Boys Names Which Rose in Popularity in 2012

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Tags

astrological names, Biblical names, celebrity baby names, Celtic names, Disney names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, hebrew names, Hollywood names, honouring, Irish Gaelic names, Irish names, Latin names, locational names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from movies, names from television, nicknames, Old English names, Old Gaelic names, popular names, saints names, Scottish names, soap opera names, unisex names

These are the boys’ names which became markedly more popular last year. I think the list lacks the depth of the one for girls, with far less diversity. There is only one classic name for boys, and eight of the names are surnames – six of these ending in N. While the girls’ list shows names which are currently trending, I think a couple of these could be legitimately identified as trendy.

Braxton

Braxton is without doubt 2012’s Name of the Year, joining the national Top 50 from nowhere. It was the #1 fastest-rising name nationally, in New South Wales and South Australia; made the top 5 fastest-rising names in Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia; and went up in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #31 in Australia, #51 in NSW, #81 in Victoria, #25 in Queensland, #44 in SA, #34 in WA, #65 in Tasmania and #70 in the ACT. Braxton is an English surname of disputed origin. It is a corruption of an English place name; perhaps Branxton in Northumberland, meaning “Branoc’s settlement” (Branoc is a Celtic personal name derived from the word for “raven”). Braxton has been used as a personal name since the late 18^th century, and originated in the United States – Carter Braxton was one of the signatories to the American Declaration of Independence. Here it is known from the Braxton brothers on soapie Home and Away; three members of a thuggish surfer gang, and sexually desirable “bad boys” (based on the real-life Bra Boys). The characters were introduced in 2011, and last year Steve Peacocke won a Logie for his role of Darryl “Brax” Braxton. Braxton is new to the charts, although short form Brax had been in the Top 100 before. I wonder if it will keep going, or will parents hit the panic button after its massive surge in popularity?

Jaxon

Jaxon was the #1 fastest-rising name in Victoria and Tasmania, made the top 5 fastest-rising names in New South Wales and South Australia, and increased in popularity in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #37 in Australia, #54 in NSW, #52 in Victoria, #42 in Queensland, #31 in SA, #17 in WA, #33 in Tasmania and #92 in the ACT. Jaxon is a variant of the surname Jackson; although sometimes derided as a “mis-spelled Jackson”, it is a legitimate surname particularly associated with East Anglia, and possibly with the Puritans. Jaxon has been used as a first name since the 17^th century, and originated in Norfolk – then an area with a high Puritan population. Jaxon has charted in Australia since the 1990s, and rose steeply to make the Top 100 in 2011. It continues to capitalise on its trendy X, and may even overtake big brother Jackson. It’s interesting that it is most popular in Western Australia, for there is a large construction company in that booming state named Jaxon.

Mason

Mason was the #1 fastest-rising name in Queensland; it increased in popularity nationally, and in every state and territory. Currently it is #15 in Australia, #24 in NSW, #18 in Victoria, #15 in Queensland, #10 in SA, #12 in WA, #8 in Tasmania, #15 in the NT and #28 in the ACT. Mason first charted in the 1980s, and rose steadily to make the Top 100 by the mid-2000s. Mason is an occupational surname for someone who worked as a stonemason. The Mason family settled in Kent, on lands granted to them by William the Conqueror for their part in the Battle of Hastings. Mason has been used as a first name for boys since at least the 16th century, and originated in East Anglia; it possibly had Puritan significance. It’s much more common in the United States, where the distinguished Mason family played a prominent role in American politics. George Mason IV was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and an author of the Bill of Rights. Recently it has been often used as a celebrity baby name, boosting and cementing its popularity.

Hunter

Hunter was the #1 fastest-rising name in Western Australia, amongst the top 5 fastest-rising names nationally and in Queensland, and increased in popularity in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. It is currently #24 in Australia, #35 in NSW, #39 in Victoria, #19 in Queensland, #27 in SA, #22 in WA, #7 in Tasmania and #50 in the ACT. Hunter is a surname based on the English word for a man who hunts professionally, and originated in Scotland. The Clan Hunter were from Normandy and settled in Ayrshire in the 11^th century; experts in hunting and fieldcraft, they were invited there by King David I, who had been brought up in a Norman court. Hunter has been used as a personal name since the early 18^th century, and seems to have been most popular in the northern counties of England. The Hunter Valley is the area around the city of Newcastle; the Hunter River is named after Governor John Hunter, and as his surname suggests, he was a Scotsman. Hunter has charted in Australia since the 1990s, and made the Top 100 by the late 2000s. It shows no signs of losing steam.

Hudson

Hudson was in the top 5 fastest-rising names nationally, in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, and increased in popularity in South Australia and Tasmania. Currently it is #43 in Australia, #74 in NSW, #50 in Victoria, #45 in Queensland, #36 in SA, #31 in WA, and #67 in Tasmania. Hudson is an English surname which means “son of Hudde”. Hudde can be an old nickname for Hugh or Richard, or it can be derived from the common Old English name Huda; the surname is traditionally associated with Yorkshire. Hudson has been used as a first name since the early 17^th century; although these births coincide with English explorer Henry Hudson’s first voyages, it can’t be known whether he inspired them. Hudson was new to the charts last year, having gained massive popularity after pop singer Guy Sebastian welcomed his son in 2012. The inspiration for Hudson Sebastian’s name came from the Hudson River in New York, (named after Henry Hudson), as Guy and his wife Jules love New York City. However, it has an Australian connection as well, because Sir Hudson Fysh, a World War I hero, founded Qantas, so Hudson could be used to honour a family tradition in the aviation industry.

Flynn

Flynn was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in Victoria and South Australia, and increased in popularity nationally, in New South Wales, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. It is currently #41 in Australia, #46 in NSW, #36 in Victoria, #34 in Queensland, #43 in SA, #35 in WA, #22 in Tasmania and #28 in the ACT. Flynn has been in the charts since the 1990s, and after hitting a plateau for a few years, it suddenly shot up into the middle of the Top 100 in 2011, after Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom welcomed their son Flynn. Flynn is a common Irish surname which is an Anglicised form of the Old Gaelic Ó Floinn, meaning “son of Flann”. Flann means “red, ruddy” in Irish Gaelic, and is the name of one of the High Kings of Tara. The name is strongly associated with swashbuckling Tasmanian actor Erroll Flynn, known for his success with the ladies. He helped inspire the character of Flynn Rider from the Disney film Tangled. Interestingly, Flynn is most popular in Tasmania.

Archer

Archer was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory; it also increased in popularity in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Currently it is #92 in NSW, #47 in Victoria, #61 in Queensland, #47 in SA, #47 in Tasmania and #46 in the ACT. The name was new to the Top 100 this year. Archer is an occupational surname denoting a professional bowman, and was brought to England at the time of the Norman Conquest; the Archer family settled in Wiltshire. Archer has been used as a first name since the 17^th century, and seemed to be much more common in the southern counties surrounding London. Archer may remind you of legendary bowmen such as Robin Hood and William Tell, or it could remind you of the zodiac sign Sagittarius, called The Archer. In Australia, the Archer River is on the Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland, and the first horse to win the Melbourne Cup was named Archer. Archer’s popularity is growing partly because it’s a great way to get the popular nickname Archie.

Eli

Eli was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in Australia, and increased in popularity in Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #34 in Australia, #53 in NSW, #83 in Victoria, #27 in Queensland, #48 in SA, #38 in WA, #32 in Tasmania and #27 in the ACT. Eli has been in the charts since the 1970s, and reached the Top 100 in the late 2000s; since then it has gliding smoothly upward. Eli is a Hebrew name meaning “ascent”, and in the Old Testament, Eli was a high priest who is regarded as a judge and prophet in Judaism, and the teacher of the prophet Samuel. In Scandinavia, Eli is a girl’s name, used as a short form like Ellie, and pronounced EE-lee. Some Australian namesakes include rally driver Eli Evans, Olympian hockey player Eli Matheson, soccer player Eli Babalj, and kickboxer Eli “Mad Dog” Madigan. At a time when Old Testament boys’ names are slumping, Eli stands out as a Biblical success story, and tended to rise when Elijah did too.

