Rare Boys Names from the 1940s

12 Sunday Apr 2015

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The most popular boys names of the 1940s were John, Peter, Robert, and David, but what were the least popular names? Here are ten names which were only chosen once in any year between 1944 and 1949 in South Australia, making them unique names for their time and place. Still rare, some feel surprisingly contemporary, while one or two have perhaps had their day.

Aston
English surname of multiple origins. It can be from a common place name meaning “east settlement”, to indicate a village to the east of a larger town, although occasionally it seems to be a corruption or variant of Ashton, meaning “settlement near the ash trees”. It can also mean “at the stone”, to indicate someone who lived near a prominent stone. Finally, it can be a contraction of a personal name such as Aethelstan, meaning “noble stone”, and there are examples of men with Aston as a first name in the Middle Ages from this derivation. Sir Aston Cockayne, 1st Baronet, was a 17th century writer who was on the Royalist side during the English Civil War, and a close friend of the future Charles II. The name might remind you of Aston Villa Football Club, in the English Premier League, or Aston Martin luxury cars – both familiar in the 1940s as well. I see the name Aston name sometimes in birth notices, perhaps inspired by Aston Merrygold from English boy band JLS.

Bramwell
English surname from an unknown place name meaning “stream surrounded by broom” – broom is a hardy European shrub with yellow flowers. The name has a strong connection with the Salvation Army, because Bramwell Booth was the second General of the Salvation Army who served during World War I, the eldest son of its founder, William Booth. We know the name was used by Salvationists, because Bramwell Tillsley, a Canadian who was the son of British Salvationists, was the 14th General of the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has a strong history in South Australia, with the first official Salvation Army corps formed in Adelaide in 1880. Booth was also used as a baby name during the 1940s, with the Salvation Army’s support of the troops being greatly appreciated. Bramwell is an attractive, little-used surname that has the appealing nickname Bram.

Cosmo
Form of the Greek name Kosmas, meaning “order”, and thus the opposite of “chaos”. The Greeks also used the word to mean “the world”, because they believed the world was perfectly put in order. We use the word cosmos to mean “the universe, all of creation”. According to tradition, Saint Cosmas was a skilled doctor; along with his twin brother Damian, he performed many miraculous cures before his martyrdom. The name Cosmo was introduced to Britain by the Scottish peer Alexander Gordon, 2nd Duke of Gordon, when he named his son Cosmo in 1720. Cosmo’s name was in honour of his father’s close friend Cosimo di Medici – Cosimo is the Italian form of Kosmas. The name has always had a rather exotic and aristocratic image, and Scottish associations. There were several famous Cosmos that could have inspired the name in the 1940s, including popular British playwright Cosmo Hamilton, and Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang. Cosmos is also a type of daisy, whose name comes from the same Greek origin, so with some imagination, the name Cosmo could honour someone named Daisy.

Denzil
Variant of Denzel, a Cornish surname. The name was traditional in the aristocratic Holles family, with one of the earliest and most famous of their number to bear the name Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles, a 17th century statesman who is best known for being part of a group who attempted to arrest King Charles I, sparking the Civil War, but also took a leading role in bringing about the Restoration. The Denzel spelling came first, as Denzil Holles’ grandfather was Denzel Holles. These Denzils and Denzels were named in honour of their ancestor John Denzel, who had large estates in Cornwall in the 16th century and was Attorney-General to Elizabeth of York, queen of Henry VII. John Denzel took his surname from the Denzell manor house in St Mawgan, Cornwall, and the meaning of its name is not known for sure, although perhaps from the Celtic for “hill fortress in open view”. A 1940s Australian namesake is Sir Denzil Macarthur-Onslow, a World War II general regarded as a “cracker of a bloke”. Denzil still seems contemporary because of American actor Denzel Washington, and is very usable.

Everard
Derived from the ancient Germanic name Eberhard, often translated as “brave as a wild boar”. The name was introduced by the Normans to Britain, where there was already an Old English form of the name, Eoforheard. A famous namesake is Sir Everard Digby, who was executed for his part in the failed Gunpowder Plot, and another was Everard Calthrop, a railway engineer who helped develop the modern parachute. Although in use since the Middle Ages, modern usage has probably been influenced by the surname, as the Everards are an aristocratic family who have been created baronets in both Ireland and England. Everard Park is a suburb of Adelaide, named after the prominent pioneer Sir Charles Everard, said to have the best orchard in the colony, giving this a strong South Australian feel. Everard is an interesting twist on classic Evan, and the trend for girls’ names starting with Ev- may also be a help.

Garfield
English surname referring to someone living near a triangular field; the word gar means spear in Old English, and a gar field is one that is shaped like the point of a spearhead. The surname is well known in the United States, as their 20th president was James A. Garfield, and his sons also went on to have illustrious public careers – there is a town in Victoria named Garfield in honour of the American president. A namesake from the 1940s was Hollywood actor John Garfield, while one with Garfield as his first name is Garfield “Gar” Wood, an American inventor, showman, and record-breaking motorboat racer – the first to travel over 100 miles an hour on water. An Australian namesake from this era is Sir Garfield Barwick, a barrister who came to prominence during a 1943 court case involving the Archibald Prize. He later became a Liberal MP, Attorney-General, and Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was the legal advisor to Sir John Kerr during the controversial dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam (an old enemy of Barwick’s), so he well and truly made history. Garfield would be a charming and unusual vintage name, except for one thing – the obese cartoon cat!

Linus
In Greek mythology, Linus was a Thracian prince who was so musically talented that he was said to have been the son of Apollo, god of music, and Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. According to legend, Linus invented melody and rhythm, and taught music to his brothers Orpheus and Heracles. Unfortunately, Heracles didn’t appreciate the music lessons, and killed Linus with his own lyre after he tried to give Heracles some constructive criticism. Although the meaning of the name is not certain, there was a type of dirge in classical Greece called a linos, and it’s possible that the mythological character was a personification of this song of mourning. The name has a Christian association because Linus is said to have been a Bishop of Rome in the early church, and is listed as the second pope. The name Linus is especially popular in Scandinavia, although many people will connect it to Linus Pauling, the American scientist who won both the Nobel Chemistry Prize and the Nobel Peace Prize, and whose work was aleady known by the 1940s. The name might also remind you of security blanket-hugging philosopher Linus from the Peanuts comics. A sweet, smart name with a mythological musical connection.

Neon
Greek name meaning “new”. It wasn’t an unusual name in ancient Greece, and there are several prominent men named Neon from history. However, in modern times the name is strongly associated with neon lighting – bright electrified glass tubes often used for signs. They are named after neon gas, which is used to give off a bright orange light, but other gases provide different colours. Neon has has the same meaning as the name Neon. Neon lighting was invented in 1910, and was in its heyday between 1920 and 1940, the bright colours suddenly bringing dark streets to life. It’s probably not a coincidence that the name Neon peaked in the 1940s and ’50s, usually given to boys. Neon feel both space age and vintage, and has been used as a comic book hero name, for both a male and female character. As neon is often used in an artistic context today, you might think of this as an arty name, and it’s otherwise bright and energetic.

Revel
A revel is a festive celebration, while to revel is to make merry. The word comes from Old French, and is directly related to the Latin rebello, from which our word (and name) Rebel is derived. This is probably because we think of celebrations as tending to be rather unruly or disorderly, and sometimes they can even get out of hand! This fun-loving word has been used as a personal name since the Middle Ages in both England and France, and was also given as a nickname to people who were known for partying particularly hard. It is from this that the surname derives, and it is especially associated with Yorkshire. A famous Australian namesake is Western Australian Indigenous artist Revel Cooper, whose career began in the 1940s. Although he was just a child then, he was one of a number of children in state care who were given specialised art training, and their artwork exhibited in Perth, New Zealand, India, and Europe. Unlike many of the children, Revel continued his art career into adulthood. Revel is a boisterous medieval boys’ name that still sounds contemporary.

Rollo
Rollo was a powerful 9th century Viking leader who was the founder and first ruler of the area of France now known as Normandy. He was the great-great-great grandfather of William the Conqueror, and through William, is the ancestor of the present day British royal family, as well as all current European monarchs. His name is a Latinised form of the Old Norse name Hrólfr, which in modern times is known as Rolf. It’s a shortened form of Hrodulf, now known as Rudolf, meaning “famous wolf”. Rollo is also a Scottish surname, the Clan Rollo being descended from the Normans, and in particular the nephew of William the Conqueror, Erik Rollo. Because the Lords Rollo is a title in the Scottish peerage, the name gains further aristocratic credentials. Rollo fitted in well with 1940s name trends, when Rolf and Roland were fashionable, and Australian artist Rollo Thompson flourished in this decade. Like Cosmo, it fits in with current trends for boys names ending in -o, and this is a fun yet blue-blooded choice.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Linus, Aston and Bramwell, and their least favourite were Neon, Denzil and Garfield.

(Picture shows Denzil Macarthur-Onslow, on the right, supervising a training exercise in Queensland in 1942; photo from the Australian War Memorial)

Famous Names: Rocket Zot

08 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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Names in the News
There are some celebrities whose baby names the media looks forward to learning with barely-disguised impatience. It might be a big star or a royal, in which case we all want to know what the baby is called, even if it’s quite boring. On the other hand, there are certain celebrities where we yearn to know the baby name they choose, because we can feel “a crazy celebrity baby name” coming up.

Recently it has been Lara Bingle and her husband Sam Worthington grabbing the baby name headlines, although the whole process began months ago, during what has been described as “the world’s longest pregnancy“. This was only increased by the Bingle-Worthingtons requesting privacy and not immediately announcing their baby name, which sent the rumour mill into overdrive.

I always think that if you’re going to be coy about announcing the baby’s name, it had better be something pretty epic, because I hate waiting for weeks, only to find out the baby is named Charlie. In this case, I was not disappointed because the baby’s name was reported as Rocket Zot.

Predictably, some sections of the media responded with outrage, denouncing the name. Was this a clever attempt to force Rocket’s cagey parents to confirm or deny the baby name? If so, it worked, because Lara Bingle immediately took to social media to defend their choice of name.

