Tag Archives: fictional namesakes

Waltzing With …. Lucinda

11 Sunday Oct 2015

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Famous Fictional Namesake
I’ve been away on holiday, hence the lack of posts. Whenever we go somewhere, I always take tons of books with me, in the fond belief that I will have lots of free time. I rarely get much reading done, as holidays take up more of your time and energy than you think they will, but in the spirit of my good intentions I’m covering a name from a modern Australian classic.

Peter Carey’s Oscar and Lucinda won the 1989 Miles Franklin Award and the 1988 Booker Prize. Set in the nineteenth century, Lucinda is a young orphaned heiress who forms an unlikely and intense relationship with an Anglican priest named Oscar.

These eccentric redheaded soulmates are bound together by their mutual passion for gambling. Lucinda is the owner of a glass factory on Sydney’s Darling Harbour, and she and Oscar make a crazy wager that he will transport a glass church by river to the town of Bellingen in New South Wales; Lucinda stakes her entire fortune on the bet.

Peter Carey’s first idea for his heroine’s name was Hermione; however he went off the idea as he realised how difficult Hermione was for him to say. Not fancying the idea of constantly talking about Hermione at book festivals and so on, and thinking how awkward Oscar and Hermione sounded as a title, he cast about for something else. His wife at the time suggested Lucinda, and he immediately liked it, as it felt both modern and Victorian.

Only later did he realise that Lucinda had a connection with light, which fit the themes of the novel. Lucinda is obsessed with glass, while Oscar has a deadly fear of water, which makes his transporting of the glass church upriver a nightmare on many levels. The novel brings together the imagery of glass and water very beautifully: as Lucinda knows, both are liquids. There is a great shimmer of light on this novel which constantly plays with the idea of chance.

Oscar and Lucinda was made into a film in 1997, with Cate Blanchett and Ralph Fiennes in the title roles. The film is beautiful, and Blanchett suitably luminous as Lucinda, but readers (especially ones trying to cheat their way through book club) should be aware that the novel’s ending has been altered for the film.

Name Information
Lucinda is an elaboration of the Roman name Lucia, the feminine form of Lucius, meaning “light”. The name appears to have been the invention of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, in his masterwork Don Quixote. In a farcical subplot, Lucinda is in love with one man, but forced to marry another; she manages to escape her husband and be with her true love.

Cervantes may have gotten the name from another 17th Spanish writer, the poet Lope de Vega. Lope de Vega used the name Camila Lucinda as a pseudonym for some of his most romantic and passionate poems – a near anagram of Micaela de Luján, an actress who was de Vega’s mistress. Their relationship began in 1599, and his first poems written to “Luzinda” were published in 1602.

Although Cervantes had been an admirer of de Vega, they became rivals enough that Don Quixote contains verses which satirise de Vega. It is even possible that the foolishly romantic Don Quixote himself is a sly allusion to ardent ladies man Lope de Vega. Could it be that Cervantes “stole” the name Lucinda for his novel as a sarcastic in-joke?

Don Quixote was published in two volumes, in 1605 and 1615, and these were translated into English in 1612 and 1620. The name Lucinda begins to appear in 17th century records after the publication of Don Quixote, both in Spain and English-speaking countries.

Lucinda became something of a literary favourite. English poet Henry Glapthorne wrote a series of romantic poems addressed to “Lucinda” in 1639. French playwright Moliere included a character named Lucinde in his 1666 farce, The Doctor in Spite of Himself, and English playwright Samuel Foote’s 1782 farce The Englishman in Paris had a Lucinda. German poet Karl von Schegel published an autobiographical romance named Lucinde in 1799 – considered scandalously erotic in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but tame by today’s standards.

In all these works Lucinda is attractive, and involved in romantic situations that generally work out to her advantage. In von Schegel’s work, Lucinda stands for the ideal woman who is passionate and intellectual in equal measure. Even in Glapthorne’s poems, where the relationship between he and Lucinda doesn’t last, it seems to be by her own choice that she leaves.

Martin Boyd’s classic Australian novel Lucinda Brayford is rather less upbeat. Set mainly in the first half of the 20th century, Lucinda is a beautiful woman of the Melbourne upper class who marries a dashing English aristocrat and moves to Britain. Disillusionment swiftly follows. (Peter Carey has been quick to correct reviewers who imagine he had in mind any connection with Lucinda Brayford when writing Oscar and Lucinda).

In contemporary fiction, Lucinda is often used in fairy tale and fantasy works: she is the well-meaning fairy godmother in Ella Enchanted, the good little witch in Sofia the First, a stepsister of Cinderella in Into the Woods, an elderly lady who finds her own personal fairyland in The Spiderwick Chronicles, and the heroine of the young adult fantasy romance series Fallen by Lauren Kate. Princess Lucinda is both a Groovy Girls doll and a powerfully magical comic book character.

Lucinda first charted in the 1960s, debuting at #342, and peaked in the late 2000s at #126. It is currently around the middle of the 100s, making it an attractive choice for someone wanting a name that has never been popular, but isn’t too far off popularity either.

Lucinda is more popular in Australia than anywhere else. In the United States, Lucinda was in the Top 1000 until the late 1980s, and peaked at #153 in 1881. Last year, 143 baby girls were named Lucinda in the US, and numbers seem to be still falling. In the UK in 2014, 29 baby girls were named Lucinda, with numbers in decline after a peak in the 200s during the late 1990s.

Famous Australian namesakes include ballerina Lucinda Dunn, principal dancer at the Australian Ballet for 23 years; sailor Lucinda “Lu” Whitty, who won silver at the 2012 Olympics; equestrian eventer Lucinda Fredericks, who also competed at the 2012 Olympics; actress Lucinda Cowden, who was on Neighbours; Lucinda “Cindy” McLeish, Liberal politician in the Victorian parliament; and Lucinda “Lucy” Turnbull, former Lord Mayor of Sydney, and wife of the current Prime Minister.

There is also a small coastal town in Queensland called Lucinda, named after a paddle steamer. The Lucinda was named after Lady (Jeannie) Lucinda Musgrave, daughter of prominent American lawyer and law reformer David Dudley Field II, and the wife of Sir Anthony Musgrave, a governor of Queensland. The little town of Lucindale in South Australia is also named after her, as Sir Anthony was previously a governor of that state.

Lucinda is a pretty and elegant literary name linked to love and romance, and with a fairy tale feel to it. In Australia it is an underused modern classic, often thought of here as having a rather upper class image. Among its attractions are nickname options, such as Lucy, Lucie, Lu, and Lulu, with Lux and Lucky as fun possibilities. While Cindy might recently have been thought of as too dated, I’m seeing an increasing number of babies named or nicknamed Cindy, so this cute retro name may be coming back into style.

POLL RESULT
Lucinda received an outstanding approval rating of 96%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2015. 40% of people loved the name Lucinda, and nobody hated it.

