Tag Archives: honouring

Boys Names from International Destinations

04 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ikuta Shrine

Arden
A region of Warwickshire in England, once thickly covered in trees and known as the Forest of Arden. It has strong Shakespearean connections, as William Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the region’s main attractions. Furthermore, the Arden family were prominent in the area for centuries – they are one of the few landed families in England who can trace their lineage back to before the Norman Conquest. William Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, was one of this family. Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It is set in the Forest of Arden, a creative mixture of the real forest, a romanticised version of it, and the Ardennes Forest in central Europe. The name Arden is thought to come from the Ancient British word ardu, meaning “high land”; it has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, and had strong ties with Warwickshire. Arden is more popular for girls in the US (perhaps because of cosmetics company Elizabeth Arden), but is fairly even in the UK, and rising for both sexes. This matches my own observations in Australia, and it fits with both male and female name trends.

Boston
The capital of Massachusetts, one of the oldest and largest cities in the United States. Founded by Puritans in the 17th century, it was the scene of many of the key events in the American Revolution – perhaps most famously, the Boston Tea Party. Boston is one of the most economically powerful cities in the world, and a major educational centre, the home of top universities such as Harvard. It has been called “The Athens of America” for its contribution towards literature, art, music, and high culture in general. It is also known for its strong Irish history and culture: former President John F. Kennedy was from a Boston family of Irish Catholic heritage. The city is called after the town of Boston in Lincolnshire, whose name is said to be a contraction of “St Botolph’s town” – St Botolph was an obscure yet strangely popular Anglo-Saxon saint, and his name is believed to be an Old English one meaning “messenger wolf, herald wolf”. Also a surname, Boston has been in use since the 18th century. I saw this name more frequently after the Boston Marathon terrorist attacks in 2013, which matches the situation in the UK, although the name remained stable in the US.

Cairo
The capital of Egypt, and one of the largest cities in the world. Founded in the 10th century, it is close to several ancient sites, including the Pyramids, so that despite being a busy metropolis, it is often associated with the romance of Ancient Egypt. Cairo is a transliteration of the Arabic name for the city: al-Qāhirah, meaning “the victorious”. The reason for the name is because the planet Mars (in Arabic, Al Najm Al Qahir) was rising at the time of the city’s founding. The Egyptian name for the city is Khere-Ohe, meaning “place of combat”, referring to a battle which is supposed to have occurred here between the gods Set and Horus. Not only a strong, war-like name, Egyptian-themed names are very cool at present, and this might appeal to someone wanting a nod to African or Arabic culture. It fits very well with current trends in boys names and can be shortened to Cai.

Cuba
The largest island in the Caribbean, which was claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1492. It is an ethnically diverse nation with a tumultuous history, and has been under Communist rule since 1965. The island’s name comes from the indigenous Taino language, but the meaning is not certain: it may be from cubao, meaning “where fertile land is abundant”, or coabana, meaning “great place”. Cuba has become well known as a boy’s name due to Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr. As his name tells you, Cuba was named after his father Cuba Gooding Sr, lead singer of the group The Main Ingredient. Cuba Sr’s father Dudley was from Barbados, but fled to Cuba, and met and married a woman there. After she was murdered because of their involvement in the Pan-African movement, Dudley promised her on her deathbed that he would name his first son Cuba. That is a very powerful name story for the name Cuba, and let’s face it, yours won’t be able to compete. However, Cuba has been used as a name since the 18th century, and in the US had strong ties to the African-American community: it may have originally been given as a slave name.

Denver
The capital of Colorado, and one of the largest cities in the American south-west. Set high in the Rocky Mountains, it has the distinction of being exactly one mile above sea level. The city was named after a 19th century politician, James W. Denver, in hopes of currying favour. The surname Denver is after a village in Norfolk, meaning “the passage of the Danes” in Old English – it’s a place on the River Ouse once crossed by Danish invaders. Famous people with the surname include Bob Denver from Gilligan’s Island, and singer John Denver (born Henry Deutchendorf). Denver Pyle played Jesse Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, while a famous Australian namesake is Denver Beanland, a former Liberal politician from Queensland. The name isn’t particularly strongly tied to the city and can be seen just as easily as a surname name. In use in Australia since the 19th century, it has a reasonable history, so that it doesn’t seem too modern and trendy, despite having a fashionable letter V. Little wonder that it seems to be in quiet but steady use.

