Tag Archives: classic names

Famous Name: Kevin

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

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Over at The Name Station, there is an article quoting two studies which demonstrate that Kevin is the worst possible name to have in Germany. For some reason, this name really gets up the noses of Central European schoolteachers and cyber-daters.

As it turns out, the Germans aren’t exactly Robinson Crusoe in this regard. According to Lou at Mer de Noms (niece of a Kevin), the French also look down their noses at the name Kevin, and say, Non, non, non! Across the Channel, Kevin is considered a chavvy (bogan) name, to the point where kev is a synonym of chav, innit?

And if we hop over the Pond, American TV shows such as Daria and South Park depict Kevins as either dumb jocks or disposable meaningless characters. Oddly enough, in the United States Kevin is disliked for the exact opposite reason as in Europe – far from being too lower-class and urban, Kevin is seen as too middle-class and suburban.

A persistent Internet rumour is that the name Kevin is banned in Mexico because it will lead to “teasing and ridicule”. Actually the Chihuahua state government forbids parents from using any non-Spanish name without a Spanish middle name, and for some reason, reporters always seem to use Kevin as an example, hence the confusion. That may say more about how the name Kevin is viewed by the reporters than how it is in Mexico.

Apparently vast tracts of the Northern Hemisphere are infected by an intense loathing of people named Kevin. Here, another group who has joined the We Hate Kevin Club is the Australian Labor Party Caucus, who on Monday morning voted against Kevin Rudd’s bid for the leadership, two votes to one. So much do they detest Kevin Rudd that they profess a preference to losing an election without Rudd than winning one with him.

Their vote in support of Julia Gillard is not so much a ringing endorsement of her leadership as it is a sign of their determination to vote for ABK – Anyone But Kevin.

Kevin Rudd was elected Prime Minister of Australia in a landslide victory in 2007, his supporters running with the slogan Kevin ’07. Soon his non-stop work ethic led to him being labelled Kevin 24/7, and his frequent diplomatic trips around the world Kevin 747. Some papers sneeringly called him Kevin 7-11 for catering to the public a little too readily, like a convenient corner shop, and rumour had it he was Kevin 007 – a double-agent leaking information that could damage his enemies.

However, his authoritarian work style and biting insults made him anything but loved by his Labor colleagues, who ousted him the minute his popularity slipped in the polls and replaced him with his Deputy, Julia Gillard. This was all done so quickly that Rudd supporters have some basis for seeing him as stabbed in the back, as happens so often in the workplace.

Since his dumping, there has remained the vague threat (or hope) that he would one day rise up and take back his power. When Julia Gillard’s own popularity plummeted to record lows, he suggested he might run for party leader (and thus Prime Minister).

Polls done in the lead-up to Monday morning’s ballot showed great public support for Kevin Rudd, with the majority of people preferring him to either Julia Gillard or Tony Abbot, the Opposition Leader. The Pro-Kevin lobby reached fever-pitch. He was treated like a rock star wherever he went, received messages from people all over the country in his support, and was proclaimed the People’s Prime Minister. However, the people’s support is useless without the support of your party. That’s politics.

Maybe the Germans, the French, the British, the North Americans, and possibly the Mexicans can’t stand Kevin, but it seems Australians are pretty okay with it. We elected a Kevin Prime Minister, even though Dame Edna Everage expressed some doubts about the idea (she was probably catering to the anti-Kevin prejudices of her chiefly British audience). And even though he’s gone, he was never voted out, and clearly a sizeable chunk of the population would like him back.

The media love the name Kevin as well – it’s so useful for catchphrases and headlines. Not only Kevin ’07, Kevin 24/7, Kevin 747, Kevin 7-11 and Kevin 007, but also in the headlines were Kevingate, The Kevinator, Good Heaven’s It’s Kevin, Kevin Heaven, Kevin in Heaven, A Kevinly Sign from Above, Knocking on Kevin’s Door, and Kevenge (an act of revenge committed by someone named Kevin).

Australians have never had problems with names of Irish origin (as the list of Famous Names is starting to make pretty obvious). Kevin is the Anglicised form of the Irish name Caoimhin, a form of the older Cóemgein, which can be translated as “gentle” or “handsome”. Saint Kevin is the patron saint of Dublin, and is sometimes called the Irish St Francis of Assisi for his love of animals and nature. According to legend, an angel turned up at his baptism and instructed that he should be called Kevin, which the bishop naturally felt obliged to go along with. Maybe Kevin truly is a name from heaven? (A more plausible tale is that his name was bestowed upon him by fellow monks in tribute to his sweet nature).

In Australia, Kevin is a classic name which has never left the charts since record-keeping began in 1900. It first joined the Top 100 in the 1910s, and peaked in the 1930s at #6. It remained a Top 100 name for nine decades until the early 2000s, when it just dipped out at #101. Currently it’s #154.

In Queensland, which is Mr Rudd’s home state, there were twice as many babies named Kevin last year than babies named Julia, his deposer. And I have noticed in the birth announcements how common Kevin is as a middle name for boys.

Are they being named after a father, an uncle, a grandfather … or a lost Prime Minister who may still return, like the once and future king? Rudd Redux?

NOTE: Kevin is a Top 100 name in at least nine different countries, two of which, France and the United States, supposedly despise it. Go figure. Maybe this whole anti-Kevin thing is a beat-up.

Famous Name: Nancy

06 Tuesday Sep 2011

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This blog post was first published on September 6 2011, and revised and updated on September 24 2015.

