What Would You Name a Sister for Allegra?

14 Saturday Jun 2014

Tags

celebrity baby names, choosing baby names, flower names, honouring, Italian names, middle names, rare names, sibsets, underused names

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

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

Imogen and Charles’ Short List

Iris
Clara
Margot
Greta
Greer

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

Celine
Viola
Virginie
Sloane
Inneka

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

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

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

* * * * * * * * * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other names you might like

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Irish Names For Girls

08 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

classic names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, Irish Gaelic names, Irish name popularity, Irish names, Italian names, middle names, modern classics, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nicknames, Old Irish names, popular names, royal names, saints names, underused classics, unisex names, vintage names

Irish people have played an important role in Australia’s history, with many arriving in the 18th century as convicts or free settlers. By the late 19th century, a third of Australia’s population was Irish, and today around 30% of us claim some Irish ancestry. It is said that Australia is the most Irish country in the world outside Ireland.

The Irish have made an indelible mark on our history, culture, religion, sport and perhaps most especially, our politics – six of our prime ministers have had Irish ancestors. They have also helped create much of our national character: both the good bits, like our dry sense of humour and love of language, and the bad bits, like our pessimism and thin-skinned “touchiness”. When I did Italian names, I said that I could imagine an Australian without an Italian history, I just didn’t care to, but it’s impossible to imagine Australia without an Irish history.

Here’s ten Irish girls’ names, some of which have become popular here, and others which are less common. Just a heads up that I haven’t included any fadas (accent marks) on any of the names, since they are not legal in all states.

Aisling
Modern name meaning “dream, vision” in Irish Gaelic. It can be seen as a literary name, because the aisling is a poetic genre developed in 17th century Ireland, where a woman appears in a vision and predicts a turn for the better in Ireland’s fortunes. Earlier, the dream-woman was young and beautiful, and didn’t have a political message, but symbolised nature or love. Aisling can be pronounced ASH-ling or ASH-leen, and to English-speakers, seems like a fresh alternative to Ashley; it has also spawned variants such as Ashlynn. Aisling is #41 in Ireland.

Aoife
From the Gaelic for “beauty, radiance”. In Irish legend, Aífe is a warrior woman, and rival of her (possible) sister Scáthach. Legend tells that she fought the hero Cú Chulainn, but he overcame her with trickery, and promised to spare her life if she stopped fighting with Scáthach, spent a night with him, and bore him a son. She fulfilled her side of the bargain, but the story didn’t end happily. In the tale of The Children of Lir, Aoife is the wicked queen who transformed her stepchildren into swans; she was cursed by being turned into a demon by her own father as punishment. Despite this unpleasant namesake, Aoife was used by medieval Irish nobility, with a notable example being Aoife MacMurrough. This 12th century Irish princess conducted battles on behalf of her husband, and is an ancestor of the current British royal family. Aoife is pronounced like EE-fuh; although complex to spell, it sounds rather like popular Eva, and has a lovely meaning. Aoife is #11 in Ireland and #10 in Northern Ireland.

Bridget
Anglicised form of the Old Irish name Brigit, meaning “high, exalted”. In Irish mythology, Brigit is a goddess; her name is derived from the word for “fire” and most likely her title. Brigit was a poet, and the inventor of keening – the lament over a body at a burial that is a mixture of singing and weeping. She is also patron of healing, smithing, arts and crafts, cattle and livestock, sacred wells, and serpents. She ruled all things high-reaching, as well as lofty attributes, such as intelligence, wisdom, excellence, knowledge, and skill. Brigit is associated with the home and hearth, and with early spring. Her special day is Imbolc, on February 1. She has become fused with St Brigid of Kildare, one of the patron saints of Ireland – probably an attempt to Christianise the goddess. St Brigid is patron of smiths, cattle, poets and scholars, and her feast day is February 1. In Ireland, the name Bridget was too sacred to use until the 17th century, but later became extremely popular – so much so that an Irishwoman was called a “Biddy“, just as an Irishman was called “Paddy”. Bridget was #104 in the 1900s, and dropped to its lowest ranking in the 1950s, at 0. It hit a minor peak in the early 2000s at #166, and is currently in the 200s in Victoria and the 400s in New South Wales. Bridget is an underused classic which has remained on the charts while never becoming popular.

Caitlin
Anglicised form of Caitlín, Irish form of Cateline, Old French pet form of Catherine. While the Irish say it something like kat-LEEN, English-speakers say KAYT-lin, and turn the Irish pronunciation into another name, Kathleen. Caitlin has been used in Ireland since the 19th century, and became well known in the 20th. In Australia, Caitlin has ranked since the 1970s, making its debut at #554, and soaring until it entered the Top 100 in 1987 at #86. By 1990 it was in the Top 50 at #38; by 1994 it was in the Top 20 at #15. It peaked in the late 1990s at #12, and since then has declined. Currently Caitlin is #99 nationally, #78 in New South Wales, and #103 in the Australian Capital Territory. Last year Caitlin was one of the names that fell the most in popularity, suggesting its day is coming to a close (although its many variant spellings would significantly boost its ranking). Caitlin is #64 in Ireland and #33 in Northern Ireland.

