also on trend.

Jerusha
In the Old Testament, Jerusha was the daughter of a high priest, and a queen of Judah, the wife of King Uzziah. Uzziah was considered one of the greatest rulers of the kingdom, but he became too proud, and began to usurp the role of the priests. Struck down with a disfiguring skin disease, he was replaced by his son Jotham, who is listed as one of the ancestors of Jesus in the New Testament. The name means “possession” in Hebrew, in the sense of something precious, and is said jeh-ROO-sha. A literary namesake is the teenage girl in the children’s book Daddy Long-Legs: she goes by the name Judy, although Roo would be a very Australian nickname.

Odette
French name which is a pet form of the Germanic names Oda or Odilia. These names may both be feminine forms of names which became the German name Otto, meaning “wealth”, although Odilia might instead mean “fatherland”. The name is forever associated with swans, because Princess Odette is the White Swan in the ballet Swan Lake; a sweet, gentle girl, she has been transformed into a swan, and can only take human form at night. Only true love can break the spell, but thanks to nefarious scheming by the baddies, Odette’s story ends in tragedy. Odette is a dated name in France, but to English-speakers, sounds glamorous and romantic. The Disney movie The Swan Princess, based on the ballet, makes it more accessible as well.

Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of the agriculture goddess Demeter, and she is central to one of the oldest myths. Legend says that Demeter kept her daughter hidden away from the other gods, so the two could live in companionship with nature. Hades, the god of death, fell in love with Persephone, and one day when she was gathering flowers, he kidnapped her and took her to live in the Underworld as his wife. Demeter was so grief-stricken that she neglected the earth, and nothing would grow: seeing that people were starving to death, Zeus demanded that Persephone be returned. However, Persephone had eaten a few pomegranate seeds in the Underworld, and having tasted its food, was obliged to spend several months of the year with Hades. While Persephone is underground, Demeter mourns for her, and it is winter: when she returns in spring, life is renewed. This ancient myth of death and rebirth comes from the Near East: many rituals and mystery traditions are associated with it, with special significance for girls and women. The name Persephone is interpreted as “female thresher of corn”, because she is an agricultural goddess, but another theory is that her name means “bringer of death”, as she is goddess of the Underworld. The Greeks had so many forms of her name that it would seem they had trouble pronouncing it, suggesting that her name was pre-Greek; it is said per-SEF-uh-nee. Beautiful and elaborate, primal to the human urge for life everlasting, this would be a wonderful choice for someone who thought that Penelope had become too popular to use.

Reeva
Variant of Riva, a pet form of Rivka, modern Hebrew form of the familiar name Rebecca. This comes from the Hebrew word ribhquh, which literally means “a connection”; it can thus be understood as “joining together, securing”. Reeva is also used as a name in India, a variant of Reva, which is Sanskrit for “one who moves”, and often translated as “swift, agile”. It is one of the epithets of Rati, the Hindu goddess of love. The name came into the public eye in a shocking way when South African model Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed by her boyfriend, world renowned paralympian Oscar Pistorius, now serving a prison sentence for culpable homicide. Due to the notoriety of the high-profile legal trial, Reeva became the fastest-rising girls’ name in England and Wales last year. Reeva fits in with popular names like Ava and Eva, but the very public tragedy of Reeva Steenkamp’s death may make some parents uneasy about using it.

Sephora
Greek form of Zipporah, variant of the Hebrew name Tzipporah, meaning “bird”. In the Old Testament, Zipporah is mentioned as the daughter of the priest Jethro, and the wife of Moses. When Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian man, he took refuge in the desert country of Midian, on the Arabian Peninsula. When Zipporah and her sisters went to water their flocks, they were driven off by shepherds who wanted the water for themselves, and Moses went to their defence. Moses ended up living with Jethro and working for him, and was given Zipporah in marriage. Zipporah had problems with the in-laws, because Moses’ sister Miriam criticised him for marrying a dark-skinned woman, but she was struck down with leprosy in punishment, showing that God approved of the marriage. Sephora is more popular in France than elsewhere, because of the Parisian cosmetics company of that name, but this lovely name isn’t common anywhere.

