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Waltzing More Than Matilda

~ Names with an Australian Bias of Democratic Temper

Waltzing More Than Matilda

Tag Archives: Facebook

Gemma and Jewel

06 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by A.O. in Birth Announcements

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain, Facebook, name combinations, sibsets, twin sets, Twitter

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Twins
Luella Miette and Emmeline Maeve

Girls
Alina Dawn (Nicholas, Kiara)
Anika Josephine (Tane, Kieran)
Bonnie Lola
Camilla Elizabeth (Gus, Claudia)
Coco Zara
Doreen “Dora”
Eriana Jade
Essie Florence (Henry)
Gemma Catherine
Greta Geni
Halle Sofia (Rafael)
Isabelle Rosalie (Eva)
Ivy Meyer
Jewel Grace (Chanel)
Kora Mae
Luna Piper
Lydia Ashleigh (Kyra)
Matia Rose (Charli)
Orla McIntosh
Pia Joan (Lenny)

Boys
Ash Julian (Tori, Taj)
Axel William
Beau Francis
Billy McGuffie
Callan George (Hayden)
Chaz Isaac (Zoe, Ikaia, Levi)
Dominik Ivan (Abbey, Sammi, Luka, Hudson)
Ewan Jack (Milla)
Finnlay Karoly (Cailin, Riley)
Harry Lennox
Innes James (Leliyn, Maya)
Jack Dao (Frances)
Jase Leo (Thomas)
KC Robald
Kiah Aaron (Caitlin, Jacob, Sophia)
Kingsley Ryan
Miller Thomas (Charlotte)
Monty Carlin (Saylah, Maya, Elky)
Nash Kyle (Quinn, Archer)
Tanner Reid (Harry, Kaden, Jarran)

Note: Thank you to Abby Sandel from Appellation Mountain for contributing the twins’ names via Twitter.

(Photo of little girls having a tea party from Tiger Tribe toy company, from their Facebook page)

Interview with Kelli from NameFreak!

27 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

baby name blogs, Biblical names, British Baby Names, choosing baby names, classic names, Facebook, fictional namesakes, guilty pleasure names, Instagram, Kelli Brady, name combinations, NameFreak!, Pinterest, popular names, sibsets, Twilight names, Twitter, UK birth notices, US name popularity

namefreak

Kelli Brady is the analytical blogger at NameFreak!, which is a true name nerd’s blog – and of course I mean that in the most complimentary sense possible! There is tons of analysis of American name trends on the blog; I can tell Kelli loves sleuthing through the US data, and is a dedicated list-maker. Kelli has had several name polls on her blog, and for the past couple of years has run Name Madness play offs, where she chooses a wide variety of names on a particular theme, and gets the public to choose their favourite by vote. If you are fascinated by names, but also like to have fun with them, you will love NameFreak!

What is your name?

Kelli Joyce Brady (Brady is a pen name).

How did you become interested in names?

It started when I was maybe seven or eight years old. I remember being obsessed with the names of my friends and my Cabbage Patch Kids, as well as constantly making name lists. The name Samantha was a favourite of mine when I was young because I thought Samantha Joyce (Sammy Jo) would make an awesome name for my future daughter. It’s so fun to know that while her first name changed many times over the years, my daughter’s middle name was never under debate.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

I started NameFreak! back in 2008 when I was pregnant with my son. I wanted a way to express my passion for names without the limitations of short Facebook status messages. I really only shared the blog with my immediate friends, so it stayed small, and once my son was born, the blog unfortunately fell by the wayside. After I moved to Thailand in 2012, I found myself with a lot of free time. The calling to blog again hit me strongly and I’m so glad it did! I discovered the name blogging community and am now able to share my name passion with a lot more readers!

Do you have a favourite post on NameFreak!?

I love to combine my passions. Being a baseball fan, I love my baseball-inspired name posts. Another passion of mine is Jane Austen, and so the analyses of her novels’ heroes and heroines names are also a favourite. Most of my posts require quite a bit of research, which is another love of mine. My favourite research-oriented post is the study I did on the names of Little Women.

Are there are any other ways to follow you online? 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I do not post on Instagram very often, but I love that the naming community has joined the picture universe. I see so much potential there.

What are some of your favourite names?

I love the classics and am so excited when I hear of a baby Edith or George. I drool over the baby name announcements from Britain. I love biblical names as well. I think it’s safe to I say have favourites in almost every category.

What names do you dislike?

I’m not a huge fan of alternative spellings. There are exceptions however … I mean, my name is Kelli and I think it fits me a lot better than Kelly.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

My guilty pleasure names come from my love of books/movies/baseball. Eowyn is one of my all time favourites. I also love Esme, but would probably avoid it due to the Twilight craze. And how cute would a little girl named Austen be? For boys, I am smitten with Catcher and Brooks.

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: Anna (#35) and Molly (#90)

Boys: Sebastian (#64) and Oliver (#73)

What are your favourite names in the rest of the US Top 1000?

Girls: Paige (#105) and Jane (#340)

Boys: Simon (#255) and Asa (#562)

What are your favourite names that have never charted in the US?

Tamsin (never charted), Elinor (hasn’t charted since 1953), and Linus (hasn’t charted since 1940).

What are your children’s names?

Rachel Joyce and Simon Brent. I explain how we chose their names here.

If you found out you were pregnant right now, what names might you be considering?

I would fight for Tamsin, but would probably lose. I have brought up Jane early on with both of my pregnancies, but have been shot down by my husband each time. Other names would be Josephine, Paige and Anna for girls, and Linus, Asa, James, and Oliver for boys.

What is something we don’t know about you? 

I have not been able to blog as much lately because I am working on a book! It’s basically my biggest research project ever and taking a lot of time to finish, but I hope to have it out as an e-book this summer. Here is something not name-related as well … After growing up without a desire to ever leave the United States, my current count of countries visited is 26. I’ve definitely caught the travel bug!

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a baby name? 

