Requested Names: Maida and Maeva

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

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Michelle’s partner has suggested the girls’ names Maida and Maeva to add to their name list. At first, Michelle thought these were “made up”, but once she discovered they were genuine names, became a lot more interested in using them, as she quite likes them. She’s asked that Maida and Maeva be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda, so she can learn more about them.

Maida
This name was popularised in Britain during the 19th century because of the Battle of Maida, which was a British victory against the French during the Napoleonic Wars. It took place in the town of Maida, in Italy, and the British were able to inflict significant losses while incurring far fewer casualties on their side. Through the battle, the British were able to prevent a French invasion of Sicily.

The commander during the Battle of Maida was John Stuart, who was named Count of Maida by Ferdinand IV of Naples and Sicily in thanks for his efforts (the British knighted him, and gave him £1000 a year). Not long after his victory, he received another honour: a pub on the Edgeware Road in London was named The Hero of Maida, and when this area was developed for residential housing in the mid-19th century, it was named Maida Vale after the pub (and indirectly after Sir John Stuart). Maida Vale is now quite an affluent area.

Maida Vale in London has given its name to a suburb in outer Perth, which still has plenty of natural bushland. There is a rare wildflower unique to this area called the Maida Vale Bell (Blancoa canescans), which is a type of kangaroo paw with reddish bell-like flowers. Another Western Australian connection is that the pioneer Sir Richard Spencer took part in the Battle of Maida as a naval captain (the British navy captured a French vessel, and renamed it the Maida). After emigrating to Australia, Spencer ended his days on the heritage-listed Strawberry Hill Farm in Albany.

A Scottish connection is that Sir Walter Scott was given a deer-hound named Maida, reputedly his favourite dog. It was a gift from Sir Walter’s friend, Colonel Alexander MacDonnell of Glengarry, known as Glengarry after his estate. Glengarry’s brother, James MacDonnell, had led the 78th Highlanders Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Maida, and won a Gold Medal for his services. The 78th fought valiantly, and are said to have lost only one man: the name Maida has ever after had particular resonance in Scotland, and is still in some use.

The rural town of Maida, where the Battle of Maida was fought, is in Calabria in southern Italy: often identified as the “toe” of the country’s shape. The name of the town is derived from Greek, and may have the same source as the name Medea, familiar in Greek mythology as the wife of the hero Jason. Her name literally means “cunning”, but with connotations of “rule over, protect”, from an ancient root meaning “to measure, give advice, to heal”.

While the Battle of Maida was behind the name’s surge of popularity in 19th century Britain, it doesn’t explain the handful of times it was used prior to 1806, nor does it explain the name’s use in the United States, where the name Maida occasionally made the Top 1000 between 1880 and 1920. In such cases, the name may be a pet form of names such as Magdalene or Madeline; in Scotland, it could be seen as a variant of Maisie. It also can’t be ruled out that it was sometimes based on the English word maid, shorthand for maiden, meaning “young girl, virgin”.

A 20th century influence on the name in the United States was the Maida series of children’s books by Inez Haynes Irwin, a feminist and socialist author and journalist. The books revolve around a beautiful motherless little girl named Maida Westabrook who possesses both fabulous wealth and a fantastic personality, recovering from severe illness that has left her with a slight disability. It turns out some wholesome child labour and the friendship of a whole neighbourhood of ordinary kids is what she needs to put the roses in her cheeks, and further adventures follow with her posse of plebeian pals.

I read the first book online and was charmed: it’s an urban fairytale, and the sort of vintage book I would have loved reading when I was about nine. I can quite understand why this series of books, spanning from 1909 to 1955, has gained generations of loyal fans, and was not surprised to see several comments from people who had been named for the character or had named their daughters after her.

Last year there were 26 baby girls named Maida in the United States, and 18 in England/Wales. Maida doesn’t show up in recent Australian birth data, although is occasionally seen on older women. There are over a hundred Maidas in Australian historical records, mostly from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

Maeva
This is from Tahiti, and means “welcome”; it is used as a word and a name in Polynesia, and is a Top 100 name in France, as Tahiti is part of France’s overseas territories. Maeva is pronounced mah-AY-va in Tahitian, but judging from one example on forvo, French people seem to say the name very much like MAY-va.

Maeva is used as a name in Australia too, appearing in historical records from the late 19th century. Most likely it was an elaboration of the Irish name Maeve rather than of Polynesian origin. Maeva was the middle name of Gladys Cumpston, who transcribed texts into Braille. If you look at Maevas in Australia currently, many seem to be French, although there are also Australians, including those of Islander heritage. Last year there were 34 babies named Maeva in the United States, and 4 in England/Wales.

* * * * * * * * * *

Michelle, what an intriguing pair of names your partner has suggested! I am very impressed by his style, because these are both very rare names which are nonetheless bang on for current trends. They fit in so beautifully with the trend for vintage names, and with names beginning with M, and with the AY sound, so that you’d have a baby name different from everyone else’s, without sounding too glaringly different.

Maeva in particular would blend in almost seamlessly, as it sounds like a mixture of Mae, and Maeve, and Ava. It would be very easy to explain to others as “Spelled like Maeve, but with an A at the end”, or “Pronounced like Ava, but with a M at the front”. You might even worry that it blended in a bit too easily, and could be confused with other names – there might be a few moments of “No, it’s Maeva, not Maeve”, although that doesn’t sound like a big deal.

Maida seems a bit more daring, although it reminded me a little of a contracted Matilda, or Maia with a D. I feel as if some people might be slightly taken aback by the Maid- part, as we use the word “maid” to mean “servant, serving girl”. But what a rich and interesting history the name Maida has, with so many layers of meaning and evocation. The more I learned about the name Maida and its many associations, the more I was mentally barracking for you to choose it.

I think these are both beautiful names, rare yet accessible, vintage but in line with current trends. What do you think of Maida and Maeva, readers?

POLL RESULTS
Maida received an approval rating of 56%, while Maeva did extremely well, with its approval rating of 76% making it one of the highest-rated names of 2014.

Thank you to Michelle for requesting Maida and Maeva be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda

(Photo shows the farmland around the town of Maida in Italy)

Famous Name: Opal

03 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 7 Comments

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english names, gemstone names, historical records, name history, name meaning, names of sporting teams, nature names, patriotic names, products with human names, rare names, vocabulary names

Monday was the first day of spring, but Sydneysiders weren’t focused on Wattle Day: for them it was Opal Day. The Opal card is the automated ticketing system smartcard for Sydney public transport, trialled for two years, and replacing a confusing system of fourteen different paper tickets. September 1 was the official date that paper tickets would be phased out.

All other major Australian capitals have automated public transport ticketing systems, but for some reason the Opal card was very hard to implement, and getting it off the ground took twenty years and defeated eight successive governments. It was gloomily warned that the new system would cause complete chaos, while conspiracy theorists were sure it was designed to increase fares, or even part of a police state surveillance plot.

However, the roll-out went quite smoothly on the morning of September 1. There weren’t massive queues, or gates needing to be locked against hordes of angry commuters, and people who hadn’t ordered an Opal card online simply bought one from a kiosk. Some people found the Opal card was actually saving them money. Its success means a sigh of relief from Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian.

The Opal card is based on Hong Kong’s Octopus card, and London’s Oyster card. The name Octopus suggests that you can travel in multiple directions, like the limbs of an octopus, while Oyster is an allusion to “the world is your oyster”. Although it starts with the same letter, Opal doesn’t have any clever hidden meaning to it – the opal is our national gemstone, while the black opal is the state gemstone of New South Wales.

Opal is a precious gemstone that is one of the most spectacular; a single stone can flame intensely with every colour of the spectrum, out-shining even the diamond. The highest quality specimens will sell for the same amount as the most valuable diamonds, rubies and emeralds, although such opals are very rare.

Opal is a common substance, found throughout the world, often of a milky white appearance (opal miners call it potch). Common opal can be pretty once cut and polished, but it is not valuable. Precious opal has what is called “play-of-colour” – that stunning multi-coloured iridescence.

97% of the world’s precious opal is produced in Australia, and Australia’s opal fields are larger than all those in the rest of the world combined. What makes Australian opals so valuable is not just their brilliance, but their stability. In other countries, opal is often found in volcanic rock and has high water content, meaning it tends to crack during cutting and polishing. In Australia, opals are found in the outback desert, once a vast inland sea.

South Australia is the major source of opal, producing more than 80% of the world’s supply. The town of Coober Pedy is mainly associated with opal mining, and the world’s largest and most valuable opal, the “Olympic Australis” was found here in 1956 (the year Australia hosted the Olympic Games for the first time, hence its name).

Lightning Ridge in New South Wales is the main source of black opal, the most valuable type of Australian opal. Despite their name they are not black, but have a predominantly dark background, so the rainbow colours of the opal stand out more strongly.

Boulder opal is the second-most valuable type of opal, where thin veins of precious opal fill cracks in ironstone boulders. The dark backing of the ironstone means that the opal shines in a similar way to a black opal. Boulder opal is found in Queensland, including the town of Winton.