Public comments have generally been quite harsh, and on this blog, more than 84% of people have given it the thumbs down. But is Rocket Zot really such a bizarre name?

ROCKET
A rocket is any missile or vehicle propelled by a rocket engine. Although we may think of rockets as being quite space age, they have been existence since the Middle Ages, when they were used as weapons by the Chinese. Europeans found out about rocket technology when they were conquered by the Mongols, who themselves made the interesting discovery by conquering parts of China first.

It wasn’t until the twentieth century that anybody began serious research into using rockets for travelling through space. The Germans made the most progress in this area, and there was devastating proof of Germany’s proficiency in rocket use when they rained down V-2 rockets upon Allied countries in World War II, killing and wounding thousands in the process.

The United States was to benefit the most from Germany’s rocketry, because after the war they scooped up the majority of the German rocket scientists. The first American space rockets evolved directly from the V2, which just shows how important it is to conquer the right people during a war, and nick all their best technological innovations.

The word rocket comes from the Italian rochetta, meaning “little fuse”, a small firecracker developed by an Italian inventor in the 14th century. It is notable that for many years, the history of rockets and that of fireworks was virtually one and the same, as they both relied on gunpowder.

If all of this sounds a bit too violent, rocket is also a leafy green vegetable commonly added to salads, and a favourite since Roman times (maybe partly because it was believed to be an aphrodisiac). In this case, the name has nothing to do with rockets or fireworks, but is derived from Eruca, the Latin name for the plant, which means “caterpillar”.

London rocket is a wildflower whose common name was given because it grew in such profusion after the Great Fire of London in 1666. Another plant is called sweet rocket or dame’s rocket, abundantly blossomed with pretty fragrant mauve flowers. The attractive but toxic aconite, or wolfsbane, is sometimes called blue rocket, and the Chinese used its poison in warfare, just as they did explosive rockets.

Rocket has been used as a name since the 19th century, when it was much more common in North America. The United States national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, with its mention of the “rockets’ red glare”, may have made the name seem particularly patriotic (the rockets in the song were from the British attacking Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812). Independence Day fireworks also help to make rockets seem patriotically American. Rocket has been given to both sexes, but more commonly to boys.

In 2013, 16 boys were given the name Rocket in the US, while in the UK, less than 3 babies in any year have been named Rocket since 1996. In South Australia last year, there was just one baby boy named Rocket.

Although Rocket is rare, it has become quite prominent as a celebrity baby name. Douglas Adams named his daughter Polly Jane Rocket in 1994, a fitting tribute for the author of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series. Director Robert Rodriguez has a son named Rocket Valentino born in 1995 (Rocket’s siblings include Rogue, Rebel, and Racer). Tom DeLonge from Blink-182 had a son named Jonas Rocket in 2006, and Pharrell Williams welcomed a son named Rocket Ayer in 2008, honouring the Rocket songs of Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Herbie Hancock, as well as Roy Ayers. Last year Beau Bokan from Blessthefall welcomed a baby girl named Rocket Wild. It’s not unknown as an Australian celebrity name, because fashion designer Yasmin Sewell had a son named Knox Rocket in 2011.

The name Rocket has been criticised for trying too hard to be a “cool” celebrity baby name, a name which no decent baby name book has listed. (I’m happy to be amongst the indecent baby name blogs to include Rocket). And yet is it really that outrageous? It’s very much like modern classic Rocco, and when Jett is a popular boy’s name, Rocket isn’t such a stretch. Weapon-related names such as Archer and Hunter are also on trend.

Depending on your point of view, Rocket might be too cool for the schoolyard, or fine for the famous but out for ordinary folk, or you might think this is an energetic, rocking firecracker of a name that fits in with current trends while still being a rare choice. Rock or Rocky are the obvious nicknames.

ZOT
If Rocket got a good going-over, Zot went down even less well, with the headline, Lara Bingle Doesn’t Give a Zot For Baby Name Traditions (since changed). Urban dictionaries were consulted, to discover that zot meant “kill, destroy”, or “spitball”. Of course you can also consult dictionaries to find that Bob is a woman’s haircut, John refers to a prostitute’s client, and Amelia means to be born without a limb, but the dictionary meanings are not usually applied to these personal names.

Lara Bingle was angered and upset by the journalist’s comments on Zot, since it was given in honour of her father Graham, who passed away from cancer a few years ago. Zot was apparently the nickname he went by.

Zot is actually a “real” name – it’s a short form of Izot, the Russian form of Greek Zotikos, meaning “full of life” (a masculine spin on Zoe). I think that makes it an exciting addition to Rocket, which is already quite a lively-sounding name.

Zot is also a comic book hero name, in this case, a contraction of the character’s real name of Zachary T. Paleozogt. A cheery blond teenager from a utopian world, Zot zips around on rocket boots with a laser gun to sort out the problems of our own rather more flawed planet.

It has been conjectured that the name Rocket is a nod to Sam Worthington’s father, Ronald Worthington, so that Rocket Zot may actually honour both fathers. The Herald Sun suggests that Ronny Graham, nicknamed “Rocket”, would have been a better honouring name. Given the choice, I think I prefer the more distinctive, affectionate, and personalised Rocket Zot.

POLL RESULTS
The name Rocket received an approval rating of 16%. 44% of people thought that Rocket was a terrible name, while 6% loved it.

Zot received a slightly higher approval rating of 20%. 61% of people thought that Zot was a terrible name, while 5% loved it.

53% of people preferred Ronny Graham as a name to honour Ronald Worthington and Graeme “Zot” Bingle, while 47% thought Rocket Zot had more zip.

(Photo shows Fourth of July fireworks to accompany the US national anthem)

Rare Girls Names From the 1940s

05 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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The most popular girls names of the 1940s were Margaret, Patricia, Judith, and Helen, but what were the least popular names? Here are ten names which were only chosen once in any year between 1944 and 1949 in South Australia, making them unique names for their time and place. They continue to be rare, and some parents will still find them appealing.

Avis
Thought to be a Latinised form of the Germanic name Aveza, most likely a long form or elaboration of the familiar Ava. Introduced to England by the Normans, it was reasonably common in the Middle Ages, and quickly became associated with the Latin word avis, meaning “bird”. Avis Rent a Car was founded in the 1940s by Warren Avis, but did not become big in Australia for some time – it’s now quite difficult to disassociate the name Avis from the rental company, although it’s very much on trend and still seems contemporary and pretty. It was also a good fit in the 1940s, when names such as Avril and Averil were fashionable.

Bunty
An old British term of endearment, dating back to perhaps the 17th century. In Scotland, buntin means “short and plump”, while in Wales, bontin means “the bottom, the rump” (a part of the body usually seen as quite plump). It’s interesting that in both Scottish and English dialect, bunt and bun refer to a rabbit’s tail, which recalls the bottom meaning. You probably remember the nursery rhyme, Bye Baby Bunting, where bunting meant “a plump little child”, and it’s amusing that they have “a rabbit skin to wrap the Baby Bunting in”, given the etymological connection between chubby babies and bunnies’ bottoms. By the 19th century, bunty was a country word for a lamb, because they bunt (or butt) with their heads, giving bunty another adorable baby-related association. The name Bunty was popularised by the Scottish comedy Bunty Pulls the Strings, which was a hit in 1911 in the West End and on Broadway (Bunty was a canny Highland lass). However, even before this, Bunty was used as a nickname, especially by the aristocracy. It was occasionally given to boys, and in Seven Little Australians, young John is called Bunty, because he is prone to be greedy and a bit overweight. In his case, the nickname literally meant “little fatty”, but Bunty can be understood as “cute wee bairn, bonny babe”. This could be a charming vintage-style nickname, and if you’re worried it’s too infantile, Babe and Baby were both used as names in the 1940s!

Cosette
Cosette is one of the main characters in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the novel, Cosette is the daughter of Fantine, a poor girl who must leave her child in the care of some innkeepers, while she works to provide for her. Cosette is badly treated by her guardians, and becomes a Cinderella-like figure, but is rescued by the ex-convict Jean Valjean. They take refuge in a convent, where Cosette develops into a beautiful young girl, and eventually finds her happy ending. Cosette’s real name is Euphrasie (meaning “good cheer”), but her mother’s pet name for her is the one which sticks – Cosette is from the French word chosette, meaning “little thing”. Les Misérables was made into a successful film in 1935, with child star Marilyn Knowlden in the role of the young Cosette; this would have increased interest in the name. Les Misérables was made into an award-winning musical film in 2012, this time with British actress Isabelle Allen playing young Cosette. Her face was used for the publicity posters, and with her arresting blue eyes, this may bring Cosette into the baby name spotlight again.

Dymphna
Anglicised form of the Irish name Damhnait, meaning “fawn”. Saint Dymphna is a 7th century Irish saint with a truly disturbing story, because legend has it that when she was fourteen, her father went mad and developed an unnatural desire for her. She ran away and devoted herself to helping the sick and the poor, but her father discovered her whereabouts, and killed her in a rage. Called the Lily of Eire, Saint Dymphna is the patron of the mentally ill, as well as vctims of incest, and many miraculous cures have been claimed on her behalf. A famous namesake is the author Dymphna Cusack, and another is Dymphna Clark, married to the historian Manning Clark, so the name has strong Australian credentials. Despite this, and the pretty meaning, Saint Dymphna’s tragic life has probably not been a help. Said DIMF-na, Dymphna has a lovely sound though, like a quirkier Daphne.