Harlem
An area of Manhattan in New York City which has been known as a major centre for African-American culture since the “Harlem Renaissance”of the 1920s. Originally a village settled by Dutch immigrants, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Haarlem is the capital of North Holland, and historically the centre of the famous tulip industry. Its name probably means something like, “home on the forested dunes”, as it lies on a thin strip of land near the North Sea. It is also a surname; one example is former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem. I see this name fairly regularly, and that’s probably because it fits in so well with the strong trend for Har- sounds in boy’s names, such as Harvey, Harley, Harland, and so on. Not only similar to these, Harlem celebrates a place with a cool, and perhaps slightly dangerous image. The Harlem Shake memes could even be a contributing factor!

Jericho
A city in Palestine on the River Jordan. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, and the oldest walled city; archaeologists have found remains in Jericho dated to 9000 BC. Jericho features in a famous Bible story, which tells how Joshua, the general of Moses, took the city of Jericho. The Israelites marched around the city perimeter for six days with the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they marched around seven times, then the priests blew a ram’s horn and the Israelites raised a great shout. The walls of the city fell down, and the Israelites slaughtered almost all the inhabitants. There is a very rousing African-American spiritual about the incident, where the “walls came tumbling down” – an inspiration for the Thatcher era pop song. Archaeologists tell us that although Jericho’s famous walls have been brought down during various conflicts, Jericho was temporarily abandoned during the time that Joshua was supposed to have lived. Perhaps more importantly for the name, it fits in with the current fashion for names with an -o ending, and joined the US Top 1000 in 2013, as it has recently become known as one of the Teen Titan superheroes, and a common name in video games.

Kobe
A busy port in Japan, and one of the country’s largest cities. It is famous for its hot springs, which provide a tranquil retreat and have been in use since at least the 8th century, making them amongst Japan’s oldest. The city’s name is connected to its Ikuta Shrine, a Shinto shrine founded in the early 3rd century to venerate Wakahirume, the Japanese goddess of the rising sun and weaving. The city’s name is derived from kamube, an old name for the people who supported the shrine. It is also a Japanese surname, after the city. The name has been popularised by American basketballer Kobe Bryant, whose parents named him after Kobe beef, a very high quality meat from Japan, that they saw on a restaurant menu. Although the Japanese pronunciation is more like KO-BEH, English-speakers generally say it as a homophone of the name Coby, which is one of the name’s attractions. In fact, it is also a Dutch pet form of Jakob. Kobe is around the 100s in Australia, significantly more popular than in either the US or the UK, although it is a Top 50 name in Belgium.

Memphis
The largest city in the state of Tennessee. It is famous as a centre for popular music; because of this, almost a thousand songs are about Memphis, or mention it in some way, and Graceland, Elvis Presley’s famous estate, is a major tourist attraction of the city. Memphis is named after a a capital of ancient Egypt because the American city is situated on the Mississippi, just as the Egyptian one was situated on the River Nile. The Egyptian city is now in ruins, but was once a port and busy commercial centre. Memphis is the Greek transliteration of the Egyptian name Men-nefer, meaning “enduring and beautiful”, and Greek mythology personified it as a nymph named Memphis who founded the city along with her husband, a king and son of Zeus. Despite this feminine history for the name, Memphis is much more common as a male name than a female one, most likely because of Elvis. It is around the 600s for boys in Australia, more popular than in either the US or UK.

Tyrone
The largest county in Northern Ireland. Its name comes from Tir Eoghain, meaning “land of Eoghan”; according to Irish legend, Eoghan was a son of a great medieval king who claimed this land for himself. Eoghan may be derived from Eugene, and thus an Irish form of the Welsh name Owen; others say it is from the Old Irish, and means “born under the protection of the sacred yew tree”. Tyrone has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and originated in the United States, presumably as an Irish heritage name. It later became used in Ireland too. The name was popularised by Hollywood actor Tyrone Power Jr; part of a long line of actors, the name Tyrone was traditional in his family. The original Tyrone Power, the great-great-grandfather of the Hollywood actor, was from a landed family in Ireland. Tyrone entered the charts in the 1960s at #413, and peaked in the late 2000s at #181. Currently around the 300s, it has never become popular, yet never gone out of use, pioneering, and still fitting in with, the well-worn trend for Ty- names for boys, such as Tyler and Tyson.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Arden, Jericho and Boston, and their least favourite were Cairo, Harlem and Cuba.

