Tag Archives: honouring

Royal Baby News: Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor

28 Thursday Aug 2014

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Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor welcomed their third child on May 27 and named their son Louis Arthur Nicholas Felix. Louis’ older brothers are Albert Louis Philip Edward, aged nearly seven, and Leopold Ernest Augustus Guelph, aged nearly five. Louis is 37th in line to the throne, and is to be known as Mr Louis Windsor.

Lord Nicholas is the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and a great-grandson of King George V. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, is a cousin of Queen Elizabeth, so Lord Nicholas is a first cousin once removed of the queen. In 2001, Lord Nicholas was received into the Roman Catholic Church, following the lead of his mother Katharine, who converted in 1994. This makes him the first male member of the blood Royal to convert to Catholicism since King Charles II. Because of his conversion, he forfeited the right of succession to the British throne, but is still in the line of succession to the Dukedom of Kent.

Lady Nicholas Windsor was born Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan; her father is a member of the Croatian and Italian nobility, while her mother is a distinguished Professor Emeritus at Stockholm University. Under her maiden name Paola Frankopan, she writes for The Tatler, where she is a contributing editor. She and Lord Nicholas were married on September 4 2006 in Vatican City, making Lord Nicholas the first member of the Royal Family to marry at the Vatican, and the first to marry in a Catholic ceremony since the Reformation. By having Louis shortly before her 45th birthday, Lady Nicholas became the oldest royal to give birth.

Louis is most likely in honour of Lady Nicholas’ father, Louis, Prince de Frankopan, Count Doimi de Lupis, a barrister and businessman. The children’s maternal grandfather was earlier honoured by having Louis as Albert’s middle name. Louis also has a Catholic saint’s name, like his brothers Albert and Leopold.

Arthur has previously been used in the royal family; most recently by Prince Arthur of Connaught, the son of Prince Arthur, son of Queen Victoria. Perhaps coincidentally, Arthington is a name traditionally used in the family of Lord Nicholas’ mother Katharine, whose maiden name was Worseley.

Nicholas is after the baby’s father. It is one of the middle names of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the father of Lord Nicholas, and Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark was Prince Edward’s grandfather, the father of Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. Lady Nicholas’ brother is also named Nicholas, so it’s a name from both sides of the family.

Felix may be in honour of Lord Nicholas’ great-uncle, Sir Felix Brunner, 3rd Baronet, the uncle of his mother Katharine (and her godfather) The meaning of “lucky” seems apt, because the Windsors were not expecting to have any more children, and felt very fortunate to be blessed with a child; indeed Louis has been hailed as a “miracle baby”.

(Photo of Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor with their two eldest sons from Hello!)

Celebrity Baby News: Caroline Craig and Callum Finlayson

11 Monday Aug 2014

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Actress Caroline Craig, and her husband Callum Finlayson, welcomed their first child in April, and have named their daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth Finlayson was born in the United States, arriving just days after her mother’s birthday, and is named after Caroline’s favourite aunt.

Caroline graduated from NIDA in 1999, and has worked solidly in theatre, and on the small screen. She became well known as Sergeant Tess Gallagher in Blue Heelers, and police detective Jacqui James on Underbelly. Last night she appeared in the first episode of drama series Anzac Girls, based on true stories of Australian nurses who served in World War I.

Callum and Caroline were married in February this year. Callum works in IT, and recently took a job as a software specialist in the United States. He and Caroline now live in Brooklyn, in New York City.

Can His Name Just Be Ted?

09 Saturday Aug 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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This is the first time we have had “repeat customers” on the blog, because Kate and Steve were featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda almost exactly two years ago.

Kate wrote in because she and Steve couldn’t agree on a name for their second child, and were getting more and more frustrated with the situation. They were having particular problems reaching agreement on a girl’s name, with Kate preferring something traditional like Clara, and Steve fancying something more modern, like Zara.

In the end, they had a boy instead. Kate chose the name Lewis, and after some thought, Steve decided he liked it; it makes a nice match with their daughter Madeline.

Now Kate and Steve are expecting their third child in a few months. Having already named two children, they are much more relaxed about the whole thing this time, but are still interested in hearing other people’s opinions.

If the baby is a boy, the name chosen for him is Ted William. They don’t want a long form for his name, because while Kate loves the name Theodore, Steve hates it, and though Steve doesn’t mind Edward, Kate detests all Ed- names. However, both of them love the name Ted.