Jinx
According to superstition, a jinx is something, or someone, who brings bad luck, often without meaning to. The word is American English, first used in the context of baseball, and its origins are obscure. One suggestion is that it comes from the 1887 musical comedy Little Puck, which had a character named Jinks Hoodoo, who is a curse to everyone he meets, as well as to himself. Although Hoodoo is fairly obviously a “bad luck” word, Jinks is just a surname based on the name John, and not too unusual as a first name. Perhaps it was given with the phrase high jinks in mind, meaning “boisterous fun”. After the popular musical comedy, jinks and jinx seem to have rapidly come into use as slang terms to describe an unlucky person or object. Jinx was known as a girl’s name in the 1940s because of Jinx Falkenburg, one of the highest-paid cover-girls of the 1930s and ’40s – an early example of a supermodel. Considered one of the most beautiful and glamorous women of her time, she was also a talented sportswoman and Hollywood actress, and went on to have successful chat shows on radio and TV. Born Eugenia, her mother nicknamed her Jinx in the belief that it would bring her good luck – I’m not sure how that was meant to work, but Jinx did indeed have a fortunate life. Jinx has quite often been used as a name for (mostly female) fictional characters, from L’il Jinx from the Archie comics to Jinx Johnson in the James Bond film, played by Halle Berry. This is a playful modern nickname for the non-superstitious.

Marigold
The flower name marigold is attached to several plants with yellow blooms, but usually refers to the Calendula or pot marigold – although sometimes called English marigold, the plant probably originated in southern Europe, but became widely naturalised elsewhere from an early date. The name seems to have been first used for the wildflower Caltha palustris, also known as marsh marigold and kingcup. Marigold literally means “Mary gold”, and the name came about because the spring wildflower was a favourite in medieval churches at Easter, a tribute to the Virgin Mary. Shakespeare refers to the “golden eyes” of “Marybuds” in his play Cymbeline, and the marsh marigold is one of the UK’s most ancient plants, being an Ice Age survivor. Marigold has been used as a name since the 19th century, when flower names were fashionable, and is a hip underused floral choice which could honour a Mary.

Rilla
Rilla Blythe is the main character in L.M. Montgomery’s Rilla of Ingleside; the daughter of the famous Anne Shirley (later Anne Blythe), she is a carefree teenager who must grow up fast when World War I is declared. Rilla’s full name is Bertha Marilla, with her middle name in honour of Anne’s strict but loving adoptive mother, Marilla Cuthbert. Marilla may be a short form of Amaryllis or an elaboration of Mary, and it’s notable that the name Marilla was used more than once during the 1940s. Perhaps the wartime courage of Rilla Blythe struck a chord during World War II, or maybe the 1939 publication of Anne of Ingleside played a role, where Rilla is said to be sweetest baby of all, and shown as an adorably pretty and plump lisping toddler. Rilla is a trendy name from the wartime era that still seems cute, especially knowing Rilla Blythe was affectionately known as “Rilla, my Rilla”. One for Montgomery fans!

Thais
Thaïs of Athens was a famous Greek hetaera who accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaigns. Hetaera were high status courtesans; educated, influential, and sophisticated women who were paid companions to men – not just in the bedroom, but as stimulating conversationalists and talented musicians and dancers. Thaïs was the lover of Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander’s generals, and she is said to have been witty and entertaining company. After Alexander’s death, Ptolemy became the king of Egypt, and Thaïs was his wife, or at least a high ranking concubine, and mother of his children (he had other wives to provide him with heirs to the throne). Saint Thaïs was from 4th century Egypt, a beautiful and wealthy courtesan who repented of her life and converted to Christianity. It is hard not to wonder if her story was influenced by Thaïs of Athens, who also lived in Egypt during the 4th century. The saint inspired a novel by Anataloe France, and an opera by Massenet; as a result, Thaïs is a popular name in France. The Greek name Thaïs means “head band”, referring to the plain cloth bands that women in ancient Greece commonly wore to keep their hair in place. Like the hair covering, this name is both simple and sophisticated, with a fascinating historical namesake, and fits in with Australian name trends. The French pronunciation is rather like tah-EES, while English speakers may prefer TAY-is or ty-EES.

Unity
The word unity means “oneness”, familiar in both religious and political contexts, and used as a virtue name since at least the 17th century. It seems a rather strange choice for the 1940s, because Unity Mitford was an aristocratic English girl who was a rabid supporter of the Nazis and fervent devotee of Adolf Hitler, her close personal friend. When Britain declared war on Germany, Unity tried to commit suicide by shooting herself in the head, but survived, although permanently affected by her brain injuries. She died from an infection caused by the bullet in 1948, a controversial figure to the end. Unity Mitford was the inspiration behind evil Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series, and it’s interesting that J.K. Rowling named her eldest daughter after Jessica Mitford, a staunch Communist and Unity’s sister. If you can get over the connection to Unity Mitford, Unity is a rather attractive name, and similar in sound to Una, which still charted in the 1940s.

Valencia
A large port city in Spain, famous for its vibrant culture and delicious cuisine. Founded as a Roman colony in the 2nd century, its name was originally Valentia, meaning “strength, valour”, in recognition of the bravery of former Roman soldiers who settled there. The name is closely related to the familiar Valentine. During the period of Muslim rule, Valencia was nicknamed Medina bu-Tarab, “City of Joy”. The name might remind you of Valencia oranges, grown in California but named after the Spanish city, which had a reputation for very sweet oranges. Valencia has long been used as a personal name in Spanish-speaking countries, but is not common in English-speaking ones. It may have got a boost from the 1926 romantic film Valencia, where the title character is an exotic Spanish dancer, played by Mae Murray. A box office success, its title song was one of the biggest hits of that year. Valencia fitted in with popular names of the 1940s such as Valerie, and still seems rather glamorous.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Marigold, Cosette and Rilla, and their least favourite were Unity, Dymphna and Bunty.

(Photo shows Australian author Dymphna Cusack in 1945: her play Red Sky At Morning was one of few produced during the war years, and was made into film in 1944)

Famous Name: Quentin Bryce

11 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names, Requested Names

≈ 3 Comments

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Famous Namesake
It was International Women’s Day on Sunday, so this seems like a good chance to cover the name of a prominent and ground-breaking Australian woman.

Quentin Bryce (nee Strachan) was one of the first women admitted to the Queensland Bar, and became the first woman appointed as a faculty member of the law school where she had studied, at the University of Queensland. As well as her teaching role, she was appointed to the new National Women’s Advisory Council in 1978, becoming its convenor a few years later.

She went on to take up other key roles in women’s issues, such as becoming the first Director of the Queensland Women’s Information Service, and Queensland Director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. She served as Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner for five years, then became founding chair and CEO of the National Childcare Accreditation Council. A surprise move saw her become principal and CEO of the Women’s College at the University of Sydney, where she was able to combine her academic interests with her skills in administration.

In 2003 she was appointed Governor of Queensland by Premier Peter Beattie, only the second woman to take the role (the first was Leneen Forde, in the 1990s). Peter Beattie’s successor offered her an extension of her five-year term, but by then Dame Quentin had another appointment, and so she was succeeded as Governor of Queensland by Penelope Wensley – the first time a female governor of the state made way for another woman.

In 2008, the Queen approved Quentin’s appointment as Governor-General, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and so she became the 25th Governor-General of Australia, and the first female Governor-General of this country. The decision gained approval on all sides of politics, and was seen as a positive move by commentators. Towards the end of her term, she made headlines after giving the annual Boyer Lecture, when she implied that she looked forward to Australia becoming a republic, and legalising gay marriage.

When her term was completed last year, Quentin Bryce was made a Dame of the Order of Australia, on the recommendation of the current prime minister. Shortly afterwards, Dame Quentin was announced as the chair of a new task force to combat domestic violence in Queensland, so she continues her valuable work on behalf of Australian women.

QUENTIN
French form of the Roman name Quintinus, derived from Quintus, meaning “fifth” in Latin, and traditionally given to a fifth child.

Saint Quentin is a 3rd century saint, and according to legend he was a Roman citizen who went to Gaul as a missionary, where he settled in Amiens in northern France. After performing many miracles, he was tortured and martyred before his body was thrown into the marshes of the Somme. By miraculous means, his body was later discovered and a shrine erected in his honour.

The cult of Saint Quentin was an important one in the Middle Ages, and Saint Quentin’s tomb was a major pilgrimage site, much favoured by the Carolingians. There are many places named after the saint in northern France. Because of the saint, the Normans introduced the name Quentin to England, where it may have contributed to the surname Quentin, although that could also come from Quinton in Warwickshire, meaning “the queen’s settlement” in Old English.

The name Quentin has been in use since medieval times, overwhelmingly as a male name. It is in the Top 500 in the United States, while in England/Wales, 17 baby boys were named Quentin in 2013. The name is most popular in France, where it is in the Top 50. There are not many Quentins in Australian historical records, and they are all male.

Besides Quentin Bryce, there are many famous Australians named Quentin in the media. Quentin Spedding was a journalist in the 1920s and 1930s, while ABC journalists include Quentin Dempster, Quentin McDermott, and Quentin Hull. There’s also film-maker and producer Quentin Kenihan, who first rose to fame as a little boy being interviewed on television.

You might also be reminded of American film director Quentin Tarantino, or British illustrator Quentin Blake. Homosexual author and performer Quentin Crisp changed his name to Quentin (born Denis Pratt), while Quentin Cook changed his name to Norman, and performed under the stage name Fatboy Slim.

These are all men named Quentin, but as a surname, Quentin refers to a queen, and even as a first name, Quentin could be used as a form of the female Roman name Quintina. I only know two people named Quentin, and they are both female, so the name seems very usable for girls to me, in addition to being a splendid choice for a boy.

BRYCE
Surname derived from the male name Brice. Saint Brice was a Bishop of Tours during the Dark Ages. Acccording to legend, he was an orphan rescued by Saint Martin and raised in an monastery as St Martin’s pupil. He took over as bishop from St Martin, but proved rather worldly, so he was exiled to Rome for seven years to have his sins absolved by the pope. When he returned, he was a changed man, and served with such humility that he was venerated as a saint.

He is remembered in England because his feast day is November 13, and on that day in 1002 there was a mass killing of the Danes living in England ordered by King Ethelred the Unready, who was fed up with England being ravaged in Viking raids each year. It is known as the St Brice’s Day Massacre.

The meaning of Brice is not known for sure, although it is assumed to be Celtic. It may come from the Gaulish word briccus, meaning “speckled”. As a surname, Bryce is particularly associated with Scotland, and is understood as meaning “follower of Saint Brice”.