The precious gemstone has given its name to our national women’s basketball team, known as The Opals. They are an internationally successful team, and Lauren Jackson plays for them.

According to official sources, Indigenous Australians called opal “fire of the desert”, and their legends tell that the opal’s colour was created when a rainbow touched the earth. Like other gemstones, opals had spiritual value as that which a spirit ancestor left behind as a sign of his or her presence. They could thus be imbued with that ancestor’s powerful spiritual energy.

The word opal comes from the Roman name for the gemstone, opalus. It is believed this is most likely from the Sanskrit word upalus, meaning “gem, jewel”. The Romans believed the opals they bought were from exotic India, but this was an ancient marketing ploy, as they were really from where Hungary is today. The Romans valued opals highly, and saw them as symbols of hope and innocence.

In the Middle Ages, opals were believed to be very lucky, and thought vital for good eyesight. Blonde women wore opals in the belief it would keep their hair colour bright, and one odd superstition was that you could make yourself invisible by holding an opal wrapped in fresh bay leaves. I imagine some embarrassment must have been caused to anyone who tried this!

The modern superstition that opals are unlucky appears to come from Sir Walter Scott’s 1829 novel, Anne of Geierstein – even though the novel never actually says that there is anything unfortunate about the gemstones. In the story, a mysterious sorcerer’s daughter named Lady Hermione, who always wore opals in her hair, appears to be under some sort of enchantment.

When a few drops of holy water are sprinkled on her head, they quench the radiance of the opals, and Hermione faints. She is carried to her room for a lie down, and the next day nothing is found of her but a heap of ashes on her bed. Later it turns out the opal turned pale to warn its owner of impending doom, not because it was cursed.

Nonetheless, the novel does seem to have affected people’s feelings about opals, because in the year of its publications, opal prices plunged, and the European opal market took many years to recover. It is also thought diamond cartels helped spread these rumours, because the discovery of high quality opals in Australia were a distinct threat to their livelihood. Hungarian opal miners told people that Australian opals must be fakes, as they were certainly too good to be true!

Queen Victoria swam against the superstitious tide, for she loved opals and wore them throughout her reign. She gave them as gifts to her daughters and friends, so that opals became highly-regarded and fashionable, thanks to the British court. The royal family have a fine collection of opals, including the “Andamooka opal” from South Australia, presented to Elizabeth II in 1954.

Opal was used as a girl’s name as early as the 16th century, but became much more common in the Victorian era, when gemstone names were in fashion. In Australia records, the name Opal is particularly associated with South Australia, and in particular, areas where opals are mined.

Although our national floral emblem gets a reasonable amount of use, our national gemstone is very rare as a name. Yet it is really rather beautiful, and its O initial even seems fashionable. Short and simple, it has a hip and quirky vibe, while the stunning gemstone gives it a very patriotic feel. Retro Ruby has climbed and climbed – could Opal have a better chance in its wake?

POLL RESULTS
Opal received an outstanding approval rating of 86%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2014, and tying with Hope to become the favourite girls name in the Famous Name section. People saw Opal as an unusual and refreshing choice (26%), hip and quirky (25%), beautiful or pretty (15%), and sweet and simple (15%). However, 5% thought of it as an “old lady name”. Nobody thought that the name Opal seemed unlucky.

(Photo of Opal card from NSW government website)

Waltzing With … Acacia

31 Sunday Aug 2014

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

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english names, flower names, Greek names, historical records, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nature names, patriotic names, plant names, saints names, tree names

Tomorrow is the official first day of spring, which means it is also Wattle Day. The Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is Australia’s official national flower, proclaimed as our floral emblem on September 1 1988, and marked by planting a Golden Wattle in the National Botanic Gardens by then Prime Minister’s wife, Hazel Hawke. Four years later, September 1 was officially declared National Wattle Day, and it is traditional to celebrate by wearing a sprig of wattle (any type of wattle; it doesn’t have to be Golden Wattle).

Long before that date, wattle had been an unofficial national flower by popular choice. A wreath or sprig of wattle appears on many official government documents, including the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Order of Australia, and the Governor-General’s crest. Our national colours of green and gold (so difficult to co-ordinate on sporting uniforms) are inspired by the green leaves and golden bloom of the wattle.

Wattle is a symbol of remembrance for us too. During World War I, mothers sent their sons sprigs of wattle as a reminder of all they were fighting for back home, and has been used to mourn and remember loss of Australian life, such as in ceremonies for the victims of the Bali bombings. You may have noticed that when the first victims of MH17 were brought to the Netherlands, the Australian Governor-General’s wife wore a sprig of wattle.

As early as 1838, Tasmania encouraged wearing Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) sprigs to celebrate the discovery of its island. In the nationalistic fervour which preceded Federation, a Wattle Club was founded by naturalist Archibald Campbell, promoting a Wattle Day demonstration each September 1. Outings into the bush to revel in the glories of an Australian spring were part of his plan, and patriotic Wattle Days continued to be celebrated until World War II.

Australian love of wattle has been satirised in Monty Python’s Flying Circus, with the immortal lines of the Australian philosopher Bruce: “This here’s the Wattle, the emblem of our land. You can stick it in a bottle, you can hold it in your hand.” These words have been used to promote a Wattle Day Festival in Victoria this year!

Acacia is the genus which contains wattle trees and shrubs. Its name, pronounced uh-KAY-shuh, comes from the Greek akis, “thorn”, because most acacia species outside Australia are thorny, although nearly all Australian acacias don’t have thorns. There are around 1300 species of acacia, and almost a thousand of them are native to Australia, with over 98% of these unique to Australia. The others can be found in all continents except Europe and Antarctica; they are particularly widespread in Africa, and were first observed by Europeans along the Nile River.

Acacia is not just an important symbol to Australia. According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, acacia may have been the “burning bush” Moses encountered in the wilderness, and a table of acacia wood was part of the Tabernacle he built for the Ark of the Covenant. In Egyptian mythology, acacia is the Tree of Life, and in Christian tradition, the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ were made from acacia. Freemasonry uses acacia as a symbol of resurrection and immortality, while in Asia, acacia incense is believed to drive away ghosts and demons.

It’s powerful stuff. In fact, it is said that the first plant to bloom in Hiroshima after its bombing in 1945 was a wattle tree. Resurrection indeed! Every Wattle Day, Hiroshima’s Acacia Appreciation Society sends hundreds of yellow ribbons to the Australian National Botanic Gardens as a gesture of friendship and appreciation.

The name wattle comes from Old English, the word Anglo-Saxons gave to interlaced branches and twigs used to form fences, walls, and roofs. Wattle and daub is a construction technique, used since prehistoric times, for filling the spaces between the wattle with a combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung, and straw, which is then allowed to dry until it hardens.

When British settlers to Sydney made their own wattle and daub buildings, they used acacia trees as the wattle, so gave the name to the plants. (I remember reading about wattle and daub houses in Neolithic Britain when I was in primary school history class, and wondering where they got the wattle trees from!). The uses of acacia are too many to list, but one worth mentioning is that Australian Aborigines often make boomerangs from its wood.

Wattles grow all over Australia, and are numerous in the desert, although uncommon in dense rainforest and alpine regions. In southern Australia, wattles tend to flower in springtime, while in the north, many species come into bloom in the autumn and winter. Because of this, it is said that on any given day in Australia, there will be a wattle blossoming somewhere.

Acacia has a long history as a personal name, for it is the feminine form of the Greek name Acacius. This comes from a different Greek derivation – akakia, meaning “without guile, innocent”. Byzantine emperors held a purple silk roll filled with dust called the akakia: it symbolised human mortality. There are several saints named Acacius, and quite a number of other notables from the early Christian era. Acacia has been a particular favourite amongst Spanish-speaking people, who bestowed it as a saint’s name.

Acacia came into use as an English name in the 19th century, when flower and plant names were the fashion. Golden and Silver Wattle was introduced to Europe in the mid-19th century; Silver Wattle became a great favourite in the south of France, where it blooms around Candlemas and is a harbinger of spring and golden sunshine. Outside Australia, wattle is often known as mimosa.

There are several people named Acacia in Australian records, going back to the mid-19th century, and it is almost certain their names were given patriotically – one is even named Acacia Golden, as if to signify Golden Wattle. Another is named Marginata Acacia; marginata is a species of eucalyptus tree. That reminds me that I saw a woman named Acacia Silver on the news, which reminded me of Silver Wattle: as she was an environmentalist, her name was so appropriate that I wondered if she’d chosen it herself.

In Australia, the name Acacia is around the 300-400s, while in England/Wales it is #1639 (18 babies last year), and in the US, 80 baby girls were named Acacia, the same number as ones called Adah, Jazlene, Legacy, Saoirse, Story, and Zarah. While Acacia isn’t a bizarre name in other English-speaking countries, it’s definitely far better known and higher-charting in Australia, which makes perfect sense. As with the trees, Acacia isn’t uniquely Australian, but is more widely found here, and has a particular meaning to us.