When Kate told her mother that their son’s name will be Ted, grandma’s opinion was that the baby needed a “proper” first name, in order him to give him “options” in the future. Kate wonders what people think of Ted as a stand-alone name – is it okay, or is her mum right?

Once again however, they are finding girls names a bit trickier. I thought that Kate and Steve would be sorted for girls’ names in the future, because if Lewis had been a girl, Kate wanted the name Annabeth, and at the time, Steve liked it. However, since then, Steve has decided that Annabeth sounds “made up”, so that’s off the table now.

Originally, Kate wanted to name the baby Nell after her grandmother, but Steve couldn’t get on board with the idea. Their daughter Madeline calls the baby “Rosie“, which is rather interesting, because Rose was Steve’s first choice for Madeline’s own name, until he decided he loved Madeline instead. This has reminded Kate that she loves the name Rose too, and Steve seems okay with the idea.

However, Kate can’t find a middle name to go with it. Madeline and Lewis both have family names in the middle, but Kate can’t think of any more female family members she would like to honour. She considered Nell, after grandma, but Rose Nell doesn’t sound right to her. She’s racked her brain to think of a middle name that has some significance to her, and she can’t think of anything. Kate wonders, what middle name would sound nice with Rose?

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We’ll start off with the Ted-as-the-whole-name issue. Yes, I think Ted is perfectly fine as a name all on its own. It’s becoming quite a fashionable choice as a baby name, and although it’s not a common name, it’s by no means unusual either. It’s even a celebrity baby name, as Livinia Nixon has a little boy named Ted. I think Ted is already a “proper’ name, and a very nice one.

Besides, what other choice is there? Steve hates Theodore, you hate Edward: you can’t give a child a name that one of his parents loathes. It almost sounds as if your mum is saying that even though one of you hates a certain name, the one who draws the short straw should just suck it up for the good of the child and put it on the birth certificate anyway. Or does she mean you should make up a name that could be used as a long form of Ted, like Tedric or Teddington? Because I’m not sure those are “options” most kids want …

Just ask yourself which you would rather tell your son:

  1. We chose Ted as your name because it was a name both Dad and I loved.
  2. We chose Theodore as your name, even though Dad hates it, but Grandma said we needed a proper name for you, but don’t worry, we’ll call you Ted anyway so it’s not a problem and I expect Dad will get over it eventually. And you can always go by Theodore any time you want to make Dad cross and unhappy, so it’s nice that you’ve got that option.

To re-cap. You love Ted, Steve loves Ted, I love Ted, many people love Ted, and I bet anything that your mum ends up loving Ted too, once she meets her adorable grandson. Ergo, Ted is perfectly fine to put on the birth certificate all by itself. And I think Ted William does have options, because he can always use his middle name if he chooses.

I must say I just love the name Rose for you, and it seems like a perfect match with Madeline and Lewis, as names which are English, but with French origins. The story of it being chosen by Madeline is really charming, and has that “meant to be” quality which is so satisfying in a name.

For middle names, I wondered how you felt about using a name which is related to Nell, as a little nod to your grandmother? I know it’s not the same as using her exact name, but it does provide a link of some kind. I was thinking of Rose Eleanor or Rose Helena, or Rose Elena if you wanted something more modern-sounding – I remember Steve was quite keen on Eleni at one point.

I also thought, if Steve originally liked Annabeth but then thought it was too contrived, what about similar names? Maybe Annabel/Annabelle, or Elizabeth/Elisabeth. Or what about a middle name similar to your own name, such as Rose Katherine or Rose Catherine – if there’s no one left to honour in the family, why not honour yourself?

You could also use Nell as a second middle name, if you weren’t keen on Rose Nell. For example, maybe Rose Katherine Nell or Rose Elisabeth Nell, as a way to break it up. Although I seem to recall that Steve hates the name Nell anyway, so perhaps he wouldn’t like it even as a middle name.

And if none of those ideas appeal to you and Steve, there’s nothing wrong with just picking a middle name that sounds nice with Rose, such as Rose Amelia, Rose Evangeline, Rose Lucinda, Rose Matilda, Rose Olivia, or Rose Victoria, for example. With a short name like Rose, a longer name would sound attractive, and make a nice rhythm with your two-syllable surname. Although Rose is so pretty I can’t imagine how you could mess it up – almost anything would sound nice as a middle name to Rose.

Good luck, Kate and Steve – I think once again you are going to come up with a lovely baby name, whether you have a second son or a second daughter.

UPDATE: The baby was a boy, and his name is Ted!