Girls Names from International Destinations

27 Sunday Sep 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Aberdeen
The third largest city in Scotland, often called The Energy Capital of Europe because of its North Sea oil reserves, and Scotland’s most important city economically. Another of its claims to fame is that it is the coldest city in the UK. The original name for Aberdeen was Aberdon, a Celtic name meaning “mouth of the Don” – the River Don empties into the North Sea north of Aberdeen’s original site. The river’s name may be derived from Devona, a Celtic deity whose name means “river goddess”. I saw a baby girl named Aberdeen in the newspaper, and her mother emailed me to explain that her name is in honour of Kurt Cobain, lead singer for the rock band Nirvana, who was born in Aberdeen, Washington (Aberdeen’s father is a great admirer). The American city’s name is after a salmon cannery which was named for the Scottish city, because it is also situated on a rivermouth. A rare name with a possible feminine origin which can be shortened to Abby or Deeni.

Alaska
The most northern state of the USA, separated from the continental US by Canada. First colonised by Russia, it was purchased by the United States in the 19th century, and eventually became a state in 1959. Once famous as a gold rush area and wild frontier, it is now known for its vast gas and oil reserves, and stunning natural beauty. The state’s name was adopted during the Russian colonial period, derived from an Aleut word meaning “mainland” (literally “that which the sea breaks against”). The name has become better known since the 2005 publication of John Green’s first young adult novel, Looking for Alaska, with the character of Alaska Young a beautiful but unstable teenage girl who is the hero’s love interest.

Calais
A town and major seaport in northern France and a major trading centre since the Middle Ages. It is famously located at the narrowest point of the English Channel, and a popular place to make for when swimming the Channel (or crossing by ferry). It was once a territory of England, and called “the brightest jewel in the English crown” for its rich commercial opportunities. The Romans called it Caletum, apparently in reference to the local Celtic tribespeople; it was from Calais that Caesar launched his invasion of Britain. Pronounced kal-ay, Calais sounds similar to names such as Callie and Carly while having the fashionable AY sound. Calais is also a boy’s name – in Greek mythology, Calaïs was a son of the North Wind, and one of the Argonauts. The name means “turquoise” or “chrysolithe” (another blue-green jewel), so is a rare masculine gemstone name. It is pronounced KAL-uh-ees. I’ve seen several boys in Australia named Calais, but more likely because of the car, the Holden Commodore Calais, than after the Greek hero.

Havana
The capital of Cuba, and a popular tourist destination that’s almost instantly recognisable from its colourful architecture and vintage cars. Under American occupation before the revolution, it was a playground for the middle classes, a sort of offshore Las Vegas with an exciting tinge of corruption and decadence. The city was founded by the Spanish in the early 16th century and named San Cristóbal de la Habana. Saint Christopher is the city’s patron, but the meaning of Habana isn’t certain. It may come from Habaguanex, the name of a Native American chief who controlled the region. The name has become fairly well known in Australia because of the DJ, singer, and dancer Havana Brown. Born in Melbourne to parents from Mauritius, Havana’s birth name is Angelique Meunier. The name Havana was #339 in Victoria in 2012. Pronounced huh-VAH-nuh, it fits in with the trend for names with a strong V sound, and looks like a natural successor to Ava and Harper.

Holland
A historic region of the Netherlands, sometimes informally used to refer to the country itself (Dutch people outside North and South Holland may not appreciate this, just as Scots don’t care for being told they’re from England). The name comes from the Middle Dutch holtland, meaning “wooded land”, but folk etymology connects it to the modern Dutch hol land, meaning “hollow land”, because the Netherlands is famously low-lying. Holland is also an area of Lincolnshire, similarly flat and famous for tulips, but its name comes from the Old English for “hill spur land, ridge land”. It is from this area that the English surname Holland comes, and you can see Holland as a surname name too. Both Holland Park in London and the Holland Tunnel in New York are from the Lincolnshire connection. Holland is also a fabric; this heavy linen was in the past often imported from the Netherlands. Long in use for both sexes, on a girl this name easily shortens to Holly.

India
India is named for the Indus River, one of the longest rivers of Asia, which flows from Tibet into the Arabian Sea; the Sanskrit name for the river is Sindhu, which means “body of trembling water”. Alexander the Great crossed the Indus, and the ancient Greeks called the people of present-day Pakistan and India Indoi, meaning “people of the Indus” – it’s the origin of the word for the Hindu religion as well. The Indus Valley was the birthplace for an ancient civilisation, the oldest urban culture in South Asia. In Britain, India was often given as a name in reference to the British Raj, and still has a rather upper class image in the UK. In the US, India had steady use in Indiana, but overall was more common in the south – a famous fictional namesake is India Wilkes from Gone With the Wind, the sister of Ashley. India was also given as a slave name in colonial America, perhaps because it was associated with a dark complexion. It’s always been a name which symbolises exoticism to Europeans, and is around the 200s in Australia, a natural successor to popular Indiana and sharing the nickname Indi.

Mississippi
An American state in the south, named for the Mississippi River, another inspiration for the name. The Mississippi is the chief river of North America, and one of the largest in the world, rising in Minnesota and meandering to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River Valley is one of the country’s most fertile areas, and was the focus for the steamboat era, brought to life in the works of Mark Twain. It features in songs such as Johnny Cash’s Big River, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary, and Charley Pride’s Roll on Mississippi. The river’s name comes from Misi-ziibi, the Objibwe or Algonquin for “great river”. Lengthy, and a spelling minefield for the unwary, this comes with two snappy nicknames: Missi and Sippi.

Odessa
A city in the Ukraine founded by Catherine the Great. It was named thus because of a belief that it was the site of an ancient Greek city called Odessos – Odessos is now thought to have been where Varna, in modern Bulgaria, is today. The name is probably pre-Greek, and its meaning and origin unknown. A free port, Odessa was a city where people of many cultures and languages mingled; its cosmopolitan nature made it a place for freethinkers to congregate, and Mark Twain predicted it would become one of the great cities of the world. The first tremors of the Russian Revolution could be felt here in 1905, after a workers’ uprising was put down with a brutal massacre. Odessa looks as if it could be related to all kinds of familiar names, and is sometimes even touted as a feminine form of Odysseus, so it feels like a “real name”. It’s right on trend and would make a great alternative to popular Olivia.

Sahara
The largest desert in Africa, and the largest hot desert of the world, the Sahara stretches right across northern Africa, often very beautiful in its shifting sandscapes. Its name is an intensifier of ṣaḥrā , the Arabic word for desert, to suggest “great desert”. The singer-songwriter Sahara Smith received her name because her father hiccuped while suggesting the name Sara, and liked the result. This is a pretty name which is so similar to names like Sara, Sarah, Zara and Zahara that its main issue is probably being confused with them.

Venice
A city in northern Italy built on a series of islands separated by a maze of canals and linked by bridges. It is seen as one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a very romantic destination, thanks to its ornate architecture and the gondolas providing transport through its waterways. A wealthy city for most of its history, it has a particularly strong connection with the arts and music, and has featured in many plays, novels, and films. The city’s name comes from the Veneti, the tribespeople who populated the area in ancient times. Etymologists believe their name comes from an ancient root meaning “strive, wish for, love” (to suggest strong kinship bonds), giving it a very attractive meaning as well. The name seems to have been used since the 16th century, although in at least some records, may have been confused with the related names Venus or Venetia. This artistic name would make a good alternative to rising Florence.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Odessa, India and Holland, and their least favourite were Havana, Venice and Mississippi.