Vesper
Roman form of the Greek name Hesperus. In Greek mythology, Hesperus was the personalification of the Evening Star (the planet Venus as seen in the evening); his half-brother Phosphorus was the Morning Star. Vesper can be intepreted as “evening, supper time, west”, and Vespers is the name for the evening prayer service in the Christian church. You may know the poem Vespers by A.A. Milne, about Christopher Robin saying his nightly prayers: it was made part of the minature library collection for Queen Mary’s Doll House. Although a rare name in real life, Vesper has had several outings in the world of fiction. Vesper Lynd was James Bond’s lover in Casino Royale, played by Eva Green in the 2006 movie; her parents gave her the name because she was born on a “dark and stormy night”. The famous “shaken not stirred” martini that Bond invents is named the Vesper after her. Vesper has been picked used as a celebrity baby name – one is the daughter of American rock musician Sam Farrar, whose parents are Australian.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Persephone, Odette and Vesper, and their least favourite were Cataleya, Damaris and Jerusha.

(Picture shows Purple Robe and Anemones by Fauvist Henri Matisse – 1937)

Celebrity Baby News: Sporting Babies

27 Monday Oct 2014

Posted by in Celebrity Baby News

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Rugby union player Saia Fainga’a, and his fiancée Alicia Antico, welcomed their first child on September 5 and have named their daughter Sienna. Saia made his Super 14 debut in 2006 with the Canberra Brumbies, and currently plays for the Queensland Reds. He has been a member of the national team, the Wallabies, since 2010. Saia’s twin brother Anthony, and his younger brothers Vili and Colby are also professional rugby footballers.

Soccer player Besart Berisha, and his wife Sumea, welcomed their daughter Isra on September 21; Isra is an Arabic name meaning “night journey”. Besart is an Albanian football player who has played professionally in Albania, Germany, Denmark, the UK, and Norway before signing with Brisbane Roar for the 2011 season. This year he signed with Melbourne Victory for two seasons as their International Marquee player.

Wagga Wagga racehorse trainer Brad Witt, and his partner Rebekah West, welcomed their first child on October 14 and have named their daughter Amelia.

(Picture shows Saia Fainga’a and his daughter Sienna; photo from Twitter)

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.

Names Spotted at Home and Abroad (Summer 2013/14)

15 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in Names Spotted at Home and Abroad

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Stories in the papers on the most popular names often have a look at the other end, and tell us which names were least common in 2013. Some of them included:

BOYS: Clinchy, Jetta, Kayos, Magick, Rampage, Shanakee, Xenophon

GIRLS: Asterix, Blendin, Bonniebell, Euphemia, Lingo, Passion, Shiny, Tiger Lily, Vogue, Zipporah

A story from Ballarat focused on mothers who had “bonus babies” long after they thought their families were complete. One of the mums was named Peace, which I thought was a lovely serene virtue name. Another was parenting author Pinky McKay, who has a very colourful name (her hair matches).

‘Tis the Season

The first baby born in Wollongong Hospital on Christmas Day was Fenix Cooper Brudenell. Fenix has a very pop culture name: his first name is after Marcus Fenix from the Gears of War video games, while his second is after Sheldon Cooper, from The Big Bang Theory. Fenix’s siblings are Megan and Austin.

Jonathan Butler and Tahani Curtis, from the Tweed Heads region of New South Wales, were expecting a child on Christmas Day, and seriously considered calling him Jesus if they had a boy. Is this the ultimate Christmas name? They had a girl instead, and named her Matilda.

Saint James the Great church in Melbourne invited people to bring their pets to celebrate Christmas Mass, because baby Jesus was born in a stable amongst animals. Nick Haines and Michelle Nichol brought their three poodles, because as Nick says, “these are our children”. The poodles are named George, Poppy and Lilly – surely some are giving their “fur babies” the names they would have given human children, as this sounds like an adorable sibset … er, pupset.