My naming philosophy is simple. Go with what you love, no matter what other people think. Your child will “make” the name. But there definitely needs to be some regard on the part of the parent. Consider this … after the gift of life, your child’s name is the first gift you give them, and one that they carry forever. What a huge, but fun, responsibility! Embrace it!

Interview with Clare from Name News

03 Sunday Nov 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Anglo-Saxon names, Appellation Mountain, baby name books, changing names, Cornish names, Facebook, LibraryThing, middle names, Name News, popular names, Scoop.it, The Pan Book of Boys Names, The Pan Book of Girls Names, UK name popularity, Welsh names

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Clare has a wonderful Name News page on the Scoop.it website, which collects interesting blog posts and stories in the news about names. Her collection includes posts in languages other than English, so if you want to know what they think about names in Portugal or The Netherlands, click the “Google translate” button and read on! One of the most useful functions is the “Find” key, where you can search for topics which interest you. Name News is so handy for keeping up to date with what’s going on around the blogosphere that I consult it every day – it’s easier than subscribing to hundreds of sites, or getting dozens of e-mail alerts. Attractive and user-friendly, Name News is an invaluable contribution to the naming community.

What is your name?

Yvonne Clare.

Have you ever changed your name?

I went by my first name until I was four, when I decided to use my middle name instead. Now my first name only appears in official situations, and on the odd family Christmas card – and in messages from a friend called Yvonne, who is tickled that we have a hidden name connection. I don’t dislike the name, but it feels like an old toy or a piece of baby clothing: it was great when I was little, and I’m still attached to it, but it no longer fits for everyday use. I’m happy as a Clare and I like the fact it’s more typical for someone my age.

How did you start getting interested in names?

When I was about six, I was visiting a relative who was clearing out some books, and someone handed me The Pan Book of Boys’ Names and The Pan Book of Girls’ Names. I took them home and have been dipping into them ever since. They are particularly strong on literary and legendary figures and references to names in poetry. I’m sure that they contributed to my love of languages, as they gave me a first taste of Latin, Greek, Old English, Welsh, and many others. Each book has a wonderful appendix of names considered unusual by the authors. A couple of decades on I have dozens of name books, but those two are still among my favourites.

What inspired you to sign up with Scoop.it in order to share name stories with the wider community?

At the beginning of this year I became aware of the many name blogs that are out there. I wanted to read everything, but was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of posts. I wanted to contribute in some way, but didn’t feel inspired to write a blog. I’m not so good at regular research and writing; I prefer reading, organising and making accessible the work of others. (That’s why I’m a librarian in real life.)

An acquaintance started a Scoop.it page gathering stories about rare books and manuscripts, and I decided to try something similar for name stories. It’s straightforward to create a Scoop.it account and set up a page, and to add “scoops” – I normally use a button on my browser. It’s pretty much as simple as reading name stories that come up on my feeds and alerts, and adding them.

I would do it just for personal interest, which sounds rather nerdy, but it’s very encouraging that others are looking at the site too. I know there’s been a huge leap in the number of views whenever the site has been mentioned by other bloggers, especially in Appellation Mountain’s Sunday Summaries, so many thanks to you all for getting the momentum going!

I know I’m a bit of a vulture, existing on other people’s hard work, but I hope the site achieves two things: providing a one-stop feed of name stories for people who don’t want to follow lots of different sites, and enabling people to easily search the archives of all the name blogs and articles.

Any other way to connect with you online?

Name News has a Facebook page, although at the moment I’m using it for following news and the odd “like”, rather than anything more dynamic. I also keep a list of my name books on LibraryThing. If anyone uses that site, feel free to connect! I doubt the list is of much use to anyone else, but it’s quite handy for me, as my collection is currently scattered between two houses.

What is it about a name story that makes you interested to know more?

I always get excited when I see one of my favourite names in the title. For example, the very first scoop I made was Appellation Mountain’s post Edith, Everild, and Eden: Getting to Edie. Everild was the catalyst – I just couldn’t resist sharing it! I also enjoy birth announcements, clever data analysis, gems from historical records, personal stories … pretty much anything that’s informative, positive, and open-minded.

Do you have a pet peeve when it comes to names?

My peeves are with writing about names, rather than the names themselves. I’m sure I’m not alone in disliking:

  • proscriptive advice and “rules” that will make precious little difference to naming habits as a whole
  • unhelpful criticism and negativity about parents’ name choices
  • false claims about the “meaning” of names – and false information in general
  • overuse of the word “unique” (I know: now who’s being proscriptive?!)

What are some of your favourite names?

Girls: Annest/Annice, Everil/Everild, Freda/Frida, Hilda, Miriam, Naomi, Tamsin, Tess

Boys: Arthur, David, Edward, Henry, Hugh/Huw, Robin

What names do you dislike?

I’m not so keen on names with excess “frilly” syllables. I usually prefer the streamlined option, so Isabel over Isabella, Mark over Marcus. Maybe even Em over Emma, or is that going a bit far? By that logic, I should prefer Hild to Hilda, and in some ways I do, but sadly it crosses the threshold of being a bit too much to inflict on an unsuspecting British child.

Are there are names you love, but could never use?

Names that would be hard to spell and pronounce, culturally unsuitable, and more about me showing off than the child’s best interests. For example, Ælfric (“Alf-rich”), Buddug (“Biðig“, the Modern Welsh form of Boudicca), and Elestren, which I’ve loved since I saw it in a book of Cornish names years ago. I’ll save them for pets and inanimate objects! I’d also be wary of names that sound similar to mine or my partner’s, like Cleo and Robin.

What are your favourite names in the England/Wales Top 100?

Amy (#62) and Arthur (#52).

What are your favourite names which have never been in the England/Wales Top 1000 (since 1996)?

Hilda and Clem.

Do you have any names picked out for your future children?

I have an ongoing list of favourites, but don’t really have a clue how my partner and I will feel if/when the time comes. I expect that choosing a name for a real person will bring out sides of us that we never knew existed.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I’ve recently taken up morris dancing, a traditional English dance style with props such as sticks, bells and handkerchiefs. It’s great fun, but a challenge as I’m not very co-ordinated!

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a name for their baby?