POLL RESULTS
Is Ted acceptable as a full name?
91% of people polled thought that Ted was acceptable as a full name. 42% said of course it was okay, as Ted was a great name, 29% admitted that they would prefer Ted to have a long form, but could see that wasn’t possible in this instance, while 20% thought Ted was just fine. That left 9% of people in grandma’s corner, and adamant that Ted could only be used as a nickname.

Best Middle Name for Rose
A name similar to Nell eg Eleanor or Helena 51%
Any name that sounds nice with Rose 22%
Rose Nell 11%
Rose ___ Nell 11%
A name similar to Kate, such as Catherine 3%
A name similar to Annabeth, such as Annabelle or Elizabeth 2%

(Picture shows the cover of Big Ted and Friends, starring Playschool‘s Big Ted)

Celebrity Baby News: Sami Muirhead and Sam Bohner

05 Tuesday Aug 2014

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Radio personality Samille “Sami” Muirhead, and her husband Sam Bohner, welcomed their son August Louis, nicknamed “Augie” on August 1. August was born at 7.47 pm at Sunshine Coast Private Hospital; he joins big sister Avalon, aged 3, and big brother Nixon, aged 21 months; Nixon’s birth was announced on the blog.

August’s name is inspired by his date of birth: he was born on the first day of the month, and August 1 is the day officially designated as the birthday of all horses in the southern hemisphere. As you may know, 2014 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar, so August is born on the “Day of the Horse” in The Year of the Horse! Could they pass up that opportunity? Nay!

August’s middle name, Louis, is in honour of someone very special – the family’s much loved pet shih tzu.

August’s sister Avalon was quite sure that he was going to be a girl, and had already chosen the name Rosie Swimming Pool for her new sister. Apparently she has suffered a genuine disappointment that her name choice won’t be used. Perhaps Avalon will be one day start her own name blog.

(Photo shows August with his big sister Avalon)

Waltzing with … Archibald

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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The Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow on July 23, so the blog is featuring a few Scottish names; today it’s Archibald. Everyone is talking about the cute Scottish terriers in tartan coats who stole the show at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, each one of them leading in a national team. I think it was a moment where we all went Awwwww ….

The Scottie dogs were perhaps the only ones whose outfits were not scrutinised, because everyone wants to see whose team uniforms are the best, and worst. Australia traditionally fails dismally in the fashion stakes, and this year we were true to form, sending our team in unpopular outfits which were criticised as looking like something home-made for a Star Trek convention.

I presume the Games Committee sent everyone a cover letter to let them know that Glasgow summers are usually mild, and can have the odd wet day. The Australian designer seems to have understood that as code for “you are entering a polar hell with perpetual torrents of rain”, as everyone was sent equipped with anoraks, woolly jumpers, scarves, snow hats, and who knows what else. As Glasgow is currently in a heatwave, this has led to well-deserved international derision.

But like good hosts, Scotland has saved us from being the worst-dressed team by tactfully showing up in a lurid tartan mixture of bright blue, turquoise, fuschia, navy, caramel and mustard. Thanks Scotland – now our green anoraks with lemon piping, lumpy lime green jumpers, and baggy pants are only second place for ugliest uniform.

The Games have got off to a good start for Australia – we’re currently on top of the medal table by a whisker, we’ve set several world records, and two of the Hockeyroos took a selfie with the queen in the background, and it went viral, so our horrible uniforms haven’t held us back.

Archibald comes from the Germanic elements ercan (“genuine”) and bald (“bold”), and usually translated as “truly bold”. The first part of it was altered to make it seem as if it was derived from Greek archos, meaning “master”.

The Normans introduced the name to Britain, and it quickly became popular in Scotland, where it was used to Anglicise the Gaelic name Gille Easbuig, meaning “servant of the bishop” (it’s also Anglicised to Gillespie). Archibald is a traditional name in the Clan Campbell, as their founder was named Gille Easbuig.

As you would expect, there are quite a few Archibalds in Scottish history, including the fearsome-sounding Archibald the Grim, a 14th century Earl of Douglas and Lord of Galloway. The most powerful magnate in Scotland, he stood in higher stead even than the king. Because of him, the name Archibald became traditional in the Douglas family as well.

The name Archibald is well known in Australia due to the Archibald Prize, which is awarded for portrait painting. It was founded in 1921 from a bequest from J.F. Archibald, the co-owner and editor of The Bulletin in the days of its greatest influence.