Fighting Fit Families

Bec Hyatt from Brisbane took up cage fighting in order to lose 80 kg of baby weight. She is now set to become the first Australian woman in the UFC, earning more than $100 000 per fight. Bec’s two sons are Enson and Zake – Enson may be named after American MMA champ Enson Inoue, while Zake is a variant of the Arabic name Zaki, meaning “pure”. It sounds like a cousin of Jake, Zac and Zeke.

Still on the subject of competitive fighting: the children of the Metcalf family from Sutherland Shire are all boxers. Raised by a single dad, and with their trainer as a second father, three of them have fought their way to champion status, with the youngest a promising up-and-comer. Their names are Marizza, aged 18, Axx, aged 16, Lolli, aged 14, and Electra-Shenika, aged 11. If you’ve ever wondered what a sibset that can beat your kids up would sound like, this is it.

Expat Americana

Adam Preston lived in New York City for seven years, with his first apartment over a hot dog joint called Crif Dogs in the East Village [pictured], which calls itself “NYC’s  #1 Weiner”. When he married his Canadian wife Jessica two years ago, they eloped to New York, which has so many memories for Adam. Of course he took her to Crif Dogs, and when they had a baby boy soon after, they named him Crif Benjamin Klaver Preston. The name Crif Dogs came about when owner Brian Shebairo tried to say Chris, his former business partner’s name, while chewing a hot dog. Crif sounds more up-to-date as a baby name than Chris, and even a hot dog place can evoke sentimental memories to be commemorated as a baby name.

Yvette Aubusson-Foley, a former journalist from Dubbo, has been living in the US for more than 18 months, and uneasily watching her three children adapt to local conditions in Tucson, Arizona. They dress up as little pilgrims, develop a slight American accent, and (to Yvette’s horror) happily recite the Pledge of Allegiance – although one defiantly wears an Australian flag for Spirit of America Day. Yvette’s children are daughter Jett, and her sons Phoenix and Dash; names which somehow seem ready to assimilate. Would an Indi, Banjo and Taj remain more stubbornly Aussie, I wonder?

Television

Have you ever watched an episode of Australian reality television show Real Housewives of Melbourne? It tends to get people a little excitable, mostly because the women taking part in the show aren’t actually housewives, don’t have much left of themselves that’s real, and only live in a very limited part of Melbourne. One of the women, Andrea, who runs a plastic surgery clinic and is originally from New York, has three children named Budd, Kiff and Buster (who somehow require five nannies). Their names have caused predictable Internet outrage – especially Kiff, with many demanding to know “what culture” Kiff is from: it’s a short form of Christopher, and therefore a linguistic relation to Crif.

Children’s quiz show Pyramid featured a team consisting of two girls named Eugenie and Prudence. Isn’t that a fantastic pairing of gal-pal names?

International Names for Girls

23 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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These are names chosen from my e-book, International Baby Names for Australian Parents – names which are familiar in other countries, but rarely used here. I chose ten that I particularly like, or find interesting, or think very usable. If you haven’t read the book, it gives you an idea as to what’s inside, and if you have read it, it’s a chance for me to provide more information than is possible in a book.

Anais

Identified as a French form of the Persian name Anahita, meaning “pure, immaculate”; Aredvi Sura Anahita is an Indo-Iranian goddess of fertility and wisdom. To get around French naming regulations, it was explained as a Catalan or Provençal form of Anna or Anne. The name is strongly associated with the American writer Anaïs Nin, whose first name was Angela, but always went by her second name. Anaïs was born in France and was of Spanish, Cuban, French and Danish descent. She is principally known as a diarist, where she intimately explored the complexities of her personal life, and as a writer of female erotica. Her name was the inspiration for the Cacharel perfume, Anais Anais, and in Australia we have the children’s clothing label, Aden + Anais. The name is pronounced a-na-EES. Feminine and exotic, Anais is very popular in France and Chile, and charts in the UK.