Patrick

Patrick was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in South Australia, and increased in popularity nationally, in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #42 in Australia, #47 in NSW, #34 in Victoria, #53 in Queensland, #35 in SA, #47 in WA, #53 in Tasmania, and #25 in the ACT. In Australia, Patrick is a sturdy classic which has never left the Top 100. It was #36 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1990s at #34; the lowest it has ever been is #68, in 2009. Patrick is from the Latin name Patricius, meaning “nobleman”, and its fame today is entirely down to one man – Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick was a 5^th century Romanised Briton brought up in a Christian family. As a teenager, he was captured and carried off as a slave to Ireland, where he remained for six years. He managed to escape back to Britain, but returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop to undertake missionary work. Called the Apostle of Ireland, he is the major patron saint of Ireland, and such a vital part of Irish identity that his feast day on March 17 is seen as a celebration of Irish culture.

Harrison

Harrison was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in Queensland, and increased in popularity nationally and in South Australia. Currently it is #22 in Australia, #25 in NSW, #26 in Victoria, #16 in Queensland, #13 in SA, #27 in WA, #34 in Tasmania and #40 in the ACT. Harrison has charted since the 1980s, and skyrocketed into the middle of the Top 100 during the 1990s. It peaked at #23 in the early 2000s, then fell before starting to climb again, so it’s now on its second wind. Harrison is a surname meaning “son of Harry”, with Harry itself being a short form of Henry. Harrison has been used as a first name since the 16^th century, and over time became greatly more popular in the United States than in Britain. This may be because of the Harrison family of Virginia, who were related to King Edward I. They managed to produce numerous state governors, as well as two presidents – Benjamin Harrison and William Henry Harrison. The popularity of Harrison as a first name is probably due to actor Harrison Ford – the name began charting just after he starred in the first Star Wars movie, and boomed during the Indiana Jones series.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Flynn, Archer, and Patrick, and their least favourite were Braxton, Mason, and Jaxon.

(Photo shows the Braxton brothers from Home and Away)

Girls Names Which Rose in Popularity in 2012

14 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

celebrity baby names, classic names, english names, epithets, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Gaelic names, germanic names, Hollywood names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from television, Native American names, nature names, nicknames, Old French names, Old Norse names, plant names, popular names, retro names, royal names, Scottish names, Slavic names, Spanish names, surname names, Twilight names, unisex names, vocabulary names

These names became noticeably more popular in Australia last year. If you are considering using any of them, don’t panic. Most are making solid progress rather than madly storming upward. It would be foolish to reject them based on their current popularity, and silly to fret if you chose one of these names in 2012.

The list indicates the diversity of girls’ names at present, with a mix of classic and modern; places and nature; Hollywood and royalty. There’s something for nearly everyone amongst these popular names.

Ivy

Ivy was the fastest-rising girl’s name both nationally and in Western Australia last year, and made the top 5 fastest-rising names in South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. It became more popular across the board in 2012, and nationally rose 18 places. This is its second time around in the Top 100 – Ivy was #17 in the 1900s, and didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1940s. It vanished from the charts in the 1970s, but reappeared in the 1990s. Ivy soared during the 2000s, making the Top 100 by the end of that decade. It is currently #22 in Australia, #21 in NSW, #27 in Victoria, #25 in Queensland, #22 in SA, #28 in WA, #44 in Tasmania, and #30 in the ACT. Ivy is named for the plant, and like its namesake, is presently climbing; Beyonce‘s daughter Blue Ivy may have given the name publicity. Chances are we’ll be seeing more of this fresh, pretty retro name, which sounds similar to popular Ava, Eva and Evie.

Savannah

Savannah was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in South Australia, went up 9 places nationally, and increased in popularity in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. It is currently #35 in Australia, #38 in NSW, #74 in Victoria, #28 in Queensland, #43 in SA, #35 in WA and #94 in Tasmania. Savannah first charted in the 1990s, and climbed until it reached the Top 100 at the end of the 2000s. Savannah is an alternate spelling of the word savanna, referring to grasslands that have scattered trees, or where the trees are open to the sky; large tracts of northern Australia are savanna. The word comes from the Spanish sabana, derived from the Arawak (Native American) word zabana, which originally meant a treeless grassy plain. Savannah is a place name in the United States, most famously the city in Georgia. The city’s name comes from the Savannah River, which may be derived from the Shawnee people, or from Native American words for “southerner” or “salt”. The city featured in 1990s soap, Savannah, which probably accounts for its début in the charts that decade. While I imagine Savannah originally got its foot in the door because it sounds like Susannah, here it fit in with those other hip names of the ’90s, Ava and Sienna. Like Harper, this is another American South-inspired name, but also a royal one, because the queen’s first great-granddaughter is named Savannah.

Harper

Harper was the fastest-rising name in Tasmania and Victoria, made the top 5 fastest-rising names in South Australia and Western Australia, and became more popular in every state. Currently it is #39 in Australia, #37 in NSW, #29 in Victoria, #36 in Queensland, #44 in SA, #29 in WA, and #31 in Tasmania. Harper began as a surname from the English word for a professional harp player. The surname originates from the west coast of Scotland, and is especially associated with the Clan Buchanan. The name also has Christian overtones, for heaven is said to be filled with the sound of harp music. Harper has been used as a first name since the 17^th century, and was originally given to boys. The fame of (Nelle) Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, gave it a feminine slant. Harper only began charting in 2011, after David and Victoria Beckham welcomed their first daughter. Harper Beckham was named by her brothers after a character in Wizards of Waverley Place (although Victoria Beckham also happened to be working for Harper’s Bazaar at the time). The Beckhams said they wanted a name to honour their time in the United States, and chose this American-style name. Many Australians have followed in their footsteps.

Alice

Alice was the #1 fastest-rising name in South Australia, and has just joined the Top 20 in the Northern Territory, so it has gained popularity in central Australia. Intriguingly, the town of Alice Springs is in the middle of the Australia, offering food for thought. Alice also went up in popularity nationally, in Victoria, and in Tasmania. It is currently #43 in Australia, #49 in NSW, #34 in Victoria, #53 in Queensland, #34 in SA, #49 in WA, #41 in Tasmania, #20 in the NT and #43 in the ACT. Alice is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #4 in the 1900s, and just missed out on the Top 100 in the 1940s, at #105. It reached its lowest point in the 1960s at #265, then began climbing, reaching the Top 100 for the second time in the 1990s. Since the beginning of the 2000s it has made staid but steady progress up the charts, and become middle name de jour. Alice is from the Old French name Aalis, short for Adelais, which is a short form of the Germanic name Adelheidis, meaning “noble kind” (which Adelaide is based on). Alice became popular in the Middle Ages, and got a boost during the 19^th century after Queen Victoria had a Princess Alice. It’s been a favourite in fiction ever since Lewis Carroll penned Alice in Wonderland, and is the name of a main character in the Twilight series. Sensible, yet with a touch of magic, sweet Alice is one to keep your eye on.

Willow

Willow was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in Western Australia, went up nationally, and increased in popularity in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. It is currently #44 in Australia, #43 in NSW, #33 in Victoria, #39 in Queensland, #32 in WA, #73 in Tasmania and #68 in the ACT. Willow first charted in the 1990s, and rose precipitously to make the Top 100 by the late 2000s. Willow is named for the genus of small trees and shrubs which symbolise both wisdom and deep loss. It has been used as a personal name since the 18^th century, and was originally given equally to boys and girls. It has only ever charted for girls in Australia, but is still occasionally used for boys. The 1988 fantasy film Willow, which possibly played a role in Willow joining the charts in the ’90s, has a hero named Willow. In 2011, pop singer Pink welcomed a daughter named Willow, and that doesn’t seem to have done this name any harm. Flower names mostly didn’t do well in 2012; Ivy and Willow show that greenery is more appreciated than petals at present.