Famous Namesake
On August 7 2011, Australia’s most decorated servicewoman of World War II died. Nancy Wake was born in New Zealand in 1912, and her family moved to Australia when she was a baby. Not long after, her father abandoned the family and went back to New Zealand, selling their house in the process, thus leaving his wife and six children homeless and destitute.

Life must have been tough for young Nancy, but she was clearly a born survivor. A girl of spirit, she ran away from home at the age of 16 and worked as a nurse. When an aunt left her a £200 inheritance, she travelled to New York, and then London, where she became a journalist.

During the 1930s, she settled in Paris, and worked for the Hearst newspapers as European correspondent. One of her first assignments was to interview Adolf Hitler. She also witnessed first-hand the brutal persecution of Jews by the Nazis in Vienna, and vowed that if she could ever do something about it, she would.

In 1939 Nancy married Henri Fiocca, a handsome and wealthy French industrialist who she described as the love of her life. Six months later, Germany invaded France, and Henri and Nancy both joined the French Resistance. Nancy worked as a courier, smuggling food and messages to Resistance agents in Spain, and was able to assist more than a thousand escaped prisoners of war and Allied fliers out of France.

By 1942, the Gestapo had become aware of a significant Resistance agent who was proving a thorn in their side, and code-named her The White Mouse. She was #1 on the Gestapo’s “Most Wanted” list, and had a 5 million franc bounty on her head. Nancy escaped to England, where she trained as a spy in the French section of the British Special Operations Executive, who worked with local resistance groups in German-occupied territories.

She parachuted back into France in 1944 to help with D-Day preparations, and after D-Day was in charge of an army involved in combat against German troops. Never one to back down from a hard task, she once cycled 500 km in three days, crossing several German checkpoints, to find an operator to radio Britain and request new radio codes.

Attractive, vivacious and feisty, she drew admiration for being an “Australian bombshell” who was a crack shot with a cheerfully never-say-die attitude. One of her comrades, Henri Tardivat, said of her: She is the most feminine woman I know, until the fighting starts. Then she is like five men.

At the end of the war, Nancy discovered that her beloved husband Henri had been captured, tortured and executed by the Gestapo in 1943 for refusing to disclose her location. She never ceased to regret leaving France, and blamed herself for his death, believing that if she had stayed with him, he would have survived.

After the war, she was showered in international honours, including the George Medal, the Croix de Guerre, the Medaille de la Resistance, the Chevalier de Legion d’Honneur, and the US Medal of Freedom. Further honours came to her throughout her life, but none from Australia for many years. At first she refused all Australian recognition, then there was some bureaucratic tangles because technically Nancy was still a citizen of New Zealand.

Nancy probably didn’t help the process by getting unsuccessfully involved in Australian politics, and by telling them to stick their medals somewhere unmentionable. Rather belatedly, she was awarded the Companion Order of Australia in 2004; by that time she had left Australia permanently to live in London, after being widowed once more (this time after 40 years of marriage).

Nancy died three weeks away from her 99th birthday. On March 10 2013, her ashes were taken to the village of Verneix near Montluçon, in central France – the region she had used as her base while a Resistance fighter. Here the ashes were scattered in a private ceremony attended by close friends, in accordance with her wishes.

She said of herself: I hate wars and violence, but if they come, I don’t see why we women should just wave our men a proud goodbye and then knit them balaclavas.

Name Information
Nancy was originally a short form of Annis, the medieval English form of Agnes, and in use since the Middle Ages. However, by the time Nancy became commonly used as an independent name in the 18th century, it was derived from Nan, a short form of Ann or Anne.

There are many famous namesakes for this name. Anne “Nancy” Regan, former US First Lady; Nancy Astor, the first female MP in the British Parliament; boot-stomping singer Nancy Sinatra; witty author Nancy Mitford; voice actress of Bart Simpson, Nancy Cartright; punk lover Nancy Spungen; nobbled skater Nancy Kerrigan. It’s interesting how often famous Nancys end up being controversial in some way.

Fictional Nancys are just as strong characters as their real world counterparts. Smart girl detective Nancy Drew, an inspiration to powerful women such as Hilary Clinton. Piratical tomboy Nancy Blackett from Swallows and Amazons; her real name is Ruth, but pirates must be ruthless! Dreamworld heroine Nancy Thompson, who takes on the nightmarish Freddy Kruger. Poor degraded Nancy from Oliver Twist, who performs a noble act to save another, though it risks her own life.

Nancy is a classic name which has been almost continuously on the charts. It was #114 in the 1900s, joined the Top 100 the following decade, and peaked in the 1920s at #26. It left the Top 100 in the 1950s and has fallen gradually; currently it is around the 500s.

In the United States, Nancy was a Top 100 name in the late 19th century, and then again from the 1920s to the end of the 1970s – a very good run. It is has fallen steadily since then and is now #752. In the UK, Nancy was on the top 100 from the mid-19th century until World War II. In 1996 it was #251, and generally making upward progress. It joined the Top 100 again last year, and is currently #90. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has a daughter named Nancy, born in 2004.

Nancy is a wholesome yet spunky name which faded too quickly in Australia compared to other countries. It fits in perfectly with the current trend for cute short form names such as Maggie and Kitty, while having a clean classic feel. This is a spirited choice, suitable for those who want their daughters to be in the thick of the fight, not just waving and knitting on the sidelines.