J.F. Archibald was an interesting character from a naming perspective – he was baptised John Feltham Archibald, but changed his name to Jules Francois (pronounced FRANK-wa). This was considered rather pretentious, and everyone just called him “Archie”. He also professed to be Scottish, part-French, and Jewish, when he was actually Irish Catholic, which likewise afforded his peers great amusement.

The Archibald Prize is known as “the face that stops the nation”, as it is Australia’s favourite art award. It’s very accessible, especially as many of the portraits are of celebrities, and gets a lot of coverage in the media. Many people are interested to know who wins the Archibald, and generally there is widespread criticism or condemnation for whoever the judges choose. Indeed, the Archibald has been almost continuously controversial, with several protests, disputes, and legal actions throughout its history.

The Archibald Prize also offers two categories that are judged by non-experts: the People’s Choice Award voted by the viewing public, and the Packing Room Prize, awarded by the staff who install the portraits in the gallery. These prizes are more likely to be awarded to portraits of celebrities. It is possible to win the main prize and the other categories, but that rarely happens, and nobody has ever won all three at once.

The Archibald is so famous that it has inspired two parallel art institutions. One of them is the Salon des Refusés (Salon of Rejects – shades of J.F. Archibald!), an exhibition showing works which have been rejected for the Archibald. The prize for this is a People’s Choice Award.

The other is the Bald Archy Prize, a spoof art competition for satirical portraits; the winner is supposedly chosen by a sulphur-crested cockatoo named Maude. Absurdist and irreverent, you can see the appeal to the Australian sense of humour; it’s an extremely popular art award, and heaps of fun. This year’s winner was a portrait of Mitchell Johnson in the guise of Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball – a cheeky comment on his devastating performance in the Ashes.

The name Archibald was #57 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1920s; it left the charts in the 1950s. However, since the late 2000s, Archibald has made a slight comeback, and managed to chart several times around the 400-500s. In 2010, there were 11 babies named Archibald in New South Wales, and in 2012, there were 7 babies named Archibald born in Victoria.

The reason for this mild revival? The short form Archie, which has been Top 100 since 2007, and is rising in popularity. If you want a long form for Archie, and you think Archer is too popular or too trendy or too modern or too surnamey, that pretty much leaves Archibald.

Once upon a time, Archibald was perhaps rather fusty – a great-grandfather name smelling strongly of mothballs. But with the revival of vintage names, discerning parents may think it’s time for it to be taken out of storage.

And why not? Archibald is a clunky yet strong name with a long history, and has an aristocratic image. It makes a great Scottish heritage choice, and also references one of Australia’s favourite cultural institutions. Honouring an Archibald in your family has never seemed so possible.

Archibald would look dignified on a CV, and even a possible future knighthood makes Sir Archibald rather pleasing. Yet what could be friendlier and more democratic than simple Archie or Archy for everyday use?

POLL RESULT
Archibald received an approval rating of 53%. 24% of people disliked the name, and a further 24% hated it. However, 20% of people loved the name.

(Photo of Scottish terrier at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony from the Daily Record)

Requested Famous Name: Annabelle

23 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by in Famous Names, Requested Names

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Famous Namesake
On July 28, it will be the 106th birthday of pioneering stateswoman Dame Annabelle Rankin, who was the first woman from Queensland to sit in the Parliament of Australia, the second female Australian Senator, and second female parliamentarian for the Liberal Party.

Annabelle was the daughter of Colin Rankin, a Scottish-born Queensland politician who served in both the Boer War and First World War; Annabelle was named after her mother. Her father encouraged her to travel, and when she left school, she went to China, Japan, England, Scotland, and continental Europe. With a background in community involvement, she worked in the slums of London, and with refugees from the Spanish Civil War.

Back in Australia, Annabelle was a volunteer during World War II, serving at air raid shelters and hospitals, and organised the YWCA’s welfare efforts for servicewomen. Her responsibilities involved travelling to military bases in Queensland and New South Wales, and she accompanied Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States of America, and Lady Gowrie, wife of the governor-general, on their visits to the troops.

After the war, she stood as a candidate for the Liberal-Country Party, and entered the Senate on July 1 1947. Annabelle was the first woman in the British Commonwealth to be appointed as an opposition whip, and was the whip in the Senate from 1951 to 1966.

Dame Annabelle was appointed Minister for Housing in 1966, becoming the first woman in Australia to administer a government department. As minister, she worked to provide housing for old age pensioners, and introduced a housing system for Aboriginal Australians and new migrants. As a newspaper of the time helpfully noted: “She tackles men’s problems too”.