Bo

This short spunky name has different origins. It is a Chinese name for both boys and girls which means “wave”, as in a wave on water (especially the sea). It is a rare Chinese surname too, and an aristocratic title translated as the equivalent of a Count. It is also a Scandinavian boy’s name derived from the Old Norse name Búi, meaning “to live”. As a girl’s name, its most famous namesake is American actress and sex symbol Bo Derek, born Mary Collins. Ms Derek doesn’t know why she chose the name Bo: it just seemed “grown up” and “unusual” to her. A fictional girl Bo is the nursery rhyme shepherdess Bo Peep – her name comes from a slang term for being in a pillory, presumably because the person “peeped” through the head holes. Radio host Tim Blackwell named his daughter Bo last year, and since then there seems to be a few girl babies with the name in Australian birth notices. To show the gender divide in regard to this name, Bo is rising in the UK charts as a girl’s name, and rising in the US as boy’s name (probably a variant spelling of Beau). In the Netherlands, it charts for both sexes, but is only popular for girls.

Cora

The American author James Fenimore Cooper is credited with the creation of this name, in his 1826 historical novel, The Last of the Mohicans. The novel’s heroine is Cora Munro; dark, intelligent, and serious, she is a distant descendant of African-American slaves who forms a relationship with the son of a Native American chief – the titular “last of the Mohicans”. Her story ends tragically. There are actually many people named Cora in the records prior to the book’s publication, dating back to the late 16th century, but it is difficult to tell if they are abbreviations for longer names, like Cordelia. The name Cora is often theorised to be based on the Greek name Kore, meaning “maiden”; it was the common name of the goddess Persephone. If invented by Cooper, this makes sense, as there are a number of names with this derivation, such as Corinna. However, if its use goes back to the 16th century, it would pre-date the use of these “Kore” names, and may be based on the Latin cor, meaning “heart”. Cora is also used to Anglicise the Gaelic name Coira, meaning “seething pool”. Cora is a Downton Abbey name (the character is American-born), and fits in with the trend for simple, graceful names like Clara and Isla. It charts in both the US and UK, and is popular in Northern Ireland.

Elvira

Spanish form of an unknown Visigothic name whose meaning is much debated. It was traditional amongst medieval Spanish royalty, and became a favourite in fiction. The vengeful scorned lover Elvira of Mozart’s Don Giovanni is just one example of the many characters of this name in operas, plays, novels and films. Another is the title character of Noel Coward’s supernatural comedy Blithe Spirit, a hauntingly beautiful former wife who arrives in the least convenient fashion. Elvira is the name of Donald Duck’s grandmother, and many will remember the campy, cleavage-enhanced Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, played by Cassandra Peterson. A famous person with the name is Elvira Madigan (born Hedvig Jensen), a 19th century Danish circus performer who had a tragic love affair. Her story has been turned into several films and songs. English-speakers can pronounce this romantic name either el-VEER-ah or el-VY-ra (I prefer the first, as the second reminds me of virus), and it fits in with popular names such as Ella and Ava. Elvira charts in The Netherlands and is popular in Sweden.

Hermione

Derived from Hermes, the Greek god of transitions and boundaries, who was the messenger of the gods, and patron of travellers, herdsmen, thieves, public speakers, comedians, writers, poets, athletes, inventors, and merchants. Most scholars understand his name as meaning “stone, roadside shrine, boundary marker” – these were dedicated to Hermes as the god of boundaries and travellers. It may be related to the Greek for “the interpreter” to reflect the god’s role as divine messenger. In Greek myth, Hermione was the daughter of the lovely Helen of Troy, and had relationship troubles of her own involving Trojans. There is a Saint Hermione, an early Christian martyr who was the daughter of Saint Philip, identified as a prophetess in the church. In literature, Hermione is a beautiful queen accused of infidelity in Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale, and Harry Potter’s best female friend, the book-smart Hermione Granger. An Australian character of this name is Hermione the Modern Girl, the cartoon creation of Kaz Cooke. A famous namesake is British actress Hermione Norriss, from television shows Cold Feet and Wire in the Blood. This elegant name is pronounced her-MY-oh-nee, and charts in the UK.