(Photo is of Denali National Park in Alaska)

Famous Name: Howard

10 Thursday Sep 2015

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Famous Namesakes
On September 24 it will be the 117th birthday of Howard Florey, the Australian scientist who was part of the team which developed penicillin for medical use. Although it was Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered the antibiotic properties of penicillin in 1928, it was Howard Florey and his research team who actually made penicillin into an effective medication.

While Professor of Pathology at Oxford, Howard and his team treated their first patient with penicillin in 1941. A police constable named Albert Alexander had been accidentally scratched with a rose thorn in his mouth, and was now suffering from severe infection, to such an extent that one of his eyes had to be removed. Within a day of receiving penicillin Albert began to recover, but due to the difficulties of making enough penicillin to continue treating him, he relapsed and died.

Let’s just take a moment to think about that. When did you ever hear of someone you knew who died from a scratch from a rose thorn? That was what the world was like before antibiotics – simple things like cuts, abrasions, and burns could kill you in prolonged, painful, and particularly nasty ways. If you somehow survived, you might be left chronically ill, crippled, or missing an eye or a limb.

It was too late to save Albert Alexander, but he hadn’t died in vain. Howard interested pharmaceutical companies in the United States in mass-producing quantities of penicillin, and the first patient was successfully treated for septicemia in 1942. By the end of World War II, penicillin had made a significant difference in saving the lives of wounded Allied forces, and Australia was the first country to make penicillin available for civilian use after the war.

In 1944 Howard was made a Knight Bachelor, and in 1945 shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine with his fellow researcher Sir Ernst Chain, and with Sir Alexander Fleming. That same year he received the Lister Medal for contributions to surgical science, and in 1948 the US awarded him the Medal of Merit. Elected to the Royal Society in 1941, he became its president in 1958. In 1962 he became provost of Queen’s College at Oxford, and the college’s residential Florey Building was named in his honour.

In 1965 he was appointed a life peer, and became Baron Florey, as well as being appointed a Member of the Order of Merit. From that year until his death three years later, he was Chancellor of the Australian National University, and after he died he was given a memorial service at Westminster Abbey. The one thing that his discoveries didn’t bring him was money – he never patented penicillin, being advised that it would be unethical.

The discoveries of Howard Florey, along with Alexander Fleming and Ernst Chain, are estimated to have saved more than 82 million lives. Long-serving Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies said: In terms of world well-being, Florey was the most important man ever born in Australia.

I have particular reason to be grateful to Howard Florey, as one of that club with 82 million members. When I was a child, I contracted a serious lung infection, and only just pulled through, even with the assistance of modern antibiotics. Without them, I would have been toast. So if you enjoy reading this blog, give thanks to Howard Florey! It couldn’t exist without him.

Name Information
The English surname Howard could be derived from Huard or Heward: related to the name Hugh, it combines the Germanic elements hug, meaning “mind, heart, spirit” and hard, meaning “brave, tough”. It could thus be translated as “brave heart”. Another possibility is that it is from Haward, an English form of the Old Norse Hávarðr, meaning “high guardian, chief guardian”. The surname Howard is first found in Norfolk.

The Howards are an aristocratic family which have been in the English Peerage since the 15th century, and remain the Premier Dukes of the Realm. The Howard family holds the Dukedom of Norfolk, as well as numerous earldoms and baronies. They hold the title of Earl Marshal, the highest hereditary position in the United Kingdom outside the Royal Family, responsible for organising coronations, state funerals, and the State Opening of Parliament.

The family’s founder was John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk: on his father’s side he was descended from King John, and on his mother’s from King Edward I. John Howard was the great-grandfather of two English queens: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both married to King Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth I was the first English monarch to be descended from John Howard, and Queen Elizabeth II the first British monarch to be one of his descendants.

After the English Reformation, many of the Howards remained in the Catholic faith, and they are still the highest profile Catholic family in England. Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel, has been canonised as a saint and martyr: he was imprisoned for ten years by his second cousin Queen Elizabeth I, and died in the Tower of London. Philip’s grandson William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, was falsely implicated in a fictitious conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II, and executed: he has been beatified as a Catholic martyr.

The Howards dubiously claim descent from Hereward the Wake, a semi-legendary hero who led a resistance against the Normans after the Conquest. Hereward is an Old English name meaning “guardian of the army”. A possibly dodgy old pedigree says the Howards are descended from the Howarth family of Yorkshire – this surname means either “homestead on the hill” or “homestead with hawthorn hedges”. Howard has been used as a boy’s name since at least the 16th century, most likely due to the aristocratic family.

Famous namesakes include Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb; classic film director Howard Hawks; and eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes. Fictional Howards tends to be dads (such as Howard Cunningham on Happy Days, Howard “Ward” Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver, and Howard Stark, the father of Iron Man superhero Tony Stark), or offbeat (like Howard the Duck, Howard Wolowitz from The Big Bang Theory, and Howard Moon from The Mighty Boosh).

In Australia, Howard was #122 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #101; it hasn’t charted since the 1980s. In the UK, Howard was in the Top 100 from the late 19th century until the 1920s, but never got very high; in 2013 there were 16 babies named Howard born in England/Wales. The name has been much more popular in the United States: it was in the Top 100 from the late 19th century to 1958, peaked during World War I at #25, and has only been off the Top 1000 once, in 2013; it returned last year and is currently #986.

Howard is a dated name, although it has never been popular and might more properly be described as vintage. It sounds sturdy and dependable, has a good meaning, and can be shortened to either Howie or Ward. An issue in Australia is that it’s strongly associated with former conservative Prime Minister John Howard, whose term was from 1996 to 2007, often called the Howard Years or Howard Era; it may not be pure coincidence that the name disappeared from the charts in the 1980s when John Howard was Federal Treasurer.

POLL RESULTS
Howard received an approval rating of 51%. 18% of people thought the name Howard was too dated, while 16% were put off the name by former prime minister John Howard. However, 14% saw it as old-fashioned yet charming.

(Picture shows a scene from the 2009 film Breaking the Mould, with Dominic West as Howard Florey)

Celebrity Baby News: Sporting Babies

08 Tuesday Sep 2015

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Former cricketer Glenn McGrath, and his wife Sara, welcomed their daughter Madison Mary Harper on September 4. One of Australia’s greatest cricketers, Glenn was regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the world, and holds the record for the most wickets in a Cricket World Cup. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2013. Currently he is the director of the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, India, and is the President of the McGrath Foundation, a breast cancer support charity he founded with his deceased first wife, Jane McGrath. Glenn has two children named James and Holly from his first marriage. Sara is an interior designer.

Former swimmer Libby Trickett (nee Lenton), and her husband Luke, welcomed their daughter Poppy Frances on August 31. Libby has won gold at the 2004, 2008 (twice), and 2012 Olympics, silver in 2008, and bronze in 2004 and 2008. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, she won 5 gold medals and 2 silver. She remains the world record holder for the 100 metre freestyle. Luke is also a former swimmer.