Mackenzie

Mackenzie made the top 5 fastest-rising lists in New South Wales and Victoria, and increased its popularity in other states and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #46 in Australia, #57 in NSW, #44 in Victoria, #45 in Queensland, #33 in SA, #37 in WA, #45 in Tasmania, and #48 in the ACT. Mackenzie has charted since the 1990s, and zoomed up the charts to make the Top 100 by the early 2000s. It dipped out of the Top 100 in 2009, but was back the next year. Mackenzie is a Scottish surname, an Anglicised form of of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich, meaning “son of Coinneach” (Coinneach is the original form of Kenneth). The Clan Mackenzie is from the Highlands, and of Celtic origin; they trace their clan name back to the pagan god Cernunnos. Mackenzie has been used as a first name since the 18^th century in Scotland; it was nearly always given to boys in the beginning, but not exclusively so. Mackenzie first charted in the US as a female name, popularised by actress (Laura) Mackenzie Phillips, who was in American Graffiti. Since then there have been other Mackenzies on our screens; most recently, Mackenzie Foy played Renesmee in Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

Audrey

Audrey made the national Top 50 last year, and according to my estimate, rose almost as many places as Ivy. However, it’s harder to see where the gains were made than it is with Ivy, although Audrey made significant increases in New South Wales and Victoria, and modest ones in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Currently it is #50 in Australia, #36 in NSW, #32 in Victoria, #55 in Queensland, #96 in Tasmania and #35 in the ACT. Like Ivy and Alice, Audrey has been Top 100 before. Although it was #156 in the 1900s, it made the Top 100 the following decade, and shot up to peak at #32 in the 1920s. It sank faster than it had risen, and was #197 in the 1940s, reaching its lowest point in the 1980s with a ranking of #0. Since then it has climbed, and reached the Top 100 again at the end of the 2000s. It looks likely to overtake its earlier peak, but Audrey seems to be under the radar at present. This is one of those names which is probably more popular than you think, and has an Australian connection, for the famous Skipping Girl Vinegar neon sign in Melbourne is affectionately known as Little Audrey.

Mila

Mila was the #1 fastest-rising name in the Australian Capital Territory, and grew more popular in New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania. It is currently #59 in NSW, #46 in Victoria, #65 in Queensland, #44 in WA, #70 in Tasmania, and #48 in the ACT. Mila only began charting in 2011, so has been extremely successful in a brief space of time. The fame of Hollywood actress Mila Kunis must have had an impact; Mila entered the charts the year after Ms Kunis appeared in Black Swan. Mila is a short form of Slavic names containing the element mil, meaning “gracious, dear”. Mila Kunis’ full name is Milena, which is the feminine form of the Slavic name Milan, meaning something like “dear one”, and often translated as “sweetheart”. Mila sounds similar to other popular names such as Mia and Milla, and at the moment is doing very well.

Freya

Freya is a name just beginning to make an impression, for it joined the Top 100 in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory last year, and was in the top 5 fastest-rising names in Tasmania. Both these regions have small population sizes, so you can be forgiven for being a little sceptical; Freya is currently #174 in NSW and #129 in Victoria. Freya is the English spelling of the Old Norse goddess Freyja – her name means “lady”, and was originally an epithet. In Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess of love, sex, beauty, fertility, sorcery, gold, war and death. Immensely beautiful and clever, she rules over a field in the afterlife. The name Freya has been popular in the UK for several years now, and is well known here due to Tasmanian actress Freya Stafford; it doesn’t seem too far-fetched that we should follow Britain’s lead, but we shall have to wait and see.

Josephine

Josephine just managed to squeeze onto the Top 100 in New South Wales last year. That may not sound impressive, but the amount Josephine climbed was phenomenal – it went up 99 places, far outstripping Ivy’s mere 18. For that reason alone, it deserves a place on this list. Josephine is a solid classic which has never been off the charts, or left the Top 200; on the other hand it has never enjoyed high popularity either. It was #86 for the 1900s, and peaked the following decade at #76. It just failed to reach the Top 100 of the 1940s at #103, and dipped in the 1980s to make #172. Its progress has been up and down, but never too high or low, and it reached its lowest point in the charts in 2011, at #199. It has more than made up for this by getting back to the Top 100 in 2012, where it hasn’t been since the 1930s. Currently it is #100 in NSW and #105 in Tasmania. Josephine has recently made its mark as a royal and celebrity baby name, with Josephine chosen for the daughter of Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark, and also the grand-daughter of former prime minister Kevin Rudd. Will Josephine continue its ascent? Historically it’s unlikely, for Josephine seems most comfortable in the low to mid 100s, and may very well drop back this year. Stay tuned!

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Alice, Ivy, and Freya, and their least favourite were Harper, Savannah, and Mackenzie.

Name Trends from Baby Center Australia – Boys

02 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Data

≈ Comments Off on Name Trends from Baby Center Australia – Boys

Tags

Baby Center Australia, celebrity baby names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, name trends, names from movies, popular names, surname names, unisex names

Biggest Movers Up

James +14 at least
Cooper +11
Xavier +9
Jackson +8
Liam and Thomas +6

Also Up

Benjamin, Lucas, Samuel, Ethan, Mason

James returned to the Top 20 after dropping off it in 2011 – Baby Center suggests the 50^th anniversary of James Bond films may be a factor, which doesn’t seem too implausible. Samuel is also back on the list, no theories as to why. Xavier was new to the list last year, and continues his ascent; Benjamin was new too, and went up slightly. Baby Center believes this because of model Gisele Bundchen’s son Benjamin, born in 2009. Cooper and Jackson are two surname names doing well, with Mason new to the Top 20. Liam made modest gains, which Baby Center attributes to the success of One Direction. As Harry is suddenly doing really well in the official data, this seems fairly convincing.

Biggest Movers Down

Riley -25
Charlie -11
William -9
Aiden -8
Alexander and Jack -8

Also Down

Lachlan, Max, Jacob, Joshua, Noah

Riley really stood out, diving 25 places right off the Top 20, and Charlie also fell more than 10 places, so it became less popular for both sexes. Old favourites William and Jack took a bit of a tumble, while Alexander, new to the Top 20 last year, left it this year. Oliver was the only name to stay at the same position, maintaining his presence as the #1 name. Baby Center noted that there were fewer alternative spellings for boys’ names in 2012, suggesting a shift back to basics.

New or Returned to the Top 20

Samuel #18
Mason #20

Gone from the Top 20

Riley #12
Alexander #18

No Change in Position

Oliver #1

Famous Names: Ellen and Portia

28 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Arthurian names, car names, changing names, classic names, english names, fairytale names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, German names, Latin names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, nicknames, Roman names, Shakespearean names, surname names, William Shakespeare

American chat show host, Ellen DeGeneres, was in Australia this week. She follows in the footsteps of Oprah Winfrey, another American chat show host who brought her show to Australia, in 2010. However, while Oprah managed to get around quite a bit, Ellen (who was recovering from ‘flu), just popped in to Sydney and Melbourne.

She did seem to take a bit of a shine to Melbourne, saying it reminded her of Boston and New Orleans, and even said that it was possible she and Portia would live there one day. Ellen is practically an Australian-in-law, because her wife, model and actress Portia de Rossi, is from Australia.

Portia was born Amanda Lee Rogers in Geelong. She changed her name as a teenager to sound more exotic and interesting – Portia is after the heroine of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, and de Rossi is an Italian surname, which probably means “red” (like Russell).

Portia de Rossi is the name of the mother of famous Italian poet Torquato Tasso, but I’m not sure whether the young Amanda Rogers was aware of that. Since her marriage, Portia has legally changed her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres. I don’t know where the James comes from.

The name Ellen is a medieval form of Helen, making it the English equivalent of Elaine. Ellen was a fairly common name in the Middle Ages, and features in the English fairy tale Childe Rowland, where Burd Ellen is Rowland’s sister, who must be rescued from Elfland. Childe and Burd don’t mean how they sound – childe was a title given to the eldest son in a noble family, while burd means “lady, maiden”. In some versions of the tale, they are the children of Queen Guinevere, and Merlin also plays a significant role in the story.

Ellen is a classic name in Australia, which was at its most popular in the 1900s, when it was #20. It remained on the Top 100 until the 1950s, and made its way back there in the 1990s, when it reached #92. It’s been fairly stable for a few years now, and in 2011 rose slightly from #517 to #470. Although this looks like quite a jump, it represents just two more babies named Ellen.