POLL RESULT
Nancy received an approval rating of 56%. 30% of people thought the name was too dated and old-fashioned, but 16% said it was sweet and wholesome. Nobody was affected by the “nasty Nancy” label given to Nancy Spungen, but 6% were concerned about the phrase “negative Nancy”, and 4% were really bothered that “nancy” is slang for a homosexual or effeminate man.

(Image of Nancy Wake c 1945  from The Australian War Memorial, which houses the collection of all her war medals)

Waltzing With … Mary

07 Sunday Aug 2011

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A050199_246x550This blog post was first published on August 7 2011, and revised and updated on August 13 2015.

Famous Namesake
Tomorrow is the solemnity of Saint Mary of the Cross, otherwise known as Saint Mary MacKillop. It’s a special day for Australian Catholics, because Mary MacKillop is the only Australian to have ever been canonised as a saint.

Born in 1842, she was a nun who founded the order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, as well as several schools and welfare organisations across South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. She had a special interest in educating the poor, especially in rural areas, but the Josephites also cared for parentless and neglected children, unmarried mothers, women escaping domestic violence, the elderly, and the dying, as well as prisoners and juvenile delinquents. The Josephites did not live in convents, but amongst the community, living as they did, and sharing their hard lives. The brown habits they wore gave them the very Australian nickname, “The Brown Joeys”.

Church politics often caused her stress, including a period of a few months when she was excommunicated for speaking out against child sex abuse within the church. During this time, she lived with a Jewish family and was sheltered by Jesuit priests. There was also an ugly smear campaign against her, including accusations that she was a drunkard. In fact, in an age where pain medication options were limited, she took alcohol on doctor’s orders for severe menstrual pain that left her bedridden for days each month.

Even during her lifetime, Mary MacKillop was regarded as a saint for her holiness and charitable works, and after she died on August 8 1909, people took earth from around her grave as a relic, until her remains were placed in a vault in a memorial chapel in Sydney, paid for by an admiring Presbyterian friend.

In 1925 the long process of having Mary MacKillop declared a saint was begun; she was beatified in 1995, and canonised on October 17 2010. She is the patron saint of Australia, and of the city of Brisbane.

Whatever your beliefs, it’s hard not to admire Mary MacKillop for her altruism and determination. She was greatly beloved by the poor, and accepted by the Aboriginal community as one of themselves. She was a fiery-tempered yet affectionate Scottish redhead with big blue eyes who believed in social justice and equality for all, and whose catchphrase was, “Never see a need without doing something about it”.

Name Information
Mary has long been a favourite for girls, due to it being the name of the mother of Jesus. In fact, there are a confusing number of women named Mary in the New Testament, because it was a name used in the royal family of Judea at the time, and extremely common. Mary is an English translation of the Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Miryam.

The original Miryam was the older sister of Moses and Aaron in the Old Testament. It was she who hid Moses in the bullrushes when he was a baby to save his life, and then watched the Pharaoh’s daughter discover and adopt him. She cleverly suggested to this adoptive mother that she hire Miryam’s mother as a nurse, so that Moses was raised within his own family.

As Miryam was born in Egypt, it’s been suggested that her name comes from the Egyptian word for “love” or “beloved”, or even possibly from the Egyptian name Meritamen, meaning “beloved of Amun” – Amun being the chief god of the Egyptians. So this name, now seen as very Christian, may have ancient pagan roots.

Although Mary is a traditional English name, it didn’t become widely used in Britain until after the Conquest, when the Normans introduced the idea of using names of saints as personal names; before that, they were seen as too holy for an ordinary person to bear. It was introduced in the Latin form Maria and the French form Marie; only as the Middle Ages came to an end did Mary became standard.

The name gained royal credentials, with Mary I the first woman to successfully claim the throne of England, and rule as a king as well as queen – she was known as Bloody Mary for her brutal persecution of Protestants. Several kings had queens named Mary, and Mary, Queen of Scots, was an attractive and romantic figure who earns admiration for the brave manner she faced imprisonment and execution. Queen Mary II, of William and Mary fame, was named after her. Australia has its own royal Mary – Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, born Mary Donaldson in Hobart.

Mary was the #1 name of the 1900s and 1910s, and remained in the Top 10 until the 1940s. It left the Top 50 in 1971, and the Top 100 in 1995. Since then, it has remained relatively stable, and is apparently not far out of the Top 100. That makes Mary a very safe choice – a classic name still in common and regular use without being popular.

Mary was even more popular in the US, remaining at #1 from the late 19th century to the early 1960s – a really staggering run of hypersuccess. It left the Top 10 in the 1970s, and the Top 50 in the early 2000s, dropping off the Top 100 in 2009. It is currently #120 and stable, a similar popularity to here.

In the UK, Mary was the #1 name from the middle of the 19th century to the 1920s, and remained in the Top 10 until the 1960s. It left the Top 50 during the 1970s, and was out of the Top 100 by the middle of the 1990s. Mary has fallen slightly faster in the UK than here or in the US, and is now #244, although still relatively stable. The only country where Mary is still popular is Ireland, where it is #81 and falling steadily.

Mary is gracious enough to be at ease in every level of society, as suitable for a saint or a princess as it is for a scientist or a politician, a soprano or a photographer, a sportswoman or a pilot. While it’s unlikely that your daughter will ever be a saint or a princess, it’s nice to think that if she does, her name will sound just fine with either title in front of it.

This is a timeless classic which sounds wonderful whatever your age, from wee baby Mary to great-grandma Mary. It’s short and simple without seeming cutesy or insubstantial, and is strong, wholesome, dignified, and completely unpretentious. As Australian author P.L. Travers taught us in Mary Poppins, it’s a name that carries just a hint of magic and mystery, and is practically perfect in every way!