The name is very well known in Australia because of best-selling author Bryce Courtenay, who was born in South Africa – his name was Arthur, but went by his middle name. Before becoming a published writer, Bryce worked in advertising, and headed many award-winning campaigns, including Louie the Fly, The Milkybar Kid, and It’s Time, on behalf of Gough Whitlam. His most famous work is his first novel, The Power of One, which has been made into a film.

Bryce entered the charts in the 1960s, debuting at #274 – its similarity to Bruce is so striking that you might suspect it was a replacement for the name, which was still popular in the ’60s, but falling steeply. Bryce rose into the Top 100 by the 1990s, just as Bryce Courtenay began his career as an author, and left the Top 100 in 2000. It is now around the 200s, so still fairly common.

It’s more popular in the US, where it has fallen much more slowly, and is not far out of the Top 100. It is least common in England/Wales, where 19 boys and 3 girls were named Bryce in 2013 (the second time that Bryce has charted as a female name in the UK, probably because of American actress Bryce Dallas Howard, who has recently been in the Twilight series and The Help).

Modern classic Bryce is still getting reasonable use, along with old favourites like Brock and Brody, and is also on trend, fitting in with fashionable rising choices like Byron. It’s a great way to honour a Bruce and a Bryan simultaneously, and I see this name more commonly in the middle, as it goes well with so many first names.

Two medieval French saints names – but which one do you like best?

POLL RESULTS
Quentin received an approval rating of 51%. 40% of people weren’t keen on the name Quentin, but 21% thought it was a good name.

Bryce received an approval rating of 37%. 53% of people weren’t keen on the name Bryce, although 10% loved it.

Thank you to Brooke for requesting that the name Quentin be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda, and Dame Quentin Bryce be featured as part of the Famous Name series

(Picture shows Dame Quentin Bryce opening the Defence Museum in Darwin)

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1940s

08 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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Anglo-Saxon names, animal names, aristocratic names, aristocratic surnames, aristocratic titles, Biblical names, Breton names, CB radio voice procedures, classic names, english names, ethnonyms, fictional namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, germanic names, Greek names, Irish names, Latin names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name trends, names from television, names from video games, names of flags, nicknames, Norse names, papal names, Roman names, royal names, saints names, Scottish names, slang terms, surname names, US name trends, Welsh names

Alan
Breton name, common amongst aristocracy, introduced to England by the Normans, where it became one of the most popular names. The meaning is uncertain – the word alan was used in Brittany to mean “fox”, but evidence suggests it originally meant “deer”. The two meanings may both refer to someone with red hair, or to indicate speed. There is also an Irish name Ailin, meaning “little rock”, very similar to the Irish/Scots Gaelic word alainn, meaning “handsome”, while the Welsh Alun may mean either “nurturing” or “wandering”. When the Normans brought Alan with them, the name spread to Scotland as Breton lords gained lands there – perhaps partly because the Scots already had similar names. Another theory is that the name comes from the Alans, Indo-Iranian peoples who settled in parts of France and Brittany in the Middle Ages; their name has the same origin as Aryan, meaning “noble”. There are several saints named Alan. Alan is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #55 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #20, leaving the Top 100 in the 1980s. It has recently had a small rise in popularity, and is around the 300s. Surname variants Allan and Allen have also been popular; Allen is back on the charts, while Allan has disappeared. I have seen a few babies named Alan and Allen lately.

Cecil
English form of the Roman family Caecilius. The Caecilii traced their ancestry back to the mythical figure Caeculus, a son of the smith god Vulcan. According to legend, Caeculus had mastery over fire, and was unharmed by it, although the smoke damaged his eyes, which were smaller than usual – his name means “little blind boy” in Latin. Another story is that the Caecilii were descended from Caecas, a follower of the legendary Roman hero Aeneas: his name means “blind” as well, although it also can be translated as “dark, secret”. Of course both these tales are just folklore. The name Cecil has been used since the Middle Ages, and it was also given in honour of the noble Cecil family, whose surname comes from the name Seisyll, Welsh form of the Roman name Sextilius, from Sextus, meaning “sixth”. Cecil was #18 in the 1900s, and was #89 in the 1940s. It left the Top 100 the following decade, and dropped off the charts in the 1970s. I recently saw a baby Cecil, and I think this name seems pretty hip.

Clifford
English surname, from a village in Herefordshire meaning “ford at the cliff”. The Cliffords are a noble family who originally came over with the Normans, and were prominent in medieval England. One of their members was Rosamund Clifford, “The Fair Rosamund”, who was the mistress of Henry II. Clifford has been used as a first name since at least the 16th century. Clifford was #61 in the 1900s, peaking in the 1910s and 1920s at #59. It was #92 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1990s. This name will remind many parents of the classic children’s book series, Clifford the Big Red Dog. It seems strong and solid.

Desmond
Anglicised form of the Irish surname O’Deasmhumhnaigh, meaning “son of the man from Desmond”. Desmond is the original name for South-West Munster, and means “south Munster”. Munster means “land of Muma”; Muma was a goddess associated with writing. Desmond became prominent as an aristocratic title, as the Earls of Desmond were lords of Ireland, related to royal houses in England and France. Their family name was FitzGerald, and US President J.F. Kennedy is believed to have been descended from them. Desmond has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and originated outside Ireland. Desmond was #127 in the 1900s, joined the Top 100 in the 1920s, and peaked in the 1940s at #66. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and dropped off the charts in the early 2000s. This name is rising in popularity in the US, and I wonder if that could happen here too? Desmond Miles from the Assassin’s Creed video game series, and Desmond from Lost are contemporary namesakes.

Gregory
From the Greek name Gregorios, meaning “watchful”. Because the Latin for “flock” is grex, it became understood as “shepherd”, the idea being that the shepherd would keep watch over his flock. Because of this, it became a popular name for monks and bishops to adopt, and there have been dozens of saints and 16 popes with the name Gregory. Pope Gregory I was known as Gregory the Great, and he is famous for sending Christian missionaries to England to covert the Anglo-Saxons, and for the Gregorian chant, which is attributed to and named after him. Because of him, Gregory has been a common English name since the Middle Ages. Gregory is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #143 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1930s. It was #34 in the 1940s, and peaked in the 1950s at #7 (when Gregory Peck was big in Hollywood). It didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1990s, and is currently around the 600s and fairly stable. It may not be stylish, but this is a solid choice.

Maurice
French form of Roman name Mauritius, derived from Maurus, meaning “man from Mauretania”. Mauretania was a region of the Roman Empire where north Africa is today, so the name is often understood as “dark-skinned”, and sometimes translated as “a Moor” (the old name for someone from northern Africa). The name became commonly used because of St Maurice, a 3rd century Egyptian who served in the Roman army. According to legend, he was part of a Christian legion who refused to kill other Christians, and were martyred together. As a Roman soldier, St Maurice was patron of the Holy Roman Emperors and many of the royal houses of Europe, so his name became used by royalty and nobility. Prince Maurice of Battenberg was Queen Victoria’s youngest grand-child; he was killed in action during World War I. Maurice was #71 in the 1900s and peaked in the 1920s at #52. It was #82 in the 1940s, and left the Top 100 the following decade; it dropped off the charts in the 1990s. Maurice has a rather nerdy image, although AFL fans may be reminded of footballing great Maurice Rioli. It can be said muh-REES or MOR-is, with Reese or Morrie as the nicknames.

Norman
Germanic nickname or surname meaning “north man”, referring to Vikings. The Normans were descendants of Vikings who had taken over and settled the region of northern France now known as Normandy. Later a Norman duke named William conquered England, so that the Normans became an important part of British history and culture. The name Norman or Normant was used in England even before the Conquest, and became more common after 1066, although dropped off again in the late Middle Ages. It never went out of use, but became much more popular in the 19th century, due to the Victorian love of anything antique-sounding. In Scotland, it was used to Anglicise the Norse/Gaelic name Tormod, meaning “courage of Thor”. Norman was #19 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #14. It was #46 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and disappeared from the charts in the 1990s. There are many Australian namesakes, from artist Norman Lindsay to comedian Norman Gunston to pop star Normie Rowe. Many people still remember Norm, from the Life. Be in it fitness campaign, representing a pot-bellied man as “the norm”.

Raymond
The Germanic name Raginmund is composed of ragin, meaning “advice, counsel” and mund, “protection”; it is sometimes translated as “protected by good counsel”. The Normans introduced it to England in the form Reimund, where it became very common in the Middle Ages. It was a traditional name amongst medieval nobility, and there are several medieval saints called Raymond. Never out of use, Raymond is a classic name which has always remained on the charts. It was #33 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #9. It left the Top 100 in the 1990s, and hit its lowest point in 2009 at #326. Since then it has improved its popularity ranking, and is currently in the 200s. With Roy- names so fashionable, Ray- names cannot help getting a boost as well, and Raymond is not only a solid classic choice, but one which has recently gained some cachet. Plenty of parents love Raymond!

Roger
From a Germanic name meaning “famous spear”. The Normans introduced the name to England in the form Rogier, where it replaced the Anglo-Saxon form, Hroðgar or Hrothgar, which is found in the poem Beowulf as the name of a Danish king. The name was common in medieval England, heavily used by the aristocracy, and there are a couple of saints named Roger. It has never gone out of common use, even though roger was a slang term for “penis” – possibly because of the spear connection. More recently, roger has become understood as “to have sexual intercourse”. It has often been chosen for comic characters, such as the Beano‘s Roger the Dodger, Roger Ramjet, Roger Rabbit, Roger the alien from American Dad, and Roger the Shrubber from Monty Python’s Holy Grail (not to mention “Welease Woger” in The Life of Brian). Roger was #155 in the 1900s, joined the Top 100 in the 1930s and peaked in the 1940s at #57. It left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and dropped off the charts in the late 2000s, albeit with a sudden burst of use in 2009, when it got up to #384. Although perhaps too many jokes have been made at its expense, the pirate flag of the Jolly Roger, and radio procedure call of Roger give it a rollicking feel.

