Tag Archives: honouring

What Do You Think of Xanthe as a Sister to Olive?

01 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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two sisters

Kelly and Adam are expecting their second child in about a month, who will be a sister for their daughter Olive. Choosing Olive’s name was a breeze – the name clicked for both of them early in the pregnancy, and although they considered other names, never loved any of them as they did Olive. As soon as Olive was born, the name suited her perfectly, and both parents are extremely happy with their choice. Kelly loves her daughter’s name so much that the occasional negative comment about it doesn’t bother her at all, and she appreciates that the name is simple and easy to spell, and is neither extremely rare nor very popular.

The family surname is a one-syllable familiar English vocabulary word, such as Hall or Young, and Kelly thinks it needs a first name to match it which isn’t too common, and has more than one syllable. Ideally, Kelly would like a two-syllable name, so that everyone in in the family has the same syllabic pattern in their name, and she wants the whole name to be used, not a shortened nickname version, to keep this pattern. Kelly and Adam aren’t planning on having more children, so it would be nice if they could have a two-girl sibset which feels complete.

The middle name will be Julia, which is a family name; Olive also has a middle name which honours a family member.

At the moment, Kelly and Adam have a clear front-runner for their second daughter’s name – Xanthe (which they happened to see on the blog). They immediately had the same “clicking” feeling they had when they heard Olive, Kelly thinks that Olive and Xanthe sound good together, and she likes the way that Xanthe sounds with their surname. This all made Xanthe seem like the perfect name.

However, as time went by, they started to have a few doubts. Kelly worries that Xanthe will always have to spell her name for people. Kelly can’t stand it when she has to spell out her own name, in case people think it is Kelli or Kellie, and the lack of spelling issues with Olive was one of its main attractions. She’s also worried that people may not know how to pronounce Xanthe (which they are going to say ZAN-thee), and that Xanthe – and her parents – will get sick of constantly correcting people.

The only other name they have really considered is Clementine, and they’ve ruled this out because they think it will be frequently shortened by others, and because it seems too matchy with Olive, as both have a fruit/flower connection. For the same reason, they have ruled out other botanical names such as Violet or Ivy. Kelly really loves the name Freya, but isn’t sure about how it matches with their surname, and she also loves Stella, but Adam doesn’t share her feelings.

Kelly wonders what people think about the name Xanthe as a sister to Olive, and if it will be as problematic as she fears. She would also be interested in hearing other names which fit all her criteria.

* * * * * * * * * *

My initial thought on reading your email is that you have probably found the right name – it’s very encouraging that you got the same feeling from Xanthe that you did from Olive, as if the name had “clicked” into place for you. I think Olive and Xanthe sound great as sisters – they’re completely separate names with their own particular image and feel, and yet they seem to “go together” beautifully, making a rather hip and quirky sibset.

I think you’re right that Xanthe will probably have to correct people on the spelling and pronunciation of her name from time to time, and you know that’s a common thing, because you also have to sometimes explain that you are Kelly, not Kelli/Kellie. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Xanthe will find it as annoying as you do.

I’ve noticed that the people who get most irritated about having to spell out their names tend to be those who have traditional names with the standard, or most usual, spelling. Michelles and Kates don’t like to be asked if they are Michele or Cate, parents of Alices and Jaydens get a bit miffed if you spell their child’s name Alyss or Jaedyn. When you have a popular name with widely accepted spelling, you don’t expect to have to explain it to people.

However, when someone has a less common name with less intuitive spelling, they are usually fairly resigned to having to explain spelling and pronunciation on a regular basis. Niamhs and Joaquins mostly don’t feel it’s unreasonable for others to ask for clarification on the spelling and pronunciation of their name, and I think Xanthe might fall into this category – it’s more of a Niamh than an Alice.

On the plus side, I think Xanthe is much better known than it used to be: there’s some famous people with the name, it’s a celebrity baby name, and I’ve even seen it as a product name on furniture and homewares. It’s fairly easy to explain the ZAN- pronunciation too, because the names Xander and Xavier are popular for boys. There’s even the Australian grass tree, whose scientific name is Xanthorrhoea.

And finding a not-too-common name with no spelling or pronunciation issues isn’t that easy anyway. You’ve also considered the name Freya, but I’ve seen people spell that Freyja, Freja and Frea, so a Freya might have her name queried too.

The reason that Olive doesn’t present any spelling or pronunciation problems is because it is a traditional name, and also a vocabulary word, like Ruby or Hazel. Your surname is also a vocabulary word, and although teaming it with Olive has worked out, it might seem a bit obvious if you did the same thing again (not to mention how hard it is to think of a traditional name that isn’t also a colour or plant like Olive).

I’m struggling to think of another name like Xanthe that is neither rare nor common, isn’t a vocabulary word, has two syllables, isn’t a nickname form or can be easily turned into a nickname, sounds good with Olive, and with the middle name Julia, and with your surname, yet presents no spelling/pronunciation issues. Umm …. Astrid?

I think you and Adam have chosen a great name for Olive’s sister which ticks almost every box on your list. Maybe it isn’t perfect, but very few names are, if any. You got very lucky with Olive’s name, and it’s probably too much to expect that kind of good fortune again, where you both love the same name instantly, and it has absolutely no issues, and even the issues it does have aren’t really issues because you love it so much.

It would be wonderful if you meet your new daughter, and Xanthe is so obviously the perfect name for her that the choice is easy, and you love her name so much that explaining it every once in a while doesn’t bother you at all. Could you get that lucky again? I hope so! And you seem like the kind of people where lightning might strike twice.

Please write in and let us know if Xanthe was the perfect name after all, and whether the spelling turns out to be less of a problem than you thought.

Readers, what do you think? Is the spelling and pronunciation of Xanthe too much of a problem? And does it make a good sister to Olive?