With Ella and Ellie in the Top 100, and Elle, Eleanor and Elena rapidly gaining in popularity, and retro Nelly, Nellie, Nella and Nelle becoming increasingly hip name choices, Ellen seems extremely usable, with a host of cute and fashionable nicknames. Simple, pretty and unpretentious, I feel that we will see more of this name in years to come.

Portia is a variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, from the Latin for “pig”. A lot of people have problems with this name meaning, but the Fabii were named after the broad bean, and perhaps the Porcii gained their name from pig farming.

Another possibility is that in many parts of the ancient world, pigs were sacred animals of the Underworld, fertility and the moon, and there may have been some religious connotations to the name (and in fact pig farming itself had a distinctly religious side, as the Romans were very fond of sacrificing pigs to the gods). Many ancient gods and goddesses were connected with swine, such as Osiris, Adonis, Attis, Demeter, Persephone, Freya and Ceridwen. They were beasts of a mysterious and ancient power, and held in awe.

The most illustrious branch of the Porcius family were the Catones, which included Cato the Elder and his great-grandson, Cato the Younger. Cato the Younger had a beautiful, intelligent daughter named Porcia, and she married her cousin, Marcus Junius Brutus – famous for being one of the key people in the assassination plot against Julius Caesar. Porcia was the only woman who knew of the conspiracy, and as such she plays a role in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.

However, when we think of Portia, we automatically think of Portia from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, a beautiful and brilliantly intelligent lady who manages to get her own way while still showing obedience. She steals the show and saves the day in a gripping cross-dressing courtroom drama as her fine legal mind swoops in on a loophole in the law. Even now we sometimes call a gifted female lawyer a Portia. The role of Portia was once famously played by actress Ellen Terry.

Portia is an elegant literary name, with historical and fictional namesakes who have both beauty and brains. People seem to either love it, or find it pretentious. Another issue is that it sounds like the name of the car company, Porsche. (Porsche is a German surname derived from the name Boris). Because some people do use Porsche as a girl’s name, a certain type of parent does worry that a daughter named Portia will have her name confused with little girls named Porsche.

So Portia is not without her issues as a baby name, but still a very lovely one nonetheless.

POLL RESULT: Ellen received an approval rating of 46%, and Portia a rating of 31%.

(Photo shows Ellen and Portia on Sydney Harbour)

Names Spotted at Home and Abroad (Summer Edition)

25 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Names Spotted at Home and Abroad

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

animal names, Australian Aboriginal names, changing names, culinary names, english names, ethnonyms, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, fish names, floral emblems, flower names, food names, French names, German names, honouring, initials, Japanese names, Latin names, locational names, makes of cars, name combinations, name meaning, names of horses, names of spices, names of weapons, Native American names, nature names, nicknames, Persian names, plant names, rare names, rose varities, sibsets, surname names, types of boats, unisex names, vocabulary names

The first baby born in Wollongong for 2013 was Rumi Vassilakoglou; he is named after the medieval mystical Persian poet, whose moniker means “from Rome” (this name for him is not used in Muslim countries, by the way). Rumi’s mum is named Leila, and his younger sibling is Mahli.

Your baby disappearing is every parent’s worst nightmare, but little Minowa Worthington’s story ended happily. Minowa is the name of a Japanese town, and a Japanese surname, but baby name books tell me it also Native American for “one with a moving voice”. They don’t say which language it is from, but I have seen Native Americans online with Minowa as their surname.

A Gold Coast baby born in the Queensland floods was named Sabre Smith. Although his name can be after the sword, putting it in the same genre as Blade or Steel, a sabre is also a class of racing boats – which seems apt for a baby born surrounded by water.

Another water baby is Dwight Anderson, who was born in the bath. I was a tiny bit surprised to see such an old-fashioned name in use … much more surprised to see that Dwight is a girl. Dwight’s sister is named Billie-Jo.

Allegra Bluebelle from Canberra, born in the city’s centenary year, has a middle name after its floral emblem, the royal bluebell. A little girl born on the city’s birthday seven years ago has the same initials as the Australian Capital Territory – Aisha Caitlyn Truselsen. A fisherman has a daughter named Makaira Indica, which is the scientific name for the black marlin (this isn’t connected to Canberra, so not sure why they mentioned it, but there you go).

The Hallett family changed their name by deed poll to Holden, in honour of the make of car. Not content with that, they have given their children Holden-related names too. Their son is named Toree, after the Torana, and his little sister is named Elcee – after the LC generation of Toranas.

An article about “unique” names quoted brothers named Mac and Fonzii. I have no idea why Mac is supposed to be unique, but Fonzii does seem slightly out of the ordinary. He’s not named about Fonzie from Happy Days, which reminds me of the baby named Tinkabell not named after the fairy. Other unusual names of real babies mentioned were Dragon, Justus, Porch, Ever, Notorious, Cash, Lychee and Bandit.

Another article on the same subject, with much the same information, featured a baby boy named Ace Bear Johnson, which strikes me as both cute and sporty (Ace’s sister is named Esmee). There was also a baby girl named Annecy Belle Easton [pictured], named after a French town that her parents fell in love with after they stayed there. She is called Annie for short, and Annecy’s mum also has the name of a French town – Nancy. Article also mentions real babies named Batman, Blaze and Charisma.

Darwin schoolteacher Wendy Green named her racehorse Rogan Josh, after the Indian spice mix, which she saw at the supermarket. She claims that in Tennant Creek, she was asked to baptise a baby, which she did using champagne, and named the baby Rogan Josh as well. You may take this story with as many grains of salt as you wish – but Rogan Josh really isn’t too bad a name. It literally means “boiling oil” in Persian.

Friday’s birth notices included a new baby named Passion Brinessa Ajayla Quinatee Martin, who is the 12^th child in her family. The rest of the family are Samantha Jayne (18), twins Shantelle Victoria and Stephanie Catherine (15), Jenaya Lee (11), Shania Kay (10), Brandon Bradley (7), Brandi Shyla Molly Robyn (6), Cruz Richard (5), Clayton Adam Logan (4) and Diammond Sparckle Zedekeyah Lilly Ann (3). Mum is named Brinessa, which is a variety of rose, and quite an unusual name too. She admits she did find it difficult to come up with original names, and turned to an iPhone application for inspiration.

Names of Adults

Lyra Benbow is a primary schoolteacher in the Melbourne suburb of Digger’s Rest who is just about to spend her Easter break doing volunteer work in Uganda. Is anyone else just loving her name? It sounds like something out of a fantasy novel.

Another awesome name from the papers: Eugenie Pepper, who runs a children’s fashion business named Plum. I feel like ringing her number to hear if she answers, “Hello, this is Pepper of Plum”.

Last year, Cressida Moneypenny attended the Anzac Day commemorations in Turkey. Originally from the Gold Coast, Ms Moneypenny was drawn to her name’s spiritual home, and moved to London. Ian Fleming never gave his Miss Moneypenny a name, but I feel sure it should have been Cressida …

The Melbourne Comedy Festival will feature eight comedians named Dave. Why so many funny guys named Dave? Dave O’Neil was a David until he started in comedy – then he became Dave, which seemed more man of the people. Dave Hughes also began as a David, but said he couldn’t make it stick – people just expect a comedian of a certain age to be a Dave, apparently. All the Daves agreed they had been stuck with an uncool name – while a David can be hip or sexy, a Dave is always daggy.

Names From Real Life

A pair of sisters named Ilse and Matine, which I thought went together really well without being in the least matchy. Ilse is a German nickname for Elizabeth, while Matine is based on the French word for “morning”.

Another cute sibset, this time a little hippyish – Lotus, Jewel and Sunny (two girls and a boy). They are names which just make you smile.

Someone I know told me they have a new niece named Berrilee, which is the name of a suburb of Sydney (and one I missed!). It is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning perhaps “mouth” or “food”, and far from being a modern innovation, baby Berrilee is named after an ancestor.

A name I saw on a class list at the start of the school year – Phonique. It’s French for “phonic”, as pertaining to sound, and is used by a (male) DJ in Europe. To me it almost seems like a portmanteau of phony and unique …. and quite technological.

In spring it was Aryan … here’s another name I saw some people find controversial – Gypsy. This is a name more common in Australia than it is in the UK and other European countries, which have significant populations of Romanis or Travellers (who sometimes refer to themselves as gypsies). Romanis are not in fact from Egypt, which is what Gypsy literally means – their origins are from the Indian subcontinent.