Wattles are perhaps not the most beautiful of trees – rather than being slender and elegant, or solid and imposing, most of them are short and scrubby. And yet when they come into bloom, there is no more cheering sight on a grey late winter’s day than their riotous mass of bright yellow fuzzy blossom. I cannot help but smile when I see a wattle tree in full fragrant bloom abuzz with bees, a promise of the sunshine that is soon to come. That’s why I have Golden Wattle as my avatar, and Silver Wattle decorating my blog: to keep me smiling every day.

Familiar without being common, the name Acacia has a rich and interesting history, and is a very patriotic choice. It evokes the beauty of spring and the Australian bush, it’s a remembrance for those we mourn, and rises from the ashes of death with new life and hope. Pretty and floral, bright and burning, silver and golden – could this sunshiney name hit your personal sweet spot?

POLL RESULT
Acacia received an excellent approval rating of 84%. 34% of people loved the name Acacia, and 30% liked it. Only 2% of people hated the name.

Is the Name Duke Legal or Not?

02 Saturday Aug 2014

Posted by A.O. in Naming Assistance

≈ 4 Comments

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aristocratic titles, birth registries, choosing baby names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, historical records, illegal names, middle names, Nameberry, names from movies, Queensland Births Deaths and Marriages, sibsets, surname names, Suzi Catchpole

Ashleigh and her husband Dylan are expecting a boy next month, but are having trouble picking names.

The first hurdle they hit is that Ash really likes the name Duke, but from reading this blog, she found that titles are not permitted as names in Australia. However, she also read that the name was cleared for use by Births, Deaths, and Marriages in New South Wales a few years ago, so now she’s confused as to whether it’s permitted in other states. Ash and Dylan are from Queensland, so the first thing Ash wants to know is: can be they use the name Duke if they want to?

They would like a baby name that isn’t too common and plain, but on the other hand, not too crazy either. Ash and Dylan both like the name Huxley, which they think is very cute for a little kid, but they are not sure if it’s a good name for an adult.

Top names on Ash and Dylan’s baby list
Madden
Presley
Jarvis
Reid
Lennon
Ezra
Nixon
Jensen

Ash likes the names Nelson, Walker, Samson, and Rome, but Dylan has vetoed these. Meanwhile, Dylan likes Hunter and Parker, but Ash has said no to them.

The baby’s middle name will be Corey, and Ash and Dylan already have a daughter named Imogen, so they would like something that sounds nice with that. They have a one-syllable surname that ends with an N.

* * * * * * * * * *

I have some good news for you. I wrote to Queensland Births, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces in regard to the name Duke, and they were kind enough to reply. They said the name Duke has been registered in Queensland before, and that most of the baby Dukes were named after a particular movie character. I wonder if this is Duke from the GI Joe movies, recently played by Channing Tatum?

I thought this might be a little hint that these babies were named after a person named Duke, not the title, and if you were queried, it might be helpful to say that baby Duke’s name was inspired by a particular person (real or fictional) called Duke that made you like the name.

You’re lucky to live in Queensland, which has a very relaxed attitude towards names, and it is rare for names to get rejected. So that puts Duke back on your name list.

I think Huxley is a great name, and I like the way it sounds with your surname. Huxley has that cool X sound in it, and the Huxley family gives it a bit of intellectual glamour. There’s even an Australian connection to the name because of the physicist Leonard Huxley, and T.H. Huxley did some valuable work here, too. I love Imogen and Huxley together, but Huxley Corey is perhaps not the greatest-sounding. It does remind me of another brainy name – Edison, and Edison Corey sounds quite nice.

Probably the only reason you have trouble picturing the name on an adult is because you don’t know any grown ups named Huxley. If you look through the Australian birth records, there were men named Huxley in the past, and most of them lived long lives, and worked and got married and had children, and did all the usual things. Once the babies named Huxley grow into adults, it will seem completely normal.

I love the name Jarvis, and I think this sounds nice with Imogen, and works with the middle name and surname as well. Australian writer Suzi Catchpole has an article up at Nameberry on names with “swagger and sass”, and Jarvis is on that. I wonder if any other of her hip baby names appeal to you?

Ezra really stands out to me on your list, because it’s the only one that isn’t originally a surname. If I had to pick the one name that sounds best with Imogen, it would be Ezra. Imogen and Ezra sound very cool, to my ears.

There’s only one name on your name list that I really don’t think works, and that’s Lennon. It just doesn’t sound right with your surname at all, and every time I try to say it, I end up saying “lemonade”. It also sounds a little bit like a Beatles song …. Another musical name that could work would be Hendrix.

So that’s basically my thoughts – yes you can use Duke, I love Huxley, I think Jarvis sounds best with your surname and chosen middle name, and I think Ezra is the best match with Imogen. All the other names sound fine to me, except Lennon, which unfortunately doesn’t go with your surname. That’s the only one that I would definitely cross off your list.

But how are you feeling about your name list, now that Duke is up for discussion? Could it be your top choice? Or maybe you can see yourselves using Huxley after all?

UPDATE: The baby’s name was Vincent!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s choice for the baby’s name was Ezra.

Perth Suburbs That Could Be Used As Boys Names

20 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 4 Comments

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animal names, aristocratic names, aristocratic titles, Australian slang terms, Biblical names, bird names, birth notices, British names, car names, celebrity baby names, Celtic names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Gaelic names, germanic names, hebrew names, historical records, Latin names, locational names, middle names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names from television, names of boats, nature names, nicknames, Puritan names, saints names, Scottish names, surname names, unisex names, US name popularity, US name trends

Ashby
Ashby is a residential northern suburb, first developed in the late 1990s. It is named after the original landowner, Mr E.E. Ashby, who lived here before World War I. Ashby is a surname which means “farm among the ash trees” in a mixture of Old English and Old Norse; it is more common in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and the East Midlands, which have a history of Scandinavian influence. Ashby has been used as a name for boys since the 17th century, and seems to have been especially popular amongst Puritan families. The town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire was an important centre for Puritan preaching and education, which may be an inspiration for the name. Ashby isn’t rare in Australian records, although more common as a middle name, and has occasionally been given to girls. I saw this is a boy’s middle name in a birth notice, and thought this might make an appealing Ash- name for boys, which seems more obviously masculine than Ashley. Unfortunately, it could easily be confused with Ashley too.

Bentley
Bentley is 8 km south of the city, and is the location of the main campus of Curtin University. The area has been settled since 1830, and was developed in the post-war period with government housing, including homes for returned servicemen. Today Bentley is very varied: it has a light industrial area, but part of it is still used for grazing. The suburb is named after John Bentley, a veteran of the Crimean War who arrived in the Swan River Colony as a pensioner guard, and supervised convicts building what is now the Albany Highway. Bentley is a surname after the common English place name, meaning “bent-grass meadow”; bent-grass refers to rushes or reeds. Bentley has been used as a boy’s name since the 17th century, and has recently leaped up the charts in the United States to become a Top 100 name. Its jump in popularity is attributed to a baby named Bentley on reality show 16 and Pregnant. In Australia, Bentley is around the high 100s, which is still a lot more popular than it is in the UK. People often connect the name to the luxury car company, founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley.

Bertram
Bertram is a new suburb of the City of Kwinana, in Perth’s south (for more information, see Leda in Perth Suburbs That Could Be Used As Girls Names). It is named after an assisted migrant from the 1920s, who came here under the group settlement scheme. Bertram is a Germanic name which means “bright raven”; it was introduced to Britain by the Normans. A famous Australian namesake is Sir Bertram Stevens, who was Premier of New South Wales in the years before the Second World War. Bertram has been quite a popular name in fiction, including the main character of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Unfortunately, Bertram is not, on the face of it, a very sympathetic character, although he gets his regulation happy ending anyway. Another fictional Bertram is Bertie Wooster, from P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves books; a good-natured idler, this Bertram is not without charm, although perhaps not the most sturdy namesake. The short form Bertie would be very cute though.

Carlisle
Carlisle is south of the CBD, and close enough to offer views of the city. Originally farmland, it was developed in the late 19th century, and is a fairly typical older suburb. The name Carlisle was chosen by the suburb’s ratepayers, who called it after the northern English city of Carlisle in Cumbria. Their logic was that just as Cumbrian Carlisle is famously near the border between England and Scotland, so was Australian Carlisle right on the border between the city of Perth and its suburbs. However, it is interesting to note that one of the landowners at the time was named Carlisle; it is possible his surname put the idea in the ratepayers’ minds. Carlisle is an ancient city which was one of the most heavily fortified towns of pre-Roman Briton: its name means “stronghold of the god Lugus”. Lugus was one of the most prominent of the Celtic gods, and the Romans identified him with Mercury, as he was known as a god of trade and skill. Carlisle has been used as a boy’s name since the 18th century, and was originally used most often in Cumbria. It has recently received some interest since the name was chosen for one of the more sympathetic vampires in the Twilight series.