POLL RESULT
Mary received an excellent approval rating of 85%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2011. 34% of people loved the name Mary, and only 5% hated it.

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1930s

26 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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This post was first published on June 26 2011, and substantially revised and updated on June 25 2015.

Alfred
Anglo-Saxon name meaning “elf counsel”. The name became famous due to Alfred the Great, 9th century king of Wessex, who defended England against the Vikings, and was the first to call himself King of the Anglo-Saxons. Renowned for his love of learning, he encouraged education and reformed the legal system. Although not officially a saint, he is regarded as a Christian hero, and has a feast day in the Anglican Church. The name Alfred continued to be used even after the Norman Conquest, when many Anglo-Saxon names were discarded. It dwindled after the Middle Ages, but had a revival in the 19th century, and was chosen as the name of one of Queen Victoria’s sons – an earlier Prince Alfred was the son of King George III, and the current British family trace their ancestry back to Alfred the Great. Alfred is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #14 in the 1900s, and #50 by the 1930s. Alfred left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and is currently around the 300s, its position apparently fairly stable. Popular in Scandinavia, Alfie, Fred, and Freddie give this venerable classic several cute nickname options.

Brian
Irish name, possibly from the Celtic bre, meaning “hill”, to suggest “high, great, exalted”. In Irish mythology, Brian is one of three brothers who are sent on a worldwide magical quest. In some versions, Brian is the clever one of the three, while his brothers are bumbling and easily pushed around. A famous namesake is Brian Boru, the first High King of Ireland, and founder of the O’Brien dynasty; he made the name common in Ireland. The name Brian was also used in Brittany, and became quite popular in East Anglia, where it was spread by Breton immigrants, and in the north of England, brought over by Scandinavian settlers who had lived in Ireland. It experienced a revival in the early 20th century. Brian is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #169 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1920s. Peaking in the 1930s and ’40s at #7, Brian didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1980s – Monty Python’s Life of Brian having turned it into a “joke name” didn’t help its fortunes. However, it’s been reasonably stable for about a decade, and is around the 300s. Brian remains a popular name in Ireland. This is a strong-sounding Irish classic still getting reasonable use.

Colin
Anglicised form of the Scottish name Cailean, meaning “whelp, pup, young dog” in Gaelic. It is also a medieval pet form of Col, short for Nicholas, so it’s an English name as well. Cuilén mac Ildulb was a 10th century King of the Scots, while Sir Colin Campbell (“Colin the Great”) was a 13th century cousin of Robert the Bruce, and one of the earliest known members of the Clan Campbell, ancestor of the Earls of Argyll. The name became traditional in the Campbell family because of him. Colin was #51 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #14. It left the Top 100 in the 1980s, and although it stayed in use for many years afterwards, now seems to be quite rare. Colin is a traditional name which has a gentle and slightly poetic feel, and works well in the middle.

Edwin
Modern form of the Anglo-Saxon name Eadwine, meaning “rich friend”. The name was traditional amongst Anglo-Saxon royalty and nobility, with the most famous Edwin being a 7th century king of Northumbria who converted to Christianity; it was said that during his reign, the land was so peaceful that a woman with a new baby could walk across the country without being harmed (it tells you something that this was considered remarkable). He was canonised as a saint after his death. The name Edwin sunk in popularity after the Norman Conquest, but was revived in the 19th century during the Victorian enthusiasm for early English names. Edwin is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #52 in the 1900s, and #88 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and is currently around the 400s. A good alternative to popular Edward, while still having Eddie, Ed, Ned, and Ted as nicknames.

Frederick
English form of the Germanic name Friduric, translated as “peaceful ruler”; the modern German version is Friedrich. A favourite amongst European royalty, the name was traditional amongst the Holy Roman Emperors, with Frederick I also known as Frederick Barbarossa, meaning “red bearded” in Italian. Descended from two of Germany’s leading royal houses, he is regarded as the greatest of the medieval Holy Roman Emperors. Handsome, charismatic, and courtly, he was ambitious and skilful, greatly increasing Germany’s power base, and bringing back the Roman rule of law. According to medieval legend, he is not dead, but sleeps in a cave, waiting to return Germany to its former greatness. There are also a couple of medieval German saints named Frederick. The name was brought to England by the Normans after the Conquest, but it didn’t catch on. It was revived in the 18th century when the German House of Hanover inherited the British throne; Prince Frederick was the eldest son of King George II. Frederick is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #8 in the 1900s, and #26 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and sunk to its lowest level in the 1990s, at #459. Since then it has gradually increased in popularity, and is now around the low 200s. A distinguished name with friendly nicknames like Fred and Freddie, Frederick is already popular in the UK.

Ivan
Slavic form of John. A traditional Slavic name, there have been many famous Ivans in history, including six tsars of Russia, and many Croatian and Ukrainian leaders. St Ivan is a legendary hermit from Bohemia, while St Ivan of Rila is the patron saint of Bulgaria. Ivan continues to be a popular name in Eastern Europe, while the Spanish form Iván is popular in Spain and Latin America. Its long-term use in the English-speaking world may come from its similarity to the Welsh form of John, Ifan, so it can be seen as an Anglicised form of the Welsh name. Ivan is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #117 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #97, and was #100 in the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s and is currently around the low 300s, having been reasonably stable since the 1990s. That makes it a great cross-cultural choice which has remained both familiar and underused.