Names of Babies Born to People I Know or Know Of:

Girls: Florence, Harriet, Lola, Marina

Boys: Arlo, Gus, Huxley

Waltzing with … Neville

24 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Waltzing with ...

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

aristocratic names, dated names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Harry Potter names, honouring, locational names, middle names, name combinations, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nicknames, Old French names, sibsets, surname names

Today is Palm Sunday, which commemorates the triumphal ride into Jerusalem by Jesus about a week before the Resurrection. The people hailed him as if he were a victorious king, laying palm branches in his path. We already know that James Cook named the Whitsunday Islands and Trinity Beach after important days in Easter-tide, and on Palm Sunday 1770, he named the Palm Islands in northern Queensland after the day. After World War I Palm Island became an Aboriginal settlement, where the government maintained a repressive control over the Indigenous population.

On March 28 it will be 91 years since Aboriginal activist and Jagera elder Neville Bonner was born, and another tie-in with this time of year is that Neville once lived on Palm Island. Born on a small Aboriginal island settlement in northern New South Wales, he never knew his father and received almost no formal education. After working as a farm labourer, he moved to Palm Island with his family in 1946, and became assistant overseer of the settlement.

His time on Palm Island gave him both an interest and experience in politics, and after moving to Ipswich in 1960, he became the president of moderate indigenous rights organisation One People of Australia League, and an office holder in the Liberal Party. He was the first indigenous Australian politician, and elected senator in his own right four times.

Neville was appointed to the board of the ABC, and the council of Griffith University, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate. In 1979 he was named Australian of the Year, and in 1984 appointed as Officer of the Order of Australia. After his death, the Neville Bonner Memorial Scholarship was created for Indigenous students to take honours in political science. There is a Queensland electorate and a Canberra suburb of Bonner, named after him.

Neville is an English surname which was introduced to Britain by the Normans, and refers to a French place name in Normandy, either Neuville or Neville. Both places mean “new settlement” in Old French, and are common names of towns in France.

The House of Neville is an aristocratic English family which can trace its lineage back to Anglo-Saxon times. Although they married into the Norman nobility and assumed a Norman surname, the male line of the family had been ruling landowners in Northumbria since before the Conquest, with their ancestral seat near Durham, and were already wealthy and powerful in their own region.

The Nevilles continued to gain power, often appointed to prestigious royal offices and administrative roles. Ralph Neville was one of the founding members of the Peerage of England, being one of those summoned to sit in the House of Lords when it was established in 1294, and by the 14^th century the family owned large tracts of the north of England.

They married into the royal family, but lost a great deal of power by getting involved in the War of the Roses, and also backing the wrong horse by supporting Mary, Queen of Scots instead of Elizabeth I (the Nevilles also claimed descent from one of the royal families of Scotland). Although their glory days were over, the Nevilles continued gaining earldoms and baronies through a junior line of the family, and they are still members of the peerage.

Neville can be found used as a first name from the 16^th century, but remained extremely rare until the 18^th century. Given that the Nevilles were so powerful in the north, you might expect to find the name greatly more common there than in the southern counties, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. It did appear to originate in Lincolnshire though, which is one of the many areas where the Nevilles owned estates and had loyal political supporters.

In Australia, Neville just squeezed onto the Top 100 of the 1900s at #99. It continued rising and peaked in the 1920s (when Neville Bonner was born) at #30; it didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1960s, missing out by only a few places at #104. Neville hasn’t charted at all here since the 2000s.

It is sometimes suggested that the character of Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter books could help raise the popularity of this name; however, it seems that almost as soon as the first book was published, Neville disappeared from the charts altogether.

The trouble was that Neville Longbottom, although a good person and loyal Gryffindor, was not necessarily an attractive character to parents. Chubby, unpopular and low on self-esteem, he seemed to be dogged by the chronic bad luck suffered by the self-conscious and unconfident. He lost and forgot things, had minor accidents, was bullied by both students and teachers, and was a mediocre student except in Herbology.

In the fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix, it was revealed that Neville’s parents, brave and gifted warriors in the fight against Voldemort, had been tortured to madness and permanently institutionalised. Although this evoked enormous sympathy for Neville, it didn’t help to make his name seem more usable. Nobody was saying, “Yes, I’d love to name my child after a character with insane parents, I can really relate to that”.

With Harry’s encouragement, Neville’s skills as a wizard improve and his courage grows. Once out of Harry’s shadow, he becomes the leader of the resistance group at Hogwarts, the protector of those younger and weaker, and a vital part of Voldemort’s downfall. He is the story’s alternate hero – brave, noble, kind, selfless, and pure-hearted.

Is this late blooming enough to rehabilitate Neville as a name? Or will parents continue to think of the awkward klutz that Neville is for most of the book series?

Neville is a dated name, but we have seen other old-fashioned names come back into use and even become popular. It’s a little clunky, and a tad geeky, but also solid and dignified. I often see Neville used as a middle name to honour a great-grandparent, and I wonder when someone might feel brave enough to use it up front again. Older people will find it almost irresistible to use the long-popular nickname “Nifty” Neville, but the standard Nev still sounds surprisingly dashing.

Name Combinations for Neville

Neville Anthony, Neville Charles, Neville Frederick, Neville John, Neville Peter, Neville Winston

Brothers for Neville

Edwin, George, Harold, Ralph, Stanley, Theodore

Sisters for Neville

Cecily, Emma, Flora, Isabel, Peggy, Susan

POLL RESULT: Neville received an approval rating of 69%. 26% of people liked the name Neville, and only 4% hated it.

(Photo shows Senator Neville Bonner 1979; image from the National Archives of Australia)

Famous Name: Gabriel

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

angels names, Biblical names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, hebrew names, Italian names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names from movies, nicknames, popular names, saints names, unisex names

On Monday March 25, it will be the Feast of the Annunciation, which celebrates the angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive a son; Gabriel also tells her that the child is to be called Jesus. This was staggering enough news, but the big shock for her was that this would happen through the Holy Spirit and not via the usual route to conception.

This is the story told in Luke, while Matthew tells the story from a different angle. According to this gospel, Mary found herself pregnant and her betrothed, Joseph, was considering breaking things off. But then an angel came to him in a dream, and explained the situation to him.

Although the Bible doesn’t say so, it’s generally assumed that this angel was also Gabriel. Further assumptions are that he was the angel who appeared to the shepherds at the Nativity, and the one who came to Jesus to give him strength as he prayed in the garden before the Crucifixion.

The Feast of the Annunciation is held nine months before Christmas, to symbolise the length of a pregnancy. It is also called Lady Day, and until 1752, it was New Year’s Day in Britain. It’s obviously a hard habit to break, because in the UK they still start the financial year on April 6, which is Lady Day on the old (Julian) calendar.

The Annunciation isn’t Gabriel’s first appearance in the Bible, or even in the New Testament. In the Book of Daniel he interprets Daniel’s visions for him, and earlier in the Gospel of Luke he appears to Zachariah, a priest, and the husband of the Virgin Mary’s kinswoman. He tells Zachariah that his wife Elizabeth, for many years barren, would bear a son named John; this would be John the Baptist, who was to prepare the way for Jesus.

According to Islamic teachings, the angel Gabriel dictated the Koran to Muhammad, and led him on his “Night Journey”, or great spiritual vision of the heavens. So the angel is important to all three Abrahamic religions.

There is a tradition that Gabriel will blow his trumpet to announce Judgement Day, which comes from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. In Jewish legend, Gabriel is said to pluck new souls from the Tree of Life so that they may be conceived as new babies. So you can see Gabriel as both the beginning and end of Life – although the end is only to make way for a new beginning.

Gabriel is the English form of the Hebrew name Gavri’el, which is variously interpreted as “man of God”, “strong man of God”, “hero of God”, “champion of God”, “warrior of God”, or “strength of God”. The image you get from it is of a mighty being, using their immense strength to serve God. In the Old Testament, words such as great, might, power and strength are used to describe Gabriel, and in Jewish tradition he is an angel of judgement and punishment.