Former professional surfer Koby Abberton, and his fiancee, Olya Nechiporenko, welcomed their son Makua Sunny on July 22 [pictured]. Koby took up surfing as a way to escape a difficult home environment, and he and he and his brothers Jai, Sunny, and Dakota are all members of the Bra Boys Surf Gang from Maroubra, the inspiration for the fictional Braxton brothers and the River Gang in Home and Away. Olya is a Ukrainian-born model. Makua is a Hawaiian name meaning “parent, elder, ancestor”, while the middle name is after the baby’s uncle. Other ideas that Koby had for his son’s name were Wolfgang, Classic, Legend, Kaos, Ai, Storm, and Chrome – Wolfgang was vetoed, and Olya suggested Kainoa.

Famous Name: Ceridwen

02 Wednesday Sep 2015

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Famous Namesake
Author Ceridwen Dovey was born in South Africa, raised both there and Australia, and was educated at Harvard University, doing postgraduate work at New York University. Living in Sydney, Ceridwen says Australia feels like home, but South Africa remains part of her, and she has ties to the United States as well.

Ceridwen’s book Only the Animals was published last year, has just come out in the UK, and will be released in the US later this month. It’s very unusual, with the souls of ten animals who have died in human conflicts telling their own stories. Each beast also pays tribute to a particular writer who has written about animals, from Henry Lawson to Virginia Woolf to Ted Hughes, and these can be playful as well as moving (imagine a mussell’s journey to Pearl Harbour in the style of Jack Kerouac, for example).

Only the Animals has been shortlisted for numerous awards, and won the Steele Rudd Award for a short story collection at the 2014 Queensland Literary Awards. It’s a beautiful, wise book which really gets under your skin and remains with you, long after you turn the last page. Hopefully it will be appreciated overseas as well.

Name Information
In Welsh legend, Ceridwen was an enchantress. According to a medieval tale, Ceridwen had a son named Morfran who was hideously ugly, and she sought to make him wise since he was never going to coast along on his looks.

She mixed up a magical potion in her cauldron which would give the gift of wisdom and poetic inspiration, and a long drawn-out process it was. The potion had to be boiled for a year and a day, and she outsourced the workload, having the fire tended by a blind man while a young boy named Gwion kept stirring it. Only the first three drops of the potion would confer wisdom: all the rest was deadly poison.

Three drops of the hot potion spilled onto Gwion’s hand as he stirred, and instinctively he put his thumb in his mouth to cool the burning. As soon as he did, he gained all the wisdom and knowledge that had been meant for Morfran. The first piece of knowledge he gained was that he’d better scram as Ceridwen was going to be peeved beyond belief. Correct! She was furious.

Gwion turned himself into a hare so he could run fast, but Ceridwen became a greyhound and ran even faster. He jumped into a river to swim away as a fish, but she transformed into an otter. When he turned into a bird to fly away, as quick as thought she was an eagle chasing after him.

Finally he turned himself into a grain of wheat. I know what you’re thinking: all the wisdom in the world, and the best he can come up with is wheat? I mean, come on, at least turn invisible or something. For some reason, Ceridwen turned herself into a chicken and ate the wheat. Not sure why she had to be a chicken to eat wheat; probably showing off.

When Ceridwen became pregnant, she knew it was that crafty little Gwion growing inside her. (I know wheat doesn’t go into your uterus when you eat it; you have to throw all rational thought out the window, because magic). Ceridwen planned to kill the baby as soon it was born, but he was so beautiful that she just couldn’t do it. Due to her wonderful nurturing instincts, she chucked him into the ocean instead, wrapped in a bag.

The bag washed up on shore, and a prince who was fishing caught him instead of a salmon, and took him home. He knew the kid was something special, because he recited poetry all the way back to the castle. He named him Taliesin, and Taliesin became the greatest of the Welsh bards, and later the chief bard at King Arthur’s court.

Ceridwen never bothered making another potion for Morfran, but if you’ve been worried about him all this time, don’t be. He became one of King Arthur’s warriors, had a beautiful white horse, and survived Arthur’s final battle because he was so hideous that people thought he must be a demon, and ran away in panic.

The oldest known version of the name is Cyrridven, translated as “crooked woman”, because cyrrid means “crooked, bent, hooked”, and ben or ven means “woman, female”. A popular theory is that the name is a corruption of cerdd, meaning “poetry, music”, and gwyn, meaning “white, blessed”, to be understood as “sacred poetry”. I find this etymology too convenient to modern sensibilities to be convincing.

In many ancient traditions, travelling in a crooked or winding path is considered a powerfully magical thing to do (think of labyrinths, for example), so “crooked woman” might be understood as meaning “woman of magic power” – spot on for an enchantress.

Ceridwen is a very magical figure, and her story has several ties to mythology. The thumb sucking leading to great, yet unlooked for, wisdom, reminds us of the Irish hero Finn McCool, who sucked hot oil off his thumb while cooking the Salmon of Knowledge. Is it just coincidence that the prince caught Taliesin while fishing instead of a salmon?

Another is the magical duel, where two sorcerers turn themselves into a succession of creatures until one takes a form the other cannot defeat. There is a faint echo of shamanism here, and it might remind you of the Irish legend of Fintan the Wise, who was able to turn himself into a salmon in order to escape the Great Flood. Another connection to salmon and wisdom!

Ceridwen really appealed to people’s imaginations, and she became seen as not just an enchantress but a goddess of poetry and wisdom. The Victorians identified her as an early pagan goddess, and in modern Paganism she is a goddess of rebirth, knowledge, and inspiration. This is a meaningful modern mythology for Ceridwen, although Welsh scholars tend to get a bit sniffy about it as a 19th century invention.

While the character was known in medieval literature, the name was not used in everyday life, and the form Ceridwen dates to the 16th century. Ceridwen has only been in use since the 19th century revival of old British names, and originated in Wales.

The name Ceridwen features is the novel How Green Was My Valley; Ceridwen is the narrator’s sister. The book is set in the Victorian era, and it is barely possible that a Welsh girl of that time would be called Ceridwen, as it was just coming into use. The author Ceridwen Dovey is named after the literary character.

Ceridwen is in sporadic use as a baby name in the UK, and in 2013 less than three babies were given the name Ceridwen. In the US last year, less than five babies were named Ceridwen.

Ceridwen is a genuine but rare name, and something of a contradiction, as it has medieval origins but is essentially modern – something which causes no end of trouble for the Renaissance Fair crowd, or at least the bodies which approve their names.

To me it seems like a “cool mum” name, which sounds wild and artistic on someone of around my generation, but is hard for me to imagine on a new baby. Perhaps it’s because it fits in so well with the name trends of the 1960s and ’70s, as it sounds rather like a cross between Kerry and Bronwen.

However, this is a name from Welsh legend which will appeal to those wanting a strong, unusual girl’s name which is magical and imaginative. The pronunciation is ker-ID-wen, but English-speakers may prefer KER-id-wen, which gives the obvious nickname Ceri.

POLL RESULTS
Ceridwen received a very good approval rating of 70%. 18% of people thought the pronunciation of Ceridwen was too much of an issue, but 17% saw it as wild and magical, 15% as powerful yet feminine, and a further 15% as a great Welsh heritage choice.