Lawrence
Variant of Laurence, and the usual surname form of the name. St Lawrence of Rome was a 3rd century Spanish saint who was archdeacon of Rome during a time of Christian persecution. There are many stories and legends about him. One is that he spirited the Holy Grail to Spain, where it remains in Valencia. Another is that the Emperor demanded that Lawrence hand over all the church’s goods. Lawrence hastily distributed everything the poor, then presented the city’s suffering, saying that these were the true treasures of the church. For this act of defiance, he was supposedly martyred by being roasted over a gridiron; after hours of pain, he remarked cheerfully: I’m well done. Turn me over! He is one of the most widely venerated saints, and his tomb a favourite pilgrimage site since the 4th century. Lawrence is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #67 in the 1900s, peaked at #55 in the 1910s and ’20s, and was #61 in the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and reached its lowest point in 2010 at #466. Since then it has risen again, and is now in the 200s, outstripping Laurence in popularity. This rugged-sounding classic comes with the nicknames Lawrie and Larry.

Lionel
Medieval pet form of Leon, a Greek name meaning “lion”; it could also be directly from Lion, which was used as a nickname in the Middle Ages. According to Arthurian legend, Sir Lionel was a Breton king, and knight of the Round Table. He features in the Grail Quest, where he is shown to be unworthy of the Grail, and more interested in fighting than the spiritual life. Lionel of Antwerp was a son of King Edward III, and reputedly a giant of a man, almost seven feet tall and of athletic build. It is through him that the House of York claimed the throne of England, and the name was a common one amongst the aristocracy. Lionel was #68 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #66, and was #73 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and hasn’t charted since the 1980s. The name is rising in both the the UK and US, fitting in well with both popular Leo, and the trend for animal names. Definitely a worthy choice that has too often been overlooked!

Rex
The Latin word for “king”, and the title of the ancient kings of Rome (“Rex Romae“) – according to legend, the first king of Rome was Romulus. The Roman monarchs did not inherit kingship, but were elected to the role, and held absolute power. The word rex is ultimately from an ancient root meaning “to rule”, and it is related to the Sanskrit term Raja, the German word reich, and the English words rich, right, regal, royal, reign, and realm. Rex has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, but only came into common use in the 19th century. Rex was #138 in the 1900s, and entered the Top 100 in the 1920s. Peaking in the 1930s at #74, Rex left the Top 100 in the 1950s. It left the charts in the 1980s, but returned the following decade at #635. It has continued climbing, and is now around the 300s. No wonder Rex is making a comeback – it’s short and snappy, ends in the fashionable X (like Max), and sounds very masculine and confident.

Walter
English form of the ancient Germanic name Walthari, meaning “ruler of the army”. It was brought to England by the Normans and soon replaced its Old English version, Wealdhere. Mythologist Jacob Grimm theorised that the name may have originally been an epithet of one of the Germanic war gods, and be linked to the Norse god Tyr. The name was especially famous in the Middle Ages because of Walter of Aquitaine, a legendary king of the Visigoths; medieval poems tell of his military exploits, fighting one-handed against his foes. He may be based on a 5th century king of Aquitaine, Wallia – his name is probably from the Old Norse for “slaughter”. There is a 12th century English saint called Walter. Walter was #15 in the 1900s, and #46 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and dropped off the charts in the 1990s. However, it made a comeback in 2011 after the hit TV show Breaking Bad aired in Australia, with ailing chemistry teacher turned criminal Walter White played by Bryan Cranston. His name was inspired by the American poet, Walt Whitman, and he is also often known as Walt. His teenage son is Walter White Jr, giving the name a younger image to match Walter Snr’s villainous smarts. Walter is currently around the 500s, and it is yet to be seen whether it continues rising now the show has finished. I hope so, because this retro name now seems fresh and unconventional.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Walter, Frederick and Alfred, and their least favourites were Lionel, Ivan and Brian.

(Photo of men doing relief work during the Great Depression in 1933 from the National Library of Australia)

Girls Names from the Top 100 of the 1930s

19 Sunday Jun 2011

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This blog post was first published on June 19 2011, and revised and updated on June 12 2015.

Alma
May be derived from the Latin almus, meaning “nourishing” – an epithet given to several Roman goddesses, including Ceres. Alma mater, meaning “nurturing mother”, is a Latin term often used to refer to one’s college or university: it was originally a title given to mother goddesses, and later to the Virgin Mary. The obscure 4th century Romano-British saint Alma Pompea, married to the semi-legendary King Hoel of Brittany, is an early example of the name. The name was given a boost after being used in Sir Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem, The Faerie Queen; he seems to have been influenced by the Renaissance Italian word alma, meaning “soul”. The name became popular in the 19th century, after the Crimean War began with the Battle of Alma, when Anglo-French forces defeated the Russians near the River Alma – the river’s name is from a Tatar word meaning “wild apple”. After this date, babies of both sexes (but mostly girls) were named Alma in honour of the military victory. Alma was #24 in the 1900s, and #97 in the 1930s, leaving the Top 100 the following decade, and the charts in the 1960s. Alma made a mild comeback in 2011, and seems very contemporary, as it has been used in Brokeback Mountain and The Hunger Games. Already popular in Europe, Alma would make an interesting alternative to names such as Amelia, Anna, or Emma.