UPDATE: The baby’s name is Xanthe!

POLL RESULTS: Most people didn’t foresee major problems with the name Xanthe. 42% thought the name Xanthe would need explaining sometimes, but nothing that couldn’t be coped with, while 31% thought it would need occasional explanation, the same as any other name. A sanguine 12% didn’t see any problems at all with the name. Only 15% thought there would be significant issues attached to the name Xanthe.

It was a definite thumbs up for the sibset Olive and Xanthe, with 79% of respondents approving of it – and a full 50% thinking it perfect. Only 6% of people thought Olive and Xanthe was a mis-match as a sibset.

(Painting shown is A Childhood Idyll by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1901)

Famous Name: Lincoln

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Famous Names

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Today is the 210th anniversary of the naming of Port Lincoln, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, on the shores of Boston Bay, which opens out into the Spencer Gulf. Port Lincoln is a regional city of around 15 000 people, and about 7% of the population are Indigenous, from the Nauo, Barngala, Wirangu, and Mirning peoples.

Two of Port Lincoln’s claims to fame are that it is said to have more millionaires per capita than any other place in Australia, and boasts the title of Seafood Capital of Australia, as it has the largest commercial fishing fleet in the country, which catch tuna and sardines, and a thriving aquaculture industry which farms tuna, yellowtail kingfish, abalone, mussels, oysters, seahorses, and lobsters.

Port Lincoln has produced more than its fair share of athletes and sportspeople, with many AFL footballers originally hailing from Port Lincoln. Netballer Lauren Nourse began her career in Port Lincoln, and Paralympic cyclist Kieran Modra was born there. Weightlifter Dean Lukin, who won gold at the 1984 Olympics, was a tuna fisherman, and upon his retirement returned to manage the family fishing business. Another with a connection to the fish industry is tuna farmer Tony Santic, the owner of Makybe Diva, the only horse to win the Melbourne Cup three times. There is a life-sized bronze statue of Makybe Diva on the town’s foreshore.

The scenic beauty of Port Lincoln attracts many tourists, who come here for yachting, scuba diving, and game fishing. The novel Blue Fin by Colin Thiele is set in Port Lincoln and revolves around the fishing industry; the movie was filmed in nearby Streaky Bay. Some of the scenes from Jaws and Gallipoli were filmed in Port Lincoln, and the reality television show Australian Survivor was filmed nearby.

British naval explorer Matthew Flinders discovered Boston Bay on February 26 1802, and named the body of water Port Lincoln, after his birthplace of Lincoln in England. Lincoln is believed to mean “settlement by the pool” in a blend of the British and Latin languages, with “the pool” referring to Brayford Pool, a natural lake in the city’s centre. The city of Lincoln is twinned with Port Lincoln in South Australia.

The surname Lincoln comes from the city of Lincoln, and the most famous bearer must surely be Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. He led his nation through the American Civil War, and his Gettysburg Address became an iconic statement of American belief in the principles of liberty and democracy. His assassination in the final weeks of the Civil War made him a national martyr, and he is consistently ranked as one of the greatest US Presidents – often, the very greatest.

Lincoln has been used as a first name for boys since the 18th century, with most early bearers of the name born in Lincolnshire and surrounding districts. Although Lincoln was used as a name in the United States before Abraham Lincoln, its use soared during the years of the Civil War and just after it, and must often have been given in honour of the president.

A famous Australian with this name is actor Lincoln Lewis, the son of rugby league legend Wally Lewis. He has appeared in several television series, such as Home and Away and Neighbours, and had roles in films such as Tomorrow, When the War Began and After Earth. Lincoln is the brother of sportcaster Mitch Lewis, a celebrity dad on the blog in 2012.

The name Lincoln first charted in Australia in the 1960s, and first ranked in the 1970s, débuting at #207. It remained comfortably in the 200s for decades, then suddenly climbed at a dizzying speed during the latter half of the 2000s, and was in the Top 100 by 2009. The instigator of this surge of popularity was probably US television drama series Prison Break, starring Dominic Purcell as Lincoln Burrows. Dominic moved to Sydney from Britain as a baby, and studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He won an Australian Film Institute Award for his role in Prison Break.

Currently Lincoln is #67 nationally, #76 in New South Wales, #66 in Victoria, #40 in Queensland, #38 in Western Australia, #37 in Tasmania, and #66 in the Australian Capital Territory. Lincoln was one of the fastest-rising boys names of 2012 – the same year that the movies Lincoln, and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter were released. From the data that’s come in so far, Lincoln looks set to continue his ascent as one of the fastest-rising names of 2013.

Lincoln is a handsome, clean-sounding modern classic that may be more Aussie than you expected. It has certainly been warmly embraced in Australia, and is more popular here than in either the US or UK, where it isn’t even in the Top 100 (its similarity in sound to popular Lachlan can’t have hurt). Lincoln’s star is on the rise, and looks set to join the national Top 50 fairly soon: it’s already in my personal Top 50 for 2013.

Linc is the obvious nickname, with an attractive similarity to the word link, suggesting your little Linc could join the family together. I am spotting the short form more and more often in birth notices – perhaps because some parents are becoming reluctant to choose the popular Lincoln.

POLL RESULT
Lincoln received a respectable approval rating of 64%. People saw the name Lincoln as stylish and cool (16%), handsome and distinguished (15%), and strong and masculine (15%). However, 14% thought it was too trendy. Only one person thought the name Lincoln was too popular.

(Photo shows fishing boats in the marina at Port Lincoln)

Is Ivy Too Trendy?

15 Saturday Feb 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Wedding-hair-ivy

Ferrice and her husband are expecting a baby girl, and she always wanted to use the name Ivy for her daughter, which is the middle name of a dear departed family member. However, she now worries that the name might have become too popular. The level of popularity doesn’t worry her so much as the idea that the name might be too “trendy”; however, there is a great deal of sentiment attached to the name Ivy.