Falcon
Falcon is one of the suburbs of Mandurah, a coastal city 45 km from Perth, within the metropolitan area. It is popular with tourists and retirees, making it the least affordable city in Australia. Falcon has a number of beaches, and is named after Falcon Bay, which is pronounced FAWL-kin, rather than FAL-kin – an earlier English pronunciation of the word. Falcon was a yacht whose crew won a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, and many of Falcon’s streets are named for yachts. Falcon has been used as a boy’s name since medieval times – there is even an obscure St. Falcon, and Falcon was the middle name of Antarctic explorer Robert Scott. The name may be from the Latin Falco, meaning “falcon”, or derived from the Germanic name Fulco, meaning “people”. I did find a few Falcons born in Australia, and for some reason they were nearly all South Australian. In Australia, this name will remind people strongly of the car, the Ford Falcon, and perhaps also the slang term in rugby league for being accidentally hit in the head by the ball. I’m not sure whether the pronunciation will make any difference.

Murdoch
Murdoch is in the south, and the home of Murdoch University. The university is named in honour of Sir Walter Murdoch, a former chancellor of the University of Western Australia, and its founding Professor of English. Sir Walter was a essayist famous for his wit and intelligence, and an active proponent of international peace and justice, political freedom, women’s rights, and affordable childcare. His great-nephew is the media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The surname Murdoch is the Anglicised form of two Gaelic personal names that became conflated with one another, and were written as Muireadhach. One name was Muiredach, meaning “mariner”, and the other was Murchad, meaning “sea warrior”. Muireadhach was a traditional name amongst the Earls of Monteith, and Murdoch has seen particular use in their seat of Perthshire. Murdoch is commonly found in Australian records amongst Scottish families, but although we have enthusiastically embraced Lachlan, Murdoch has been less successful. Fun fact: Murdoch was an early name crush for a particular Australian blogger, which makes you wonder if this could have been a contender without the prominent Murdoch family.

Samson
Samson is a small suburb of Fremantle, a southern port city in the Perth metropolitan area. The suburb was only developed in the 1970s, as before this it had belonged to the army, and was a military camp during World War II. The suburb is named after the Samson family, who have been prominent in the Fremantle area for nearly two centuries. Sir Frederick Samson was mayor of Fremantle for twenty years, from the 1950s to the 1970s, and his home, Samson House, is one of Fremantle’s landmarks. The suburb of Samson contains Sir Frederick Samson Park, Fremantle’s only bush reserve. Sir Frederick was the grandson of Lionel Samson, a wealthy Jewish merchant who settled in the Swan River Colony in 1829 and became one of its most successful pioneers. Popular for his charm and wit, respected for his integrity, the business he founded is still run by the Samson family, making it Western Australia’s oldest family business. Samson is one of the most famous characters in the Old Testament, a judge of the Israelites known for his superhuman strength. His name is from the Hebrew for “man of the sun”, leading some scholars to suspect he was originally a sun god, or demi-god. Samson was in use as an English name during the Middle Ages, and there is a Welsh St Samson, one of the Apostles of Brittany. This is a very masculine name which provides another way to get the popular short form Sam.

Sawyer
Sawyers Valley is on the eastern fringe of Perth’s outer suburbs, and 40 km from the city. Its name came about because it was originally a saw mill and timber processing area. It’s now a semi-rural suburb in the bush-covered hills surrounding Perth. Sawyer is an occupational surname for someone who sawed wood for a living – and in the days when most things were made of wood, an important trade. Sawyer has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, mostly as a male name. In Australian records, I can only find it as a man’s first name, although not unusual as a female middle name. Sawyer doesn’t chart in Australia, but has been in the US Top since 1991; it had a huge jump up the charts after Steven Spielberg chose the name for his son in 1992. In America, it is a unisex name, but more common for boys. Although it is in rare use here, I have seen it a few times, on both sexes. Its most famous namesake is Tom Sawyer, the young scamp from the stories by Mark Twain, while it has also been alias for Josh Holloway’s character on Lost.

Stirling
Stirling is a residential suburb 10 km north of the city. The area has a multicultural history, because in the 1920s it attracted retired Chinese miners from the goldfields, returned servicemen from the First World War, and many Italian migrant. It became a successful market gardening region producing almost every vegetable possible, some for export. Even after development in the 1960s and ’70s, the suburb remains one of Perth’s most ethnically diverse, with a third of the population having Italian heritage, and many from Macedonian, Greek and Asian backgrounds. The suburb is named after James Stirling, who was the first governor of Western Australia, and who lobbied for a colony to be founded on the Swan River. Stirling is a Scottish Clan name which comes from the city of that name in central Scotland; it is known as the “Gateway to the Highlands”. The meaning of its name is not known, although folk etymology says that it is from the Gaelic for “place of battle”. Another theory is that it is British, and means “dwelling place of Melyn”; the name Melyn is said to mean “yellow-skinned, sallow-skinned”. Stirling has been used as a boy’s name since the 18th century, and was first used this way in Stirlingshire. I have seen this name quite a few times in birth notices, and it’s one with a great deal of dignity.

Warwick
Warwick is in the northern suburbs of Perth, and a large section of it is still native bushland. It originally belonged to a railway company, and is named after Warwick Road, the major road which goes through it, and pre-dates the suburb’s development. It may have been inspired by Warwick Road in London. The name Warwick comes from the English city of Warwick in the Midlands; its name means “dwellings by the weir” in Old English, as the River Avon flows through it. It’s pronounced WOR-ik. The Earl of Warwick is one of the most prestigious titles in the British peerage, and Guy of Warwick a legendary English hero, which may help explain why Warwick has been used as a boy’s name since at least the 16th century. However, it seems to have originated in Devon, in the seat of a family named Warwick who belonged to the minor nobility. Warwick first charted in the 1910s at #203, joining the Top 100 in the 1940s, where it peaked at #80. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and hasn’t charted since the 1990s. Famous Australians with this name include the racing driver Warwick Brown, and flamboyant former AFL star, Warwick Capper.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Sawyer, Samson and Ashby, and their least favourite were Stirling, Warwick and Murdoch.

(Photo shows the entrance to Sir Frederick Samson Park, in Samson)

Perth Suburbs That Could Be Used As Girls Names

13 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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Anglo-Norman names, Anglo-Saxon names, Australian Aboriginal names, controversial names, english names, famous namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, historical records, Irish names, Italian names, Latin names, locational names, Lycian names, middle names, mottos, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names of rivers, nicknames, Old English names, royal names, surname names, unisex names

Aveley
Aveley is a neighbourhood of the town of Ellenbrook – an outer suburb in the north-east which is projected to be a future satellite city. Avely is named after a small town in Essex, where the Belhus estate was located: this stately home was once visited by Queen Elizabeth I, and had grounds landscaped in the 18th century by the famous Capability Brown. One of the early settlers to the Swan River Colony in 1829 was Edward Pomeroy Barrett-Lennard, the grandson of Lord Dacre, who owned Belhus. Edward Barrett-Lennard was assigned more than 13 000 acres in the Swan Valley, and his eldest son George purchased a large tract of land which he named Belhus after the family estate: it is this which eventually became Aveley. The name Aveley is Old English and means “Aelfgyth’s meadow”; Aelfgyth is an Anglo-Saxon woman’s name meaning “elf battle”. Avely is also a surname, and has been in rare use as a personal name since at least the 16th century. Historically more common for males, Aveley fits so well with current trends in female names that it seems more suitable for girls. Pronounced AV-uh-lee, this is a pretty, modern-sounding name with a feminine meaning and interesting history.

Carine
Carine is an affluent suburb 14 km north of the city. The area was once owned by the wealthy Hamsersley family, who came to the Swan River Colony in 1837, and before being developed in the 1960s, it was primarily used for farms and market gardens. The suburb’s name comes from the local wetlands, which are now known as Big Carine Swamp and Small Carine Swamp. Their names are a corruption of Careniup, the Noongar name for the wetlands, which means “the place where bush kangaroos graze”; it has the same origin as nearby Lake Karrinyup. The tranquil wetlands provide a home for rare water-birds and other native wildlife. Carine is already used as a girl’s name, the French form of Carina; it can be said in several different ways, but the Australian Carine is kuh-REEN. You would be hard pressed to find anything more Australian than “kangaroo” as part of a name’s meaning, and this is attractive, although perhaps slightly dated-sounding, due to its similarity to Karen, Caroline, and Corinne.