I’ve tried and failed to come up with a wise, snappy, universal answer to this question. Every time I think I’ve got it, I think Oh, but there could be exceptions, or But that might not work for everyone. Maybe that’s a cop-out, but it’s a personal, sometimes complicated decision, with no clear right or wrong way to do it. Plus it’s not something I’ve had experience of yet. I think I’d have to ask for a few more specifics before feeling qualified to give advice. Or, true to form, I could point people towards helpful books and websites.

(Clare’s profile photo of her favourite name books supplied by interviewee)

Interview with Ebony from Babynameobsessed

29 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

baby name books, Babynameobsessed, created names, Facebook, name trends, Nameberry, names from books, names from popular culture, nicknames, rare names

downloadToday we are looking at another Australian blogger; Ebony is still in high school, and has been working on Babynameobsessed for over a year. She covers names from popular culture, names from literature, has birth notices from Western Australia (her home state), puts a spotlight on featured names, recalls names from her childhood, and considers coming name trends.

She also makes baby name predictions that sometimes turn out to be spookily accurate: she wondered back in June if Buttercup would make a great middle name, and Friday’s Birth Announcements did indeed feature a baby girl named Eve Buttercup. So for a glimpse into the future of baby names, visit Babynameobsessed (and be honest, you’re feeling a bit jealous now that you didn’t have a name blog when you were thirteen, aren’t you?)

What is your name?

Ebony Anne Smith.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

When I found out the meaning [black], aged five, I wanted to become the exotic Yasmine or Zoe-Yasmine. For years I imagined myself with another name, though now I can’t see myself as a Yasmine or a Zoe. I do love my name, just not the racist and stripper tones my name has in America. I actually prefer my nickname that I have been called since I was little –  Ebs – to my actual name, but otherwise I am very happy as an Ebony.

How old were you when you first got interested in names?

I was around six or seven. I found a name book that had one page of boys names and one page of girls names, and I made lists of names in a notebook, which sadly I have lost. I remember liking the name Murdoch (!!!) and of course Yasmine. I think it could have been inspired by my hatred of my name as a little girl, and I’ve just stayed in love with names.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

I was bored one day and decided I might as well make a name blog. I never expected to keep it up for a year, and for it to get as many views as it has.  Not a very interesting story but I would be lying if I said something else.

Do your family and friends know that you are interested in names, and that you have a blog?

My mum and dad and my siblings know, as do my friends. I annoy them so much with my name obsessions.

Do you have a web presence in the baby name world? 

I’m on Nameberry as ebenezer.scrouge and am thinking of starting a Facebook page, but I’m not too sure yet.

Do you have a favourite blog post on babynameobsessed?

I love the “names from my childhood” posts, and the “baby name rant” posts.

Where do you get ideas for your blog posts from?

Life and daydreams pretty much. I tend to get distracted easily and sometimes names get into my daydreams. As for life, I mean pop culture and name sightings.

What differences, if any, do you see between your naming style and older name nerds? Do you think “teenberries” have their own style/s of naming?

Teenagers seem to be more in touch with name trends, and realise that it is a lot rarer than adults seem to think to share your name with someone in a class – and most the time, if they do, name trends have nothing to do with it. With style, I don’t think so; the names that are popular today seem to be accessible to everyone.

What do you think will be the name trends of the future?

Nicknames as full names, especially in Australia, and I can see hyphenated names crossing over [from the UK] as well.

Do you have any pet naming peeves?

Old lady names (Agnes and Agatha and Beatrice), over the top names (Rosamund and Persephone), and creative spellings, especially those of Georgia.

What are some of your favourite names? 

Girls: Isobel, Matilda, Eloise, Alice, Eleanor, and Amelia

Boys: Eamon, Tiago, Cooper, Jack, Jago, Flynn, Archer, Lincoln, and Asher

What names do you dislike?

Lachlan: Overused and it just annoys me.

Jayden: It’s not a very nice name.

Jessica and Sarah: Overused for my generation.

Renesmee: It isn’t a name – its a half-human, half-vampire baby MADE UP for the book [Stephenie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn].

Are there any names you love, but could never use? 

Alice: My mum finds it an old lady name.

Ottilie: My family will think of it as a trying-too-hard Matilda.

Wilhelmina and Eulalia: Too old lady, and my family hates them.

Guilty pleasures are Artemis for either gender, Jamesina, Illyria nn Lily, and Eilidh.

What are your favourite names in the Australian Top 100?

Girls: Matilda (#21) and Eloise (#86) Boys: Jack (#1) and Cooper (#7)

What are your favourite names that have never charted in Australia?

Eulalia and Tiago.

Do you have names picked out for your future children?

Isobel Jamesie Rose and Eamon James Harold. I also have decided that Anne and Grace need to be in a future child’s name.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I am highly clumsy and manage to fall up stairs, and in Coles [supermarket]. And a random fact is my family is of Scottish and English ancestry, and the Smith side is actually Scottish. I often wish I had a more Scottish last name.

What advice would you give to someone who was choosing a name for their baby?

Imagine the name on a baby and an adult. Sure, Honey or Pixie might be cute now, but I’m fourteen and would hate to be named Pixie.

(Photo of Ebony from her blog; used with permission)

A Quick Guide to Swistle: Baby Names

21 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

baby name books, BlogHer, Blogspot, choosing baby names, Disney Baby, Facebook, food names, honouring, Laura Wattenberg, middle names, Milk and Cookies, name popularity, Nameberry, naming issues, nature names, nicknames, pen names, plant names, popular names, Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, sibsets, Swistle, Swistle: Baby Names, The Baby Name Wizard, Twitter, US name popularity

ntfield2

Swistle’s Name

Kristen is the insightful blogger behind Swistle: Baby Names, but she writes under the whimsical name Swistle, with her avatar labelled as Swistle, of Thistleville. I’m not sure what she intended by the pen name, but it reminds me of a wind whistling through a field of thistles – someone with a mind which is cool, sharp and practical.

Who is Swistle?