(Photo of the Ikuta Shrine in Kobe, Japan by Suguri F)

Girls Names from International Destinations

27 Sunday Sep 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

alaska-mountains

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo is of Denali National Park in Alaska)

How Can They Solve the Riddle of What Name to Use in the Middle?

19 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by in Naming Assistance

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Riddle-me-this

Emma and Dane are expecting a baby boy at the end of the year, and have reached a stalemate in their baby name discussions. They are both extremely busy, and it has been easier to just avoid talking about it.

The first issue is that Dane doesn’t want the baby to have a middle name. He thinks it seems like a hassle, as just another thing that will need to be filled out on forms. Emma thinks it would be nice for their son to have a middle name, and notes that both she and Dane have one.

Emma is also fairly sure what she would like in the middle: one of their grandfather’s names, or a name derived from a grandfather’s name. That gives them a choice of either Michael, Solomon, Felix, or Jack (or a name which is related to one of these names in some way).

Out of these, Emma’s preference is for Michael, which is the name of Dane’s grandfather. Dane was the eldest grandson, and was close to his grandfather. And as Grandpa Michael lived until Dane was in his late twenties, they got to spend a lot of time together. To Emma, it makes sense that they choose the name of the grandfather who was best known and loved.

Apart from thinking middle names might very well be a nuisance, Dane is concerned that a middle name which honours someone could end up being a burden. It will be the name of someone their son doesn’t know, so may not feel any connection to. Dane also worries that choosing one grandfather over the three others risks causing family friction, especially as Emma’s mother is pushing them to use her father’s name, Jack.

They haven’t reached any agreement on a first name either. Dane’s preference is for Spencer or Cy, while Emma leans towards Quentin or Jarvis. Other names they have considered are Jared, Ike, Jarrah, Hank, Miles, Carl, and Carson. Emma and Dane’s surname starts with F eg Firman.

Emma would be grateful for any feedback or ideas as to how to get past their stalemate.

* * * * * * * * * *

I’ll deal with the middle name issue first, since I get the feeling this is really holding up the baby name discussions.

I think Dane is wrong about middle names being an administrative hassle – it’s actually not having a middle name which is a hassle. People who work in places like banks and passport offices expect you to have a middle name, so if you leave it blank they often query it, thinking you have forgotten to write it down, or are possibly trying to pull some sort of scam (they don’t tend to be the most trusting lot).

One of my cousins doesn’t have a middle name, and it was a real pain for her, as there was no way to tell her apart from someone else with the same name eg Jennifer (no middle name) Brown. She had trouble graduating from university as there was another Jennifer (no middle name) Brown, and eventually had to agree to have Jenny Brown on her degree instead of Jennifer. Her bank mixed her up with another customer from the same street who was also called Jennifer (no middle name) Brown, and they routinely received each other’s bank statements and so on. This isn’t just a hassle – it left both of them open to identity theft and fraud.

She married reasonably early to someone with an unusual surname, like Casamiagiento, and as she’s now the only Mrs Jennifer Casamiagiento in Australia, her identity woes are at an end. (Spelling her name is now the big problem). However, she still resents not having a middle name, and feels that her parents ripped her off by not giving her one.

I’m going to go out on a limb, and suggest that the reason Dane is resisting the idea of a middle name might be because he wants to avoid the stress of dealing with “honouring grandpa”. (That’s actually how Cousin Jennifer lost out on a middle name – due to family honouring issues, it went into the too hard basket).

I think it would be a bad idea to coerce Dane into honouring his grandfather with his son’s name, and that it should be his choice whether he honours Grandpa Michael. It might seem obvious that as Dane had the closest relationship with Grandpa Michael, Michael needs to be your son’s middle name. It would make perfect sense – as long as Dane wanted it.

It’s a sensitive subject, as people might have all sorts of reasons for not wanting to choose the name of a beloved family member who has passed away. They might still be grieving their loss, so don’t want to give their child a name connected with sadness. They might feel that the name still “belongs” to their family member, and it would feel disrespectful to give it to someone else.

It seems as if Dane doesn’t relish the idea of choosing sides by picking the name Michael. As your mum is very keen on the name Jack, he may not want to hurt or offend his mother-in-law, and may not want to connect Grandpa Michael’s name with potential conflict and injured feelings.