After retiring from parliament in 1971, Dame Annabelle was appointed high commissioner to New Zealand – the first woman in Australian to lead a diplomatic mission. She supported several community organisations, including the Australian Red Cross Society, Country Women’s Association, Girl Guides, Victoria League, and Royal Commonwealth Society.

She was for many years the President of the Queensland branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and the Dame Annabelle Rankin Award for services to children’s literature in Queensland is given in her honour. Another of her namesakes is the Annabelle Rankin, one of the ferries on Sydney Harbour.

Dame Annabelle was easily recognisable from her auburn hair and warm brown eyes, and combined a cheerful, friendly demeanour with a strong, uncompromising will, and apparently tireless energy. She was an excellent orator, and very capable of handling the occasional heckler (by no means were all the hecklers male, either).

While researching the name Annabelle, I noticed quite a few people seemed to think that the name Annabelle sounded “unprofessional”, and predicted that a woman named Annabelle could never be taken seriously in public life. If nothing else, the career of Annabelle Rankin proves this to be completely untrue.

Name Information
Annabelle is a variant of the name Annabel, which originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. Although it is sometimes treated as a cross between Anna and Belle, this isn’t plausible as it pre-dates the common use of the name Anna in Scotland.

It’s assumed to be a variant of the Latin name Amabel, meaning “lovable” – the long form of Mabel, and close relation to familiar Amy. It may have been influenced by the name Agnes (“pure”), which was said (and often spelled) Annas at that time.

The Annabelle spelling probably has been influenced by Anna and Belle in the modern era, and is often understood as meaning “graceful and beautiful”. Although this isn’t very good etymology, the name is a bit of a hodge-podge, and you might feel free to translate it as you wish.

The names Annabel and Annabelle have long been favourites with the British peerage, both English and Scottish, which gives them a rather aristocratic air. I tend to feel that Annabel is a bit more “posh”, while others may think that the Frenchified Annabelle seems more stylish and “finished”.

Annabelle has charted in Australia since the 1970s, when it debuted at #580. Since the 1980s it has risen steeply, and it entered the Top 100 in 2000, at #92. It entered the Top 50 in 2007, when it reached #46, and although it wobbled a little here and there, it is now at the highest point it has ever been.

Currently it is #44 nationally, #35 in New South Wales, #50 in Victoria, #43 in Queensland, #47 in Western Australia, #61 in Tasmania, and #36 in the Australian Capital Territory.

Annabelle is also Top 100 and climbing in the US and the UK, but is more popular here than anywhere else, making Annabelle one of those unexpectedly Australian names. Annabelle is also Top 100 in New Zealand, but isn’t rising in popularity.

Annabel has charted in Australia since the 1960s, entering the rankings at #420, but while it also rose steeply during the 1980s, hasn’t become popular, and is still in the 100s. Annabel is only just outside the Top 100 in the UK, but is stable rather than rising, which is probably similar to the situation here. In the US, it is rising steeply, but only in the high 400s, so a long way off popularity.

Annabelle is a pretty, elegant, ultra-feminine name that’s well on its way to becoming a modern classic (while Annabel is already there). It fits in so smoothly with the trend for -belle and -bella names that it’s become quite popular, and may become more so.

Although it wasn’t originally linked to the names Anna and Belle, it might be used to honour people with those names, or similar names. Possible short forms abound, but all the the Annabelles I’ve ever met have only used their full name – it strikes me as one of those relatively long names that are somewhat nickname-resistant. There’s plenty to love about adorable Annabelle!

Thank you to Brooke for suggesting the name Annabelle to be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda

POLL RESULTS
Annabelle received an approval rating of 62%. 20% of people preferred the name Annabel, but 16% thought Annabelle was beautiful and feminine. Only person thought the name Annabelle was too popular. I wonder if Annabel would have done better – perhaps we will feature it another time.

(Photo is of Dame Annabelle Rankin)

Name News: What Names Would You Choose For These Celebrity Twins?

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by in Names in the News

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X Marks the Spot for Future Celebrity Twins
A reader named Alison has kindly sent in an interview with Shannon Bennett, head chef at Melbourne’s Vue de Mond and judge of the ABC Delicious Produce Awards. You may remember Shannon, and his wife, actress Madeleine West, as the celebrity parents of four children named Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, and Xanthe.

Shannon explains in the interview that Phoenix was named after the restaurant where he and Madeleine met (Fenix, in Melbourne). Hendrix was in honour of Jimi Hendrix, who Madeleine is a big fan of. By this time, they noticed that they were getting a theme of the letter X in their children’s names, and decided to run with it for their daughters Xascha and Xanthe. However, the big news is that Shannon and Madeleine are expecting twins in November!