Ferrice and her husband have a son named Bernie (a family name), and their surname begins with W and ends with R eg Webster.

Other Names Considered

  • Tess (another family name)
  • Layla (not sure it suits surname, as it ends with a similar sound)
  • Imogen (good friends just used it, so it’s ruled out)
  • Bronte (not sure it sounds right with brother Bernie)
  • May (a family name)
  • Alice (husband not convinced)
  • Poppy

However, they aren’t in love with any of these names, except Tess, and Ferrice’s husband isn’t quite on board with it at this stage.

Ferrice would love to know what blog readers think of the name Ivy, and whether it’s too popular. She’d also be open to hearing name suggestions from anyone who thinks there’s another name they might like better.

* * * * * * * * * *

As a name blogger, my heart sinks whenever I hear someone say they are worried that a name they love is now “too popular” to consider. I can’t help wondering if I am contributing to the problem by providing information on name popularity, and I hate the thought that I might be unwittingly putting parents off using perfectly nice names.

Ivy is a popular name, and fits in with the trend for simple, pretty names with a V, such as Ava and Evie, and for non-floral plant names, such as Olive and Willow. It’s also a Downton Abbey name, which has helped give it widespread attention, and a celebrity baby name, after it was chosen as the middle name of pop star baby Blue Carter. No wonder the name has become popular!

However, it may be popular and on trend, but to me it isn’t a “trendy” name. Ivy isn’t a classic, but it is a traditional name with quite a bit of history, and was very popular in the 19th century (more popular than it is now). It has been climbing since the 1980s, so it hasn’t come out of nowhere, and its biggest burst of popularity was in 2009, before the television show and Blue Ivy.

You may be somewhat reassured to know that Ivy isn’t shooting up crazily in popularity – it was one of the fastest-rising girls names of 2012, but from the 2013 data that has come in so far, it seems to be still rising, but at a more modest pace. In 2012 it was #22, and it went up 18 places to reach that position.

For what it’s worth, I think Ivy is a lovely name – simple, charming, retro, fresh and green sounding, and somehow more piquant and distinctive (even seductive) than many other popular “old fashioned” plant names like Lily and Daisy. I completely understand why so many parents have chosen it.

I tend to feel that when it comes to honouring someone, sentiment far outweighs any other factor. This is the name of someone you love, and must miss every day. I can’t help thinking that you might regret giving up this name for a reason such as popularity – especially knowing that your reasons for loving the name Ivy have nothing to do with how popular it is.

However, popularity genuinely does bother some people, and if you really feel that the name is too popular for you, then using it in the middle position seems like the obvious solution. The trouble is, you don’t have too many candidates for a first name at this point. Most of the names you’ve considered are similar to Ivy in regard to popularity, and you admit that you don’t really love them.

Tess seems like the most likely proposition. This is a cute name which has never become popular, and is very fashionable – and it is a family name. Bernie and Tess sound pretty adorable together too. How do you feel about Tess Ivy? You did say your husband is not really convinced about Tess though, which puts a bit of a question mark over it.

If you’d like to try out some other names that have a similar level of popularity to Tess, and sound okay with Ivy in the middle, and with your surname, you might consider:

  • Caroline Ivy
  • Juliette Ivy
  • Mabel Ivy
  • Miriam Ivy
  • Millicent Ivy “Millie”
  • Gwendolyn Ivy “Gwen”

I hope I’ve been able to provide you with at least some help, and perhaps when you talk it over with your husband, your choice will feel clearer. Please feel free to write in for further assistance if other names become possibilities for you.

UPDATE: Unfortunately Ferrice never got back to me, but a little bird tells me that she did indeed name her daughter Ivy.

POLL RESULTS: 95% of people thought Ferrice should choose the name Ivy, with 35% saying that popularity shouldn’t be considered at all when it comes to the name you love best, and 25% believing that as this was a family name, the popularity didn’t matter.

(Photo of ivy hair comb from etsy)

Celebrity Baby News: Sporting Babies

10 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Celebrity Baby News

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AFL player Paul Chapman, and his partner Lauren Smyth, welcomed their first child on January 29 and have named their son Myles. Paul starts his first season with Essendon this year, having played with Geelong since 2000.

Jockey Adrian Patterson, and his wife Donna, welcomed their second child on February 4 and have named their daughter Tayla Amelia. Tayla Patterson weighed 3.49 kg (7lb 7oz) at birth. Adrian is currently recovering from surgery on a shattered collarbone, and hopes to be back on the track by the end of next month.

Basketball star Abby Bishop [pictured] became a foster-mother to her niece Zala Kate in August last year, taking her home from hospital when she was two days old. Zala is the daughter of Abby’s sister Chloe, and Abby will have custody of Zala for at least a year. Zala has the same middle name and surname as Abby, and Abby and Chloe are in regular contact to share details about Zala’s life and progress. Zala, or Zdog as she is known, has become a “team mascot” to the Canberra Capitals, which Abby plays for; she also plays for the national women’s team, the Australian Opals.

Names Spotted at Home and Abroad, Spring 2013

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Names Spotted at Home and Abroad

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Rachel

I apologise for the extreme lateness of this entry – apart from being bulldozed by Christmas preparations, I have long been unsure about where to begin and end each season. However, I’ve made a decision, so hopefully will be better organised now.

A commercial site for weight loss after having a baby featured a client named Delight from the Northern Territory who had lost 22 kg on the program. Delight is one of the most interesting of virtue names, and one I have only seen before in old books. I think it’s pretty, but admit it does remind me of Turkish delight a little bit (not that that’s bad). Delight’s youngest daughter is named Halle.