Swistle is the doyenne of personalised baby name advice columnists. From reading her blogs, the impression I get of Swistle is that she is a person with exacting standards, but realistic expectations. Which I think is the perfect mindset for a baby name advice blogger.

The Premise of the Blog

People write in with their baby name dilemmas, and Swistle answers them. Along the way, interesting naming issues come up for discussion, such as whether babies choose their own names, or what happens when all the names you like are really popular, or how to stop someone from using a nickname for your baby that you hate, or why isn’t Parsley a name. But plenty of people just want to know the correct pronunciation of a name they are considering, wonder which spelling of a name would be best, or seek to make their sibset sound harmonious, or at least not terrible.

Getting Involved

You are free to weigh in with your own opinions by leaving a comment, and if you don’t feel you have anything new to add, you can often participate in public polls.

Updates

When the parents eventually have their baby, they write back and tell us all what name they chose, and sometimes include a photo of their new bub so we can see how well the name suits them. (At this point, you may find that the parents have ignored every piece of advice given to them, and gone with the name they wanted to use all along, even though nobody liked it, and tried to persuade them not to use it).

Getting Help From Swistle

You need to email her with your problem – Swistle provides information on how best to get your letter selected, because not every letter can be published. She says she only answers questions from US parents, but if you aren’t from the USA, you may be able to get your letter published on general naming topics. I have seen one Australian get their letter published.

Swistle’s Favourite Baby Name Book

The Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg. She also keeps a close eye on the US popularity charts.

How Long Has Swistle Been Blogging?

She began Swistle: Baby Names in February 2008, but she had been blogging since 2006 on a personal level. She was on Blogspot until earlier this year, when she moved onto her own website (a process which involved much wailing and gnashing of teeth, apparently).

Swistle’s Other Blogs

Swistle, which is a personal/parenting blog, and Milk and Cookies, which is a shopping blog.

Swistle on Social Media

You can connect with her through the Facebook page for the baby names blog, and through Twitter, but this is a personal account and not primarily for baby names.

Other Places That Swistle Has Written About Names

Nameberry, BlogHer and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine. She has also been recommended on Disney Baby’s Best Blogs for Baby Name Inspiration.

Swistle’s Children

She has five children, including a pair of twins. On her blog, she uses as their aliases Robert, William, twins Elizabeth and Edward, and Henry. However, she explains on BlogHer that their names are actually closer in style to Ian, Keegan, Clarissa, James, and Caleb.

Baby Name Advice from Swistle

She has prepared a “cheat sheet” for expectant parents, to help them start their baby name quest the right way. Here’s the low down:

  • Make a list
  • Consider people, places and fictional characters you may want to honour
  • Check the popularity rankings
  • Even on your first baby, think ahead to future sibling names
  • See the middle name as a place to have fun and seek compromise
  • Be reassured that everything will work out

The best advice I think that Swistle has ever offered on her blog is that there are NO RULES when it comes to choosing baby names. So many people limit their choice of baby name according to what they think they “should” pick, that they end up eliminating all their favourite names, or find that there are no names left that they like.

(Picture shows a field of Nodding Thistles)

Interview with Elisabeth from You Can’t Call It “It”!

16 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Apartment Therapy, Appellation Mountain, Babble, baby name blogs, baby name books, Bravo TV, choosing baby names, Design Mom, Facebook, Linda Rosenkrantz, Making It Lovely, Nameberry, nicknames, Pamela Redmond Satran, Pinterest, popular names, Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, Pregnant in Heels, The Itsy Factor, Twitter, US name popularity, Wordpress, You Can't Call It "It"!

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Elisabeth Wilborn is the stylish blogger at long-time favourite amongst name nerds, You Can’t Call it “It”! Elisabeth’s blog is very popular (I bet you’ve been there already!), and I think it’s because she not only has great taste in names, she has a wonderful sense of fun. After years of blogging, Elisabeth has tons of name information to draw upon, all neatly catalogued, and a very lively following who are eager to discuss, debate, suggest, and furiously disagree with each other on the subject of names. This is a blog you will absolutely love if you are passionate about name trends but don’t take yourself too seriously.

What is your name?

Elisabeth Wilborn

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

I used to want to be Olivia, when the name was rarely heard. I thought my parents really missed the boat on Olivia Wilborn, doesn’t that have a nice rhythm? I also tried to go by Libby and Betsy at various points – but they never stuck. It’s funny, because one of the reason my parents chose Elisabeth was because it has so many nicknames.

At what age did you first begin getting interested in names?

From the time I could read I think I was interested in names. They always painted their own portrait to me, and I was astounded, even as a little girl, how certain names seemed to “go together.” Even as a child I could be found in the baby name books section, sandwiched between the preggos. My parents also encouraged a love of language and etymology, which naturally translates to names.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

After having my first child and doing so much research on names, I felt I could have named a village. I was so overflowing with information at that point, a blog seemed like a natural progression. Abby Sandel’s wonderful Appellation Mountain, which began a few months before YCCII, definitely helped light a fire to create my own space.

You have been successfully blogging for several years now. How have your ideas about names changed during that time?

I just celebrated my fifth blogging anniversary! I can hardly believe it. My tastes have definitely grown to include more genres, and now that my children are school-aged, I’m less likely to come down so harsh on certain names.

You Can’t Call It “It” has its own website now, which looks really stylish. How difficult was it to do that?

Why thank you! Getting off WordPress was a bit of a challenge, and I hired help to transfer data and find hosting. The design I did myself using a template program.

What other blogs do you have, or write for?

I have a child style blog called The Itsy Factor (get it?), which is a little sleepy at the moment. I am also a regular contributor to Apartment Therapy and Nameberry. The blog has been featured online at Babble, Making It Lovely, Design Mom, in print at Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, and I was even on television as the baby name consultant for Bravo TV’s Pregnant in Heels. I do the Facebook and Twitter thing, and I also have a very active Pinterest following. I’m kind of an addict.

Do you have a favourite blog entry on You Can’t Call It “It”!?