Audrey
Pet form of the Anglo-Saxon name Etheldreda, meaning “noble strength”; it was the name of a 7th century English princess and saint whose feast day is June 23. It became less common after the Middle Ages, because St Audrey Day Fairs sold low-quality necklaces that were disparagingly called tawdries – which is where we get the word for something cheap and tacky from. Audrey was revived in the 19th century when the Victorians rediscovered many Anglo-Saxon names. The name was already familiar, as Audrey is the simple but honest country girl in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The Victorians were also in the middle of a Shakespeare revival, so Audrey was a dead cert for a comeback. Audrey was #156 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #32. The name was #36 in the 1930s, but plummeted so that it was off the Top 100 by the following decade. It fell to a low of 0 in the 1980s, but climbed after the death of Audrey Hepburn until it reached the Top 100 again in 2008. Once tawdry Audrey now seems charming and stylish, and is currently #44 and climbing.

Elsie
Often said to be a pet form of Elizabeth, but technically a pet form of Elspeth, the Scottish form of the name, and was originally Elspie. The name Elsie can be found in songs and poems dating to the 17th century, and became a 19th century favourite. Elsie was #7 in the 1900s, #59 in the 1930s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. Elsie left the charts in the 1970s, but returned in the early 2000s at #731. It joined the Top 100 in 2013 at #91, and last year rose 26 places to #65 – an impressive performance. Sweet and unpretentious, Elsie is very much back in the game.

Hazel
Named for the hedgerow tree or shrub which produces edible nuts; the Celts equated hazelnuts with wisdom and poetic inspiration, and the Druids made staffs from hazel branches. It was considered to be one of the trees belonging to the fairies, and folk tales tell of its ability to protect from evil. Hazel has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, mostly for girls, and became popular in the 19th century when plant names were fashionable. Hazel was #45 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1910s at #18; by the 1930s it was #55. Hazel left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and the charts by the 1970s, making a return in the late 2000s at #477, after Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel. Last year Hazel had an outstanding debut as the fastest-rising name of 2014, rising #63 places to #88. One factor must surely be the romantic film The Fault in Our Stars, with its heartbreaking heroine Hazel Lancaster, although there have also been Hazels in the Heroes of Olympus series, and Gossip Girl.

Iris
Greek personification of the rainbow who served as messenger to the gods, and linked them to humanity. The name literally means “rainbow”, which is where the colourful iris flower got its name from – and the colourful irises in our eyes. Irises were used in the Middle Ages as a symbol of monarchy, as the fleur-de-lis pattern depicts. Religious pictures from the medieval period show the Virgin Mary holding an iris to symbolise purity and chastity. Filled with meaning and associations, the name was used by the 19th century British aristocracy for both females and males (because the Greeks called the iris flower a “hyacinth”, and Hyacinth was a male name), but quickly became used by all classes, and nearly always for girls. Iris was #62 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1910s at #31; it was #72 by the 1930s. Iris left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and left the charts in the 1970s, although it returned in the 1980s at #748. Off the charts in the 1990s, Iris came back in the early 2000s at #551, and is now around the mid-200s and apparently stable. Almost always on the charts, Iris manages to be a “normal” name that is still underused. Hip and artistic, it has slightly dark or even punk undertones. It’s a floral name with a bit of bite.

Josephine
Anglicised form of Joséphine, a pet form of Joséphe, a French feminine form of Joseph; by the 19th century Joséphine had become the standard form of the name. It has been used by several of the royal houses of Europe, and is famous as the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Joséphine was born Marie Joséphe, so it was the pet form of her middle name. Classic Josephine has always been on the charts. It was #86 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #76, and by the 1930s was #78. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and sunk to its lowest level in 2011 at #199, so it has never been out of the 200s. In 2012 it made an appearance again in the Top 100 at #93 after the birth of Princess Josephine, the daughter of Australian-born Princess Mary of Denmark, but has since stabilised into its usual place around the mid-100s. Josephine is a solid stayer with royal blood whose nicknames range from the sensible Jo to the cute Josie to the tomboy Joey to the froufrou Fifi to the cool Joss.

Joy
Refers to the emotion of extreme happiness and gladness. It was originally a Puritan virtue name dating from the 16th century, referring to rejoicing for the salvation of God – perhaps most famous from the hymn, Joy to the World, now often used as a Christmas carol. In fact, joy and Christmas have become so entwined that you could even see Joy as a name suitable for a baby born around late December. However, the name Joy has become secularised, and often linked to the joyful experience of welcoming a child into the world: babies have even been called “bundles of joy”. Joy entered the charts in the 1910s at #205, and was in the Top 100 by the following decade. It peaked in the 1930s and ’40s at #60, and left the Top 100 in the 1960s. Joy reached its lowest point in the 1990s at #802, but then increased slightly in popularity, and was stable in the 500s for some time. Its current position is not known for sure, but is in at least occasional use. Quite common in the middle position, Joy is a strong, simple name with a beautiful meaning, and the current trend for virtue names mean that it would be refreshing to see it up front.

Lillian
Most likely a pet form of Elizabeth dating to the Middle Ages: there is a medieval Scottish ballad about a lady named Lillian. The name became greatly more popular in the 19th century, to the point where it could be seen as another Victorian revival of a medieval name, and may have been understood as an elaboration of Lily, which also became fashionable in the 19th century as a flower name. Lillian is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #35 in the 1900s, reached #86 by the 1930s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. It reached its lowest point in the 1970s at #562, and then climbed steeply, following in the footsteps of Lily, until it reached the Top 100 again in 2008 at #81. It is currently #86, so its position is stable. However, the high number of Lilys and Lillys (not to mention the Laylas and Lolas) mean that lovely Lillian may feel almost too on trend for some.