South Grafton High School in New South Wales ran a Maybe Baby program for Community and Family Studies, where students took care of a simulated baby for three days and nights to show what’s involved in caring for an infant. One of the students, Selina, named her baby Wilfred – a top baby name of the future, perhaps? Other high schoolers were Briana, Lertisha, Cheyenne and Brielle. I would have loved to know what names they all chose.

Changing Names

The radio and television presenter Andrew Günsberg (best known from hosting Australian Idol), once nicknamed Spidey, and known by the stage name Andrew G, has changed his name to Osher Günsberg. He was advised by an Israeli shaman that he could change his life energy and life path by changing his name. The name he chose was that of the coolest dude he’d ever met, an Israeli cameraman. Since becoming Osher, he tells us that his life has changed completely, and he now believes that at last he has a name that feels right, and that he owns completely. Osher’s parents have both changed their first names too.

Blogger and editor Alana House relates that one of her Facebook pals had just realised she’d made a terrible mistake with her daughter’s name, and wonders if age two is too old to change her name. The friend’s surname is Nutter, and her daughter’s name is Mia. Uh oh. Alana points out that her own name is the tease-worthy A. House, and she’s grown to like it, so predicts that Mia Nutter will also cope. However, do say the full name out loud at least a few times before whacking it down on the registration form.

Stories on Honouring Names

A story from Ballarat on its fertility rate showed a woman named Vicky who had had a baby during Ballarat’s baby boom year of 2009 [pictured]. Her daughter is named Rachel Scarlett, and she is named after a doll that Vicky had as a little girl. The middle name, Scarlett, is from Gone with the Wind – which hypothetically could be her favourite book as a teen. If I named a daughter after my favourite doll and book character from childhood, her name would be Bridget Cassandra. What would yours be called?

A fun run to raise money for spinal muscular atrophy was held in Tasmania, with one of the participants baby Tylan, named in honour of his sister Taylin, who passed away from the disease several years ago. It’s a lovely way to connect him to the sister he will never meet.

A businessman described as a “traffic king” with the imposing name of Ron Conquest was named after his grandfather, and when his first son arrived this spring, he was also named Ron. Been seeing a lot of babies named Ron or Ronnie lately – but no Ronalds. Is Ron Burgundy making Ron cool? Mrs Conquest’s name is Rana, by the way.

Luke Douglas is a rugby league footballer for the Gold Coast Titans. His dad is named Archibald, and that is Luke’s middle name – I guess in the 1980s, Archibald was a no-go for a baby’s first name. However, I’m interested to see that Luke plans to name a future son Archibald to carry on the family tradition – Archibald is acceptable, now that it can shortened to popular Archie. A good reason to leave “unusable” family names in the middle, because they might be perfect for the next generation to carry on.

And a story from real life. I met a lady with a little girl named Poppy, who told me that her daughter was named after her grandfather. Slightly confused, I asked what grand-dad’s name had been, and she told me, “John. But we always called him Poppy” … I don’t think she knew what made me laugh, but she was perfectly good natured about it.

More Baby Names From Real Life

Kitana: A sexy princess video game character from Mortal Kombat. Could be shortened to Kit or Kitty.

Bly (for a boy): a surname meaning “blithe”; could be seen as a specifically masculine form of Blythe.

Brothers named Aurelius and Evander. Very grand.

A friend who still has small children tells me that at her local daycare centre, there are two boys named Odin, and a Loki. No Thors though. However, the big name for her area is Taylor, with three girls and two boys at daycare with the name. There’s also a Tyler (boy), and Tyla (girl).

Waltzing with … Barton

29 Sunday Dec 2013

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centennial_park

Soon it will be New Year’s Day – the first day of 2014, with a whole calendar of days ahead to fill. Australians have something else to celebrate: the 113th anniversary of the Federation of Australia, which took place on January 1 1901.

Federation was the process by which the six British colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia were united as one nation – the Commonwealth of Australia. Unfortunately, we don’t celebrate this momentous occasion, having stayed up late New Year’s Eve, and we already have a public holiday anyway, so instead Australia Day is our national holiday.

The movement towards Federation began in the late 19th century, when enough people had been born in Australian to identify as “Australian” rather than British (even though they were still British subjects). Nationalism was celebrated in songs and poetry, with Banjo Paterson one of the poets who led the way, and technology had improved enough that people could travel and communicate across the country.

Despite this, it was hard to get everyone interested in being federated, as there were so many issues to resolve. At one time, it was thought New Zealand and Fiji might want to join, but for some reason they didn’t (New Zealand showed interest, took a raincheck and never called us back). Smaller colonies were convinced that big ones like New South Wales and Victoria would end up running the show, while the labour movement worried that it might distract everyone from industrial reform.

There was also the problem of what model we were to follow in federating the colonies. The United States had managed to unify their colonies – but they did so through a bloody revolution, and becoming a republic. Canada seemed a promising candidate, but it was thought to be too highly centralised, which brought out the paranoia of smaller colonies all over again. Switzerland was another possibility, but it had pretty much followed the American model anyway.

In the end, the United States was the obvious model, and we did a bit of a mix-and-match – using the US Constitution as a guide, while retaining the Westminster system, and passing on the revolution and the republic. Like the United States, Australia leaves a few big things in the hands of the federal government, while allowing the states the freedom to handle a whole raft of smaller things. We both have a Lower House and a Senate, and the most obviously American thing of all – our colonies became states, not provinces or cantons or counties or regions or departments.

One of the early supporters of Federation was a New South Wales lawyer and politician named Edmund Barton (Toby to his friends since childhood, for reasons I have been unable to ascertain). Barton had early on shown political promise when he umpired a cricket match between England and New South Wales which turned ugly, resulting in international cricket’s first riot (Banjo Paterson was amongst the rioters who invaded the pitch). Barton showed presence of mind in defusing the situation, and it is thought this helped him first become elected to the Legislative Assembly.