(Photo of Ceridwen Dovey from The Australian)

Name Update: Her Name is Tallulah

01 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Name Updates

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Mia and Lachlan were expecting a baby girl any day when Mia wrote in to the blog. It was her second time writing in, as she asked for help in 2013 with her second son. As Mia and Lachlan aren’t planning any more children, she really felt that this name had to be perfect.

Mia and Lachlan’s daughter was born on August 27, weighing 6lb 7oz (2.9 kg). As soon as they placed her on Mia’s chest, she knew what her name was – it was Lou. Lachlan agreed, but both of them felt that Lou was not quite enough for a full name, and they needed something more substantial and more feminine for their only girl.

Mia liked the name Louella, but it didn’t seem right for her Lou. Then Mia’s mum made a suggestion, and it fit perfectly. It wasn’t too frilly and fussy, it had an American vibe like their sons’ names, and it wasn’t a common way to get to Lou. And so they called her

TALLULAH DOROTHY “LOU“,

sister to Bugsy and Jem.

Lachlan pointed out that Tallulah is a character in the movie Bugsy Malone (played by Jodie Foster), which made Mia slightly worried. But when she asked for other people’s opinions, most said they wouldn’t even notice the connection. Dorothy was the middle name that meant the most to them, as it was an important name on both sides of the family.

Congratulations to Mia and Lachlan, and their happily-named complete little family – Bugsy, Jem, and Lou.

German Names For Boys

30 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Andreas
Latinised form of the Greek form of Andrew, meaning “manly”. Saint Andreas of Alexandria was an early martyr. The name has been used in Germany since the Middle Ages; a famous medieval namesake is Andreas Osiander, a Lutheran mystic and theologian, while a contemporary one is the German opera singer Andreas Scholl. The name Andreas was used in Britain too, although probably the name was still pronounced the same way as Andrew in everyday life. There is an Old English poem called Andreas about Saint Andrew, which turns him into an Old English warrior, battling the forces of evil. Another English literary connection is the 12th century author Andreas Capellanus (Andrew the Chaplain), who wrote a satirical treatise on the courtly love. Just outside the Top 100 in Germany, Andreas is a popular name in Austria and Scandinavia. It’s not often seen here, perhaps because of fears it will be be confused with its feminine counterpart, Andrea. Pronounced something like ahn-DRAY-ahs in Germany, this German classic seems like a fresh update to flagging Andrew, and has recently had some publicity from the disaster movie San Andreas.

Anton
The equivalent of Antony, used throughout Europe since the Middle Ages, and a traditional name amongst European nobility and royalty. Famous namesakes include the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner, and Russian writer Anton Chekhov. A famous Australian namesake is SBS journalist and anchorman Anton Enus, who was born in South Africa. Antons in fiction tend to be baddies, which isn’t a help to the name’s image. One exception is the American children’s book Summer of My German Soldier, where Anton is an escaped German POW who befriends a little Jewish girl. Anton is a popular name in Germany, and around the 400s here. A suave multicultural choice – and even the many villainous Antons in fiction give it a bit of an edge.

Florian
From from the Roman name Florianus, derived from Florus, which is from the Latin for “flower”. Florianus, or Florian, was one of the Roman emperors, and the noble von Blumenthal family from Brandenburg claimed descent from him via an imaginative legend whereby his sons fled to northern Germany, and taught everyone how to make wine. Saint Florian was a Roman soldier whose duties included organising fire brigades; he was martyred by drowning in a river which is now in Austria, and he is a favourite saint in central Europe. Saint Florian is the patron of Poland, and the city of Linz in Austria, and in Austria and Germany, Florian is used as a call sign for fire engines and stations. With such imperial, noble, saintly, patriotic, and rather butch firefighting associations, it’s little wonder Florian is a common name in Germany, and still on the Top 100. It’s rare here, but the rise of Florence in some ways gives it more familiarity, and I have seen an Australian baby named Florian. It seems hip and elegant.

Johannes
Latin form of Ioannes, the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yochanan, which in English is John. Famous German namesakes are seriously heavy duty achievers. Johannes Gutenberg, who introduced the printing press to 15th century Europe – it began a cultural revolution which changed the world and is largely responsible for most of us being able to read. Astronomer Johannes Kepler, a key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution whose works provided the foundations for the theory of gravitational force. Johannes Brahms, one of the great composers of the 19th century, honoured in the German hall of fame. A famous Australian namesakes is former Queensland premier Sir Johannes “Joh” Bjelke-Petersen, husband to Florence, and a force in conservative politics; he was of Danish descent. Popular in central Europe and Scandinavia, Johannes is #56 in Germany. It doesn’t chart here, but I do see it sometimes in birth notices. In Germany it’s pronounced yo-HAHN-nes, while here it may be pronounced in order to give the nickname Joe. A strong, handsome, intelligent classic.

Justus
Latin name meaning “just”. A Christian named Jesus Justus is mentioned by St Paul in the New Testament, while Joseph Justus is a disciple of Christ considered as a possibility to become an Apostle to replace Judas – he is venerated as St Justus of Eleutheropolis. There are quite a number of saints named Justus, including a Pope and an Archbishop of Canterbury. One of the most influential is a legendary one named Justus of Beauvais, who was beheaded as a child and went for a stroll holding his head: one of those fashionable saintly miracles which sent you straight to the top of the medieval pops for some reason. A famous German namesake is Justus Perthes, an 18th century publisher who founded the Almanach de Gotha, a directory of European royalty and nobility. An Australian namesake is Justus Jorgensen, who founded an artist’s colony in Melbourne called Montsalvat which is still open. Justus is #99 in Germany, and is on the US Top 1000. It seems like a solid alternative to the English virtue name Justice, although pronounced quite differently in Germany.

Karsten
German form of Christian. It is more common as a surname than a first name in Germany, and is rare here as well, but I do see it occasionally in birth notices, and one of the athletes we sent to the 2012 Olympics was named Karsten. That makes it seem unusual but normal, and it’s very much like familiar names such as Carson and Carter.

Klaus
Short form of Nikolaus, a German form of Nicholas. The patron saint of Switzerland is Saint Nicholas of Flüe, affectionately known as Brother Klaus. There are many famous German people with this name, including Klaus Neumann, Luftwaffe flying ace, artist and musician Klaus Voormann, who designed album covers for bands like The Beatles, Klaus Badelt, who composed the film score to the 2003 version of Ned Kelly, singer Klaus Meine from The Scorpions, and actor Klaus Kinski, father to Natassja Kinski. There are famous fictional characters with this name too, such as teen bookworm Klaus Bauldelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events, vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson from The Vampire Diaries, and Olympian athlete-cum-goldfish Klaus Heissler from American Dad. Slightly dated in Germany, this charming name is very rare in English-speaking countries, probably because it reminds people of Santa Claus. Klaus is said to rhyme with house though.