Alison wants to know: what do you think the Bennett twins might be called, given that we know they will have the letter X prominently in their names?

We don’t know whether they will be two boys, two girls, or one of each; nor do we know whether they will continue the theme-so-far of names ending in X for boys, and starting with X for girls, or will they mix it up a little?

My guess is Felix and Xavier for two boys, and Ximena and Lux for two girls – I seem to be betting that they will mix up up the first letter-last letter theme for twins.

Post your suggestions for the names of the Bennett twins, and we’ll see if any of us came anywhere close in four months time!

Dad Won the World Cup Baby Name Bet
Sydney couple Kathleen Vrinat, and her fiancé William Porkert, put their future baby name up as a bet for the World Cup. Kathleen is a supporter of Argentina, while William supports the German team, and as both their teams made the Grand Final in Rio, they decided that whoever’s team was victorious would get naming rights to their first-born child.

William already has some ideas, and is considering using names from the German football team, such as Andre, Manuel, or Mario – he points out that Andre is unisex, so could be used for either a boy or a girl, while Manuela is a feminine form of Manuel. Sadly, nobody seems very keen on the name Manuela, including Kathleen.

Kathleen was so distraught when she found out Germany won that she was sent home from work as her constant crying was distracting her colleagues. She says she will follow through with the bet, although she is now considering delaying having children. William hopes she’ll put the second child’s name up on a bet too.

The Rugby League Baby
Mother of seven Kirstie Nowland was watching her son Ivi at a junior rugby league game when her contractions started. She had had several dreams about giving birth at a football game, but her mother Kim dismissed them, putting them down to constant football attendance and the baby being overdue. Kirstie didn’t want to leave before the game finished, but it seemed that if she didn’t call for an ambulance soon, the baby would be born in the stands.

She was taken to Blacktown Hospital and gave birth 30 minutes later, but was upset she hadn’t got to see her son score before she left. The first thing she asked Ivi when she saw him was whether his team won, and he reassured her, “Yes mum; I scored, and we flogged St Mary’s 54-4”. Being a good rugby league mum, she knew that was the only thing that mattered.

Ivi plays for the Western City Tigers, and in honour of the triumphant team, Kirstie called the new baby Tiga Lilly. Tiga has a very memorable name story.

Sued Because of Her Baby’s Name
Baby name theft is a topic that gets bandied about a lot, but it’s very serious when a business believes that their “baby name” has been stolen. Canberra mum Neda Lutekic has a toddler named Zara, and when she started her own line of baby clothing, she named it Zarabumba after her little girl. Multinational fashion retailer Zara has now launched legal action against her, even though her inspiration wasn’t the store, but her daughter. Be careful that your baby’s name doesn’t sound like a big company before using it as inspiration for your own business.

There’s An App For That
Practical Parenting magazine has a gallery of baby naming apps you can download from iTunes. The most intriguing is one you can only test if you are actually pregnant, because it allows your unborn baby to pick its own name by registering its level of “enthusiasm” for each name from its movements. It doesn’t sound very scientific, but does sound fun, and you’ve got the perfect comeback if your child complains about their name in the future.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite choices for a baby name taken from players in the German football team were Roman, Matthias, and Bastian. The least favourite was Shkodran, which didn’t receive a single vote.

Thank you to Alison for the information on the forthcoming Bennett twins – all Australian baby name news gratefully accepted!

Celebrity Baby News: Louise Momber and Rob Scott

14 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by in Celebrity Baby News

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Journalists Louise Momber and Rob Scott welcomed their first child on June 24, and have named their daughter Ivy Elizabeth. Ivy Scott was born at St John of God Hospital in Subiaco, Perth.

Louise is a weekend news presenter for Channel Nine, and Rob is a news reporter for Channel Seven. The couple were married in 2012, and spent their honeymoon in Mauritius.

Ivy is a name that Louise and Rob had on their shortlist, and when their daughter was born, it suited her at once. The middle name Elizabeth is in honour of Louise’s mother, who passed away in 2012. Sadly, Louise lost both her parents to cancer within months of her wedding.

What Would You Name a Sister for Allegra?

14 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Imogen and Charles are expecting their second child later this year, and while they have had no difficulty choosing a boy’s name, they are struggling with girls’ names.

The couple already have a daughter named Allegra, and her name was always such a stand out for them that nothing else ever had a chance. Now they wish they could find that perfect name again: one that is strong, but still feminine, and not in the Top 100. It also has to be something that isn’t overshadowed by Allegra. Allegra has two family names as her middle names, one of which is Claire.