Floreat
Floreat is an exclusive suburb 8 km north-west of the city, close to beaches and filled with parkland. As well as swanky boutiques, it is also well known for its sporting facilities, including Perry Lakes Stadium, which was used for the 1962 Empire and Commonwealth Games, and has now been replaced with the Western Australian Athletics Stadium. The suburb’s name is Latin for “let it flourish, let it prosper”, which is the official motto for the City of Perth (and has been fulfilled, for the city has grown rich on the back of the mining boom). Floreat has been occasionally used as a unisex name since the 18th century. In Australian records, it has mostly been used as a middle name, and examples from Perth may have been named for the city’s motto. In Australia, Floreat has been more commonly used as a girl’s name, due to its similarity to Florence, which has the same Latin origins and meaning. With Florence now fashionable, and girl’s names ending with a T sound, like Charlotte and Violet, popular, Floreat seems a surprising choice as a name, but not an outrageous one.

Jindalee
Jindalee is a new outer suburb in Perth’s far north. Because development has only just begun, the beaches are almost untouched, and it is surrounded by bush, scrub, and heathland. The name Jindalee is believed to mean “a bare hill” in an unknown Aboriginal language of New South Wales; there is a town of Jindalee in New South Wales, and a suburb of the same name in Brisbane. The name may refer to Eglinton Hill in Jindalee, which provides views of the sea. I only found one person in Australian records with the name Jindalee, and it was in the middle; although he was a man, to me Jindalee seems feminine, and could be shortened to Jinny or Jindy. This is a lively name which seems quintessentially Australian in its flavour.

Kiara
Kiara is a quiet leafy suburb in Perth’s northern suburbs. Its name is from an Aboriginal word for “white cockatoo”, and it is not a Western Australian word, but one recorded in the Coffs Harbour region of New South Wales. The “white cockatoo” in question is probably the sulphur-crested cockatoo, a large, handsome, intelligent, curious, and very loud bird, native to the eastern states and far north of Australia. Australian parents seem to have a great fondness for girls’ names beginning with K, and this name sounds much like Italian Chiara, but with a distinctive Australian meaning. The name Kiara has charted since the 1980s, and first joined the Top 100 in 1999 at #67, peaking in 2005 at #49. It left the Top 100 in 2011, and is currently in the low 100s. It’s no longer popular, but still getting plenty of use.

Leda
Leda is one of the suburbs of the City of Kwinana, a coastal centre in Perth’s far south known as a working-class industrial area. Several of Kwinana’s suburbs are named for ships, and the brig Leda brought settlers to the Swan River Colony in 1830. The name was appropriate, because in Greek mythology, Leda was a queen of Sparta whose beauty attracted the attention of the god Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. Queen Leda didn’t have any unnatural interest in swans – the god-swan fell into her arms for protection while escaping from an eagle. Swans are one of the few birds which have a penis outside their body, like mammals do, and after this the specifics are left to our imaginations. Some artists and poets have depicted the act as a rape, while others show Leda as not just consenting, but positively enthusiastic. The same night, Leda lay with her husband, and from these biologically confused couplings, she gave birth to two eggs – one of which contained the ravishing Helen of Troy. Helen’s birth was commemorated by her father Zeus, who placed the constellation Cygnus, the Swan, in the sky. The meaning of the name Leda is not known for sure; it may be from the Lycian for “woman, wife”, and is pronounced LEE-duh. Simple and elegant, this is a name from Western Australian history which also references Perth’s Swan River.

Myaree
Myaree is a light industrial suburb 11 km south of the city. Its name is said to come from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning “plant leaves, foliage, greenery” (rather inaptly, given the suburb’s purpose). Myaree has been used as a baby name, although not apparently in Australia: it may have been an Anglicisation of an Arabic girl’s name, or a name created from other name elements. Apart from the pleasant meaning of Myaree, and its multicultural possibilities, in many ways it seems quite on trend, because of popular Maya, trendy Marley, and fashionable Myra. In other ways, it seems slightly dated, because of its similarity to names such as Maree and Nyree. To me it’s rather appealing and contemporary, while not unfamiliar in sound.

Quinn
Quinns Rocks is in the outer northern suburbs of Perth. It was first settled in the 19th century by a family of sheep farmers called the Clarksons, who used it as pasturage. In the 1930s it was a place for seaside holidays, with many people building beach shacks along the coast. It began to be developed as a residential area in the late 1950s, and was declared a town in the 1960s. The beautiful white beach is the suburb’s major feature, and still attracts holidaymakers. The suburb gets its name from an offshore reef, and is believed to have been called after Robert Quin, a 19th century government surveyor who made the first records of the area. Another theory is that it is named after Mick Quinn, one of the Clarksons’ shepherds who had a shack in the area. Why it should be named after this shepherd in particular is not related, and the congruence of names seems most likely. Quinn is a common Irish surname, an Anglicised form of the Gaelic mac Cuinn, meaning “son of Cuinn”. Cuinn (which is Anglicised to Conn) means “head, chief”. The surname’s originator is Art mac Cuinn, a High King of Ireland; according to legend, he and his father Conn of the Hundred Battles, also a High King, had dealings with a fairy woman. The Quins were one of the noble families of Ireland, but the line came to an end a few years ago. Quinn is rising rapidly as a unisex name, and currently seems to be almost equal between the genders, while also performing well as a middle name. Expect to see more Quinns in the future.

Serpentine
Serpentine is a small town on the very fringes of the metropolitan area, 55 km south-east of the city, on the railway line between Perth and Bunbury. The town is named after the nearby Serpentine River, so called because of its meandering course. Serpentine has been used sparingly as a name since the 19th century, and in Australian records is found mostly as a middle name, divided fairly evenly between males and females. Most of the Serpentines were from the Perth area, making me think they were named after the river. Serpentine is a problematic name, because while serpentine means “winding, curving” (like a serpent), it can also mean “crafty, deceitful”. The second meaning is an obvious allusion to the serpent in Genesis, who leads Eve into temptation. While this may give some people the jitters, serpents are also ancient symbols of wisdom and healing, and are often depicted guarding sacred places; a serpent holding its tail in its mouth is a symbol of eternity. In Australian Aboriginal myths, the Rainbow Serpent is a significant deity, symbolising life and fertility. Strong and mysterious, sinuous Serpentine may be easier to bear as a middle name.

Viveash
Viveash is a secluded riverside suburb in the city’s north-west. It is named after Dr Samuel Waterman Viveash, a prominent pioneer who arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1838, and took up farming. Viveash is an English surname whose origins are disputed; it may be Anglo-Norman, and come from the French vivace, meaning “lively, vigorous”. However, because it is pronounced like “five ash” with a V instead of an F at the start, it is often linked to places in southern England called Five Ash Trees. Viveash has been used as a personal name for both sexes, almost exclusively found in the middle position. Examples from Australian records are all from Western Australia, and nearly all from the Perth area, making it likely they were named in honour of Dr Viveash. Viveash is a very unusual name, but is vaguely similar to Vivian and Ashley, while having a distinct sound and feel of its own.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Quinn, Aveley and Leda, and their least favourite were Jindalee, Serpentine and Viveash.

(Photo is of the beach at Quinns Rocks)

Waltzing With … Winter

22 Sunday Jun 2014

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

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birth notices, english names, Gaelic names, German-Jewish names, historical records, Irish names, middle names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nature names, season names, surname names, UK name trends, unisex names, US name trends, vocabulary names

Yesterday was the winter solstice, so we are now embarking on the coldest part of the year. In Hobart they celebrated the winter solstice with an icy nude swim at sunrise, and declared that being half frozen to death was quite exhilarating.

It’s been a fairly mild winter so far (hopefully in Hobart too), although winter still came as a shock to me as we’d had such a warm autumn. There’s lots to enjoy about winter: the grass which was dry and brown in summer is now a lush green; the sunshine is warm, but doesn’t burn; the clear blue skies of winter are more beautiful than in summer.

I look forward to making soup, walking for miles without getting hot and sweaty, footy season, weekends ski-ing, and cold nights at home by the fire. I love the eerie look of trees looming through fog, waking up to find a glitter of ice on the lawn, snow capping the mountains, or falling softly on the house like icing sugar.

Of course, I also hate going to work in the pitch dark, finding the frost has killed all the vegetables in the garden, everyone tracking mud and dead leaf mush into the house, and miserable grey days where the sun doesn’t appear until 3.30 pm, then sets at 4. But on a sunny winter Sunday, it’s easy to forget all that.

I planned to do the name Winter today back in January, but yesterday a blog reader considered the name Winter for one of her twin daughters, and on Friday there was a boy with Winter as one of his middle names, so what with the winter solstice, this does seem like the weekend for Winter.

Winter is an English word derived from Ancient Germanic. The original meaning is not known for sure: it may come from an ancient word for “water”, possibly to denote “wet season”.

The English surname Winter started out as a nickname for someone who was of a cold or miserable “wintry” temperament – not very flattering! As an Irish surname, Winter can be an Anglicisation of the Gaelic Mac Giolla Gheimhridh, meaning “son of the servant of Gheimhridh”, with the personal name Gheimhridh meaning “winter”. Winter can also be a German-Jewish surname after the season. The surname is frequently spelled Wynter, making this a variant spelling with a long history.