Stephen
English form of the Greek name Stephanos, meaning “wreath, crown”, to denote the laurel wreath worn by those who achieved victory in contests. In the New Testament, St Stephen was a deacon of the early church who was martyred by stoning. As the first martyr, St Stephen’s name seems apt, and he is often said to have won his martyr’s crown. There are several other saints with the name, and nine popes. The name Stephen became more popular in England after the Norman Conquest, and although it is a common name for royalty in eastern Europe, there has only ever been one English king with the name. Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William the Conqueror who took the throne in controversial circumstances; his rule marked a period of anarchy as he fought the Empress Matilda for the right to rule. In the end he failed, and his name has never been used again for a British king. Never out of common use, Stephen is a classic name which has remained on the charts. It was #72 in the 1900s, was #36 in the 1940s, and peaked in the 1950s at #5. It didn’t leave the Top 100 until the early 2000s, and is currently fairly stable around the 300s. The variant Steven, in use since the Middle Ages, is more popular than Stephen, around the 200s.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Desmond, Stephen and Gregory, and their least favourite were Roger, Maurice and Norman.

(Picture shows the famous “dancing man” from the joyous celebrations in the streets of Sydney which marked the end of World War II in August 1945)

Girls Names from the Top 100 of the 1940s

01 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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animal names, aristocratic names, Biblical names, classic names, colour names, controversial names, created names, dated names, english names, fictional namesakes, French names, gemstone names, German names, Greek names, hebrew names, Latin names, middle names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nature names, nicknames, plant names, rare names, retro names, royal names, saints names, Spanish names, underused classics, unisex names, vocabulary names

These are names of babies born during World War II, and the first baby boomers, born in the years just after the war. If you are an older parent, your own mother might have been born in this decade, while young parents may see 1940s names as “grandma” names. For those wanting a name that’s ahead of the curve, there are rich pickings from this time period.

Coral
Coral is a gemstone made from the polished shells or exoskeletons of coral polyps – originally, and typically, Corallium rubrum, from the Mediterranean. Because this species has a pink or red colouring, the word coral also refers to a pinkish colour. The ancient Romans believed coral would protect children, and it was common for baby toys and teething rings to be made from coral, even in the 19th century. Coral jewellery has been worn since prehistoric times, although it was the Victorian era which made coral fashionable. Today, with greater awareness of the environmental impact of harvesting coral, many jewellers will no longer sell coral items, and consumers are urged to boycott jewellery made from coral. The name Coral was #194 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1930s. It peaked in the 1940s at #79, left the Top 100 the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1980s, perhaps partly due to growing environmental concerns. Leaving aside the gemstone, you could see this name as a way to celebrate our beautiful coral reefs, and marine environment.

Daphne
In Greek mythology, Daphne was a naiad; a nymph of fresh water, and daughter of a river god. Acording to legend, she was so beautiful that the god Apollo pursued her. Just as he was about to catch her, she pleaded with her father to help her, and he turned her into a laurel tree – Daphne literally means “laurel”, and it’s also the scientific name for the plant. The laurel became sacred to Apollo, and wreaths of laurel were traditionally given to those who had achieved victory. The name Daphne has been use since the 18th century, when classical names became fashionable, but only became common in the 19th, because of the interest in botanical names. Daphne was #82 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #22. It was #76 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1970s. Recently it been in the charts again, and is around the 300s. Charming retro Daphne makes a distinguished choice, not a daffy one.

Frances
Feminine form of Francis, often given in tribute to St Francis of Assisi, although St Frances of Rome provides a medieval female saintly namesake. The name was commonly used by the British aristocracy, with examples such as Frances Cobham, a close friend of Elizabeth I, and Frances Grey, the mother of queen-for-nine-days Lady Jane Grey. The great Restoration beauty Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, drove King Charles II batty with desire, but she refused to become his mistress. Her lovely face was used as the model for Brittania on coins, medals, and statues, and can still be seen today. In common use since the 16th century at least, Frances is a classic name which has never disappeared from the charts. It was #52 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #47, leaving the Top 100 in the 1970s. It sank into obscurity in the late 2000s, but had a boost at the start of this decade which saw it move into the 500s, and is now around the 200s. More solid than Francesca, Frances is a quiet achiever which gets royal glamour from being the middle name of Diana, Princess of Wales, and offers the cool nickname Frankie.

Irene
From the Greek Eirene, meaning “peace”. In Greek mythology, Eirene was the personification of peace, depicted as a beautiful young girl carrying symbols of plenty. Another mythological Eirene was a daughter of Poisedon. The name was in use in ancient Greece, and one Eirene was a famous artist. There are a number of saints named Irene, with Irene of Thessalonica martyred with her sisters Love and Purity, so personifications of theological virtues. Originally more popular in eastern Christianity, it was the name of a Byzantine Empress, and has been used by European royalty. The name was originally pronounced e-REE-nee, but is usually said IE-reen now. Irene is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #19 in the 1900s, and peaked the following decade at #17. It was #56 in the 1940s, and left the Top 100 in the 1960s. It reached its lowest point in the late 2000s at #684, and since then become more popular, perhaps because it’s been used for several fictional characters in the past few years. Currently it’s around the 400s. This is a hip, underused classic with a lovely meaning.

Lois
In the New Testament, Lois was the pious grandmother of Saint Timothy. It’s not known what the name means: it may be from the Greek meaning “more desirable, more agreeable”, and understood as “the most beautiful, the best”. However, as Lois was Jewish, it could be an attempt to Hellenise a Hebrew name. Lois is also a male name – an Occitan and Galician form of Louis. The female name Lois has been in use since the 16th century, and was used by Puritan families. Lois Lane, Superman’s love interest, has given the name publicity for many decades, but more recently it has become a “mum name” on TV, with Lois Wilkerson from Malcolm in the Middle, and Lois Griffin from Family Guy. Lois joined the charts in the 1910s, debuting at #181. It joined the Top 100 in the 1930s, when it peaked at #84, and was #93 in the 1940s. It left the Top 100 the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1970s. Soft sounding Lois would make an interesting alternative to popular names such as Eloise.

Marlene
German name combining Maria/Marie and Magdalene, so it commemorates Mary Magdalene from the New Testament, the chief female disciple of Jesus Christ. The German pronunciation is mahr-LE-nuh, but it is often said MAHR-leen in English. The name became well known in the English speaking world because of iconic German-American film star Marlene Dietrich, whose real name was Marie Magdalene. The name Marlene rocketed into the Top 100 from nowhere in the 1930s when Dietrich became a star after appearing as the uberdesirable Lola Lola in Josef von Sternberg’s movie The Blue Angel. It both debuted and peaked at #63 in the 1930s. The name Marlene was #68 in the 1940s, when Dietrich did valuable war work, such as performing for the troops and raising war bonds. By the 1950s, when Dietrich became a cabaret star, the name Marlene had left the Top 100. It left the the charts in the 1980s, when Dietrich’s career was over. Despite being a dated name which spiked in popularity only briefly, Marlene still seems glamorous and sexy, fitting in with modern names such as Marley and Elena.

Pamela
Created by Sir Philip Sidney for his 16th century epic, the Arcadia; in the story, Pamela is an attractive main character. It is usually thought that Sidney based the name on the Greek for “all sweetness”. The name was given publicity by Samuel Richardson’s best-selling 18th century novel, Pamela, where a lovely teenaged maidservant is threatened with rape by her employer, but she successfully resists him, and is rewarded for her virtue by being allowed to marry him. Not only are there so many things wrong with that sentence, it was apparently based on a true story. Pamela was originally pronounced pa-MEE-luh, but PAM-eh-luh is more usual now. Pamela has been used since the 17th century, and an early namesake was Lady Edward Fitzgerald; although her real name was Stephanie, she named her eldest daughter Pamela. Pamela joined the charts in the 1910s, debuting at #310, and peaked in the 1940s at #9. It left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and hasn’t been on the charts since the early 2000s. This is an elegant literary name which is dated, but still seems very usable.

Ruth
In the Old Testament, Ruth was the loyal widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi, who famously offered to follow her mother-in-law wherever she went. Naomi married Ruth to one of her relatives, who called Ruth a “noble character”; she is one of the nicest people in the Bible, blessed with a loving spirit. Her name comes from the Hebrew ru’at, meaning “friend, companion” – it seems chosen for the story, as she was such a good friend to Naomi. Ruth is also an English word meaning “mercy, compassion” – it’s one of those words which only seems to be used in its negative form, as we often describe people as ruthless, but rarely ruthful. Ruth has been in common use throughout the modern era, and is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #66 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #41. It was #58 in the 1940s, and left the Top 100 in the 1970s. It’s currently around the 500s. An underused classic with two lovely meanings and a sweet namesake, this is a great name. After all, you can’t spell truth without Ruth!

Thelma
Popularised by Marie Corelli’s 1887 novel Thelma; in Corelli’s romance, Thelma is an enchantingly beautiful, snow-pure Norwegian princess who marries an English nobleman. The name Thelma had been in use since at least the 18th century, but the meaning is not known. One theory is that it is based on the Greek word thelema, meaning “will”, but there is no evidence to support it. It may be a variant of Selma, since Selma is a common name in Scandinavia even today, and Thelma was used in Norway before the novel was published. The name Thelma was also used in Spanish-speaking countries before Corelli’s novel, and Anselma (the long form of Selma) is a Spanish name. Thelma was #18 in the 1900s and peaked the following decade at #9. It was #96 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 by the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1970s. With the name Selma now receiving a boost from the film, could its clunky sister Thelma be in with a chance?

Valerie
English form of the French name Valérie, from the Latin name Valeria, the feminine form of Valerius, meaning “strong, healthy”. It comes from the same source as the name Valentine. St Valerie was a legendary French saint who was martyred by beheading, then went for a walk carrying her head. This was a popular thing for French saints to do in medieval legends, so the name Valerie got quite a boost. Valerie is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #180 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 the following decade. Peaking in the 1930s at #12, it was #38 in the 1940s. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and has remained in uncommon use. It had a small boost at the start of this decade, when it was in the 400s. Valerie is a classic with a rather luscious feel to it. It makes a great middle name too.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Daphne, Coral and Frances, and their least favourite were Marlene, Thelma, and Pamela.