7 Deadly Trends is probably what I’m best known for. It was written in 2008, and I can think of a few that I’d like to add! One of the most fun entries ever was when I asked people their children’s names, and then I would tell them my first instincts about their family, soothsayer style. What shocked all of us is that it was pretty dead-on.

What has been the highlight of your name-blogging career so far?

The people I’ve been able to connect with through blogging. Getting an email from Pamela Redmond Satran out of the blue complimenting me on the blog, and subsequently having lunch and becoming friends with her was pretty cool. She and Linda Rosenkrantz wrote the first books on baby names that really honed in on style, and definitely help shape some perspective for me as a young girl. It was also pretty thrilling to be on television!

Do you have a pet naming peeve?

Tacking unnecessary endings onto a normal name is one of my current annoyances.

What are some of your favourite names?

I love so many! I tend to like underused names with a lot of history – Cecily, Leopold. Things like that.

What names do you dislike, despite your best efforts at being broad minded?

I have an irrational dislike for the etch sound. Gretchen and Fletcher are perfectly respectable names, but all I hear is wretch.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

Most of my favourites have been vetoed. It’s tragic, really. But the art of naming is also inextricably intertwined with the art of compromise. I feel lucky that I got to use two names that I find exciting and meaningful.

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Charlotte (#19) is a true-love name for me, and one that my other half obsesses over, but my own vanity couldn’t get over its popularity. Sebastian (#64) is also gorgeous, I’m glad to see people pick up on it.

What are your favourite names in the rest of the US Top 1000?

There are so many! People are discovering some great names, and using them. There’s Rosemary (#603), Theodore (#197), Adelaide (#343). Do Australians call their daughters Adelaide? Answer: Yes! Adelaide is #232 in New South Wales and #598 in Victoria.

What is your favourite name that has never charted in the US?

Melisande. Shhh!

What are your children’s names?

Beatrix and Eulalie.

If you found out you were pregnant right now, what would be the first names you would think about using for the baby?

Currently loving Marguerite and Arthur.

Have you and your husband ever disagreed while choosing baby names together? How compatible are your tastes in names?

When haven’t we disagreed? He loves names like Domino and Alabama. I want names that would wear well on a queen.

What is something we don’t know about you?

When I was born, my fourth toe was longer than my middle toe. They look pretty normal now, but I still get teased about it.

What advice would you give to someone who was choosing a baby name?

Envision your 16-year-old asking one day why you chose their name. What will you answer?

(The photo is of Elisabeth with her girls, from You Can’t Call It “It”!)

Name News Round Up

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by A.O. in Names in the News

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

birth notices, celebrity baby names, choosing baby names, Essential Baby, Facebook, Google, honouring, McCrindle Research, name image, name perceptions, polynesian names, popular names, Twitter, US name data, US name popularity

NewsThe papers took a break from berating Australians for their taste in baby names on the day that the US name data was released, and reported that they had found a nation even worse at naming children. If you thought the Australian name list was weird, just wait until you see the American one, this article gloats. Only a few weeks ago, they were telling us that at last normal names were popular again, but now  popular names here are “weird”, but not as weird as in the US. The headline tells us that King and Messiah are the most popular names in the US, which is a blatant lie – of course the most popular names are Jacob and Sophia. Yep, weird old Jacob and Sophia. Tut tut.

Back to berating us. According to this article in the Herald Sun, birth notices display an increasing abundance of ludicrous made up names, or worse still, perfectly normal names that are deliberately misspelt. I read birth notices almost every day, and I haven’t seen an increasing abundance of either. Nine out of ten times when I see a name that looks “made up”, when I do a quick Google check, it turns out to be legitimate name I didn’t know about. I suspect a similar level of ignorance would explain most cases of “made up names”. Also, variant spellings tend to be pretty low key – it’s mostly just Izabellas, Ryleighs and the like. There’s maybe a handful of times per year that the spelling of a name is so unintuitive and confusing that I actually can’t tell what name it is supposed to represent. Hardly an abundance.

More advice on variant spellings from Mark McCrindle, and this time I think it’s probably a valid point. He suggests that with our names now so firmly attached to our digital profile, a variant spelling could mean that your email doesn’t go through, or your Twitter handle is confused with someone else’s because it has been misread. Of course, we don’t know whether email, Twitter and Facebook etc will still exist in the future, or what form they will take if they do, but at least this is a practical issue to think about when deciding how to spell your child’s name.

An article on the Essential Baby website discussed severe baby name anxiety – getting so stressed over what to call your child that you become unable to pick any name at all. That’s the case with Sydney mum Kellie, who is still unable to name her seven-week-old daughter. Kellie’s partner has left her in full control of the naming, but it’s a responsibility she doesn’t want. Interestingly, Kellie blames at least some of her problem on sharing her shortlist before the birth, as the responses of her peers influenced her feelings toward the names she had chosen. If prone to self-doubt and anxiety, over-sharing before the birth may not be a good idea.

Meanwhile a mother writing in the Messenger Daily News knew exactly what to name her daughter – Lily. It had been her favourite name for years, and she loved it. But she spent most of her pregnancy agonising over the choice, worrying that Lily was too popular a name. As labour began, she committed to Lily because she wanted to be able to tell her daughter her name had been chosen with love. When daughter #2 was expected, the chosen name Harper caused similar prenatal agony as she worried it was too much of a “celebrity name”, but again, she went with her heart. What a lot of unnecessary stress we put ourselves through!

The parents of rugby union player Scott Sio had a different approach to naming their child. A few days after he was born, Scott’s father David played against Scotland for Samoa. It was decided that if Samoa won, the baby would be given a Samoan name – Manu. However, Scotland prevailed, so his name was chosen from the victorious side. Scott Sio says his name story is “kinda cool”.

While rushing around one morning with the TV on in the background, I heard the tail end of a piece on ABC News Breakfast. It seems that viewers had phoned or emailed in with their opinions on names, and it was generally agreed that little boys whose names start with J are always in trouble. One of the presenters has a son named Jack, but he didn’t seem to think Jack was any more trouble than the next child. So there you go – name your son a name starting with J, and the perception may be that he’s a bit of a handful, at least amongst the sort of people who email breakfast TV.