Marie
French form of Maria: in France it has sometimes used for males, especially as a middle name, but in English-speaking countries is almost always feminine. The name often reminds people of Queen Marie Antoinette, whose first two baptismal names were Maria Antonia – she was Austrian by birth. In the Middle Ages, Marie was commonly used in England, and predates the use of Mary. The medieval poet Marie de France lived and worked in England, possibly at the court of King Henry II – it is even thought that she may have been Henry’s own half-sister. The traditional English pronunciation of the name was MAH-ree (still used in the 20th century), but it is now usually said muh-REE. A name never out of common use for centuries, Marie was #71 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #11 – perhaps Irving Berling’s hit song Marie, sung by Rudy Vallee, was an influence on its success at this time. Marie left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and fell off the charts in 2011. It is now only in occasional use, although a common middle name. Marie is still popular in Europe, and this is a pretty, traditional name that still seems very wearable.

Olive
English form of the Roman name Oliva, which refers to both the olive tree and its fruit. There is a legendary Italian martyr called Saint Oliva, known as Blessed Olive. The Crusaders introduced the name Olive to England in the 12th century; returning from the Holy Land, they often gave their children names of Biblical import in honour of their religious duty. Olives play a major role in the Bible, from the dove bringing an olive branch to Noah after the Flood, to Christ ascending to Heaven from the Mount of Olives. It was a name used for both males and females, and in fact I have seen a baby boy named Olive in the past few years – but overall Olive has been more common for girls. Olive became popular in the 19th century, along with other plant names. Olive was #26 in the 1900s, and was #73 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and was off the charts by the 1960s. It returned in the late 2000s, after Australian actress Isla Fisher chose the name Olive for her eldest daughter. After a smooth rise, Olive joined the Top 100 in 2012, debuting at #94. It is currently #76, so rising sedately rather than steeply. Buoyed by the success of Olivia and Oliver, and with a V in the middle like other popular names, Olive should continue to do well.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Hazel, Iris and Josephine, and their least favourites were Joy, Marie and Alma.

(Painting is Moira Madden, later Moira Hallenstein by Arthur Challen (1937); from the State Library of Victoria.

Boys Names From Songs

13 Sunday Mar 2011

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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This blog post was first published on March 13 2011, and heavily edited and updated on March 20 2015. Not being psychic, I did not know then of the vile crimes that Rolf Harris would be imprisoned for, otherwise he would not have been included.

Duncan
Slim Dusty’s country song Duncan is one of his two hits which went to #1.The song describes the great enjoyment experienced drinking at the atmospheric Town and Country pub with his mate Duncan. Although the narrator also drinks with Colin, Kevin, Patrick, and Robert to obtain similar effects, it is Duncan who will always be remembered as the mate Slim would “love to have a beer with”. Duncan is the Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Donnchadh; it may mean either “brown-haired warrior”, or “brown-haired chieftain”. A traditional name amongst Scottish nobility and royalty, there have two medieval Scottish kings named Duncan, with Duncan I the original of William Shakespeare’s King Duncan in Macbeth. Unlike in the play, Duncan was a young king, and not assassinated by his war leader Macbeth, but killed in battle against him. Saint Duncan was of royal blood too, and an abbot of Iona. Duncan was #134 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1970s at #122. It doesn’t seem to have charted since 2009, so this is a handsome underused Scottish choice.

Erasmus
Erasmus is a 2006 song by alternative rock band You Am I, a nostalgic remembrance of the 1990s. Erasmus is derived from the Greek for “beloved”. Saint Erasmus of Formia was a bishop who, according to tradition, was martyred for his faith in the 4th century. He is more commonly known as Saint Elmo, the old Italian form of his name, and St Elmo’s Fire is named after him – the glowing electrical discharge that can appear around tall, pointed structures during thunderstorms. As it was known for appearing around the masts of ships in the days of sail, Saint Erasmus is a patron of sailors. A famous namesake is Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Catholic priest, theologian, and classical scholar of the Renaissance who is known as “The Prince of Humanists”. Charles Darwin‘s grandfather was Erasmus, named after an ancestor, and Charles’ brother also had the same name. This rare name has geek chic, with history, strength, bags of brain power, and of course, a beautiful meaning. Rasmus and Raz could be used as nicknames.

Harry
Lazy Harry’s, or, The Road to Gundagai is a traditional folk song with a connection to Banjo Paterson, as he was the first to have it published, in 1905. The song tells of two shearers from a Riverina station who set out for Sydney to spend their pay cheques, but get no further than Lazy Harry’s pub between Wagga Wagga and Gundagai before they’ve spent the lot. Harry is a medieval English form of Henry which has never gone out of use. It has also been used as a pet form of Henry and Harold, and more recently, of Harrison. Harry is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #32 in the 1900s, left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and reached its lowest point in the 1970s at #234. It began rising in the 1980s after the birth of Prince Henry, always known by his nickname Harry, and joined the Top 100 in the early 1990s. It continued rising through the 2000s, along with the popularity of boy wizard Harry Potter, and peaked in 2010 at #27, although by 2013 it had only dropped one place, to #26. Classic Harry is royal and magical, yet also friendly and casual.