(Picture shows members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force working on a RAAF plane; photo from the Australian War Memorial)

Famous Name: Charles

26 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 6 Comments

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Anglo-Saxon names, Australian idioms, Australian names, Australian slang, classic names, english names, famous namesakes, French names, German names, germanic names, name history, name meaning, nicknames, popular names, royal names, saints names

Famous Namesake
Fifty years ago, on February 12 1965, a bus left Sydney University on a two-week tour of rural New South Wales. Aboard was a group of 29 white and black activists, mostly students, who had been inspired by the American civil rights movement of the 1960s to protest in support of Indigenous civil rights.

The bus trip had been organised by Student Action for Aborigines, and their elected president was Charles “Charlie” Perkins, one of only two Indigenous students at Sydney University, and a huge fan of Dr Martin Luther King. The trip was later dubbed the Freedom Ride, after the famous Freedom Riders of the American civil rights movement, who took buses through the southern states in 1961 to protest racial segregation.

Some members of SAFA saw themselves as on a fact-finding mission to collect evidence of discrimination against Aborigines in rural Australia. At the time, many Australians believed racism was a problem which existed only in South Africa, or in the deep south of the United States. But the Australian Freedom Riders found that apartheid and segregation did not just happen overseas.

The SAFA were shocked to find the poor living conditions of most rural Aborigines, and that hospitals, schools, and churches separated black people from white in some country towns, as did milk bars, pubs, and cinemas. In others, Indigenous Australians were barred from entering swimming pools, clubs, or restaurants, while it was routine for them to be refused service in shops and businesses.

The students made several non-violent protests on their bus trip, and also tried to encourage Indigenous Australians to join their protests and demand better treatment. In Moree they helped Aboriginal children to go swimming at the pool in defiance of the race-based ban against them, and were greeted with hostility by white locals, who threw eggs, rotten fruit, and stones at the protesters while spitting at them. However, they were eventually able to persuade the town council to overturn the ban.

One of the students on the Freedom Ride was also an ABC journalist, and the SAFA had ensured plenty of media coverage on their bus trip – they even made the news internationally. With the events of the Freedom Ride appearing on television, radio, and in newspaper articles, and with the harsh injustice against Australian Aborigines exposed, it was no longer possible for white Australians to claim ignorance of racism in their own country.

Charles Perkins graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1966, becoming the first Indigenous Australian man to graduate from university. The following year, as manager of the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs, he headed the campaign to advocate for a Yes vote in the Referendum which allowed Aboriginal people to be counted in censuses, and for parliament to be allowed to introduce legislation specifically for Aboriginal people. The Referendum passed, with more than 90% of Australians voting Yes.

He became a public servant with the Office of Aboriginal Affairs, and in 1981 was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs – the first Indigenous Australian to become permanent head of a federal government department. He took leadership roles in the Aboriginal community, and, being a former soccer player, was also appointed to key positions in football administration. He received many awards and honours during his lifetime.

On February 18 this year, his daughter Rachel Perkins was among those who took a bus from Sydney University in a re-enactment for the fiftieth anniversary of the Freedom Ride. Along the way, they were greeted warmly by the communities they entered, rather than having stones thrown at them or being run off the road, as a sign of how things have changed.

Although this year’s five-day bus trip could celebrate improvements in the lives of Indigenous Australians, such as being counted in the census and having access to the same education as white people, it also highlighted the disadvantages that many Aborigines continue to suffer, such as poverty, unemployment, health issues, higher rates of incarceration, and covert racism. The work of the Freedom Riders is by no means complete.

Name Information
Charles is the French form of the Germanic name Karal, which in modern German is Karl; it comes from the Germanic karlaz, meaning “a free man”. In Anglo-Saxon English karlaz became ceorl, denoting the lowest rank of freemen – a peasant who was neither a slave nor a serf. Ceorl does seem to have been used as a name in Anglo-Saxon England, even by royalty. By modern times, the word had become churl, understood as “a country person, someone of low social status”, and eventually seen as someone rude, loutish and vulgar – exhibiting what we call churlish behaviour.

The name has become widely known chiefly because of Charles Martel, a powerful Frankish military leader who never held the title of king, but nevertheless ruled Francia (modern France) as Duke and Prince, and divided the kingdom of the Franks between his sons, just as kings did. His grandson was Charles I, otherwise known as Charlemagne (Charles the Great), called “The Father of Europe”. He united western Europe and laid the foundations for modern France and Germany; his kingdom is known as the Carolingian Empire.

Little wonder the name Charles was a favourite in the French monarchy; the last one was Charles X, who ruled in the 19th century until being forced to abdicate and go into exile. This means that Charles remained a French royal name for over a thousand years.

The name Charles became used by British royalty due to the Stuart kings, who were Scottish; Scotland has long had ties with France. Charles I wasn’t a terrifically popular king, and fought against his enemies in the English Civil War. Losing that, he refused to accept the parliament’s demand for a constitutional monarchy, and was beheaded for treason. He is regarded as a martyr in Anglicanism.

England became a republic for a few years, until the monarchy was restored with the accession of Charles’ son. Charles II was known as the Merry Monarch for his decadent lifestyle, and although he couldn’t stick the parliament either, he managed to dissolve it without getting his head cut off.

We may get a King Charles III in the near future, although some are of the opinion that Charles is not a suitable name for a modern king. The first two Charleses were anti-parliament and resisted a constitutional monarchy, while Charles II is considered to have lived an “immoral” life that we now expect kings not to emulate. (Maybe the spaniels are also an issue). Prince Charles could rule under any of his names, and a popular belief is that he will choose to take the throne as George VII.

There are quite a number of saints named Charles, and several religious leaders, such as Charles Wesley, who co-founded the Methodist Church, and Charles Spurgeon, a famous Baptist preacher.

Famous people from Australian history include explorer Captain Charles Sturt; naval officer Sir Charles Fremantle, after whom the city of Fremantle is named; Charles La Trobe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria; Sir Charles Menzies, founder of the city of Newcastle; astronomer and pioneering meteorologist Charles Todd; Charles Harpur, our first real poet; Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, World War I flying ace and pioneer aviator; Antarctic explorer Charles Laseron; distinguished film-maker Charles Chauvel; artist Charles Blackman; and brilliant neurosurgeon Charles “Charlie” Teo.

Charles is a classic name which has never left the charts, and barely been out of the Top 100. It was #7 in the 1900s, and reached its lowest point in the 1980s at #116. It was back on the Top 100 by the following decade, and since then its position has been fairly stable. In 2013, it was #81 nationally, #81 in New South Wales, #88 in Victoria, #85 in Queensland, #53 in Tasmania, and #86 in the Australian Capital Territory.

With Charles, you get a handsome, elegant classic and a solid, traditional name. Its history takes you back to European royalty, and Charles still feels regal and noble. However, lest the name feel too stiff and formal, it has a number of relaxed, casual nicknames.

Charlie is a popular name in its own right, while the older-style Chas is familiar from comedian Chas Licciardello. The vintage nickname Chilla, which appears to be uniquely Australian, is perhaps best known from 1950s Olympic athlete “Chilla” Porter. The American nicknames Chip and Chuck are rarely used here, probably because they mean “French fry” and “vomit” respectively in Australian English.

POLL RESULTS
Charles received an excellent approval rating of 82%, making it one of the top-rated names of 2015. People saw the name Charles as strong and handsome (18%), a name with history and substance (17%), and formal and elegant (15%). 16% of people thought the nickname Charlie was cute. However, 9% thought the name was too stuffy and old-fashioned. Only one person was bothered by the linguistic connection to the word churlish, and only one person thought the nickname Charlie was silly and childish.

(Picture shows Charles Perkins on the “Freedom Ride bus trip; photo from National Geographic)

Famous Name: Liberty

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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On February 1, award-winning Latvian-Australian journalist Peter Greste was freed from the Egyptian prison where he had been confined for 400 days. While on temporary assignment for news service Al Jazeera in Egypt, Peter was arrested with two of his colleagues in December 2013, charged with aiding the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. After a farcical show-trial in which no evidence was presented, the three of them were sentenced to seven to ten years imprisonment as terrorists.

Regarded as political prisoners by the international community, there has been a concerted global campaign by journalists to free the Al Jazeera staff, using the slogan: Journalism is not a crime. Along with diplomatic negotiations, this resulted in a retrial being announced, followed by Peter being deported to Australia.

Peter kept himself sane in prison through exercise and meditation, and undertaking a degree in International Relations. He thought of the things he wanted most – to watch the sunset, to see the stars in the sky, and to feel sand between his toes.

Once released, he tweeted a photo of himself at the beach in Cyprus, saying how sweet freedom was. Peter is elated to be back with his family, but is concerned about his colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohammad, who are still in prison. Let the campaign to free Al Jazeera staff continue until they all can be at liberty.

The word liberty means “freedom”, ultimately from the Latin libertas. Libertas was the Roman goddess of liberty.

Our modern ideal of political liberty comes from the ancient Greeks, and is closely bound up with democracy. A free society, where all citizens live in liberty, is generally seen as one where slavery does not exist, and where everyone has equal political rights.

Liberty, in conjunction with equality and fraternity, was the catch-cry of the French Revolution, now the motto of modern France. For a time, Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on altars, and the French Republic symbol of Marianne portrays the goddess of Liberty, an allegory of democracy, reason, and freedom.

Liberty has also been a guiding principle for the United States, with the the Declaration of Independence promising “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”, while Abraham’s Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address speaks of a nation “conceived in liberty”.

The Pledge of Allegiance offers fealty to a nation who stands for “liberty and justice for all” (taken directly from the French motto), and the patriotic song My Country, ‘Tis of Thee praises the “sweet land of liberty” – referenced in Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.

As a sign of their shared love for the ideal of liberty, the people of France gifted the people of the United States with a giant statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, known as the Statue of Liberty. Standing on Liberty Island in New York City’s harbour, it is one of America’s best known icons, symbolically welcoming immigrants to a land of freedom.