I think you need to talk to Dane, and ask him to identify where the real problem lies. Does he not want to use the name Michael to honour his grandfather, or would he prefer not to use family names in the middle at all? If you said, “Forget about Michael as it’s too much of a problem – we’ll just go with my grandfather Jack’s name”, would he welcome that decision or feel that now his grandfather was being slighted?

I feel as if you have quite a few options.

-Use Michael
– Use one of the other grandfather”s names, such as Felix, Solomon, or Jack
– Use a similar name to Michael, such as Mitchell, Micah, Moses, Miller, or Miles, so that you get a little reminder of Grandpa Michael without actually using his name
– Honour Grandpa Michael in some other way, such as using a family surname, or something connected to him
– Choose a middle name that doesn’t have anything to do with your family if it’s going to do nothing but cause arguments and stress: there’s no rule that you have to honour your family using your child’s name, and not choosing a family name doesn’t mean that you don’t love or respect your family

It’s really completely up to you and Dane what you decide to do (and it’s ultimately Dane’s decision in regard to using Michael). If possible, try to leave pressure from other people out of your discussions, as it seems like a distraction.

I wouldn’t worry one bit about your son never having met his great-grandfather: apart from having a blood connection, you can talk to him about his great-grandfather, show him photos and mementos, share special memories, and explain what a wonderful person he was. These are the ways we keep a beloved person alive in our hearts, long after they’ve gone.

I can’t help feeling that once you’ve sorted out the middle name, the first name will come a lot easier. I notice you’ve both chosen surnames like Spencer and Jarvis as possible names, so that seems to be something you’ve got in common. You might like Beckett, Jacoby, or Miller. And you’ve thought of a few unusual, American-style nicknames too, like Cy, Ike and Hank, that seem quite hip.

I like Cyrus, but unfortunately Cy reminds me of Cy Walsh, who recently murdered his famous father, the AFL coach: it’s bad timing, because I received your e-mail around the time he had his court hearing. How do you feel about Silas? Actually you’ve got a few names ending in S – what about Darius, Amos, Tobias, Rufus, Otis, Magnus, or Linus? Or Gus?

You’ve also considered three names starting with Jar-. I like the idea of Jarrah, because not only is it an Australian tree, but it’s very much like the Hebrew male name Jarah, meaning “honeycomb, honeysuckle”. Very sweet! Jarvey is a nickname for Jarvis which reminds me a lot of popular Harvey. It seems jaunty.

I really hope you can find time for a good talk about this very soon – those few months until your son is due will disappear like magic. I think it’s time to move past your stalemate, and start making some choices that work for both of you.

NAME UPDATE: The baby’s name was Spencer Moses!

Famous Name: Eleanor

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Famous Names

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

dsc04745

Famous Namesakes
Last month was the 114th birthday of author Eleanor Dark, who was born August 26 1901. Her most famous novel is The Timeless Land, published in 1941, the first in a trilogy about early European settlement. Sympathetic towards Aboriginal people and meticulously researched, the book was part of the high school curriculum for many years and is now considered an Australian classic. It even inspired the famous historian Manning Clark. It was turned into a successful TV series in 1980.

When Eleanor married Eric Dark, a widowed doctor, she asked for three things: an equal partnership, a child, and the freedom to write. Eleanor got a studio in the garden where she could write in peace, a maid to help with the housework, and emotional support and encouragement for her writing. Her other wish was granted when she and Eric had a son named Michael; they already had a son named John, from Eric’s first marriage.

Thoughtful and generous, the Darks shared progressive ideals. An active member of the Labor left, Eric wrote political books and pamphlets which attracted attention from the anti-communist Menzies government and ASIO, and the entire Dark family was probably under surveillance. Although she considered herself apolitical, Eleanor’s socialist and feminist views permeate her work, and she was a scathing critic of middle-class suburbia.

The Darks moved to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains in 1923, and enjoyed bush walking, camping, climbing, and exploring. Eleanor was one of the first gardeners to grow Australian native plants as well as exotics. In her novels, the Australian landscape is not just a backdrop but almost another character. She believed that as people change the environment, the environment also changes us, and that we are part of the country in both mind and body. In her books are some of the most beautiful and loving evocations of the bush; its scents and sounds, its silence and spirit.