Imogen and Charles’ Short List

  • Iris
  • Clara
  • Margot
  • Greta
  • Greer

Other names they like (as an idea of their tastes):

  • Celine
  • Viola
  • Virginie
  • Sloane
  • Inneka

Charles favours the name Margot, while Imogen prefers Clara, Greta, and Greer. However, they have recently come up with Iris together, and at the moment this is their front runner.

Claire is a middle name which all the women in Imogen’s family carry, and they will use it again, unless they choose Clara as the first name. Their surname begins with H and ends with an -ee sound eg Hillary, Hardesty.

Imogen would love to know what people think of their name list, and if they have suggestions for other names they might like.

* * * * * * * * * *

This is such a common problem with a second baby – the name you chose for your first child was so utterly perfect it didn’t need to be thought about, but the name for the second doesn’t come as easily. Of course you want your second daughter to have a name as equally beautiful, distinctive and loved as her elder sister, and it will happen, even if it takes a bit more work to get there.

Iris
I went for a walk this morning, and saw a garden where there were some winter-blooming blue irises; I thought what beautiful flowers irises are, and what a lovely name Iris makes. I know Iris is your front-runner at the moment , and it’s probably my favourite on your list too. It does seem both strong and feminine, and I don’t believe it’s overshadowed by Allegra – it has its own style, and a beauty all it own. I also like that it’s a name you both chose together.

Clara
This is one of my favourite names, but I’m not sure about it with Allegra. You probably know that Allegra was the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, and her name was actually Clara Allegra – she went by her middle name. To me the two names seem a bit too much as sisters, especially as poor little Clara Allegra didn’t have a long life.

Margot
This is interesting, because just a few weeks ago a couple wrote in to the blog considering the name Margot for their second daughter. Margot suddenly feels like a name of the moment! No wonder, as it’s such a beautiful, stylish choice, and a great favourite with the public too, if the poll attached to the earlier post is anything to go by. I do like the way Margot sounds with your surname, and Allegra and Margot are gorgeous together.

Greta
Greta is definitely a strong name, and isn’t overshadowed by Allegra. Somehow when I say the two names together, they sound rather alike to me … They both have a strong GR and short e sound in them, and end with an -a sound. Some people really like similar-sounding sibling names like this, but I must admit to preferring them to sound more distinctive.

Greer
You seem to really like the GR sound in names! In theory, Greer should be the best match with Allegra as neither of them have ever charted, but to me this has the same issue as Greta, but even more so. Allegra and Greer almost seem to run into each other, as if Greer is the final syllable in Allegra given a little twist.

Other names you might like

  • Beatrice or Beatrix
  • Celia or Cecilia
  • Cora (a little like Clara)
  • Cosima (another Italian name, like Allegra)
  • Dahlia (another flower name like Iris)
  • Genevieve
  • Ingrid or Sigrid (other GR names)
  • Isadora
  • Marguerite (as you seem to like “Margaret” names)
  • Miriam
  • Pearl (literal meaning of Margaret)
  • Saskia
  • Seraphina or Sapphira
  • Theodora or Thea
  • Vivian or Vivienne

To me, all these names are very feminine, but still have strength to them, and they don’t seem mis-matched as sisters to Allegra. None of them are any more popular than the 200s; most are lower than that, and many don’t chart at all or have never charted.

However, I wonder if you have already picked out the perfect name? Good luck with your name search, and do let us know what name you eventually choose.

Readers, what do you think of the names Imogen and Charles are considering, and do you have any suggestions of names they might like?

UPDATE
The baby was a boy, and his name is Fitzpatrick!

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite choice for a girl’s name to go with Allegra was Iris, with 39% of the vote, and Margot was close behind at 35% of the vote.

(Painting shown is Irises by Vincent Van Gogh, 1889)

Interview with Nancy from Nancy’s Baby Names

01 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by in Blog Reviews

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canyon75

Nancy is the anthroponomastic maven at Nancy’s Baby Names, a rich repository of name information delivered with a wry sense of humour. Nancy has been blogging indefatigably since 2006, making Nancy’s Baby Names one of the oldest baby name blogs out there. She has thousands of blog posts on all manner of names, but especially loves hunting down rare and unusual names, and discovering the stories behind them. Nancy also adores name data – there’s popular names from around the world, and tons of US data from well beyond the Top 1000. At Nancy’s blog you will find names that are bizarre, puzzling, curious … and they are all real.