However, Christian tradition sees Gabriel differently. As he appears in the New Testament to bring people news of great joy, and to bring comfort to those burdened by great worry, he is viewed as an angel of mercy and consolation.

Angels are spiritual beings, not physical, so they cannot be said to have a sex, although in the Bible they always take on the appearance of human males when communicating with people. However, you might say that in Jewish tradition, Gabriel gives off a very masculine “energy”, while Christians get more of a feminine “vibe” from the angel. (If you doubt this, consider how many Nativity plays you’ve seen where a female plays the role of the announcing angel).

Because of this certain level of gender ambiguity, Gabriel has, for centuries, sometimes been used as a female name in the English-speaking world, and in fact Tom Waterhouse’s mother, the horse trainer Gai Waterhouse, is named Gabriel (in case you were wondering what Gai was short for). There are also specifically feminine forms of the name we have imported from other languages, such as French Gabrielle and Italian Gabriella.

The name Gabriel has charted in Australia since the 1960s, and joined the Top 100 in 2001 at #97. I’m not sure if this was an influence, but it joined the Top 100 a year after the movie The Patriot came out, starring Australian actor Heath Ledger as Gabriel Martin. It peaked in 2009 at #60, and since then has been on a decline. Last year it made #88.

Two feminine forms of the name have been more successful. Gabrielle has charted since the 1920s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1990s, when it peaked at #49. It left the Top 100 in 2010, and in 2011 was at #111, still only just outside the Top 100.

Gabriella has charted since the 1940s, but didn’t begin really climbing until the 1980s. It joined the Top 100 in 2006 at #89 (there were just as many baby girls named Gabriella as Gabrielle that year). It peaked the same year as Gabriel, in 2009, and only one place higher, at #59. However, its decline has been more gentle, and last year it made #71.

I do think the greater success of Gabrielle and Gabriella has not been helpful to the popularity of the male name Gabriel. I have noticed that many people hear the name Gabriel as Gabrielle, or think that the two names are so alike as to make Gabriel sound “feminine”. I have to admit this annoys me, because I much prefer Gabriel to either of his sister-names.

Gabriel seems to be more appealing to mothers as a baby name than it is to fathers, with many women complaining that their partner strongly vetoed the name Gabriel for their sons, even as a middle name.

I think it might suffer a little from what we might call The Valentino Factor – women are more likely to find the name Gabriel handsome, charming and even sexy, while men are more likely to find it foofy and irritatingly ornate.

Another issue is the nickname, because the standard shortening is Gabe, and many parents dislike it. Some worry it sounds too much like the word gay or the word babe, others think that it sounds dim-witted or redneck, and others just find it ugly.

It would be easy to suggest some other nickname, but chances are he’s going to get called Gabe once he leaves the house anyway, if he gets a nickname at all. Personally I don’t think Gabriel needs any nickname.

Gabriel is a beautiful, indeed, a heavenly name. It’s a name of great masculinity and strength, yet at the same time has a wonderful sweet tenderness as well. One thing that occurs to me is that there is a theme of the angel Gabriel bringing joyful news of unexpected pregnancies, and a miraculous childbirth. I think it would make a great name for someone expecting a baby they never thought they would ever have, a baby which defied all logic to make his way into the world.

For those who never thought their miracle baby would ever arrive, Gabriel says, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy!

POLL RESULT: Gabriel received a very good approval rating of 76%. People saw the name Gabriel as strong yet tender (23%), handsome and heavenly (19%), sexy (12%), and powerful (11%). However, 9% thought the name was a little bit girly, and 7% that it didn’t have any good nicknames.

(Picture shows The Annunciation on a window at St Mary’s Church, Denville, New Jersey)

Italian Names for Boys

17 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Austrian name popularity, Belgian name popularity, birth notices, celebrity baby names, Chilean name popularity, Dutch name popularity, english names, ethnonyms, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French name popularity, germanic names, Greek names, Hungarian name popularity, Hungarian names, Italian name popularity, Italian names, Latin names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nicknames, Orlando Furioso, Portuguese names, Roman names, saints names, Scottish name popularity, Shakespearean names, Spanish name popularity, Spanish names, surname names, The Divine Comedy, theological names, tribal names, UK name popularity, unisex names, William Shakespeare

Angelo

Angelo is the Italian form of the Latin name Angelus, meaning “angel”. The Angelus is a Christian devotion, which traditionally involves praying three times a day, accompanied by the the ringing of church bells. It was common during the Middle Ages, so the name can be seen as after the prayer as much as after the heavenly creature. Angels are mentioned in the Old Testament as spiritual beings who bring communications from God; the word angel is derived from the Greek for “messenger”. Angels play a much bigger role in the New Testament, where they make several important announcements, including the birth and resurrection of Christ. A famous Italian named Angelo was Father Angelo Secchi, a 19^th century astronomer and one of the first scientists to state that the sun is a star. Cricket fans know the name well from Angelo Matthews, the Sri Lankan captain. The name is rarely used in Australia, where angel-type names for boys aren’t common – even though angels are traditionally masculine. However, singer Adele welcomed a baby boy last year, rumoured to be named Angelo, and this may be a help. The Italian and English pronunciation are very similar – AHN-jel-oh and AN-jel-oh.

Dante

Dante is a short form of Durante, the Italian form of the Latin name Durans, meaning “enduring”. Its most famous namesake is undoubtedly medieval Italian poet, Dante degli Alighieri, nearly always known by his first name only. His Divine Comedy is considered the greatest work of Italian literature, and in Italy he is known as il Poeto (“the Poet”), just as Shakespeare is called The Bard in England. He is famous for his adoration of Beatrice, a girl he knew only slightly and who died in her twenties; he plays an important role in the literature of “courtly love”. Dante is a name which seems to be gaining more use in recent years, perhaps because of the number of fictional characters named Dante on TV and in video games. I see this handsome name quite a bit in birth notices, and have met a number of small boys named Dante, from a variety of backgrounds. The Italian pronunciation is DAHN-tay, and this is commonly used in Australia, but I have heard it said DAN-tay as well.

Eduardo

Eduardo is the Italian form of the English name Edward. The name is used in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries as well, where it is much more popular than in Italy – it is a Top 100 name in Spain and Chile. Famous Italians include actor, playwright and screenwriter Eduardo De Filippo; songwriter Eduardo di Capua, who composed the famous song O Sole Mio; and quantum physicist and cyberneticist Eduardo Caianiello (all these Eduardos were from Naples). The name is pronounced ed-WARD-oh, with the ward part rhyming with hard rather than horde. Last year, Australian soccer player Vince Grella welcomed a son named Eduardo, and so far it’s the only celebrity baby boy’s name which has been rated as “perfect” by blog readers.

Lorenzo

Lorenzo is the Italian form of the Roman name Laurentius, which means “from Laurentum”; Laurentum was an ancient city in Italy, south of Rome, and its name probably comes from the laurel, or bay tree. Laurel wreaths were used by the Romans as a symbol of victory. The English form of the name is Laurence. One of the most famous Italian namesakes is Lorenzo de Medici, known as Lorenzo the Magnificent. A Florentine ruler during the Renaissance, he was famed for presiding over Florence’s Golden Age, and for being a great patron of the arts. Lorenzo’s grandson also bore his name; he is best known for being the ruler to whom Machiavelli dedicated his practical political handbook, The Prince. Lorenzo has been in the Top 5 in Italy for several years, and is currently #4; it’s also Top 100 in France. The Italian pronunciation is loh-REN-tso, and in English it’s pretty much the same except we say the final syllable -zo. Reality TV star Snooki, from Jersey Shore, welcomed a baby boy named Lorenzo last year. Possible nicknames include Enzo, Ren, Renzo and Zo.

Luca

Luca is the Italian equivalent of the name Luke, derived from the Greek name Loukas, meaning “from Lucania”. Lucania was an ancient district of southern Italy, and the name comes from the tribe of the Lucani who inhabited the area. One theory is that the tribe’s name comes from the Greek word for “wolf”; another that it means “sacred wood” in Latin. A famous Italian with this name is medieval sculptor Luca della Robbia; another is Fra Luca de Pacioli, a mathematician and Franciscan friar who worked with Leonardo da Vinci. You may also know the name from Luca Cordero di Montezemolo who is chairman of Ferrari. Luca is incredibly popular internationally: it is #12 in Italy, and also makes the Top 100 in the UK, Scotland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. It has charted in Australia since the 1980s, and joined the Top 100 in the late 2000s; currently it is #79. You will sometimes see Luca described as a unisex name, and that’s because it is also the Hungarian form of Lucia, and is #10 for girls in Hungary. However, the two names are pronounced differently – the Italian boy’s name is said LOO-kah, while the Hungarian girl’s name is said LOO-tsah.