Speaking of name perception, there’s a slightly creepy TV commercial for the Kia Cerato which shows a man on a date when his other girlfriend calls on the car phone requesting a hook-up. She has a phone sexline voice, and her name is Chantelle. A few years ago, there was a survey of 4000 people in Britain, and it transpired that girls named Chantelle were considered the most likely to have sex on a first date or engage in casual sex, which may have influenced the advertising agency’s choice of name for the “other woman”.

Meanwhile I keep getting sent the same chain email about an earlier British survey published by that august research institution, The Sun. Their survey, which had only 1000 respondents, showed that men believed the “easiest” girls were named Kelly, Tanya, Debs, Becky, Steph, Michelle, Tina, Lisa, Carly and Nicky. Women believed that men named Lee, Dave, Andy, Steve, Kevin, Gary, Paul, Darren, Jason and Ben were the most likely to “try something on” on a first date, and were therefore seen as guys to avoid.

Interview with Angela of Upswing Baby Names

07 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ Comments Off on Interview with Angela of Upswing Baby Names

Tags

baby name blogs, choosing baby names, Facebook, honouring, middle names, name combinations, popular names, Twitter, Upswing Baby Names, US name popularity, Wordpress

girl-on-a-swing.jpg!BlogAre you looking for a baby name that is a bit different to the rest, but not outrageously so? That’s uncommon, yet not odd or obscure; stylish, but unpretentious; and that stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons? Many parents seek out the golden mean in baby naming, and a good place to start is the beautifully presented Upswing Baby Names, which shows you the practical steps to finding the perfect baby name.

What is your name?

Angela Dawn Mastrodonato

Your blog focuses on finding names “on the upswing” – less common, but rising in popularity. But your own name was at its peak when you were born, so how does that make you feel about it?

I remember when I was a kid feeling glad I wasn’t yet another Jennifer, but also that my name was a bit boring. I used to wish my parents had gone with the other name on their list, Alana. My parents knew Jennifer and Amy were popular (Amy was nixed for that reason), but had no idea Angela was not far behind. I’m not sure knowing that would have made a difference – my parents didn’t want a name as popular as Jennifer, but other than that, they didn’t care.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

Absolutely! I love imagining different names on myself; one day I’m Alana, the next I’m Gabrielle, the next I’m Felicity.

Would you ever consider legally changing your name?

I would never go to the trouble. My name may not be interesting, but it’s me; I would have a hard time remembering to answer to something else. And the upside of having a common name is that I’ve never had to explain it. I do appreciate my parents unimaginative choice for that reason.

How did your interest in names begin?

I always had a passing interest in names – like most girls, I picked different names for my dolls and imagined my future kids’ names. However, I didn’t become really passionate about names until I named my oldest child, and discovered my daughter’s name wasn’t as uncommon as I thought. After believing I had picked a unique name for her, I started hearing it everywhere. I feared her name would become as popular as Ava, a name I didn’t even realise was in the Top 5 until I had kids.

What inspired you to start a name blog?

The realisation that I couldn’t have ten kids just so I could name them! I had the idea for about two years before I finally had the guts to do it, and then decided on a “different but not too different” angle for my blog. The name, Upswing Baby Names, evolved from that.

Your blog looks very polished and professional – do you have any previous experience?

Thank you! I took web design classes a few years ago, and used to work as an online programme manager. But I didn’t have any experience with WordPress until I created Upswing Baby Names. After hemming and hawing, I took the plunge and purchased a premium WordPress theme; I have never regretted it.

Do you have a favourite blog entry on Upswing Baby Names?

My favourite is Warning: Your Baby’s Name Could Become #1.

Any other ways of staying in touch with Upswing Baby Names?

Twitter and Facebook.

Do you have a pet naming peeve?

I get frustrated by parents who prioritise style over function, such as calling their kid by their middle name just because it flows better.

I also get frustrated by these extremes:

  • Parents who know they are giving their kid a truly problematic name, but don’t care because they love it
  • Parents who second-guess every name on their list, find teasing potential in every name, and need reassurance from every friend and family member before picking a name.

What are your favourite names?

Girls: Cecily, Opal, Ione, Felicity, Cordelia, Verity.

Boys: Hugh, Thaddeus, Roscoe, Linus, Stuart, Ferdinand.

What names do you dislike?

If it hadn’t become so over-used, I would probably like Madison, but I can’t bring myself to like Addison. The M makes a difference.

I fail to see the appeal of Keegan, which is very popular in my New England small town. Brayden also doesn’t appeal to me.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

Thaddeus and Ferdinand are problematic with my surname. For a real off-the-wall guilty pleasure, I kind of like Serendipity, but acknowledge it has practical problems – it’s five syllables, and doesn’t have many obvious nicknames.

What is your favourite name in the US Top 100?

Girl: Naomi (#93)

Boy: Adrian (#56)

What is your favourite name which has never been on the US Top 1000?

Girl: Oona

Boy: Fritz (it hasn’t been in the Top 1000 since 1970, and never reached the Top 350).

What are your children’s names?

Fiona Dawn and Paul Robert.

If you were pregnant right now, what names would you be considering using?

For a girl, I might bring up Nora, which was one of the names on our list if our second child had been a girl. My husband nixed it, but I think he could eventually come around. He also nixed Cecily, and I might see if he would agree to Celia instead.

A boy might be a little harder. I’ve always liked Leo, but didn’t like it with our surname, but now I sort of like Leo Mastrodonato.

For middle names, I would like to use one of my maternal grandparents names: Marshall and Winifred.

What things do you and your husband disagree about when it comes to choosing baby names?

I wanted names for our kids that I had never seen on anyone else, and I suspect he needed to know someone with the name before he could feel comfortable using it (he knew a Fiona growing up). While I could never bring myself to use a Top 10 name, I think he would have preferred that.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I love experimenting in the kitchen. Sometimes my experiments are flops (black bean brownies didn’t go over well); sometimes the results are mixed (I loved the garbanzo bean [chickpea] chocolate chip cookies, but my husband didn’t); and sometimes they are hits (we’ll make coffee jello again and again).