Barton was leader of the federal movement in New South Wales, and addressed nearly 300 meetings in both city and country, helped draft the Constitution, travelled to London to explain the federation bill to the British Government, and campaigned for federalism when the issue went to referendum. It was a total no-brainer to practically everyone that when a caretaker Prime Minister was appointed, it should be Barton, the leading federalist of the oldest state.

However it wasn’t quite so clear-cut to the first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, who asked the Premier of New South Wales, Sir William Lyne, to become the first Prime Minister. He doesn’t seem to have asked anyone’s opinion or gauged the public mood, and everybody had a fit, because Sir William had been the main opponent of federalism until he suddenly changed sides at the last minute once he realised that federation was definitely happening. Hopetoun blindly followed the protocol used by Canada, and it was such a disastrous decision that it has gone down in history as The Hopetoun Blunder.

After some rather tense negotiating, Lyne handed back his commission and Hopetoun swore Edmund Barton in as Australia’s first Prime Minister in Centennial Park, Sydney, on New Year’s Day 1901, and all his ministry as well – which included Sir William Lyne as Minister for Home Affairs.

One of the first tasks was to organise the first general election, which took place on March 29-30, and was different to today’s elections – voting was voluntary (about 60% voted), the first-past-the-post system was used, and every state had its own laws, so in some places women and Aborigines were allowed to vote, and in others they weren’t. No party won outright, but Barton’s Protectionist Party was able to govern with the support of the Labor Party, and it was felt that the nation’s first election had gone extremely well.

I remember some years ago (I think for the Centenary of Federation), there was a television advertisement which noted that many Australians didn’t know who their first prime minister was, although most knew that George Washington was the first president of the United States. Rather than decrying this failure in our education, the advertisement tried to make it seem like a good thing – apparently the lack of war made our first prime minister’s name forgettable.

Which is nonsense: plenty of other countries gained their first leaders without bloodshed, and I’m sure they know who they were. The Australian citizenship test used to ask who the first prime minister was, but this is no longer required. Feeble. (The US citizenship test still asks who the first US president was). No excuses – all Australians should know Edmund Barton was our first PM.

Barton is an English surname which comes from places named Barton in Lancashire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Kent, meaning “barley farm” in Old English. The one in Lancashire seems to be the earliest source of the surname. Barley was one of the first grains ever domesticated, and a staple food for peasants during medieval times. In fact, the word barn means “barley house”.

You may recall that A.B. “Banjo” Paterson, national poet and cricket rioter, was related to Edmund Barton through his mother, who was born Rose Barton. Paterson’s initials stood for Andrew Barton, and as his father was named Andrew, he went by his middle name, being known as Barty to his friends. The name Barton would be a good way to honour not only our first prime minister, but our favourite poet as well. You could use the Simpsonian Bart as the nickname, but I favour Paterson’s choice of Barty, which fits in with popular choices like Archie.

Name Combinations for Barton

Barton Aloysius, Barton Earle, Barton George, Barton Oswald, Barton Ramsay, Barton Thomas

Brothers for Barton

Arthur, Griffith, Reid, Stanley, Theodore, Winston

Sisters for Barton

Adelaide, Eliza, Ivy, Lucinda, Nell, Pearl

Note: Middle names and sibling names taken from names related to the Federation of Australia, and the lives of the early Prime Ministers

POLL RESULT: Barton received an approval rating of 53%. 29% of people thought it was a good name, but nobody loved it.

(Photo shows crowds filling Centennial Park in Sydney for the Federation Day celebrations of 1901)

Name Update: Nameless No Longer

26 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by in Name Updates

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AnneGreenGables27

Nina wrote in to the blog because she and her husband Hamish had a six-week-old baby daughter who still didn’t have a name, and the date for registration was growing closer each day.

Nina had her heart set on Annie, but at the last minute Hamish said he wanted the baby to be named Sarah, after his mother. The longer it took them to resolve their differences, the more other people felt they could offer their own opinions on the matter, which made the decision seem even more complicated.

After the couple compromised by agreeing on the name Anne, Nina wrote in again to ask for help on choosing a middle name.

Just before Christmas, Nina posted off the registration forms for their child’s name, so they got in before the deadline with about a week to spare, and their daughter’s name is

ANNE ELIZABETH KATE “ANNIE”,

baby sister to Edie and Alistair “Mac”.

Anne is the middle name of Hamish’s mum, so they found a way to honour his mother and still get to the nickname Annie. Nina is pleased, because she loved the Anne of Green Gables books as a child (as well as the musical Annie).

Nina chose the middle name Elizabeth because so many people suggested that they name the baby “what she looks like”, and Nina thinks her youngest daughter looks most like an Elizabeth – a name they had also considered. If Anne ends up going by her middle name and being a Betsy, Nina won’t mind that at all.

Kate is a family name that had also been on their list, and was the middle name she favoured for a baby Annie.

Nina says she wasn’t brave enough to use as many middle names as Clive Palmer – and there wasn’t enough space on the form anyway!

They have had mixed reactions from family and friends, with most people saying they should have just gone with Annie as the official name. However, Nina loves her baby’s name and thinks it is perfect for her.

At the moment, it is not entirely sure whether Anne will be called Annie or not. Mac hasn’t been able to pronounce the name Annie yet, and sometimes calls his little sister Peg. Nina still just calls her Baby. However, Nina recently discovered that Annie was the middle name of her great-grandmother, so maybe it is fate that she be an Annie in the future!

Congratulations to Nina and Hamish on their new daughter! I think Anne Elizabeth Kate is a lovely simple, unpretentious classic name that is perfectly familiar, but these days, not common at all.

Remember that you have sixty days to name a baby, so don’t be afraid to take longer to find the perfect name if you need to. You will get there in the end, even if it doesn’t feel like it at times.