Massimo

Massimo is the Italian form of Maximus, a Roman family name derived from the Latin for “greatest”. There is a very old and noble Roman family named Massimo, and they claim to be descended from the Maximi family of ancient Rome, including the famous general Fabius Maximus. This cannot be proven, as the family history only goes back about a thousand years, but what’s on the record is impressive enough. Extremely rich and influential, great patrons of the arts, they have produced numerous cardinals, ambassadors, politicians and military leaders, and have married into some of the most important royal houses of Europe, so that the family now bears a princely title. Massimo is one of the most common Italian boy’s names I see in birth notices, with Massi the usual nickname. It is pronounced mahs-SEE-mo.

Orlando

Orlando is the Italian form of Roland, a Germanic name meaning “famous land” or perhaps “fame of his country”. According to history, Roland was a Frankish military commander in Charlemagne’s army, responsible for defending France against the Bretons; he died in a skirmish against the Basques after Charlemagne was defeated in a battle against Islamic forces. His death must have captured people’s imaginations, because while history says very little about Roland, legend says much. His life became an epic drama about a great nobleman of royal blood who dies in battle, defending his land and faith from Muslims. Just in case this seemed a bit tame, legend gave him a magic sword and threw in a giant, and the story was a massive medieval minstrel-sung hit all across western Europe. In Italy, he not only appears in Dante’s Divine Comedy, but starred in a whole line of epics as Orlando. The most famous of these is Orlando Furioso (it basically means Crazy Orlando) by Ludovico Ariosto. As the title suggests, Orlando goes doolally from unrequited love of a pagan princess and gallops around the world in a frenzy. There’s wizards and hippogriffs and sea monsters and a trip to the moon involved, and the story was hugely influential in European literature. We know this name well from actor Orlando Bloom, married to Miranda Kerr, and since their wedding I see this attractive name regularly in birth notices. The Italian pronunciation is or-LAHN-do, and the English or-LAND-oh.

Rocco

Saint Rocco is an Italian saint who was born a nobleman but came to Rome on a pilgrimage. Turning up while the city was suffering from a plague, he spent his time tending the sick. When he succumbed himself, he was banished from populated areas, but miraculously provided with water, and a dog who brought him food and licked his wounds, which cured him. Returning home, he was thrown into prison as a spy and died, refusing to reveal his noble identity. However, he was recognised by a cross-shaped birthmark, and canonised as a saint by popular acclaim. When the Black Death swept through Europe, it was said that this plague could be averted by praying to Saint Rocco, and when a town was apparently spared in this manner, his popularity went through the roof. Although his cult had begun in northern Italy, it soon spread across Europe; in France his name became Roch, in Spain Roque, and in England, Rock. You’d be forgiven for thinking Rocco had something to do with rocks, but it’s an ancient Germanic name meaning “rest”, and pronounced ROK-ko. Even though the Black Death isn’t such a worry any more, Saint Rocco is still popular as a healer of the sick and patron of dogs. Rocco has charted in Australia since the 1940s, hitting a peak in the 1960s at #193. Since the early 2000s, when Madonna welcomed her son Rocco, it has been climbing steeply and is currently #228. Expect to hear more of this cute yet macho name in the future.

Romeo

Romeo is the Italian form of the Latin name Romaeus, meaning “pilgrim to Rome”. When we hear the name Romeo, we think of the young and ardent lover from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, whose pubescent romance goes so tragically wrong. Shakespeare’s plot wasn’t original – he based it on retellings of 16^th century Italian romances, and in turn, these used the story of Pyramus and Thisbe from Roman mythology as inspiration. However, one of the Italian authors, Luigi Da Porto, fell for an enchanting young woman at a ball and she returned his feelings; things never got off the ground because their families were feuding. By the time he had the chance to write about Romeus and Giulietta in Verona, the object of his desire had been married off to someone else. His version of the story, including the principals’ names, proved enduring – perhaps because it had the personal touches of someone who has loved and lost. Romeo is such an ultra-romantic name that it’s used as an epithet for any male lover. David and Victoria Beckham welcomed their son Romeo in 2002, giving this name some star appeal as well. We say it RO-mee-oh, but we know the Italian pronunciation of ro-MAY-oh from the car manufacture, Alfa Romeo.

Valentino

Valentino is the Italian form of the Latin name name Valentinus, the saint of lovers, also called Valentine. It got an extra helping of Latin Loverboyishess from Italian actor Rudolph Valentino, a seductive sex symbol and star of the silent screen. He made women swoon, and men snipe at his annoying amount of attractiveness. The gals screamed with desire during his movies; the guys stormed out in disgust and threw hissy fits. We know the name well from Italian motorcycle racer and MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi, giving this name quite a sporty image as well. I don’t know if it’s because of Rossi, but I do see the name Valentino quite often in birth notices, where it seems to be especially popular in the middle position.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Luca, Rocco, and Massimo, and their least favourite were Orlando, Valentino, and Eduardo.

(Picture shows scene from Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet)

Italian Names for Girls

10 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Arthurian legends, Arthurian names, Austrian name popularity, Belgian name popularity, Biblical names, birth notices, celebrity baby names, compound names, English idioms, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, food names, French names, Greek names, Harry Potter names, hebrew names, Italian name popularity, Italian names, J.K. Rowling, locational names, modern classics, mythological names, name history, name meaning, names from movies, names from songs, nicknames, Orlando Furioso, Percy Bysshe Shelley, popular names, Roman names, saints names, Shakespearean names, The Sleeping Beauty, William Shakespeare

Italian-Australians are the largest ethnic group in Australia after those of British and Irish heritage, and about a million people identify as having Italian ancestry – around 5% of the population. The first Italian migrants arrived in the 19^th century (Australia’s first police officer was an Italian), but immigration soared after World War II. They have made an incalculable contribution to Australia’s economy and culture, with noteworthy Italians in business, politics, sport, the arts and entertainment. It’s not that I can’t imagine Australia without an Italian history; it’s just that imagining such an Australia appals me.

This is a selection of Italian names for girls which I think are usable in Australia, whether you have Italian ancestry or not.

Alessandra

Alessandra is the feminine form of Alessandro, the Italian form of Alexander. Alessandra has been popular in Italy for many years, remaining in the Top 10 throughout the 1970s. It is still in the Top 100 today, and has only recently slipped off the Top 30. I see many instances of this name in birth notices, particularly in families with Italian surnames (although not exclusively). Not only is it the Italian form of the popular Alexandra, but is well known due to Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, who is of part-Italian descent. It is also an Australian celebrity baby name, since Casey Stoner and his wife Adriana welcomed their daughter Alessandra Maria last year. This pretty name is an Italian modern classic, and the Italian pronunciation is ahl-e-SAHN-dra, although I suspect many Australians would say it more like al-uh-SAN-dra. Nicknames abound, including Allie, Alessa, Alessia and Lissa, and it is one of the names tipped to rise in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Arianna

Arianna is the Italian form of the Greek name Ariadne, meaning “most holy, utterly pure”. In Greek mythology, Ariadne was a princess of Crete, the daughter of King Minos, and helped the hero Theseus escape from the Minotaur (Ariadne’s monstrous half-brother). The two of them escaped together, but Theseus abandoned her on the island of Naxos, where she married the god Dionysus. It seems likely that Ariadne was originally an ancient Cretan mother goddess, and some suggest that she was a goddess of weaving, thus perhaps a goddess who ruled fate. Arianna is currently #24 in Italy, and although there are a few famous Italians with this name, it’s probably best known as the name of Arianna Huffington, who co-founded The Huffington Post. The Italian pronunciation is ah-RYAHN-na, and the English is ah-ree-AH-nuh or ar-ee-AN-uh, which allows Ari as the obvious nickname.