What advice would you give to someone choosing a baby name?

  • Say the first name and last name together
  • Say the first, middle and last name together
  • Write the first and last name together
  • Write the first, middle and last name together
  • Write down the initials
  • Call out the first name, and any nicknames
  • Call out the first and last names
  • Call out the first and middle names
  • Call out all three names

By doing this, most parents will spot any practical problems.

What’s the best way for parents to choose a name which has that elusive quality of being different, but not too different?

I think I just have a sixth sense for it, which is one reason why I started Upswing Baby Names. One thing I’ve noticed is that names which are scorned by the general public, but have some stylish qualities, will suddenly become celebrated by the general public in the space of 5-10 years.

I started suggesting Dexter in name forums around 2008, and the general response was that the name was “too geeky”. Now it is one of the fastest-rising names in the US (it was #384 in 2011).

I would encourage parents who really like a name, but are hesitant because their family and friends don’t “get it”, is to use the name they really love. You never know when you might be on to the next big name.

(Picture shows Girl on a Swing by Homer Winslow, 1897)

Interview with Cristina from Once Upon a Time Baby Names

03 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

A Baby Name Per Day, created names, Facebook, fictional namesakes, Little House Well Done, name advice, nicknames, Once Upon a Time Baby Names, popular names, rare names, virtue names

castle 1Cristina began her successful blog A Baby Name Per Day in 2011, and recently rebooted it as Once Upon a Time Baby Names. Her blog is devoted to rare, unusual and beautiful names, and each entry for a name gives a detailed description of its meaning, history and level of usage. There is also plenty of naming advice, and if you are searching for a less common name, or even a one-of-a-kind name, this is an essential blog to follow.

What is your name?

Cristina Mariane.

Your blog celebrates unusual names, but your own name isn’t that rare. How do you feel towards it?

I liked my name up until I was about ten years old. Around that age I discovered the meaning of my name, and I haven’t liked it since, due to the religious meaning. I think I was also jealous of the girls who didn’t share their name with another girl (or more) in the same class. Now I’ve come to accept that this is the name which was meaningful to my parents, and it was picked out of the family tree. But it does go against most of the criteria I’d use for my own children.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

I would briefly wish I had been named something more exotic (imagine when I went to Italy and met a girl my age named Chiara). I pushed hard for people to call me Nina in high school, which was a play on the last syllable of my name and my grandmother’s nickname, Marianina, and it stuck with everyone but my family. I still prefer Nina, but I introduce myself to strangers as Cristina. I also wished my parents had gone with Elena or Domenica from our family tree instead.

Would you ever consider changing your name in the future?

No, I’m too old now, and I’ve already gone through one legal name change to get married.

When did you first start getting interested in names?

I began writing stories for fun in middle school [approximately grades 6-8], and reading became an important hobby. I would get inspired by the names in my favorite books, like Zenobia in Ethan Frome [by Edith Wharton]. Having to come up with names for my own stories, I started buying baby name books and researching names online.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

The blog was a spur of the moment decision, , mostly out of frustration. When you go to big name sites, you expect their information to be accurate and detailed. So when I found information that wasn’t correct and almost never any statistics for names outside the top 1000, I thought maybe I could do it better. Unfortunately, I’m still light years away from my goal of covering 20,000+ names the way those big sites do.

You’ve recently changed your blog’s name, and given it a makeover (which looks fantastic, by the way). What was the reason behind that?

Thank you! I had been writing A Baby Name Per Day for about two years, but not writing every day as the titled suggested. The title also didn’t hint at what I was covering, which was mostly unusual, forgotten names. While looking at my most popular post, names from the TV show Once Upon a Time, the new title of my site was right there, and it felt perfect. “Once Upon a Time” suggests the names are from long ago, but it can also suggest the beginning of a story, as in a baby’s story, or a writer’s story.

Do you have a favourite blog entry on Once Upon a Time, or one that you are especially proud of?

There’s a few names that I’m really proud of for highlighting that really deserved more attention, like Belphoebe, Plumeria, Gwyneira and Samhain. Zenobia is still probably my favourite though.

Do you have any other blogs?

I have a Facebook page for Once Upon a Time Baby Names, but I also write a home decorating blog called Little House Well Done.

Do you have any pet naming peeves?

Oh gosh yes. While the boy-names-on-girls (specifically -son names) has been bothering me less, it still bugs me when parents choose a spelling that is completely unlike the original name. There’s no reason to spell Elizabeth as Alyzybith. It sets the kid up for a lifetime of “No, it’s spelled like this.” I’m also not a fan of names that are too cutesy, like Princess, Baby or Sugar, because babies turn into adults, and adults have to get serious jobs.

What are your favourite names?

Some of my favourites at the moment (that I would actually consider for my kids) are Auriella, Sabina, Jilliana, Calixta, Ursulina/Ursula, Calluna, Calliandra, Attalia, and Umbrielle. I obviously have a thing for frilly names and the letter U. For boys, I’ve had a top three for years and very little interest in anything else, but Casper, Alasdair, Archer, Cyprian and Hadrian have caught my eye.

What names do you dislike?

It’s a long list, but it mainly boils down to names that weren’t given much thought. Names taken off celebrities, celebrity babies, out of movies (Renesmee), copy-cat names (the sea of Bellas), made up, mis-spelled, spelled backwards, and those that are overly aspirational, like Destiny, Passion and Sincere.

Are there any names you love, but can’t use?

My last name makes B names impossible, and anything with a Z or a soft G. Which is unfortunate, because I really love Ginevra, Geneva, Zenira, Benicia, and Bohemia. I also like some names that I would have a hard time using, such as Crystalina and Jemima (thank you, Aunt Jemima [a syrup company in the US]).

What is your favourite name in the US Top 1000? What about the Top 100?

I like quite a few names in the top 1000, most of the time because I grew up with people with those names. I really like Emma, Raina, Gemma, Tabitha, Sophie, Gabrielle, and Jennifer. For boys, I like average Joe names (including Joe) such as Andrew, Sam, Tony, and Ryan. But I also like Blake, Orion, Stefan, Archer and Flynn. Honestly, I can’t pick a favourite.