After Eleanor died in 1985, her son Michael gave the Dark family home in Katoomba to the Eleanor Dark Foundation. Named Varuna after the Hindu god of the ocean, the night sky, and the underworld, the house sits on a ridge overlooking the valleys of the Blue Mountains. Varuna is now a residential retreat, where authors can find a room of their own, and uninterrupted writing time; Eleanor’s studio is still in use. It was a wonderful gift for Eleanor as an author, and now for many others too.

Name Information
Eleanor is the modern form of Éléonore, the Old French form of the Provençal name Aliénor. Eleanor of Aquitaine (born around 1122) is often identified as the first bearer of the name Aliénor, and a popular story is that her name came about because she was christened Aénor, and as her mother’s name was also Aénor, she was known as alia Aénor, meaning “the other Aénor”. This suggestion was labelled “ridiculous” by a French scholar in the 17th century, but is still going strong.

There were earlier women with similar names – Eleanor of Aquitaine’s own great-grandmother is listed as Aleanor. However, the records for these early Eleanors post-date Eleanor of Aquitaine, so their names could have been conveniently translated into Eleanor (or Alienor or Aleanor) by later writers.

Eleanor of Aquitaine’s great-grandmother’s name seems to have been more like Adenorde, sometimes written as Ainor. It would be a reasonable assumption that Aénor was a variant of this name, and Aliénor was too. The origin of Adenorde is obscure, but looks to be Germanic.

Eleanor “Elea” Nickerson from British Baby Names suggests it could be from the Germanic name element adal, meaning “noble”, or from ald, meaning “old, mature, grown up”. The norde looks like the Germanic for “north. Another of Eleanor Nickerson’s suggestions is that it could be related to those Germanic names starting with aud-, meaning “wealth, riches”.

Another popular theory is that Eleanor is a Provençal form of Helen, Ellen, or Elena – also of ancient and obscure origin. Helen is usually said to be from the Greek for “light, bright”, although it may be ultimately from Sanskrit and mean “running, swift” (quite suitable for a runaway bride like Helen of Troy!). The reason for the Eleanor = Helen idea is probably because Eleanor of Aquitaine had her name Latinised as Helienordis. At the very least it is possible that the name Eleanor was influenced by the various Helen names, becoming fused (or confused?).

At least everyone agrees that Eleanor of Aquitaine popularised the name Eleanor. One of the wealthiest and most influential women of the Middle Ages, Eleanor was Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, making her such an eligible bride that she was snapped up by both Louis VII and Henry II, so she became a queen of France, then of England. She was the mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John, and one of her daughters was named after her – Eleanor who became queen of Castile, and was a similarly powerful figure.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was clever, charming, sophisticated, and high-spirited, and contemporary sources all agree that she was very beautiful. She survived into her eighties, and outlived both husbands and most of her children. She was perhaps more woman than most medieval men could handle, and she was let go by her first husband, and imprisoned for years by her second.

The name Eleanor became common amongst both French and English royalty and nobility. King John named one of his daughters Eleanor after his mother, and French noblewoman Eleanor of Provence married Henry III, becoming the mother of Edward I. Edward married Eleanor of Castile, who was named after her great-grandmother, the daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine. In turn, Edward I named his eldest daughter Eleanor, and her daughter was given the name Eleanor; Edward II also named a daughter Eleanor after Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Eleanor is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #98 in the 1900s, and reached its lowest point in the 1960s at #454. It climbed steadily until the 1990s, after which it levelled off for many years, remaining stable in the 100s. Eleanor joined the Top 100 for the first time since the 1900s last year, climbing 31 places to reach #84, the second-highest rise in rank after Ariana. It is #82 in New South Wales, where it was one of the fastest-rising names for the year, #77 in Queensland, where it was one of the fastest-rising names, #54 in Tasmania, and #45 in the Australian Capital Territory.

Eleanor also joined the US Top 100 last year, and is #78 there. It was popular in the US from the end of the 19th century until World War II, and peaked in 1920 at #25. Long-serving First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt gave it a lot of publicity; her first name was Anna, but she went by her middle name. Eleanor was popular in the UK from the middle of the 19th century until the 1930s, and returned to the Top 100 in the 1980s. It peaked at #18 in 1999, and is currently #60 in England/Wales.