Winter has been used as a first name since at least the 16th century, and according to early records, most people named Winter were born during the winter months. Later records don’t seem to show much correlation between the name Winter being chosen and the season of birth.

Winter is historically much more common as a male name, suggesting that the surname was more influential than the season. These days, Winter is more often thought of as a female name, and it charts in the United States as a girl’s name only, where it is rising. In the UK, Winter is more common for girls (more than three times as many Winters are girls), but is rising steeply for both sexes. Interestingly, the less common spelling Wynter has been much more evenly given to both sexes through history (although still more common for males).

Winter was in the 200s in Victoria in 2012 – there were almost as many baby girls named Winter just in this state as in the whole of the UK. I see Winter used mostly as a girl’s name in Australian birth notices, but it seems more common as a boy’s name in the middle position, showing its great versatility.

Even though Winter is currently more common as a girl’s name, it still seems very usable for boys. It sounds similar to Winston, is a surname, and the season of winter isn’t generally thought of as particularly feminine. It is sometimes personalised as Old Man Winter or Father Winter, and another “winter character” of folklore is Jack Frost. This always reminds me of the Australian bird, the Jacky Winter – another boyish-sounding winter connection.

I can think of two famous female characters connected to winter, and they are both from the fairy tales of Hans Christian Anderson. One of them is the beautiful yet deadly Ice-Maiden, and the other is the Snow Queen. Although the Snow Queen is a seemingly malevolent character, she is an attractive one: beautiful, strong, and intelligent, she is a “queen bee”. Because of these two characters, we call an alluring yet frosty woman an “ice maiden” or “snow queen”, and rumour has it that Anderson based both these characters on the opera singer Jenny Lind, and her rejection of him.

The Snow Queen recently received a reboot in the Disney film Frozen, with a completely different plot and characters from Anderson’s fairy tale. The stranger-danger theme of a beautiful cold woman in a sleigh seducing, abducting, and imprisoning a little boy had already been co-opted by C.S. Lewis for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, so something different was necessary.

Frozen has been a huge hit, with its appealing characters, fun dialogue, heart-warming coming-of-age story, and catchy songs. As Ebony from Babynameobsessed has pointed out, that has had an effect on the naming world. The name Elsa is becoming more popular, Arendelle suddenly seems usable as a baby name, and perhaps we can expect more winter-inspired names such as Snow, Frost, Ivy, June … and Winter.

Winter is a clean-sounding name that conjures up the purity of virgin snow, mysterious fog descending on the earth like a white blanket, the crisp sparkle of morning frost. Or maybe it reminds you of invigorating hikes in the cold air, and the thrill of downhill ski-ing, or of hot cocoa drunk before a blazing fire, and snuggling under the quilts at night while listening to a storm roaring outside.

When I think of stories connected with winter, apart from ice maidens, snow queens, white witches and frost fairies, I think of the white bear in the tale East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon, of the frost giants of Norse legend, of William Shakespeare’s comedy The Winter’s Tale, with its frozen queen, and Mark Helprin’s New York fantasy, Winter’s Tale.

There are so many fantasy stories about winter, perfect for recounting before the fire on cold nights, that there seems something magical it. Anything is possible in a winter wonderland – it’s a season of miracles.

POLL RESULT
Winter received an extremely good approval rating of 78%. 28% of people loved the name, while a further 24% liked it. Less than 10% of people hated the name.

(Picture shows Craig’s Hut at Thredbo, New South Wales; photo from Red Bubble)

Famous Name: Digger

30 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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Australian slang terms, birth notices, birth registries, choosing baby names, controversial names, english names, historical records, middle names, military terms, name history, name meaning, nicknames, vocabulary names

Last Friday it was Anzac Day, marking 99 years since the landing at Anzac Cove for the Gallipoli Campaign. One of the enduring military terms from the conflict, still very much in use today, is Digger, to refer to an Australian soldier who has seen active service. More than that, the word is patriotic, symbolising a particular type of Australian-ness that is rugged, resilient, and resourceful.

The word Digger has a relatively long history in Australia, dating to the goldfields of the 1850s to refer to miners. Already it had an aura to it, for the Diggers of the Eureka Stockade were a powerful symbol of grass-roots democracy. A Digger was not only tough enough to thrive in the harsh conditions of the goldfields, he was ready to stand up for his mates and resist oppressive authority. Furthermore, the blue work clothes of the miners which were used to make the Eureka Flag were part of the inspiration for the phrase “true blue Australian” – the working man who fought for his rights.

How the word became used for the Anzacs is a matter of some debate. It is documented that British commander General Ian Hamilton urged the Anzac leader William Birdwood, You have got through the difficult business [of landing], now you have only to dig, dig, dig until you are safe. This advice was handed down through the ranks, and official war historian Charles Bean believed that it was the troop’s dry sense of humour which led them to refer to themselves as Diggers.

Another view is that the word came into use even before Australians reached Gallipoli. A former soldier recalled an occasion when Birdwood addressed the men of the 11th Battalion near Cairo, in preparation for the landings on Gallipoli. Birdwood warned the troops that they had to be good diggers and good soldiers. The soldier insisted that the term caught on from that point, and it seems likely that the impetus to dig and tunnel at Gallipoli made the term more widespread.

Australians must have gained a reputation for their digging, because in 1915 it was reported of Australian soldiers in Gallipoli, They are the best trench diggers in the [British] Army. They work like bullocks, fight like tigers … yet are so cheerful and work together like old pals.

Although Digger may have originated as a military term at Gallipoli, it first came into prominence in 1916 on the Western Front, possibly following a speech by Brigadier James Cannan, commander of the 11th Brigade, about the digging prowess of the 44th Battalion in the trenches of northern France, who were then derisively labelled the diggers. Many of these men had been miners in the Western Australian goldfields before enlisting, so these miners-turned-soldiers may be a direct connection between the use of Digger for miners, and for soldiers.

By mid-1917, Digger was in wide use amongst Australian soldiers, and became the accepted mode of address for the Anzacs. While Australian and New Zealand soldiers called each other Digger, the British called only the Australians Diggers, and the New Zealanders Kiwis. (One soldier wrote home from France: … the name Digger came from the Tommies [British], who think we Australians are all miners or cowboys.)

Digger was already recognised in Australia as a term for miners, and already part of the Australian image. This might explain why Australians so warmly embraced the word, and why it became such a vital part of the Anzac identity.

After the war, the word Digger became part of the Anzac legend, embodying the qualities of endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour, and mateship. Many Australians who had served in the war were nicknamed Digger, and Prime Minister Billy Hughes was proud that he had been called “The Little Digger” by the troops. There was an entertainment troupe of Australian and New Zealander World War I veterans called The Diggers. They went on to make several “Digger” films, which received poor reviews from the critics, but were popular with audiences, especially in rural areas. It was even suggested in Parliament that that the rank of Private in the Australian Army should be re-named Digger.

Digger can often be found as a name in Australian records, yet rarely as an official baby name. Digger has been commonly used as a nickname, not only by returned servicemen, but on children as well. Despite this, I could only find Digger on a very few birth records, and each time only as a middle name. (There was a baby in the Birth Announcements with Digger as his middle name too).

It’s interesting that while we are apparently very happy to call men and boys Digger, there doesn’t seem much evidence of us putting it down on the birth certificate as a first name. I wonder if parents worry it will seem disrespectful to Australian soldiers or the Anzacs, or if they have even been dissuaded at the birth registry. A little while ago, I received an e-mail from someone who was considering the name Digger for her baby – did they choose the name in the end?

I think Digger seems cute yet masculine as a name, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that it can be used as an endearment, like mate or cobber – nor that the word was in use even before World War I. Some may find the name quite heavily value-laden in Australian society, perhaps too heavily.

I have read this definition of the Digger: “A man for whom freedom, comradeship, a wide tolerance, and a strong sense of the innate worth of man, count for more than all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory in them.” That’s quite a big meaning for a name to carry, but what a magnificent meaning for your son’s name to hold.

POLL RESULT
Digger received an approval rating of 35%. 28% of people thought it was only suitable as a nickname, but 21% saw it as uniquely Australian.

(Photo shows Western Australian miners who enlisted in 1916).

Names of Australian Birds for Boys

06 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 7 Comments

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animal names, astronomical names, Biblical names, bird names, colour names, english names, fictional namesakes, German names, Greek names, historical records, Irish names, Latin names, modern classics, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names of rivers, nature names, nicknames, Roman names, saints names, scientific names, Scottish names, surname names, unisex names

Aquil
Aquila is the scientific name for eagles; large, powerful raptors found all over the world which are often used as symbols of kingship and empire. The eagle was the bird sacred to Zeus, and it is recognised as a Christian symbol of strong, enduring spirituality. Australia’s best known eagle is the Wedge-tailed Eagle, one of the largest birds of prey in the world. Easily recognised by its size and diamond-shaped tail, Wedge-tails can weigh up to almost 13 kg (28 lb), and wingspans have measured more than 250 cm (over 9 feet). Fierce defenders of their territory, Wedge-tails have been known to attack small aircraft. The Wedge-tail Eagle is an emblem of the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service, the New South Wales Police Force, the Northern Territory Correctional Services, La Trobe University, and the Royal Australian Air Force. Aquila is a Latin name meaning “eagle”; it was fairly common amongst the Romans, and was also the name of the Roman military standard. Aquila is mentioned as one of the early Christians in the New Testament, and he is regarded as a saint. I have seen Aquil a few times as a boy’s name, perhaps because Aquila might be misunderstood as feminine, and it can be said uh-KWIL or uh-KEEL. It’s a strong, masculine name after a noble bird.