Ilona

Hungarian name of uncertain meaning. It is usually said to be a form of Helen, although this may be folk etymology. In Magyar folklore, Ilona is the traditional name of the Queen of the Fairies. She is very beautiful, but also mischevious, and at times, dangerous! Archduchess Ilona of Austria was a Hungarian member of the Hapsburgs, one of the great royal houses of Europe; she passed away a few years ago. This pretty name is usually pronounced ih-LOH-na, and has Loni as the obvious nickname. It charts in France.

Juno

The Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth, and the queen of the gods, besides being the patron and protector of the Roman state. She was seen as eternally youthful, filled with forceful vitality, and a fertility figure, yet also warlike. Juno was the sister and wife of the sky god Jupiter, and the divine couple are two of the oldest known Roman gods. Like her husband, Juno had the power to throw thunderbolts, and the couple’s relationship could be stormy at times. The Romans believed that each woman had a protective guardian spirit called a juno, and this was given offerings on the woman’s birthday. The goddess’ name may mean “youth”, with the suggestion of vitality and fertility, but it is also possible that it is related to that of the Etruscan mother goddess Uni, meaning “she who gives”. The Romans connected her name to the waxing and waning of the moon – perhaps with the idea that, like the moon, she constantly renewed herself. The month of June is named in Juno’s honour, and when a woman is described as junoesque, it means she is beautiful, tall and shapely in a stately, imposing way. A famous person with the name is British actress Juno Temple, who has been in The Other Boleyn Girl, and The Dark Kight Rises. The movie Juno, starring Ellen Page, has helped give this name recent exposure, and it fits in with the trend for names ending with O. You may recall that New Zealand name blogger Anna Hamilton has a little girl named Juno. Juno charts in the UK, where it is rising.

Patience

Patience is the ability to endure difficult circumstances, persevering without exhibiting negativity such as irritation or anger, and being able to deal with strain or frustration during long-term difficulties. It is considered one of the highest virtues in several religions, such as Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, and in Christianity is one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues. Modern psychology sees patience as a sign of self-control and maturity, and it is a secular virtue as well. The word patience is ultimately from the Latin for “suffering”, and it was introduced as a virtue name by the Puritans in the late 16th century. A famous Australian namesake is Patience Hodgson, a member of indie rock band The Grates. Virtue names are back in fashion, and this one seems both admirable and attractive – a name that someone can grow with. Patience charts in the US.

Safiya

Variant of Safiyya, feminine form of the Arabic name Safi, meaning “pure”. The name is important in Islam because Safiyaa bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from a nomadic Arabian tribe at the age of 17 who was chosen by Muhammad for his own. Previously, she had dreamed that the moon fell from the heavens into her lap, and this was interpreted as a miraculous sign she would marry Muhammad. She converted to Islam and became one of the Prophet’s wives, and after his death gained quite a bit of power and influence. Safiya is pronounced sa-FEE-ah, and is an Arabic heritage choice which fits in with current trends, as it is not dissimilar to popular Sophia. It charts in both the UK and France.

Ziva

Slavic name meaning “living, being, existing”. In Slavic mythology, Živa was a goddess of life and fertility who was worshipped throughout what is now Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Germany before the coming of Christianity. She was depicted as a beautiful woman, and people prayed to her for good health and long life. She seems to have been connected with the harvest of both fruit and grains, and one story is that she was able to turn herself into a cuckoo bird. Ziva is also a feminine form of the Hebrew name Ziv, meaning “bright, radiant”. In the television drama series NCIS, Ziva David is an Israeli-American agent portrayed by Cote de Pablo. Pronounced ZEE-vah, Ziva fits in with popular names such as Ava and Zoe. It charts in The Netherlands, and the UK, where it is rising, and is popular in Slovenia.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Cora, Juno and Hermione, and their least favourite were Safiya, Patience and Elvira.

(Photo shows Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff in Juno)