Henry
Henry Lee is Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’s 1996 version of an English folk song called Young Hunting, which in the United States is usually titled Love Henry or Henry Lee. It is a macabre tale of sexual jealousy; a man tells his mistress that he is leaving her for another woman, and while offering him a farewell kiss, she stabs him and throws his body in a well. P.J. Harvey sings the woman’s part of this eerie duet. Henry is from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning “home ruler”. It has been commonly used amongst European royalty, and there are many rulers of Germany, France, Spain and Portugal named Henry, or one of its equivalents. There have also been six Holy Roman Emperors named Henry, one of them a saint. Henry is a traditional name in the British royal family, and there have been eight English kings named Henry. Henry is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #11 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1950s, hitting its lowest point in the 1970s at #265. It was back on the Top 100 by the 1990s, and had reached #23 by 2013. Henry is a handsome classic which is slowly rising in popularity.

Jack
Adam Harvey’s 2001 country song The House That Jack Built went to #1. It’s inspired by the nursery rhymes The House That Jack Built and Jack and Jill, while giving them a modern twist. Jack is a short form of Jackin, which began as Jankin, a medieval pet form of John. It has been used as an independent name since the Middle Ages, and was so popular in that era that it became a slang word to mean “man, male”. Jack is a fairytale hero, such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant Killer, and a trickster figure, like a jack-in-the-box and the knave in a deck of cards. Jack has a particularly British association, because of the Union Jack which is on our flag. Suffice to say I could talk about Jack until you were completely jack of it! Jack is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #24 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. It hit its lowest point in the 1960s at #277, and was Top 100 again by the 1980s. It hit its peak in the 2000s at #1 name, when there were many heroes on film and TV named Jack. By 2013 it had only fallen two places, to #3, so it has been extremely stable as well as extremely popular. Jack the lad is an everyman name, and a nickname with its own rich history.

Jake
Jake the Peg is a 1965 novelty song by Rolf Harris, based on the Dutch-Canadian song Ben van der Steen. It’s a simple tale of an unfortunate man born with three legs, and Harris performed it onstage with a theatrical prop which left the audience guessing as to which of the three legs was fake. It has been voted one of the best Australian singles of all time. Jake is a medieval variant of Jack, but today is often used as a short form of popular Jacob. Jake first joined the charts in the 1970s at #392, the same decade as Jacob, and just after the song’s release. It joined the Top 100 in the 1980s and peaked in the 1990s at #6. In 2013 it was #43. More boyish than Jacob, more rakish than Jack, this name lets you know that everything is “jake”.

Jessie
Rick Springfield’s pop song Jessie Girl was an instant hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 of 1981, and winning a Grammy. According to Springfield, Jessie’s Girl was inspired by a real-life admiration he had for his friend Gary’s girlfriend. He considered using Gary’s real name, until he saw a girl wearing a softball jersey with the name Jessie on it. The song has been featured in movies and TV shows, and named one of the best songs of the 1980s. As a boy’s name, Jessie is a variant of the Hebrew name Jesse, which may mean “gift”. It’s also a girl’s name which was originally a Scottish pet form of Jean, but also used as a pet form of Jane, and more recently, of Jessica. In Australia, Jessie charted as a unisex name until the 1950s, but since the 1970s and the rise of Jessica, has only charted for girls. It made the Top 100 in the 1990s, when Jessica was the #1 name, and is currently in the 300s. Still usable for boys, although the popular Jessica has given it a pink vibe.

Johnny
Men at Work’s 1982 rock song Be Good Johnny is an obvious reference to Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode. The song is about a young boy, a seemingly troubled daydreamer who can’t relate to or listen to adult authority. It could be the anthem for ADHD kids, and in fact a cover version of the song is the theme tune to the reality TV series Supernanny. Johnny is a pet form of John, long used as an independent name. There’s been heaps of famous Johnnys in Australia – Johnny Diesel, Johnny O’Keefe, Johnny Young, Johnny Lewis and Johnny Warren, to name a few. Johnny has charted since the 1950s, when it debuted at #265. It has not yet become popular, and is currently in the 200s. Modern classic Johnny seems like it has a lot of potential to go further.

Normie
Rak Off Normie was written as a sequel to comedian Bob Hudson’s satirical narrative, The Newcastle Song, which was at #1 for four weeks in 1975. The Newcastle Song is about a young man called Normie looking for a date, and pokes fun at the working class youth culture in the city of Newcastle. Eager for further success, Bob Hudson rapidly penned Rak Off Normie from the point of view of the girl Normie is attracted to, and Maureen Elkner was chosen to sing it. The song reached #6 on the charts. Normie is a pet form of Norman, used as an independent name since the 19th century. It is well known in Australia from 1960s pop star Normie Rowe, and will probably only make a comeback if Norman does.

Sam
Olivia Newton-John’s Sam reached #1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart of 1977. It’s a song about two people who have been (apparently deservedly) dumped by their respective lovers and are now lonely; the song implies that the two of them may get together in order to comfort each other. Sam can be used as a short form of names such as Samuel or Samson, and as short for the female name Samantha. It is also a Persian name meaning “very dark”, and is familiar from Frodo’s companion in The Lord of the Rings, whose name is short for Samwise (samwise is the Old English for “half-wise, half-wit”). Sam has long been used as an independent name, overwhelmingly given to boys. Sam first joined the charts in the 1950s at #301, and was Top 100 by 1986. It peaked at #62 in 1991, left the Top 100 in 2011, and is still only just outside the Top 100. Well known from Welsh children’s TV show Fireman Sam, which has an Australian rescue pilot in it, this is a modern classic with boyish charm.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Jack, Harry, and Duncan, and their least favourite were Johnny, Jake, and Normie.