Callum
Columba is the scientific name for pigeons and doves; the word comes from the Greek for “dive, swim”, because pigeons make a swimming motion in the air as they fly. Australia has many native pigeons, but only one of them belongs to the Columba genus, and that is the White-Headed Pigeon. There are several saints named Columba, most notably the Irish missionary credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland. Columba is a Latinisation of his Irish name Colm Cille, meaning “dove of the church”. In Scotland, his name became Calum, and the variant Callum is a common name. Callum first charted in Australia in the 1960s, and first ranked in the 1970s at #467. It soared to make the Top 100 in the 1990s and peaked in the early 2000s at #56; it has just left the Top 100. However, it is a handsome modern classic with a lovely meaning, and is one of the softer boy’s names.

Cygnus
Cygnus is the scientific name for swans; large, graceful water birds which often feature in myth and legend. Helen of Troy was born from a swan’s egg after her mother was seduced by Zeus in the disguise of a swan, while the sun god Apollo drove a chariot drawn by swans. Irish and Australian Aboriginal legends both tell of people transformed into swans, and Hans Christian Anderson wrote about an “ugly duckling” who discovered he was really a beautiful swan. Swans are seen as holy in Norse mythology, and in Hinduism are revered as sacred. It was a belief in classical literature that the swan would sing beautifully upon death (hence the phrase “swan song” to mean a final performance), and the poet Juvenal sarcastically said that a good woman was as rare as a black swan. Of course, in Australia, black swans are not rare at all, although that doesn’t mean good women are more common here. The black swan is the state emblem of Western Australia, and Perth’s river is named the Swan in its honour. There are several characters from Greek mythology named Cygnus, many of which were turned into swans: one was a musician who was placed among the stars as the constellation Cygnus. This is an unusual bird name that sounds a little like Sidney and Silas, and as swans are symbols of love and fidelity, has attractive associations.

Finch
There are many small Australian birds named finches, although they are unrelated to the finches of the northern hemisphere. One of the most common is the Zebra Finch, found across the continent in drier areas; they live in large flocks, mostly in grasslands. Zebra Finches are grey with black and white stripes, hence their name, and males can be distinguished by a chestnut patch on their cheek. Male Zebra Finches are loud, boisterous singers, with each male having a unique song, which he learns from his father, and then gives it his own variation, so that there are recognisable similarities between the songs of bloodlines. Their singing is used as part of courtship, and the uniqueness of their songs has made them a popular subject for scientific research. Their singing also makes Zebra Finches popular as pets. Finch has been used as a boy’s name since the 16th century, and the surname has probably been of significant help. Current use may be inspired by Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, a worthy namesake.

Jaeger
The Skuas are a group of sea birds resembling large, dark gulls. They are strong, agile fliers, and aggressive in defending their nests. The American term for the three smaller species of Skua is Jaeger, which is a German word meaning “hunter”. In Australia, we seem to use the American term rather than the British Skua. Jaegers hail from the Arctic and tundra, but come to the southern hemisphere during the northern winter, when their homelands are covered in snow and ice. It’s quite exciting to see one, if only because they have travelled such a vast distance to be here. The Jaeger is pronounced YAY-ger in English, although the German word is said more like YEH-ger. However, Jaeger is a common surname too, and many people pronounce it JAY-ger (quite a few people say the bird the same way). Not only is the English form of Jaeger, Hunter, a popular name for boys, but when said JAY-ger, it doesn’t sound too different from Jagger. Although deciding on pronunciation could be an issue, this is an interesting choice that isn’t as unusual as it might first appear.

Kestrel
The Kestrel is a small, slender bird of prey which is found in many parts of the world. The Australian Kestrel, also called the Nankeen Kestrel, is amongst the smallest of the falcons, and one of the rare raptors which can hover over its prey. Kestrels are found all over Australia, and are in the top ten of the most common Australian birds; its adaptability to a wide variety of environments is the key to its continued success. Kestrel has been used as a personal name since the 19th century, and the earliest record I can find for it is from Australia, used as a man’s middle name. It has been used fairly equally for both sexes, and because kestrels are quite dainty falcons, seems just as good for a girl as for a boy.

Peregrine
The Peregrine Falcon is a bird of prey found all over the world; it is the most widespread raptor, and one of the most widely found bird species. It is faster than any other creature on the planet when it is diving towards its prey, reaching speeds of over 320 km (200 miles) per hour. Peregrines have been used as hunting birds for thousands of years, and during the Middle Ages, was considered the bird most appropriate for a prince to hunt with. The Peregrine Falcon can be found all over Australia, although it isn’t common, and it often nests on cliffs – it will even nest on high buildings in cities. The name Peregrine comes from the Latin for “to wander, to travel”, perhaps because Peregrines can travel widely, or because their nests are difficult to find. Peregrine is also the English form of the Latin name Peregrinus, meaning “wanderer, traveller”. There have been several saints named Peregrine, who no doubt chose the name because it can be understood as “pilgrim”. This is an aristocratic boy’s name that has the charming Perry as its short form.

Philemon
Philemon is the scientific name for the Friarbirds, which are native to Australasia. The most conspicuous of them is the Noisy Friarbird, which as its name suggests, can kick up a heck of a racket. Noisy Friarbirds are not considered beautiful, being dull brownish-grey with a bald black head, a little horn on its bill, and bright red eyes. They are often considered to be pests because of their constant cackling, and voracious love of fruit. Yet I love their comical ugliness and gregarious chatter. I even enjoy sharing our fruit with them, because they prefer the old fruit rotting on the ground, on which they become hilariously tipsy: it’s always a party with the Friarbirds. Philemon is a Greek name which means “loving, affectionate”, and in a fable by the Roman poet Ovid, Philemon was a old man of Ancient Greece. He and his wife Baucis showed great hospitality to the gods, despite their poverty, and as reward, were granted their dearest wish, which was to die together. When they did, they were transformed into two trees, which intertwined in a show of affection. There are two saints named Philemon, one of whom was a church leader in the New Testament. With Philomena and Phillipa hip names for girls, why not Philemon for a boy?

Robin
Australasian Robins look slightly similar to, but are not closely related to the European Robin, or to the American Robin (which is a thrush). Some Robins have a red or pink breast, like their northern hemisphere namesakes, while others are yellow, grey, or white-breasted. They are fairly common in suburbia, and charming because of their small size and bright colouring. Many are inquisitive and confident around humans, and will become quite tame. Robin was originally used as a pet form of Robert, and given to boys: it is well known because of the English folk hero Robin Hood, Batman’s sidekick, Robin the Boy Wonder, and Winnie-the-Pooh’s friend, Christopher Robin. It can be given to both sexes after the bird. Robin charted as a unisex name in Australia from the 1920s to the 1970s without reaching the Top 100 for either sex, but was markedly more popular for boys. It peaked for both sexes in the 1950s. Although it stopped charting for girls in the 1980s, it only left the charts for boys in the late 2000s. I have seen a few baby boys named Robin in recent birth notices, and this is a traditional, yet somewhat whimsical, name.

Teal
Teal are ducks found in several different areas in the world. There are two species of Teal native to Australia, and they can be found in wetlands, freshwater lakes, and marshes. Teal is also a blue-green colour, named after the Eurasian Teal which has this greenish colour around its eyes. Teal has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and has been used for males and females in almost equal numbers. It was originally much more common for boys (I noted an Australian named Teal Wang on the blog, but don’t know whether it was a man or a woman). Ducks are charming and lovable birds, and teal is a beautiful colour – I think this is a nice, simple name for either sex.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Callum, Peregrine and Robin, and their least favourite were Aquil, Cygnus and Philemon.

(Photo shows a Wedge-tail Eagle in flight)

International Names for Girls

23 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 19 Comments

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American names, Arabic names, aristocratic titles, birth notices, brand names, Catalan names, celebrity baby names, Chinese names, created names, english names, Etruscan names, European name popularity, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, Greek names, hebrew names, historical records, Hungarian names, International Baby Names for Australian Parents, international naming laws, Latin names, middle names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name trends, names from movies, names from television, Old Norse names, Persian names, Provencal names, royal names, saints names, scandinavian names, Slavic names, Spanish names, surname names, UK name popularity, unisex names, US name popularity, virtue names, Visigothic names

These are names chosen from my e-book, International Baby Names for Australian Parents – names which are familiar in other countries, but rarely used here. I chose ten that I particularly like, or find interesting, or think very usable. If you haven’t read the book, it gives you an idea as to what’s inside, and if you have read it, it’s a chance for me to provide more information than is possible in a book.