Otto
Modern form of the ancient Germanic name Audo or Odo, originally short forms of names beginning with aud-, meaning “wealth, riches, fortune”. A name in common use by German royalty and nobility, there have been four Holy Roman Emperors named Otto. Otto I, or Otto the Great, was the son of Saint Matilda, and married an English princess. Otto IV was the son of Matilda of England, the daughter of Henry II. Two famous writers had dads named Otto: Anne Frank and Sylvia Plath. The name might also remind you of statesman Otto von Bismarck or film director Otto Preminger. In fiction, Otto has often been used as a comedic or joke name, but “Big Otto” Delaney from Sons of Anarchy is an example of it being both serious and powerful. Currently #320 in Germany, Otto is popular in Scandinavia and gaining popularity in both the US and UK. It’s around the 200s here, and seems hip and rather quirky.

Rudolf
Modern form of the ancient Germanic name Hrodulf, translated as “famous wolf”. It was commonly used by German royalty and nobility, and Rudolf II was a Holy Roman Emperor. Although not generally considered a successful ruler, his patronage of the arts made him a key player in the Renaissance, while his interest in the occult and alchemy helped bring about the scientific revolution – there would be no chemists without alchemists! A famous namesake of modern times is the great ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who partnered Margot Fonteyn. Another is the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who sought to find a system of thought which would be both scientific and spiritual in nature. Anthony Hope’s novel, The Prisoner of Zenda, is about two men named Rudolf – one a European king, the other his distant cousin visiting from England who must impersonate him. Despite all these interesting Rudolfs, the name is rarely used here as it reminds people of the Christmas song, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Rather a shame, as this name is strong and rather charismatic. I do know someone named Rudolf who has never been bothered by the song though.

Wolf
Short form of names such as Wolfgang (“wolf path) and Wolfram (“wolf raven”), sometimes used as an independent name. A famous Australian namesake is Wolf Blass, a German immigrant who founded the famous winery in South Australia; his name was short for Wolfgang. The word wolf is the same in English and German (although pronounced differently), and you can also see this as a vocabulary name referring to the animal. Humans have always been fascinated by wolves, and in various mythologies they can be symbols of both danger (such as in the fairy tale Red Riding Hood) and nurturing (like the wolf mother who suckled the twins Romulus and Remus). A common thread in many legends from around the world is that of humans descended from wolves, or humans in wolf form, including werewolves. The power of the wolf makes this an attractive name, and it’s right on trend along with other animal names.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Otto, Wolf and Anton, and their least favourite were Justus, Johannes and Rudolf.

Name News: Rebels, Angels, Stars, Storms, Struggles, and Flawed Heroes

29 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by in Names in the News

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Picken Out Baby Names
A couple of years ago the blog featured celebrity parents Liam Picken, an AFL footballer, and his partner Annie Nolan, who had just had twin girls, Delphi and Cheska, sisters to Malachy. Annie has her own blog called Uncanny Annie, and recently posted an interesting article on how she and Liam named their children. Just for starters, I discovered that Delphi’s name is actually Delphine, but she is only ever called Delphi. You can also read how the surname Picken helped shorten their name list: Banjo Picken was never going to happen, nor was Cherry Picken!

Claire’s Controversial Name List
Journalist Claire Harvey, who has also been featured on the blog as a celebrity mum with her son Reg, has written a piece about names that she thinks are now too closely associated with a particular person. Intriguingly, they’re all female names. (Is Claire musing over her future girl’s list?).

She does note the recent fuss over Atticus Finch, who’s gone from first-rate father to flawed figure with the publication of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. However, Claire likes the name Atticus, and can’t see any reason to get in a flap over a fictional character who lived in a time and place where holding segregationist views and being racially bigoted was normal.

I have been waiting to see if there have been any stories in the Australian press about parents anguished over the name Atticus, but so far I haven’t found any – all the angsty Atticus stories I’ve read have been from the US. I do note that so far this year I have seen four new babies named Atticus, but none since Go Set a Watchman came out last month. It will be interesting to see how many I see in the rest of the year.

She’s Not a Rebel … No, No, No
And more celebrity names: the name Rebel was featured on the blog in 2013 because of the fame of Australian comic actress Rebel Wilson. However, a few months ago there was a big expose of Wilson when it was discovered that her name wasn’t Rebel Wilson at all, but Melanie Bownds. There’s nothing unusual about having a screen name, but apparently it’s an issue if you pretend that it’s your real name.

Plus there was a kerfuffle about her age (she shaved about seven years off it), and her background, which was much more boring and upper middle class than she claimed. For some reason, one magazine took issue with the fact that she wasn’t a class clown at school, but instead rather a high achiever who was deputy head girl, basketball captain, and on the debating team. They almost seemed to imply her comedic gifts must be spurious as well.

Oddly enough, Rebel’s siblings really are named Ryot, Liberty (Libby), and Annachi (Anna), which makes me wonder if there is some information missing here – especially as several of the key points of Rebel’s life story have been confirmed.

Stormy Weather
After Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu in March, the names Pam and Pamela became more common, especially for baby girls born during the cyclone itself. This story looks at babies named Pamela and Pam, while another baby was named Charlotte Pamela after Australian volunteer paramedic Charlotte Gillon, who helped deliver her during the cyclone. A great honour for Charlotte, and what a pretty name. Meanwhile, another story reports that nine months after Cyclone Rusty hit Port Hedland, the Pilbara town had many babies with the name Rusty.

Unregistered Baby Name Heads to Court
Sometimes it’s hard for partners to compromise on choosing a child’s name together. Two years ago Ms Reynolds and Mr Sherman had a son after a brief relationship, and ever since they’ve been arguing over what his surname should be. Ms Reynolds says it should be Reynolds, while Mr Sherman prefers Reynolds-Sherman. In the meantime, the baby’s name has not been registered.

In cases where parents can’t agree on a child’s name, the law will step in, and a judge has sided with Mr Sherman, insisting that the boy be registered as Reynolds-Sherman, and referred to as such at all times. The judge says that it would be beneficial for the child’s welfare to have an identity reflecting both sides of his family.

However, Ms Reynolds is not satisfied with this decision. Apart from worries about how she’s going to fit his surname on his lunchbox, she’s concerned that if Mr Sherman ever abandons his son, the boy will be stuck with the surname of the man who deserted him. She appealed the decision, and the appeal was upheld by the Family Court of Australia. The case will now go back to court for a re-hearing.

The relevant justices wrote in their submission: a dispute about the name by which a child will be known perhaps for his entire life is a matter of real importance. Ever thought choosing baby names was a frivolous pursuit? The law disagrees! It’s a matter of real importance.

Like a Baby Name? Swipe It!
Hopefully you and your partner won’t argue about baby names to the extent that Ms Reynolds and Mr Sherman have. But to help you reach consensus, there’s a free baby name app that works like Tinder. You and your partner both download it, and connect with each other’s profile. After that, you are sent scads of baby names, which you can each swipe to like or dislike. If you both like the same name – it’s a match, and sent to your shared favourites list. It sounds like a fun way to get a baby name list together.

Holy Names in the News
It’s rare that a person’s name becomes a major part of a news story. But last month in Sydney, Steven Jesus was accused of stabbing fellow boarding house resident Christopher Angel; luckily Mr Angel was out of the intensive care unit in less than a week. The newspaper headline read: Jesus charged with stabbing Angel in a Sydney boarding house after a brawl of biblical proportions before victim’s Lazarus-like recovery.