Celebrity Baby News: Clive and Anna Palmer

23 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Celebrity Baby News

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Billionaire MP Clive Palmer, and his wife Anna, welcomed their second daughter together on December 18 and named her Lucy Diamond Stelina Mary Anna Nancy. Lucy Palmer joins big sister Mary, aged 5. Clive has two adult children named Michael and Emily from his first wife, Susan, to whom he was married for 22 years.

Clive was raised on Queensland’s Gold Coast, and holds many interests in mining, including Mineralogy, which has 160 billion tonnes of iron ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Waratah Coal, Queensland Nickel and the Palmer Nickel and Cobalt Refinery. He has also owned a football team, Gold Coast United, and is Adjunct Professor of Management at Bond University on the Gold Coast. He is secretary-general of the World Leadership Alliance, which promotes democracy and includes members such as Bill Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi; Clive is also president of the alliance’s business chapter, the World Economic Council. He recently opened the Palmersaurus dinosaur park, and has plans to launch a modern-day replica of the RMS Titanic, to be named Titanic II. Clive has been active in conservative politics since the 1970s, and this year won the seat of Fairfax on the Gold Coast for his Palmer United Party. In 2012 he was named a National Living Treasure by the New South Wales branch of the National Trust of Australia.

Anna is originally from Bulgaria, and came here in the early 1990s. She was married to Clive’s friend Andrew Topalov; Clive walked Anna down the aisle at her first wedding when her parents were unable to attend. Many years later, Clive lost his wife Sue to cancer in 2005, and Anna’s husband passed away from melanoma the following year. Shared grief brought Clive and Anna together, and they were married in 2007.

Before his second daughter’s birth, Clive said that if the baby was a boy, he would like to name him Charlie, after Charlie Brown in the Peanuts strip – apparently a favourite comic of his. I wonder if Lucy‘s name is after Lucy Van Pelt from Peanuts?

The Diamond seems like a reference to the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, although it also reminds me of the famous blue diamond in the movie Titanic!

Mary and Anna are the baby’s sister and mother, Nancy is the name of Clive’s mother, and I wonder if Stelina could be Anna’s mother’s name? With this many middle names, I suspect the Palmers are not planning on having more children.

 

Urgent Name Help Needed: Their New Baby Has No Name

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Nina and Hamish welcomed a daughter six weeks ago. They love her dearly, and she is a constant delight to them. However, they still haven’t chosen a name for her, and the registration date is getting alarmingly close.

Nina picked out four names she liked for the baby – Annie, Meg, Peggy, and Georgie. She assumed that when the time came, Hamish would choose one of these names from her list, and that would be the baby’s name. However, while they were actually at the hospital, Hamish brought up for the first time that he would like the baby to be called Sarah after his mother (who always goes by Sally). Nina isn’t keen on the name Sarah.

They have been too busy with a new baby to have the time to sit down together and properly discuss the name, and because it is taking so long to decide, friends and relatives are weighing in with their own opinions, which is slowing the process down further.

Nina and Hamish already have a daughter named Edie, whose name was chosen by Hamish, and a son named Alistair, called “Mac” – Nina chose his name, but Hamish chose the nickname which they use every day.

Nina’s Requirements in a Girl’s Name

  • Cannot be a unisex name, because their surname is a popular name for boys
  • Must be obviously a girl’s name – sometimes Edie’s name is mistakenly read as Eddie
  • Must be short
  • Must be spelled in a conventional way
  • Must be easy to pronounce – especially in regard to the letter R, so no Audrey or Flora for example
  • The name on the birth certificate should be the name that they call her – Nina doesn’t want another Alistair-but-called-Mac situation
  • No name that will be an easy target for teasing

Hamish’s Requirements in a Girl’s Name

  • Would prefer that it be a Scottish name
  • Doesn’t want a name that is highly common or popular
  • Can’t start with the letter E as he doesn’t want two daughters with the same initials
  • Prefers a name that can be shortened into a nickname, for shouting on the sporting field

Names They Have Already Considered

  • Isla – Hamish doesn’t like the silent S, and it doesn’t have a nickname
  • Anna – Doesn’t pass the “shout from the sidelines” test
  • Elizabeth nn Betsy
  • Emma
  • Margaret nn Meg/Peg/Pegs/Peggy – Hamish said he would call her Maggie, but Nina doesn’t want a Mac and a Maggie
  • Rose
  • Tilly
  • Daisy (family name)
  • Martha (family name) – Nina doesn’t like the nickname Marty
  • Helen (family name) – Nina likes the nickname Nell/Nellie, but a friend called Kelly told her to avoid anything rhyming with “smelly”, “belly”, or “jelly” because of the teasing
  • Lydia nn Liddy/Diddy – Nina went off this after she learned Saint Lydia is the patron saint of sexually transmitted diseases; the name also rhymes with chlamydia
  • Annabel
  • Billie – too unisex
  • Kate (family name)
  • Jane (family name)
  • Nancy (family name) – Nina’s mother said this is a word to describe an effeminate man, but it doesn’t put Nina off
  • Kenzy – Hamish absolutely loves this name, but Nina thinks Mac and Kenzy are ridiculous as siblings (just discussing why this name couldn’t be used took up two weeks!)

Nina is rather enjoying the protracted name-choosing experience, but no matter how many names she considers, she keeps coming back to just one name she loves – Annie. She now feels that when Hamish eventually agrees to a name, she will be very disappointed unless he agrees to Annie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It sounds as if you’ve been having a lot of fun naming your third child, but registration is due very soon, and although you can get extensions, they’re intended for people who’ve been trapped by floodwater or in a coma. Unless you come up with a name quickly, you will have to pay a fine, and possibly face some annoying extra bureaucratic paperwork.