Liberty is also a Christian virtue, symbolising being set free from the slavery of sin. There are several mentions of liberty in the Bible, including the quote from Leviticus which is written on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.

Liberty has been used as a personal name since the 18th century – the time of the French Revolution and the American War of Independence. In the beginning, it was far more common in America, strongly resonating with the American desire for freedom. The name Liberty was given from the time of the first protests against British taxation, under the Liberty Tree in Boston.

In the United Kingdom, the name Liberty was particularly associated with Kent during the 18th century. Kent has long been an area of military importance, and Chatham Dockyard on the River Medway built naval ships for centuries. During the 18th century, the UK was at war with France and Spain, and Kent was a major centre for the defence of Britain. Interestingly, many of the Libertys were born around the Chatham area.

Liberty is often thought of as a “hippie” name, symbolic of the flower child yearning for personal freedom. However, it must have many times been given patriotically, with political freedom in mind.

Historically, Liberty has been given to boys more commonly than to girls, perhaps because it has often been connected with military events and political power. The goddess Liberty (“Lady Liberty”) certainly helps give it a feminine air, and these days it is thought of as a primarily female name, although the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (with Lee Marvin in the title role) is a reminder of its unisex status.

The name Liberty turns up on the US Top 1000 at three historically apt moments. First in 1918, at the end of World War I, then in 1976, in the American bicentenary, and it has been on the charts since 2001, the year of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Currently it is #532 and fairly stable.

Liberty is most popular in the UK, where it is associated with the prestigious Liberty department store in London’s West End, which has been selling luxury goods since the 19th century. (The store’s name has nothing to do with freedom, but is named after its founder, Arthur Liberty, whose surname means “lead worker”). Liberty silks and prints have helped give it a fashionable air.

Having been in the Top 500 since before 1996, Liberty peaked in 2003 at #157, when conservative MP George Osborne chose it for his daughter, perhaps giving it an aristocratic stamp. The name had a small boost of popularity after the 2005 London Bombings, and is currently #373.

Liberty has never charted in Australia, and is a rare find in historical records here, more often used in the middle. It does seem to have been fairly evenly chosen for both boys and girls in the late 19th century. A famous Australian with the name is Liberty Wilson, the sister of comedian Rebel Wilson, while one with Liberty as his middle name is Walter Liberty Vernon, the architect who designed the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Liberty is an interesting virtue name that is very rare in Australia compared to its use in the UK and US. I can see it appealing to a wide variety of people from all walks of life, and a broad spectrum of political views. Libby or Libbie is the obvious nickname, but for a boy named Liberty, or for a girl who wants a boyish nickname, there is always Berty. In Australia, Liberty Eggs may be a slight issue, although free range chickens seem a positive thing to me, while the Subaru Liberty makes this a car name.

POLL RESULTS
Liberty received a decent approval rating of 68%. People saw the name Liberty as interesting and different (24%), having a wonderful meaning (22%), and pretty or beautiful (16%). However, 14% thought it was too hippy-dippy. 2% of people were reminded too strongly of the Liberty Subaru or Liberty eggs.

Famous Name: Philip

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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Famous Namesake
Australia Day is a day not just to celebrate, but to honour Australians for their achievements and service to the community. However, this year even the Australian of the Year was almost completely forgotten as everyone was swept up in a media maelstrom when Prince Philip was named a Knight of Australia.

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam replaced the British honours system in 1975 with the Order of Australia, and Knights and Dames were added to it in 1976 by former prime minister Malcolm Fraser. Knights and Dames were then dumped by the Hawke government in 1986.

Last year Knights and Dames were re-instated by the current prime minister, who declared that they would celebrate pre-eminent Australians such as Governors-Generals, chief justices and the like. The prime minister didn’t consult his senior colleagues over the decision, which many felt to be a mistake which could come back to bite him. This is the moment it bit.

There are several reasons why declaring Prince Philip a Knight of Australia went down badly. For one thing, the prime minister didn’t consult any of his colleagues over the decision, which re-ignited fears of an arrogant leader making “captain’s calls” which could alienate his own cabinet. For another, Prince Philip wasn’t a pre-eminent Australian, so the appointment was outside the stated brief.

The prime minister’s decision has been widely criticised, and had scorn poured upon it. The decision has been described as “a time warp” and “ludicrous … cultural cringe” by some in the Opposition, while those on the prime minister’s own side labelled it “April Fool’s Day”, “total craziness”, and “a joke”. High profile supporters of the prime minister, such as conservative commentator Andrew Bolt and media baron Rupert Murdoch thought it was “pathetically stupid” and “an embarrassment”. No wonder the newspapers have dubbed it a “Knightmare“.

Comedian Adams Hills commented that, “Giving a Knighthood to Prince Philip is like giving a Beyonce CD to Jay-Z. Surely he could just pick one up at home”. In fact, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, already has three British knighthoods, and has had knighthoods bestowed upon him numerous times by various countries, including Nepal, Peru, and a whole bunch of others you never knew cared.

So an Australian knighthood isn’t completely bizarre, and Prince Charles is already a Knight of Australia, while Prince Philip is a Companion of the Order of Australia. In fact, in Vanuatu Prince Philip is worshipped as a god, which makes a knighthood look pretty low-key in a “least we could do” sort of way.

The problem is that the prime minister was already floundering in a sea of unpopularity, and when you are in dangerous waters, you cannot afford to make a mistake. The knighthood to Prince Philip was the equivalent of a drowning swimmer cutting his leg open, and now (to continue this laboured metaphor), the sharks have the scent of blood and are circling in a menacing sort of way.

The Coalition have already lost the Victorian state election after only one term, and after the Prince Philip debacle, it performed so dismally in the Queensland state election that it is predicted to have lost its majority from a seemingly unassailable 78 seats, and former premier Campbell Newman has lost his seat and left politics. Many pundits are now predicting a federal leadership spill.

Name Information
Philip is the English form of the Greek name Philippos, meaning “friend of horses”. The name isn’t just about being an animal-lover – in ancient Greece, only the wealthiest people could afford to own horses, so the name proclaims a high status. (In the same way, knights are also high-status and connected with horses). Aptly, Prince Philip is a keen equestrian who still participates in carriage driving, a sport which he helped develop.

The name Philip was traditional in the Macedonian royal family, and Alexander the Great‘s father was named Philip. Because of this, it was a highly popular name in Macedonia, although common in the rest of the Hellenic world. Prince Philip was born in Greece to a prince of Greece and Denmark, so his royal Greek name is very suitable.

There are two saints named Philip from the New Testament. One is the Apostle Philip, who seems to have been a friend of Peter and Andrew; according to tradition, he was martyred by being crucified upside down. The other is Saint Philip the Evangelist, mentioned as being one of the deacons chosen to help care for the poor.

The name Philip came into common use in western Europe by the Middle Ages, and was a traditional name in several royal houses, including France, Spain, and Portugal. Philip was used in England from medieval times too, with a notable example being the Elizabethan courtier Sir Philip Sidney, who created the name Stella for a poem.

However, the name became less common for a time because of King Philip II of Spain, who tried to invade England, and whose Spanish Armada was famously defeated by the English in 1588. Philip had actually been king of England for a short time, due to his marriage to Mary I, and they hadn’t been a popular couple. However, under Philip’s rule Spain reached the peak of its power, and was called “the empire on which the sun never sets”. The Philippines is named after him.

By the 19th century, everyone was over the whole Spanish Armada thing, and Philip was completely rehabilitated, no doubt assisted by Phillip, the surname form of the name – which has an Australian link, thanks to Captain Arthur Phillip, the founder of Sydney (Phillip Island in Melbourne, and the suburb of Phillip in Canberra are named after him).

It’s not hard to think of famous Philips and Phillips, including poet Philip Larkin composer Philip Glass, self-help guru Dr Phil McGraw, novelist Philip Pullman, singer Phillip Everly from The Everly Brothers, actor Philip Seymour-Hoffman, and record producer Phil Spector, to name a few. Funnily enough, when I think of fictional Philips, most of them seem to be cartoons, such as Philip J. Fry from Futurama, Phillip Argyle from South Park, and Prince Phillip (!) from Sleeping Beauty.

Philip was #69 in the 1900s and Phillip was #95; they both peaked in the 1950s at #33 and #19 respectively. Philip left the Top 100 in 1989, while Phillip managed to last slightly longer, until 1996. Philip has fallen more dramatically, with not enough births since 2009 to show up in the records, while Phillip is around the 400s.

Philip is still getting reasonable use in the UK and US, but while Phillip has a similar popularity to Philip in the United States, in the 300s, Phillip (#709) is far less common in the UK than Philip (#288). One can only speculate why we all have taken a different position in regard to Philip and Phillip. Philip is most popular in Denmark and Norway.

As I already covered my brother Edward’s name, I will mention that Philip was the name my dad chose for my youngest brother, named for his cousin and best friend. Philip’s middle name is Andrew, after my mother’s favourite great-uncle, who was from the Scottish Highlands.

However, both these choices turned out to be superfluous, because almost as soon as Philip was brought home and settled into his cot, my dad said admiringly, “He’s so brown – like a little brown bear”, and from then on he was Little Brown Bear, and eventually just Bear. He never goes by Philip.

(I should probably add that my family are otherwise very fair skinned with light hair, so Philip’s handsome olive skin and dark hair seemed like an exciting novelty to us. This colouring turns up in many families of Cornish heritage, and legend has it that they are descendants of the Spanish Armada, or Moorish pirates, which is almost certainly complete fiction).

Philip is a classic name with ancient roots, a royal history, and a biblical heritage. It has become less common than its surname twin Phillip, although neither is used extensively. It has some great nicknames – if you’re not excited about Phil, there’s always Pip, the hero of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, while Philo, Flip and Pippin would also be possibilities.

POLL RESULTS
Philip received an approval rating of 57%. 21% of people saw Philip as too dated and old-fashioned, but 19% thought it was sensible and honest. 10% were put off the name by Prince Philip, while nobody thought the name was snobbish or stuck-up.

(Picture shows Prince Philip with a friend at the Royal Windsor Horse Show last year; photo from The Express).