Do you have names picked out for your future children?

I have a static top three for boys: Evander, Caspian, Alaric. For girls, my style is really frilly, whimsical, and a bit clunky. I like exotic and forgotten names. My long time love is Caspera (going on six years), but new finds Auriella and Sabina are making me reconsider.

Does your husband have compatible tastes in names, or do you sometimes clash over baby names?

My husband does not like my taste in girl’s names. He says they’re strange or too foreign. He’s used to traditional, simple names like Amanda, Caitlin, and Stephanie. Thankfully we’re on the same page with my top three boys names and he’s okay with me picking any girl’s name I like.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I plan on going to graveyards this summer to hunt down rare names from the past.

What advice would you give to someone choosing a baby name?

I think parents should research names they’re interested in. Find out how many kids were given a name in the past year, ten years, etc. I hear so many people say If I had known how many kids she’d meet with the same name, I would have thought twice. Don’t be afraid to get obsessive, exhaust every possibility, search endlessly for “the one”.

Happy Second Birthday, Waltzing More Than Matilda!

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by A.O. in Blog News

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

Appellation Mountain, Babble, Baby Name Ponderings, Babynameobsessed, celebrity baby names, Facebook, Matilda magazine, Mer de Noms, Nameberry, Once Upon a Time Baby Names, Twitter, Upswing Baby Names, Waltzing More Than Matilda, web searches

2nd-birthdayMy blog turns two years old today. I have to admit, I didn’t think very deeply about what I was doing when I started the blog, and didn’t know any more about blogging than what I’d read in a few articles with titles like Any Idiot Can Blog, or Get Blogging, Stupid! I had finished one part of my life and hadn’t started on the next bit, so a blog seemed like a good idea at the time.

When my account came up for renewal at the end of the first twelve months, I didn’t think twice about it. Of course I had to continue the blog; I’d only been doing it for a year, and felt I had barely started. When I received my second renewal notice at the end of last year, for the first time I actually sat down and asked myself if I wanted to keep going. I pondered deeply for over a month, and some days I seriously considered cancelling my account.

At last I decided that the blog was still growing, and I still had a lot to learn, so for the first time I made a conscious choice to continue Waltzing More Than Matilda. It’s taken me two years, but I have finally begun to think about what I’m doing. It will be interesting to see if this makes any difference!

Thank You, Thank You, to You and You and You

No blogger is an island, and many thanks go to these people for their help and support.

  • To Abby at Appellation Mountain, who for another year has sent me more views than any other blog. Abby’s generosity to others is inspiring, and it’s wonderful to see her go from strength to strength.
  • To Linda at Nameberry for giving me the opportunity to contribute my article, Aussie Names – Big there, not here. Thanks also to Angie at Upswing Baby Names, who was kind enough to provide an American perspective on the names I selected.
  • To Kate at Matilda magazine for inviting me to write an article on The Best Baby Name Blogs. Matilda magazine has been a very exciting innovation in the world of baby names.
  • To Michelle Horton from parenting website Babble for including Waltzing More Than Matilda in her article 20 Favorite Blogs for Baby Names. It came as a genuine, but very welcome, surprise to be mentioned alongside such great name blogs.
  • To Cristina at Once Upon a Time Baby Names for interviewing me about my name. Cristina has recently given her blog a complete reboot, and it looks amazing.
  • To Ebony at Babynameobsessed for being my most loyal commenter, and also reblogging several of my blog entries. Ebony is another Aussie name blogger.
  • To Lou at Mer de Noms for reblogging Boys Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin. Even after a big lifestyle change, Lou’s blog is still going strong.
  • To Brooke at Baby Name Ponderings for turning the 2012 Victorian name data into a fantastic spreadsheet. Brooke is another Australian name blogger, with very creative name ideas.
  • To my 140-odd subscribers, and my 50-odd Twitter followers, and to everyone who reads and comments and sends nice e-mails, and just all round makes blogging worth it!

Nerdy Number-Crunching

  • I have almost half a million views. The country which sent me the most views was Australia, which is good – it would be embarrassing to have a blog on Australian baby names that Australians didn’t read!
  • The most views I ever got were on June 21, when thousands of people suddenly all wanted to read about Jude Bolton’s daughter Siarra at the same time for some reason. As a result, this article was my most popular for the year.
  • The article which has gained the most comments is Girls Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin.
  • The most common search term was waltzing more than matilda, so I guess by now people do know about the blog.
  • The name most often searched for was Ruby, which reflects this name’s high popularity.
  • By posting this, I will have brought my number of posts up to 764. I have 23 categories and 618 tags. The most popular category was Name Themes and Lists.
  • There are 196 featured boys names, 192 featured girls names, and 119 featured unisex names, making over 500 names in total. About a hundred additions to the name database were made based on web searches people made to the blog, looking for baby names as familiar as Rose or Archer, and as unexpected as Australia or Zephyr.
  • The photo which was clicked on the most was the christening of Lauren Newton’s baby daughter Lola, which showed the entire Newton family together.
  • The most popular newspaper article linked to was the one announcing the birth of Addison, the son of ABC presenter Virginia Trioli.
  • The most popular website link was to ABC presenter Leigh Sales’ blog, Well Redhead, at The Punch.
  • The most popular document accessed was Australian Celebrity Baby Names 2011.
  • The most popular YouTube video was this one – basically my version of Rickrolling!
  • The blog on my Blog Roll most often clicked is Upswing Baby Names. Angie has a very professional-looking and practical name blog, and I’m glad to see it gaining such well-deserved interest.

Birthday Present

My present to Waltzing More Than Matilda is her own Facebook page. There are two main reasons I got one: (1) I promised myself I would once I got over 100 subscribers and (2) despite having a Twitter account, I get more views via Facebook than Twitter, so it makes sense. It seems much more complicated and scary than Twitter, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it in time.

Many happy returns, Waltzing More Than Matilda, and here’s to another year blogging together!

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