I think it’s time to put away the name books and name lists, and politely let friends and relatives know that they’ve been great, but their assistance is no longer required. In short, it’s time to stop faffing about and actually pick a name.

The good news is, it sounds as if you’ve already chosen a name – Annie. This appears to be the name you love above all others, fits all your requirements, and in fact, any other name would be a disappointment to you. It sounds as if you went with something else, you would experience serious name regret, and possibly even have to change the name later.

Hamish has already got to choose the names Edie and Mac for your first two children, so I really think it is time that you got your turn picking out a name you really love.

Luckily, Annie fits most of Hamish’s requirements too:

  • Annie is commonly used in Scotland, and there is even a famous Scottish ballad called Annie Laurie
  • Annie isn’t common; it’s only #203 in your state (25 babies named Annie last year)
  • It doesn’t start with E
  • It doesn’t shorten particularly well, but I think Hamish would be able to cope

I think that you need to stop having, “What will we name the baby?” discussions, and start a “I want to name our daughter Annie” conversation. You need to find time so you and Hamish can talk, and explain to him that this may be the last daughter you will ever have, and you really have your heart set on the name Annie. It may not have occurred to Hamish that he’s got to pick all the childrens’ names so far, and that it really would be fair for you to have your turn (yes, you picked Alistair, but that hardly counts when Hamish’s choice of name is what you actually call him).

If you love the name Annie, I would be prepared to dig in and fight for it. I think if you are persistent, and keep explaining how well Annie works for your family (Edie, Mac and Annie sound great together), how much you love it, and how miserable you will be if another name is chosen, Hamish is quite likely to eventually agree with your choice. He hasn’t really come up with a viable alternative to Annie, and there’s nothing about it that he has objected to. Then it’s just a matter of getting to the registration office and putting it down on the dotted line.

Nina, I have never been more interested to know what a couple will decide to name their baby. We absolutely must know what your choice is, whether you end up picking Annie, Sarah, or something else entirely – and whether you get to the registration office in time!

Readers, have you ever persuaded a reluctant partner to accept your favourite baby name? Have you got any tips for Nina?

NAME UPDATE: The baby’s name was Anne!

The People’s Choice of Girls Names – 2

15 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Here are ten names for girls which have been often searched for to reach my blog. I chose names that aren’t in the Top 100, and come from a range of origins.

Anouk

Dutch and French short form of Anna. A famous namesake is celebrated French actress Anouk Aimée; she was born Françoise Dreyfus, and took the name Anouk from the first character she portrayed on film. The name became better known in the English-speaking world after the publication of the award-winning 1999 novel Chocolat, by British author Joanne Harris, in which there is a little girl named Anouk. The character of Anouk is based on the author’s daughter Anouchka, whose name is another pet form of Anna. The book was made into a movie in 2000. Actor and author Andrew Daddo has a daughter named Anouk, born a year after the film was released. Pronounced a-NOOK or an-ook, this exotic name doesn’t have an obviously “French” sound to it, and seems quite sophisticated.

Blythe

Variant of Blithe, an English virtue name meaning “cheerful, merry” which is first found in 16th century Norfolk, stronghold of the Puritans. Although the name began as a girls name, it has been given to boys as well, particularly in the United States, and overall is fairly evenly divided between the sexes, although more common for girls. In the case of boys, the name probably comes from the surname, which is derived from any of the places called Bligh, Blyth or Blythe; they get their name from the River Blyth in Northumberland, the River Blythe in Warwickshire, or the River Blithe in Staffordsire. The names of the rivers simply come from the word blithe, so in either case the name has the same pleasant meaning. A famous namesake is American actress Blythe Danner, mother of Gwyneth Paltrow; her name is a middle name of Gwyneth’s daughter, Apple. This is a fresh, sprightly name which has a modern feel despite its long history.

Cordelia

Cordelia is a princess in William Shakespeare’s King Lear, a loyal daughter who is disowned by her father because she will not make flattering speeches to him, with tragic results. The character is based on Queen Cordeilla, a legendary queen of the Britons who appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of Britain. According to Geoffrey, Cordelia ruled Britain as queen, but came to grief because the rule of a woman was deemed unacceptable. Cordelia is also mentioned in Edmund Spenser’s epic poem, The Fairie Queene, where her role as heroic British queen was probably a compliment to Queen Elizabeth I. The first Cordelias were born around the time The Faerie Queene was published, and were from upper-class families. There is a popular but unsubstantiated theory that Geoffrey of Monmouth based the name Cordeilla on that of Creiddylad (said cree-THIL-ahd), a character in Welsh Arthurian legends who was the daughter of the god Lud, and considered the most beautiful girl in Britain. Another idea is that Geoffrey may have based the name on that of Saint Cordula, a legendary companion of Saint Ursula whose name is from the Latin for “heart” (Cordeilla is also found spelled Cordoyla, which offers this some support). Still another is that it may be derived from the Roman name Cordus, meaning “late born”, with the implication that as Cordelia was King Lear’s youngest daughter, he had her late in life. Although all these suggestions are attractive, the last one may appeal most to older parents. If you are a fan of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne books, you will remember that the heroine wished her name was Cordelia – because it is “perfectly elegant”. This literary name still seems refined, and can be pronounced cor-DEE-lee-uh, or cor-DEEL-yuh.

Giselle

Derived from the Germanic name Gisela, meaning “pledge, hostage”. Although the word hostage has rather alarming associations today, in the past it was common for political treaties to be accompanied by the exchange of political hostages, as a guarantee of good faith and to maintain peace. Often the children of the ruling classes, even princes and princesses, would be handed over to be raised and educated by a foreign court, with hopes of greater cultural understanding between nations. Gisela and Gisèle (the French form) were popular names amongst medieval nobility and royalty. The name received a huge boost in the 19th century, because of the romantic ballet, Giselle. It tells of an innocent village girl named Giselle who dies of a broken heart after being betrayed by her lover. However, as a sign of her forgiving nature, after her death she protects the man she loves from the spirits of vengeance, and saves his life. Another fictional Giselle is the sweet peasant girl who makes a happy-ever-after transition from cartoon fantasy land to gritty real world in the Disney film, Enchanted. Graceful and fairytale, Giselle is usually pronounced ji-ZEL in Australia, and is #161 in Victoria.