Up until this year, I would have said that Eleanor was a perfect, classic, underused choice. It was too perfect and classic to remain underused forever, as it has now become a Top 100 name. You can understand why, as it has both strength and elegance, a marvellous royal namesake, and the option of nicknames such as Elle, Ella, Ellie, Elea, Nell, Nellie, and Nora.

Spelling variants such as Elinor and Ellanore are not unusual; the name Elanor is from The Lord of the Rings and means “sun star” in the invented Sindarin language – in Tolkien’s universe, an elanor was a small yellow pimpernel-like flower, and the name was given to Sam Gamgee’s golden-haired daughter. In Australia, Eleanor is usually said EL-uh-nawr, similar to the American pronunciation, although you will sometimes hear a British pronunciation here, which is more like EL-en-uh.

POLL RESULTS
Eleanor received an outstanding approval rating of 91%, making it the highest-rated Famous Name for girls in 2015, and the highest-rated Famous Name overall. People saw the name Eleanor as elegant and refined (28%), dignified and intellectual (23%), and beautiful or attractive (17%). However 5% thought it was too popular. Only one person thought Eleanor seemed snobbish or elitist, and likewise just one was bothered by the number of spellings and pronunciations.

(Photo of the Blue Mountains near Varuna from Hook to Book by Christine Bell; Christine gives a wonderful insight into what life is like as a writer at Varuna).

Celebrity Baby News: Sporting Babies

08 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Celebrity Baby News

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

kobe_aberton_landscape32_1au7mrj-1au7ms6

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

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

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

Name Update: Sweet and Petite

07 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by in Name Updates

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

grace1

Kristel and David were expecting a baby girl – to their great surprise and delight, as they had been told they would not be able to have children. There was just one name they both agreed on, but Kristel wrote in to the blog because she was worried they might have chosen the wrong name. Not only was it very popular, but it was just one syllable long, and people told them it was too short with their one-syllable surname.

Kristel and Dave’s daughter arrived on July 14 weighing 2.8 kg and with wisps of blonde hair. They didn’t rush in to choosing a name, but got to know her for a few days first. It soon became apparent there could be only one name for her, the name they had always loved and wanted from the beginning, so she is called

GRACE AUDREY,

with Audrey a middle name shared with three generations.

They couldn’t be happier with their precious girl, and with her name, which suits her so well. Kristel would like to thank everyone for helping them, and nearly all who responded to their story encouraged them to choose the name they loved best.

Congratulations to Kristel and David!

Name Update: Her Name is Tallulah

01 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Name Updates

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

BM-Jodie-Foster

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

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

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

TALLULAH DOROTHY “LOU“,

sister to Bugsy and Jem.

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

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

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

29 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by in Names in the News

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

tkam2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name Update: Sister Sadie, the Little Lady

25 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Name Updates

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

72633884cf82d07ca9ef8643d1f330cc

Samantha and Conall were expecting their first baby a couple of years ago. Samantha wrote in to the blog because her favourite name for a girl was Sadie, but every time she mentioned the name to someone, they brought up the old song Sadie the Cleaning Lady. It seriously made her question whether she should choose a different name.

In the end, Samantha and Conall had a boy instead, and he was named

LIAM CHRISTOPHER,

which was a family name they had selected right from the start.

A little while ago, Samantha and Conall welcomed their second child. This time Samantha wondered if Sadie was now too popular, since it just joined the Top 100 last year. However, she still adored the name Sadie, and felt that she should go with her heart. So once their daughter arrived, there was no hesitation in naming her

SADIE PATRICIA,

with Patricia a family name they had always planned to use.

Samantha and Conall have only ever had positive comments about Sadie’s name, and not one person has mentioned the song to them. They are very happy with the choice they made.

Congratulations to Samantha and Conall on not one, but two beautiful children given the names they had always longed to use! Blog readers were keen for Samantha to stick with her favourite name, with almost 30% of them urging her to use Sadie.

If there’s any lesson to take away from Samantha’s story, please don’t listen to silly comments people might make about names while you are expecting. Not only were the remarks about the song obviously outdated, as the name Sadie was already zipping up the charts, but since Sadie was born they haven’t been heard again!

And isn’t it interesting (and a bit scary) what a small window you sometimes have between choosing a name that’s “too controversial” and a name that’s “too popular”?

German Names for Girls

23 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

tumblr_loe3tdMJXq1qj5qvfo1_500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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