Anais

Identified as a French form of the Persian name Anahita, meaning “pure, immaculate”; Aredvi Sura Anahita is an Indo-Iranian goddess of fertility and wisdom. To get around French naming regulations, it was explained as a Catalan or Provençal form of Anna or Anne. The name is strongly associated with the American writer Anaïs Nin, whose first name was Angela, but always went by her second name. Anaïs was born in France and was of Spanish, Cuban, French and Danish descent. She is principally known as a diarist, where she intimately explored the complexities of her personal life, and as a writer of female erotica. Her name was the inspiration for the Cacharel perfume, Anais Anais, and in Australia we have the children’s clothing label, Aden + Anais. The name is pronounced a-na-EES. Feminine and exotic, Anais is very popular in France and Chile, and charts in the UK.

This short spunky name has different origins. It is a Chinese name for both boys and girls which means “wave”, as in a wave on water (especially the sea). It is a rare Chinese surname too, and an aristocratic title translated as the equivalent of a Count. It is also a Scandinavian boy’s name derived from the Old Norse name Búi, meaning “to live”. As a girl’s name, its most famous namesake is American actress and sex symbol Bo Derek, born Mary Collins. Ms Derek doesn’t know why she chose the name Bo: it just seemed “grown up” and “unusual” to her. A fictional girl Bo is the nursery rhyme shepherdess Bo Peep – her name comes from a slang term for being in a pillory, presumably because the person “peeped” through the head holes. Radio host Tim Blackwell named his daughter Bo last year, and since then there seems to be a few girl babies with the name in Australian birth notices. To show the gender divide in regard to this name, Bo is rising in the UK charts as a girl’s name, and rising in the US as boy’s name (probably a variant spelling of Beau). In the Netherlands, it charts for both sexes, but is only popular for girls.

Cora

The American author James Fenimore Cooper is credited with the creation of this name, in his 1826 historical novel, The Last of the Mohicans. The novel’s heroine is Cora Munro; dark, intelligent, and serious, she is a distant descendant of African-American slaves who forms a relationship with the son of a Native American chief – the titular “last of the Mohicans”. Her story ends tragically. There are actually many people named Cora in the records prior to the book’s publication, dating back to the late 16th century, but it is difficult to tell if they are abbreviations for longer names, like Cordelia. The name Cora is often theorised to be based on the Greek name Kore, meaning “maiden”; it was the common name of the goddess Persephone. If invented by Cooper, this makes sense, as there are a number of names with this derivation, such as Corinna. However, if its use goes back to the 16th century, it would pre-date the use of these “Kore” names, and may be based on the Latin cor, meaning “heart”. Cora is also used to Anglicise the Gaelic name Coira, meaning “seething pool”. Cora is a Downton Abbey name (the character is American-born), and fits in with the trend for simple, graceful names like Clara and Isla. It charts in both the US and UK, and is popular in Northern Ireland.

Elvira

Spanish form of an unknown Visigothic name whose meaning is much debated. It was traditional amongst medieval Spanish royalty, and became a favourite in fiction. The vengeful scorned lover Elvira of Mozart’s Don Giovanni is just one example of the many characters of this name in operas, plays, novels and films. Another is the title character of Noel Coward’s supernatural comedy Blithe Spirit, a hauntingly beautiful former wife who arrives in the least convenient fashion. Elvira is the name of Donald Duck’s grandmother, and many will remember the campy, cleavage-enhanced Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, played by Cassandra Peterson. A famous person with the name is Elvira Madigan (born Hedvig Jensen), a 19th century Danish circus performer who had a tragic love affair. Her story has been turned into several films and songs. English-speakers can pronounce this romantic name either el-VEER-ah or el-VY-ra (I prefer the first, as the second reminds me of virus), and it fits in with popular names such as Ella and Ava. Elvira charts in The Netherlands and is popular in Sweden.

Hermione

Derived from Hermes, the Greek god of transitions and boundaries, who was the messenger of the gods, and patron of travellers, herdsmen, thieves, public speakers, comedians, writers, poets, athletes, inventors, and merchants. Most scholars understand his name as meaning “stone, roadside shrine, boundary marker” – these were dedicated to Hermes as the god of boundaries and travellers. It may be related to the Greek for “the interpreter” to reflect the god’s role as divine messenger. In Greek myth, Hermione was the daughter of the lovely Helen of Troy, and had relationship troubles of her own involving Trojans. There is a Saint Hermione, an early Christian martyr who was the daughter of Saint Philip, identified as a prophetess in the church. In literature, Hermione is a beautiful queen accused of infidelity in Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale, and Harry Potter’s best female friend, the book-smart Hermione Granger. An Australian character of this name is Hermione the Modern Girl, the cartoon creation of Kaz Cooke. A famous namesake is British actress Hermione Norriss, from television shows Cold Feet and Wire in the Blood. This elegant name is pronounced her-MY-oh-nee, and charts in the UK.

Ilona

Hungarian name of uncertain meaning. It is usually said to be a form of Helen, although this may be folk etymology. In Magyar folklore, Ilona is the traditional name of the Queen of the Fairies. She is very beautiful, but also mischevious, and at times, dangerous! Archduchess Ilona of Austria was a Hungarian member of the Hapsburgs, one of the great royal houses of Europe; she passed away a few years ago. This pretty name is usually pronounced ih-LOH-na, and has Loni as the obvious nickname. It charts in France.

Juno

The Roman goddess of marriage and childbirth, and the queen of the gods, besides being the patron and protector of the Roman state. She was seen as eternally youthful, filled with forceful vitality, and a fertility figure, yet also warlike. Juno was the sister and wife of the sky god Jupiter, and the divine couple are two of the oldest known Roman gods. Like her husband, Juno had the power to throw thunderbolts, and the couple’s relationship could be stormy at times. The Romans believed that each woman had a protective guardian spirit called a juno, and this was given offerings on the woman’s birthday. The goddess’ name may mean “youth”, with the suggestion of vitality and fertility, but it is also possible that it is related to that of the Etruscan mother goddess Uni, meaning “she who gives”. The Romans connected her name to the waxing and waning of the moon – perhaps with the idea that, like the moon, she constantly renewed herself. The month of June is named in Juno’s honour, and when a woman is described as junoesque, it means she is beautiful, tall and shapely in a stately, imposing way. A famous person with the name is British actress Juno Temple, who has been in The Other Boleyn Girl, and The Dark Kight Rises. The movie Juno, starring Ellen Page, has helped give this name recent exposure, and it fits in with the trend for names ending with O. You may recall that New Zealand name blogger Anna Hamilton has a little girl named Juno. Juno charts in the UK, where it is rising.

Patience

Patience is the ability to endure difficult circumstances, persevering without exhibiting negativity such as irritation or anger, and being able to deal with strain or frustration during long-term difficulties. It is considered one of the highest virtues in several religions, such as Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, and in Christianity is one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues. Modern psychology sees patience as a sign of self-control and maturity, and it is a secular virtue as well. The word patience is ultimately from the Latin for “suffering”, and it was introduced as a virtue name by the Puritans in the late 16th century. A famous Australian namesake is Patience Hodgson, a member of indie rock band The Grates. Virtue names are back in fashion, and this one seems both admirable and attractive – a name that someone can grow with. Patience charts in the US.

Safiya

Variant of Safiyya, feminine form of the Arabic name Safi, meaning “pure”. The name is important in Islam because Safiyaa bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from a nomadic Arabian tribe at the age of 17 who was chosen by Muhammad for his own. Previously, she had dreamed that the moon fell from the heavens into her lap, and this was interpreted as a miraculous sign she would marry Muhammad. She converted to Islam and became one of the Prophet’s wives, and after his death gained quite a bit of power and influence. Safiya is pronounced sa-FEE-ah, and is an Arabic heritage choice which fits in with current trends, as it is not dissimilar to popular Sophia. It charts in both the UK and France.

Ziva

Slavic name meaning “living, being, existing”. In Slavic mythology, Živa was a goddess of life and fertility who was worshipped throughout what is now Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Germany before the coming of Christianity. She was depicted as a beautiful woman, and people prayed to her for good health and long life. She seems to have been connected with the harvest of both fruit and grains, and one story is that she was able to turn herself into a cuckoo bird. Ziva is also a feminine form of the Hebrew name Ziv, meaning “bright, radiant”. In the television drama series NCIS, Ziva David is an Israeli-American agent portrayed by Cote de Pablo. Pronounced ZEE-vah, Ziva fits in with popular names such as Ava and Zoe. It charts in The Netherlands, and the UK, where it is rising, and is popular in Slovenia.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Cora, Juno and Hermione, and their least favourite were Safiya, Patience and Elvira.

(Photo shows Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff in Juno)

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