Bianca

Bianca is the Italian equivalent of the French name Blanche, meaning “white, fair”. The name was used amongst the Italian nobility during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance; one example being Bianca Visconti, a 15^th century Duchess of Milan who is a distant ancestor of both Diana, Princess of Wales and Princess Michael of Kent. There are two characters named Bianca in the plays of Shakespeare, in Othello and The Taming of the Shrew, but the name doesn’t seem to have been used in Britain until the 19^th century, during the Victorian veneration of the Bard and his works. It does seem to have been attractive to families with Italian ancestry from early on. The name Bianca did not chart here until the 1960s, and was in the Top 100 by the 1980s. It peaked in the 1990s at #45, and fell until it left the Top 100 in 2009. In 2011 it rose again to make #103, only just outside the Top 100. Bianca is a modern classic in Australia which hasn’t been lower than the 100s since the 1960s, although it is rather dated in Italy. The Italian pronunciation is something like BYAHN-ka, but here we say it bee-AN-ka.

Chiara

Chiara is the original Italian form of the names Clara, Clare and Claire, meaning “clear, bright, famous”. Chiara Offreduccio was one of the followers of Saint Francisof Assisi, and founded the Order of Poor Ladies; she is the first woman known to have written a monastic Rule. She was a great encouragement and support to Saint Francis, and nursed him during his final illness. Today we know her as Saint Clare, and her order is affectionately known as The Poor Clares. This medieval saint has a very modern connection, because she is the patron of television. Chiara has been a Top 10 name in Italy for several years now, and is currently #6. It is also Top 100 in Austria and Belgium. Chiara is one of the most popular Italian names that I see in Australian birth notices, and it is known to us as the name of cyclist Cadel Evans’ Italian wife. We say this name kee-AH-ra, which isn’t exactly the Italian pronuciation, but not too far off it either.

Eliana

Eliana is the Italian form of the Roman name Aeliana, the feminine form of Aelianus. The name is from the Roman family name Aelius, derived from the Greek word helios, meaning “sun”. One of the Titans was named Helios, a handsome sun god who drove his chariot across the skies each day. There is a Saint Eliana, an early Roman martyr. Eliana can also be understood as a modern Hebrew name meaning “my God has answered”. This name is not on the Italian Top 30, but I have seen many examples of it in Australian birth notices, with a variety of spellings. The Italian pronunciation is eh-LYAH-na, but I think most Australians would prefer el-ee-AH-na, as it opens the name up to nicknames such as Ella, Elle or Ellie.

Francesca

Francesca is the feminine form of Francesco, the Italian original of the name Francis. One of the most famous people with this name is Francesca da Rimini, whose story features in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Francesca was married off to a brave but crippled man named Giovanni, and fell in love with his younger brother, Paolo. Although Paolo was married too, they managed to carry on an affair for about ten years. Her story reached a tragic conclusion when her husband killed both she and her lover after finding them together in her bedroom. In Dante’s poem, he meets she and Paolo in the second circle of Hell, where those who have committed sins of lust are punished; Dante faints in pity at her sad plight. Her story has been turned into numerous operas, plays and artworks. Francesca has been on the Australian charts since the 1940s, but has never reached the Top 100. It peaked in the 1960s at #241; currently it is #245 and climbing, so looks likely to overtake this high point fairly soon. The name has been popular in Italy for many years, and is currently #12. The Italian pronunciation of frahn-CHES-ka, and the English fran-CHES-ka are both used here; Frankie is fast becoming the fashionable nickname.

Ginevra

Ginevra is the Italian form of Guinevere, so you can consider it to be the Italian Jennifer as well. By coincidence, it is also the Italian name for the Swiss city of Geneva. The Arthurian legends were known in Italy, and on the cathedral of Modena in Italy, it shows King Arthur rescuing Guinevere from her abduction by the villain Maleagant. A 15^th century Florentine noblewoman named Ginevra de’ Benci was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and there was an also a 17^th century Italian painter named Ginevra Cantofoli. There are several Ginevras in fiction, including Princess Ginevra of Scotland in Orlando Furioso, the Ginevra who has a tragic wedding day in the poem by Shelley, and Ginevra “Ginny” Weasley from the Harry Potter books. Ginevra is #25 and rising in Italy, but this romantic name is not often used in Australia. The Italian pronunciation is something like jeh-NEEV-rah, while the English pronunciation is ji-NEHV-ruh; I think both sound usable, and allow nicknames such as Jenny, Ginny, Ginger, June, Neve and Evie.

Lia

Lia is the Italian form of the Hebrew name Leah, who in the Bible was one of Jacob’s two wives, or it can be used as a short form of names such as Rosalia or Aurelia. I’m not sure how popular this name is in Italy (it’s not in the Top 30), but there are quite a few Australians named Lia, including politician Lia Finocchiaro. Italian girls names don’t have to be elaborate or ornate; here is one as sweet and simple as you could desire, fitting in perfectly with short popular names like Mia and Ava. Although Lia does not chart in Australia, Leah is in the Top 100 and has been climbing since the 1990s.

Mietta

Mietta is the Italian form of the French name Miette, which literally means “bread crumb”, but is a term of endearment, like “sweet little morsel, sweet little thing” (compare with how you might call a little girl muffin in English). One of the fairies in The Sleeping Beauty ballet is named Miettes qui tombent, meaning “falling breadcrumbs”. It presumably began life as a nickname, but at some point was accepted as a full name, probably because it seemed like a pet form of names such as Marie. In Australia we best know the name from the chef Mietta O’Donnell, whose parents were Italian migrants and restaurateurs. Mietta and her partner opened the famous Mietta’s restaurant during the 1970s, a Melbourne institution for twenty years. Mietta O’Donnell was not just a contributor to Australian cuisine, she changed and defined Australian cuisine and raised the standard immeasurably, as well as teaching people about good food through her restaurant guides and cookbooks. Mietta was a charismatic and ardent supporter of the arts in her city; little wonder I see so many birth notices for little Miettas in Melbourne. In O’Donnell’s case, Mietta was a nickname; her real name was Maria. The Italian pronunciation of this name is MYEHT-ah, but most Australians would prefer mee-EH-tah. The popularity of Mia must surely have made Mietta more appealing.

Rosabella

Rosabella combines the names (or words) Rosa and Bella, and even if you don’t know much Italian, you can probably figure out what Rosabella means – “beautiful rose”. The two original words were used together in a medieval Italian poem by Leonardo Giustiniani, O Rosa Bella, which later became a popular English chant. A 1940s Italian love song featuring the name is Rosabella Del Molise; the song tells of a beautiful woman from southern Italy loved by a shepherd; he begs Rosabella to marry him, and plans a wedding to be speedily followed by a bambino. A piece of film trivia is that in the Italian version of Citizen Kane, the sled is called Rosabella instead of Rosebud. I get the feeling that in Italy this is a very old-fashioned name, and as it is also a variety of luncheon meat, may even appear comical. However, I have seen this name several times in recent Australian birth notices, along with Rosa-Bella, Rosabel and Rosebelle. Here it seems like a compound of popular Rose with popular Isabella; it’s slightly operatic, but does fit the trend for frilly girls names, and has simple nicknames like Rosie and Bella.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Eliana, Arianna, and Francesca, and their least favourite were Bianca, Rosabella, and Mietta.

(Picture shows Francesca da Rimini (1837), painted by William Dyce)

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

Cristina 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”.

	waltzingmorethanmati… on Zarah Zaynab and Wolfgang…
	Madelyn on Zarah Zaynab and Wolfgang…
	drperegrine on Can Phoebe Complete This …
	waltzingmorethanmati… on Rua and Rhoa
	redrover23 on Rua and Rhoa

Waltzing More Than Matilda

~ Names with an Australian Bias of Democratic Temper

Tag Archives: fictional namesakes

Boys Names Which Rose in Popularity in 2012

Girls Names Which Rose in Popularity in 2012

Name Trends from Baby Center Australia – Boys

Famous Names: Ellen and Portia

Names Spotted at Home and Abroad (Summer Edition)

Waltzing with … Neville

Famous Name: Gabriel

Italian Names for Boys

Italian Names for Girls

Interview with Cristina from Once Upon a Time Baby Names