What is your name?

Nancy Man.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

I didn’t like the name Nancy when I was young, and I remember asking my parents for permission to legally change it. They laughed at me. These days I don’t mind my name as much, so I no longer think about changing it.

How did you first become interested in names?

The graveyards are what got me hooked, though I don’t think I would have been so fascinated by the names on the headstones had I not been so dissatisfied with my own name.

I was unhappy with my own name because I’d been named for the wrong grandmother (or so I believed throughout childhood). I got the name of the distant grandmother we hardly knew, not the awesome grandmother (Helen) we saw all the time. This was a problem.

The upside, though, was that it made me very curious about names in general. So when I began using a local graveyard as a short cut through town (around age twelve) I couldn’t help but check out all the names. I was especially attracted to the unfamiliar and bizarre names I’d never seen before – Peleg, Huldah, Zenas, Experience, etc.

After exploring that first graveyard thoroughly, I began visiting other graveyards, where I discovered even more curious names, and … that’s how the name obsession began.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

I had an interest in names and a writing habit, so I started a blog in early 2006 to put the two together. My first posts were mostly tongue-in-cheek, but I began to take things more seriously once I started getting traffic and comments.

You seem to have a special fascination with unusual names of real people – how did that come about, and what is the most unusual name you have ever found on a real person?

It must have been the graveyards. In a sea of Sarahs and Johns, you can’t help but wonder about the one random Flavilla or Micajah.

The most unusual name? Wow, that’s tough. I’ll go with one I blogged about recently: Laxative Bromo Quinine. He was born in rural Texas in the early 1900s and named after the medicine that his mother credited with saving his life.

Do you have a favourite post on Nancy’s Baby Names?

I really like the Kasara/Casara post. That name had me stumped for a long time until it finally dawned on me that Kasara was a mondegreen. My extensive knowledge of long-forgotten ’80s pop hits finally comes in handy!

Are there are any other ways to follow you online?

Twitter is probably the best way. Pinterest is another option.

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names?

My only pet peeve is that the U.S. Social Security Administration doesn’t release all its name data. Other countries do it, SSA, why not us? Come on! Privacy, shmivacy.

What are your favourite names?

I have two types of favourites.

One type, of course, would be the bizarre names: Zeppelina, Captivity, Oleomargarine, Emancipation Proclamation and the like. I especially love the ones that come with cool stories and explanations.

The other would be short, simple classics like Jane, John, Adam, Emma, Paul, and Rose. They’re familiar, unpretentious, and easy to live with. These are the names I’m always recommending to people in real life.

What names do you dislike?

I don’t care for names that are easy to make fun of. Not a fan of Abcde, for example.

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

Duncan. I’ve always loved the name, but I can’t say it without mentally adding “Donuts.” (Dunkin’ Donuts is a coffee/donut chain very popular in the North-eastern U.S., where I grew up.)

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: Elizabeth (#10). Runners-up: Hannah (#23) and Sarah (#48).

Boys: Thomas (#61). Runners-up: James (#13) and Sebastian (#45).

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

Girls: Jane (#355). Runners-up: Daphne (#397) and Catherine (#172).

Boys: Duncan (#821). Runners-up: Paul (#198) and Theodore (#170).

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

Girls: Mehitable. It’s a variant of the biblical Mehetabel, though I actually prefer the Mehitable spelling because that’s the way I always see it written on the headstones back home. (I kinda prefer Phebe to Phoebe for the same reason.) I’m slightly surprised that the belle/bella trend hasn’t brought Mehetabel back, even just a little. I wonder if spelling it Mehetabelle or Mehetabella would help…?

Boys: Chucknorris. I was so happy when I discovered this name in the wild, years after wondering aloud (via the blog) if it could possibly exist. It’s like that Walt Disney quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” except my version is “If you can dream it, you can find it on a birth certificate.”

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

I like classic names, but my husband prefers trendy names, so finding a name that suits both his tastes and mine would be the goal. I know Chloe would be a contender – it’s been a favourite of his for a while, and it happens to fit my criteria pretty well.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I cannot drink soda, beer, champagne, or anything carbonated. It’s like swallowing shards of glass to me. I’m amazed that so many people find bubbly beverages refreshing.

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

This one is tricky to answer without a specific person in mind. For instance, the advice I’d give to the person deciding between Emma and Claire would be completely different from the advice I’d give the person seriously considering Kardashianette.

(Photo shows Nancy at the Grand Canyon, from her blog)