Ingrid

Derived from the Old Norse name Ingríðr, meaning something like “beloved of Ing, beauty of Ing, delight of Ing”. Ing is an older name for the Norse god Freyr – perhaps his true name, because Freyr means “lord” and is his title. Freyr was a phallic fertility god who brought peace and pleasure, and was associated with sacred kingship, male sexuality, prosperity, and sunshine. In Norse legend, Ing is the god followed by the Germanic peoples of the area which is now Denmark and its surrounds, and he is claimed as the first king of Sweden, as well as the progenitor of the Anglian kings. Ingrid is a traditional name amongst Scandinavian royalty and nobility, and there is a young Princess Ingrid of Norway, who is expected to one day be queen. A famous namesake is beautiful Swedish-born movie star Ingrid Bergman, who starred in many Hollywood movies, including Casablanca. Ingrid has a strong and chiselled beauty, and is #481 in Victoria.

Piata

Maori name meaning “shine, glisten”. It isn’t unusual in New Zealand, and is still given to girls today; it can also be found as a surname. It’s not common in Australia, but I think it would work well here, and has a pleasingly cross-cultural feel, since it is similar to Italian Pia and Pieta. I believe it is pronounced pee-AH-ta.

Soraya

Persian form of the Arabic name Thurayya, meaning “the Pleiades”. The Pleiades is the familiar group of stars in the constellation Taurus, sometimes known as The Seven Sisters. The name became better known in the west because of two royal Sorayas. Soraya Tarzi was a liberal Muslim and feminist who married into the monarchy of Afghanistan and became queen; she appeared in public alongside her husband as an equal and together they tried to modernise their country. Afghanistan wasn’t quite ready for it, and the couple went into exile in Rome in 1929. Even more influential was Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, who was Queen of Iran as the second wife of the last Shah. Very attractive and western-educated, Soraya and her husband were forced to divorce in 1958 because she was apparently infertile. She also went into exile, under the name Princess Soraya, and lived in France, where her story evoked much sympathy. Her divorce inspired a song, I Want to Cry Like Soraya, and a variety of sunflower was named in her honour. A beautiful star name, Soraya is similar to familiar names like Sarah and Zara, and in Australia is usually pronounced soh-RAY-uh.

Tallulah

A place name of Native American origin, this probably means “town” in the Creek language. Tallulah Falls is a small town in Georgia, in the United States, which has attracted tourists since the late 19th century. Parts of the film Deliverance were filmed there, so you may even have seen it on screen. Tallulah has been used as a girls name since the 19th century, and records show that the name originated in the southern states, with most Tallulahs born in Georgia. The most famous namesake is flamboyant actress and party girl Tallulah Bankhead, who was from Alabama, and named after her grandmother. Despite being a name of American origin, Tallulah has never charted in the US, and is far more popular in the UK. Tallulah Bankhead was a huge celebrity in 1920s London, and her name is very fashionable in England, chosen as a baby name by the upper classes and minor royals. Spunky, sexy and fun to say, this fits in with familiar names such as Tully and Tahlia, and comes with cute nicknames like Lula and Lulu.

Uma

This Indian name is one of the epithets of the benevolent mother goddess Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Its original meaning is “mother (goddess, wife of) Shiva”. Because Parvati is a goddess of light, the name Uma also came to be understood as meaning “light, radiance”. In a previous incarnation, the goddess (then called Sati) committed suicide by throwing herself on a sacrificial fire, and her ashes became the sacred spice turmeric; because of this the name Uma came to be understood as meaning “turmeric”. The meaning of Uma is also glossed as “O child, do not (practice austerities)!”, because as a young girl Parvati’s mother chided her for the extreme ascetisim she practicised in order to please her future husband, Shiva. By coincidence, uma is literally translated as “flax” in Sanskrit, although this doesn’t seem to have any connection to the goddess. The most famous namesake is American actress Uma Thurman, whose name is said to have a different origin. Uma’s father was the first westerner to become a Buddhist monk, and the term uma chenpo means “Great Middle Way” in Tibetan – one of the guiding principles of Buddhism. In modern Hebrew, uma means “nation”, and in Israel Uma is a patriotic unisex name. In the Tiv language of West Africa, the name Uma means “life”, and can be used for both sexes. Simple yet multi-layered, this is a fascinating cross-cultural name which isn’t common in any country of the world.

Xanthe

Ancient Greek name meaning “yellow, yellow-brown”, often translated as “blonde, fair-haired”. There are several figures from Greek mythology with the name. Xanthe was one of the Oceanides, the three thousand daughters of the Titan sea gods Oceanus and Tethys. The Oceanides were nymph-like goddesses who were responsible for the world’s fresh water, and were often pictured married to river gods. In some sources, Xanthe is imagined as presiding over the yellow clouds that can be sometimes be seen at sunrise or sunset. Xanthe is also given as the name of one of the Amazon warriors, and Hesiod mentions Xanthe as being the mortal wife of Asclepius, the god of medicine. Actress Madeleine West welcomed a daughter named Xanthe last year. This quirky, stylish name is usually pronounced ZAN-thee in Australia, and comes with the cool nickname Xan or Zan. The name is #469 in Victoria.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names Blythe, Cordelia and Xanthe, and their least favourite were Giselle, Piata and Uma.

(Photo shows a scene from the ballet Giselle, performed by the Queensland Ballet)