Names of Australian Prime Ministers

01 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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Some people say you should give your son the kind of name that will sound good on a prime minister. Here’s ten names borne by prime ministers, as either first names, middle names, or surnames. Maybe one of them is right for your child.

Aloysius
Joseph Aloysius Lyons was the 10th prime minister, swapping from the Labor Party to lead the conservative United Australia Party. Genial and laidback, he was one of the most popular of our prime ministers, and the nation mourned when he died suddenly in 1939, becoming the first PM to die in office. He is the only Tasmanian prime minister, and his widow Dame Enid Lyons became the first woman to sit in the House of Representatives. Aloysius is the Latin form of Aloys, an old Occitan form of Louis, used to Latinise the Italian form, Luigi. Aloysius Gonzaga is a 16th century Italian saint from a noble family, who lost his life caring for plague victims not long after becoming accepted as a Jesuit. Because of the saint, Aloysius is seen as a specifically Catholic name, and is more common in the middle position. It has strong scientific credentials, as Aloysius Lilius was the first to propose the Gregorian calendar, and Dr Aloysius Alzheimer identified the first case of the disease which bears his name. Rich and flamboyant, Aloysius is usually pronounced al-uh-WISH-us in Australia.

Andrew
Andrew Fisher was the 5th prime minister, a Labor leader who served as PM three times. Originally from Scotland, he had a background working for the miner’s union. He was prime minister at the time of the Gallipoli campaign, and ultimately responsible for getting Australian troops out. Andrew is the English form of the Greek name Andreas, meaning “manly, brave”. The name came into common use because of Saint Andrew, one of the Apostles, and the brother of Saint Peter; Andrew was the first Apostle, who led the other disciples to Jesus. Tradition says Andrew preached around the Black Sea, and legend has it that he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, now called the St Andrew’s cross, or saltire. Saint Andrew is the patron of Scotland, where his relics are supposed to have been taken in the 6th century. The place of their safekeeping was renamed St Andrews, and the saltire is on the Scottish flag. Andrew is a classic which has never left the charts. It was #56 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1970s at #4; it only left the Top 100 last year. A handsome classic with ties to Scotland, this name has had some recent bad publicity.

Christmas
Earle Christmas Grafton Page was the 11th prime minister, and leader of the Country Party, the forerunner to the National Party. He is our longest-serving federal parliamentarian, spending nearly 42 years in parliament, but was only prime minister as caretaker for three weeks after the death of Joseph Lyons. Christmas is the holiday in honour of the birth of Jesus Christ, literally meaning “Christ’s mass”. Christmas has been celebrated since the 4th century, with the December 25 date originating in Rome. While a Christian festival in origin, Christmas is commonly seen as a secular holiday that brings everyone together. Christmas has been given as a first name since at least the 16th century, and early examples were born around Christmas time. Originally Christmas was given fairly equally to boys and girls, but overall is historically much more common as a boy’s name. This may be because Christmas is also a surname, perhaps originally a nickname given to someone who organised Christmas festivities. A sweet middle name for a baby born during the Christmas season (although Earle Page was born in August), as a first name it can shorten to Chris, Christy, or Chrissie.

Deakin
Alfred Deakin was a leader in the movement towards federation who became the 2nd prime minister, serving as PM three times. The founder of the Commonwealth Liberal Party, he is honoured as a founding father by the modern Liberal Party. A man liked and admired by almost everyone, he is almost certainly Australia’s most spiritual prime minister. A sincere spiritualist, his diaries show that he prayed constantly for divine guidance, read scriptures and mystical works, and wanted his influence on the world to be one of light and truth. The surname Deakin is a variant of Deacon, an occupational surname for someone who served in the church ranking just below a priest, and whose duties included assisting the priest and carrying out parish work; the word is ultimately from the Greek for “servant”. A very old surname, it originates from Suffolk, and possibly dates to before the Norman Conquest. I have quite often seen Australian boys named Deakin (far more than ones named Deacon), and the prime minister may well be an inspiration, although Deakin University means it could be after an alma mater.

Fraser
Malcolm Fraser was the 22nd prime minister, who came to power after the controversial Dismissal of Gough Whitlam. He won three successive elections for the Liberal Party, and has had a distinguished retirement in roles for the UN and Care International. He is now estranged from the Liberal Party, and often speaks out on human rights issues. The Scottish Clan Fraser trace their origins to France, although the surname’s meaning is uncertain. One theory is that it is derived from a (now lost place name) La Frezeliere in Anjou. Another idea is that it comes from fraise, the French word for “strawberry”, and the Clan Fraser displays strawberries on its coat of arms. Although a charming notion, this is almost certainly folk etymology. Known for their skills as warriors, the Frasers fought with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, and took part in the Battles of Bannockburn and Culloden; at the last, they were massacred in great numbers, and a great stone marks where the Frasers fell. This is a handsome name, popular in Scotland, that I quite often see in birth notices.

Grey
John Grey Gorton was the 19th prime minister and a Liberal leader, the only Senator to become PM. Although a popular man with a bit of a larrikin streak, he was a poor public speaker, and the media portrayed him as a buffoon, in contrast to the eloquent Opposition leader, Gough Whitlam. The surname Grey, a variant of Gray, could be a nickname given to someone with grey hair. It can also be a Norman name, coming from the place name Graye in Normandy; this is from the Gallo-Roman personal name Gratus, meaning “welcoming, pleasing”. This second origin seems to be the earliest, and comes from the north of England. Grey can also be given directly as a colour name – the colour grey is associated with modesty and humility, business and professional life, twilight and elves, and also ambiguity (shades of grey). The subdued Grey has been used as a personal name since at least the 16th century, and is historically more common for boys, although it works well in the middle for either sex.

Melbourne
Stanley Melbourne Bruce was the 8th prime minister, a leader of the conservative Nationalist Party. He oversaw the transfer of the national capital to Canberra, became the first PM to live at The Lodge, and modernised federal government administration. He later became an excellent ambassador and highly influential in British politics, taking a key role at the League of Nations. He was eventually raised to the peerage; the royal family attended his memorial service in London, although his ashes are scattered over Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, and considered our cultural capital. In the 19th century, it became the richest city in the world, and the second-largest after London, gaining the moniker of “Marvellous Melbourne”. Stanley Bruce was from a wealthy Melbourne family, and born in the 1880s when the city was booming and bustling, so the name was a badge of pride. Founded by John Batman from Tasmania, Melbourne was originally called Batmania, but almost immediately someone re-named it after the British prime minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne. A member of the Irish peerage, Lamb’s title was after his Derbyshire estate, Melbourne Hall; the nearby town of Melbourne means “mill stream”. A distinguished middle name, although Batmania has its attractions.

Paul
Paul Keating was the 24th prime minister, delivering a shock record fifth election victory for the Labor Party during the recession years of the 1990s. Cultured and intellectual with an acerbic wit and colourful range of insults, he loves Mahler and collects French antique clocks. Paul is the English form of the Roman name Paulus, meaning “small, humble” in Latin; it seems to have begun as a nickname, and gradually become accepted as a personal name. Although common in ancient Rome, the name has become widespread because of Saint Paul, the Apostle most responsible for spreading Christianity throughout the Western world. Both a Jew and a Roman citizen, the saint’s name was Saul, but his Roman name was Paulus. The New Testament tells of his dramatic conversion. A zealous persecutor of Christians, Saul had a vision on the road to Damascus where the resurrected Christ reproached him for his actions, leaving him temporarily blinded. From then on, he became an equally zealous Christian, and in the process, changed history. By tradition, Paul was martyred in Rome. Paul is a classic name which was #132 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1920s before peaking in 1967 at #3. It left the Top 100 in the early 2000s, and is currently in the mid-200s. A softer-sounding boy’s classic which works well as both a first and middle name.

Reid
Sir George Reid was the 4th prime minister, and leader of the conservative Free Trade Party. A humorous and entertaining orator, audiences flocked to his election meetings, although his enemies viewed him as a clown. After his term in office, he was appointed Australia’s first High Commissioner in London, where he made himself so popular that he was elected to the British House of Commons during World War I. The surname Reid is a variant of Read, Reade and Reed, and generally accepted as a Scottish form, as the reid spelling comes from Northumberland near the Scottish border. It is derived from read, the Old English word for “red”, and began as a nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Reid has been used as a first name since the 17th century, and was first used this way in Scotland. Strong, short and simple, I occasionally see this in birth notices, although more commonly as a middle name: I have even seen it chosen for a girl.

Winston
John Winston Howard was the 25th prime minister, winning a record number of seats for the Liberal Party at the 1996 election so that the party would have been able to govern in its own right. He served four terms as PM, spending almost twelve years in the role. The name Winston is strongly associated with inspirational wartime British prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill, who John Winston Howard is named for. Churchill was named after his 17th century ancestor Sir Winston Churchill, whose name was his mother’s maiden name: she was Sarah Winston, daughter of Sir Henry Winston of Gloucestershire. After this, the name became traditional in the Churchill family. There is an Anglo-Saxon personal name Wynstan, meaning “joy stone”, usually given as the origin of Winston. The Churchill’s Winston surname is probably from the village of Winstone in Gloucestershire, which means “Wynna’s stone”, with Wynna meaning “joy”, so having much the same meaning. However, if it ultimately comes from the village of Winston in Suffolk, it means “Wine’s settlement”, with Wine meaning “friend”, so “friend town”. Nice either way. This is fast becoming seen as a hip, sophisticated choice.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Winston, Reid, and Fraser, and their least favourite were Paul, Melbourne and Christmas.

(Picture shows a poster for the centenary of Federation at an exhibition at Deakin University in Victoria)

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~ Names with an Australian Bias of Democratic Temper

Tag Archives: english names

Rare Boys Names from the 1940s

Famous Names: Rocket Zot

Rare Girls Names From the 1940s

Famous Name: Quentin Bryce

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1940s

Girls Names from the Top 100 of the 1940s

Famous Name: Charles

Famous Name: Liberty

Famous Name: Philip

Names of Australian Prime Ministers