It seems that even Mr Angel has had a bit of a giggle about the conjunction of names. The lawyer for Mr Jesus supposedly kept trying to say his surname the Spanish way, but Mr Jesus is adamant his name is pronounced JEE-suz.

Jesus is now in gaol awaiting trial, and has had an AVO taken out against him. And that’s a sentence you don’t read every day.

POLL RESULTS
Most people (73%) didn’t think Go Set a Watchman would affect the popularity of the name Atticus. 49% of people thought the name Atticus would become less popular for a while, but popularity would recover once the fuss over the book died down. 24% didn’t think it would make any difference, and Atticus would continue growing in popularity at the same rate. Of the 27% of people who thought its popularity would be affected, 23% thought it would steadily become less popular, while 4% believed it would become totally unusable.

Requested Famous Name: Obelia

26 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Famous Names, Requested Names

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We have already covered the classic children’s writer and illustrator, May Gibbs, and her adorable floral creation, Little Ragged Blossom. This is another of her characters in the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie series, who can be found in the 1921 picture book Little Obelia.

Instead of being set in the Australian bush amongst the gum trees, Little Obelia continues the undersea adventures first encountered in the previous book of the series, Little Ragged Blossom.

May Gibbs wrote: I always had an absolute love for the underwater things …. I used to look into the clear water from the boats … we used to do a lot of boating in Perth … And one day I thought how lovely it would be to have a little town under the water.

So just as the gumnut babies were born from her childhood experiences in the Western Australian bush, Little Obelia was inspired by boating in Perth. It’s probably not a coincidence that she saw the undersea world as a “town”, and thought of it while in the city.

In the stories, the undersea world is in stark contrast to the bush. While the bush folk, like our gum-nut trio, are generally simple and egalitarian, the world of the sea is one of class difference. It is not long before we encounter a “grand affair” where one may meet Lord Giant Boarfish, the aristocratic Long Tom, the Honourable Mrs Rock Whiting, and Lady Garfish.

In other words, the bush stands in for the country or suburbia, while the sea is the city … glittering, exotic, a carefully structured society in an environment which is ever-shifting and sometimes hard to navigate.

There are many mysteries regarding the sea (one of them is how the gum-nuts manage to easily breathe underwater), and Little Obelia a rather mysterious figure.

Obelia is apparently a type of gum-nut baby too, but instead of growing up in the bush she lay sleeping in a pearl at the bottom of the sea for “years and years”. As she slept, her mind became imbued with great wisdom, although she physically did not age a day, remaining a tiny baby.

One day the pearl burst open into a beautiful white flower, which was found by Ragged Blossom and Snugglepot. After that, Obelia grew very quickly until she was the same size as Ragged Blossom, but so wise that even the cleverest of the Fish Folk would travel many miles to seek her advice.

As you can see, there are a lot of unanswered questions here! How does a baby get inside a pearl? How does sleeping for years and years make you wise? How long is years and years – ten years or ten thousand? How does a pearl blossom into a flower? And so forth.

Like all great oracles, there is much about Obelia which is veiled in mystery and secrets, until she almost takes on the mantle of a nymph or marine goddess.

Obelia’s name comes from the “beautiful Obelia seaweeds” which grew all around her pearl as she lay sleeping. Obelia are not really seaweeds or even plants: they are a genus of simple animals, related to jellyfish and coral, and extremely ancient. They do however grow in colonies which resemble seaweed, with fragile stems and branches.

Obelia are common around the world, and only live in shallow coastal water such as in rockpools, often forming a delicate growth upon rocks and jetties. May Gibbs must have often seen them at the beach – part of that clear underwater world she viewed from boats. Obelia don’t live in the deep sea, so we know that Little Obelia’s pearl must have been in quite shallow water, close to shore.

The name Obelia is from the ancient Greek obelas, meaning “a round loaf or cake”, I guess because colonies of Obelia can form a big mound. The cake’s name is from obelos, meaning “a spit, a spike, a nail”, because they were toasted on spits.

This is also the origin of the word obelisk, those tall tapered pillars ending in a pyramid made by the ancient Egyptians, who called them tekhenu. The Greeks must have seen them and thought they looked like sharp spits.

Obelisks symbolised the sun god Ra, and were so impressive that several countries had Egyptian obelisks shipped over for public display (Rome went slightly obelisk crazy, and you can see the world’s largest obelisk in the Piazza di San Giovanni). Possibly the most famous is Cleopatra’s Needle on London’s Victoria’s Embankment, although of course it is far older than Queen Cleopatra. The obelisk shape is still a favourite design for war memorials.

I’m not sure whether Obelia was used as a woman’s name in ancient Greece, but it’s been in uncommon use as a girl’s name in the English speaking world since the 18th century, and overwhelmingly more common in the United States. It appears likely that the obelisk was the inspiration behind the name, with connotations of both strength and slenderness. The name remains rare, with no sightings of Obelia in either UK or US name data for 2014.

I found only a very few women named Obelia in Australian records, but the Australian writer Drusilla Modjeska has a stepdaughter named Obelia, and there is an architect named Obelia Tait, and a designer called Obelia McCormack. I have also come across several women and girls in Australia with the name, and I’m guessing most, if not all, were named with Little Obelia in mind. I also found Obelia on this lady’s name list, to give you an idea of what other names might be in Obelia’s style.

This is an intelligent, elegant and even hip literary name which is very unusual, but not unfamiliar, and doesn’t seem bizarre in Australia. It doesn’t seem too markedly different from popular names like Olivia, Amelia, and Isabella, and I think would make a good choice for someone who loved the sound of Ophelia, but worried about Ophelia’s unhappy fate. Even the literal meaning of Little Obelia’s name is not a problem, as it doesn’t seem much different from the name Coral. A great way to celebrate both Australian literature and Australia’s love of the sea.

POLL RESULTS
Obelia received a decent approval rating of 65%. People saw the name Obelia as magical and mysterious (25%), beautiful and elegant (13%), and hip and highbrow (11%). However 11% thought it was an ugly name, and another 11% viewed it as too weird.

Thank you to Siobhan for requesting the name Obelia be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda

(Picture shows an illustration from Little Obelia by May Gibbs)

German Names for Girls

23 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Germans have lived in Australia since the beginning of European settlement in 1788, and at least 73 of the convicts were German. Many more came to Australia as free settlers during the 19th century, often fleeing revolution or increased militarism in their homeland. By 1900, Germans were the fourth largest ethnic group in Australia, behind English, Irish, and Scots. Today almost a million Australians classify themselves as having German ancestry, about 4.5% of the population. That’s only a little less than the number of Australians with Italian ancestry, yet it is far more common to see Italian names in birth notices than German ones. Two world wars didn’t help, and neither does the clunkiness of some traditional German names, which are out of date in their country of origin. Yet here clunky is beginning to be cool again, and there are many cute and spunky German short forms that are right on trend.

Amalia
Latinised form of the name Amala, a short form of names beginning with the German element amal, meaning “vigour, courage”, with connotations of hard work and fertility. It is thus an older or more obviously German variant of Amelia. The name was traditional among German aristocracy and royalty, and is still used by modern European royals: Prince Felix of Luxembourg had a daughter named Princess Amalia last year. Although a popular name in Continental Europe since the Middle Ages, Amalia only became commonly used in Britain in the 18th century once Amelia had been introduced by the Hanoverian rulers. Amalia is around the 300s and seems to be gaining more use; it’s not only an alternative to popular Amelia, but is boosted by the trend for names such as Mahli and Mahlia. Rising in the US, Amalia is only just outside the Top 100 in Germany, and feels as if it is going places. It’s said the same way in Germany as here: ah-MAH-lee-uh.

Anneliese
Combination of the names Anna and Liese, a short form of Elisabeth. It’s been in use since the 18th century in Germany, and came into common use in the English-speaking world in the 20th century. A famous Australian namesake is the model Anneliese Seubert, who was born in Germany and moved here as a child; Anneliese has been a celebrity mum on the blog. Anneliese doesn’t chart in Australia, with parents preferring Annalise, which is around the 300s – the same spelling as the Australian model Annalise Braakensiek. The name has numerous spelling variants, including the name of the famous wartime diarist Annelies “Anne” Frank. This name is very pretty, and would be a good alternative to popular names like Anna and Annabelle, while also suitable for honouring an Anne and an Elizabeth at the same time. Germans say this name ah-na-LEE-zuh, but Australians may prefer AN-uh-lees or AN-uh-leez.

Gretel
Pet form of Grete, short for Margarete, a German form of Margaret. It’s probably best known from the Grimm’s fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. In the story, Hansel and Gretel are brother and sister whose impoverished father and stepmother abandon them in the woods. The hungry children are caught by a witch once they start nibbling her yummy-looking gingerbread house, and Gretel rescues her brother from being eaten with cleverness and courage. There’s been a recent reboot in the horror movie Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, with Gemma Arteron as Gretel. A famous Australian namesake is heiress Gretel Packer, the sister of James Packer; Gretel is named after her grandmother, wife of media mogul Sir Frank Packer (Sir Frank entered yachts named Gretel in the America’s Cup in his wife’s honour). Another namesake is television presenter Gretel Killeen, who writes children’s books. Gretel seems like a cute yet sophisticated choice.

Leni
Short form of Helene or Magdalena. A famous namesake is the pioneering German film director Helene “Leni” Riefenstahl who made propaganda films for the Nazis during the 1930s. German supermodel Heidi Klum has a young daughter named Helene, who is called Leni. Leni is a popular name in Germany, and around the 300s here. It’s very much on trend, fitting in with cute short names like Evie, and L names like Layla. English-speakers tend to pronounce the name LAY-nee, which isn’t too different to how Germans say it: Laney and Lainey are variant spellings. It can be used as a nickname for names such as Eleni and Elena. Some parents pronounce it LEN-ee, and treat it as a feminine form of the male name Lenny.

Lulu
Pet form of Luise, the German form of Louise. It’s also an Arabic name meaning “pearls”, which may be written Lu’lu and is sometimes given as a nickname. Lulu is the main character in two plays by German playwright Frank Wedekind often combined into one called Lulu; they inspired the silent film Pandora’s Box with Louise Brooks as Lulu, the opera Lulu by Alban Berg, and was made into a film again in Germany in the 1960s. In the stories, Lulu is a prostitute and femme fatale. Lulu is often chosen as a stage name, such as the Scottish singer Lulu (born Marie Lawrie), or a nickname, such as Australian china painter Lucie “Lulu” Shorter. However, singer-songwriter Lulu Simon, daughter of Paul Simon, has Lulu as her full name. Lulu is around the 200s here – a cute, sexy, hip little name that gives Lola a run for its money. Can be used as a nickname for any name with a LU sound in it, from Lucinda to Eloise.

Mitzi
Pet form of Maria. Famous namesakes include Hollywood star Mitzi Gaynor (born Francesca Gerber), and child star Mitzi Green (born Elizabeth Keno), who was in the 1932 version of Little Orphan Annie. A famous Australian namesake is teenage actress Mitzi Ruhlmann from Home and Away and Dance Academy. Although in Germany Mitzi is more popular for cats and dogs than humans, itsy-bitsy Mitzi is a bright vintage charmer that will appeal to those wanting something a little different while still fitting in with current trends.

Ottilie
Modern form of the ancient Germanic name Odilia. This is often said to be a feminine form of Otto, but may actually be from the Germanic odal, meaning “fatherland”. There is a medieval Saint Odilia (one of those long-suffering young girl saints who are given a disturbingly hard time by their horrible fathers), and Ottilie was a traditional name among the German aristocracy during the Middle Ages. The name has been something of a favourite in fiction, being chosen by the authors Goethe, Truman Capote, John Wyndham, and Robert Louis Stevenson – in all these works, the woman named Ottilie is an object of desire in some way. You can say Ottilie in various ways, but OT-uh-lee and o-TILL-ee are probably the most common in Australia, and Tilly is a favoured nickname here. The German pronunciation is more like o-TEE-lee-uh.

Thea
Short form of Dorothea or Theodora. Famous German namesakes include Thea von Harbou, who wrote the screenplay for the silent film classic Metropolis, and Thea Rasche, Germany’s first female aerobatics pilot. Famous Australian namesakes include author Thea Astley, and artist Althea “Thea” Proctor, both distinguished in their respective fields. You might also know of Thea Slatyer, a retired footballer who played for the Matildas, and Dame Thea Muldoon, wife of New Zealand prime minister Sir Robert Muldoon. Simple yet substantial, Thea is gaining in popularity around the world. Just outside the Top 100 in Germany, Thea is popular in Scandinavia and New Zealand, and rising sharply elsewhere in the English-speaking world. It has been boosted here by a celebrity baby, daughter of model Kelly Landry. Usually said THEE-uh in Australia, but the German pronunciation is TEE-uh.

Wilhelmina
Feminine form of Wilhelm, the German equivalent of William. In the form Wilhelmine this was a traditional name amongst German royalty. A famous Australian namesake is Wilhelmina “Mina” Wylie, one of Australia’s first two female swimmers in the Olympics; she won silver in 1912, and received 115 swimming champion titles in all. Another is Wilhelmina “Mina” Rawson, who wrote books on cooking and household management, and was also the first swimming teacher in central Queensland. A great name for swimmers! For many years this name has been seen as too clunky, but popular Willow helps make it seem a lot more usable. Dignified yet quirky, Wilhelmina has a host of adorable nicknames, including Billie, Willa, Mina, Minnie, and Minka. This is a favourite name of Ebony from Babynameobsessed, and as she is a teenage name enthusiast, it bodes well for Wilhelmina’s future.

Zella
Short form of Marcella, a feminine form of the name Marcus. There are several famous musical namesakes from America: singer-songwriter Zella Day, country singer Zella Lehr, and gospel singer Zella Jackson Price. In the late 19th century, Zella fitted in with other names from that era, such as Zelda and Zelie; today it sounds like Zoe + Ella, or perhaps Zahli + Stella. A vintage name which now blends in seamlessly with current trends.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Thea, Ottilie and Anneliese, and their least favourite were Gretel, Lulu and Mitzi.

(Picture shows an illustration from Hansel and Gretel by Felicitas Kuhn-Klapschy)