Ciara
Feminine form of Ciar, meaning “black”. There is a 6th century St Ciara and a 7th century one, or else just one long-lived St Ciara. According to legend, St Ciara was of royal blood, and founded an abbey; another story says that she (unless it is a different St Ciara) saved a town from a noxious fire through her prayers. Ciara is pronounced KEER-uh, and must be one of the most heavily Anglicised Irish names, for you rarely see it with its native spelling, but more often Keira or Kira. Although to me the Ciara spelling looks more elegant, it risks being confused with the Italian Chiara. Ciara fits in with Australian’s love of names such as Kirrily and Kirra, and has a native sound to our ears. Ciara is #32 in Ireland.

Deirdre
Deirdre of the Sorrows is a tragic heroine from Irish mythology. The daughter of King Conchobar’s bard, when she was a baby a druid predicted she would be very beautiful, but that much blood would be shed for her sake. Conchobar decided he wanted this beauty for himself, and had her brought up in seclusion. As an adult, Deirdre was as stunning as the druid had foreseen, and she fell in love with a handsome warrior named Naoise. The couple eloped, and were blissfully happy until the furious Conchobar tracked them down. In the ensuing battle, Naoise was amongst those killed. Conchobar triumphantly took his gorgeous wife home, but was angry that she remained cold and depressed. To teach her a lesson, he told her that he would give her to the man who had murdered Naoise – the man she hated above all others. On the journey to deliver her, the unhappy Deirdre threw herself from the chariot and split her head open. In some versions of the story, she simply wastes away with grief. Deidre is derived from the Gaelic name Derdriu, whose meaning is debated, but is implied in the original story as meaning “noise, murmuring”, related to the word for “storm”. It could thus be understood as “weeping, wailing, storm of tears”, and is often glossed as “sorrow”. Deirdre came into use as a girl’s name in the 19th century, and became more common in the 20th, when there had been many popular re-tellings of the legend. Deirdre first ranked in the 1930s at #183, peaked in the 1940s at #180, and hasn’t charted since the 1970s. This is a vintage name which has had very little use, so hasn’t become dated. It is rather lovely, although very sad.

Erin
Derived from Éirinn, from the Irish word for Ireland, Éire. Erin was used as a poetic and nationalistic name for Ireland, or the feminine personification of Ireland. According to folklore, the country’s name comes from Ériu, the mother goddess of Irish mythology, and a symbol of Irish sovereignty. Her name is believed to come from an ancient root meaning “fat”, to indicate that Ireland was a land of abundance. Erin came into common use as an Irish name in the 19th century. It has sometimes been given to boys, perhaps because it sounds like Aaron and Eric, but has only charted for girls. The name Erin first charted in the 1950s, debuting at #457, and reached the Top 100 in 1978, at #71. By 1980 it was in the Top 50 at #46, the following year it was in the Top 20 at #17, and it peaked in 1984 at #12. Erin has been a long-time favourite, and only left the Top 100 in 2012. This modern classic is no longer popular, but still getting a reasonable level of use. It is #39 in Ireland and #19 in Northern Ireland.

Maeve
Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Medb, meaning “intoxicating”, and related to the English word mead (a fermented honey drink). In Irish legend, Queen Medb was a powerful and seductive queen known for taking a succession of husbands as her consorts. She was once married to King Conchobar, from the story about Deirdre. Medb couldn’t stick him either and walked out; she ended up defeating Conchobar and ruling in his place. She demanded that her wealth be at least equal to her husbands’, and insisted her consorts be without fear, meanness, and jealousy – the last was very important, because Medb also took lovers to supplement her husbands. Folklorists believe that Queen Medb was originally a sovereignty goddess in a matrinlineal society who the king would symbolically “marry” in order to gain power over the land. This explains her many husbands. In modern times, she has become a feminist symbol of women’s power and female sexuality. This is a sweet, spunky name which fits in with the trend for names with a V in them, like Ava, and makes a great middle name. Maeve is in the 100s in Victoria, so not particularly unusual, while it is #100 in Ireland.

Orla
Anglicised form of Órfhlaith or Órlaith, meaning “golden princess”. Órlaith was a very popular name in medieval Ireland, and there are several queens and princesses from Irish history with this name. The famous High King of Ireland Brian Boru had a sister named Órlaith who married another High King (she unfortunately came to a sticky end after getting over-involved with her stepson), and Brian also had a daughter and a grand-niece named Órlaith. For some reason, Orla is a man in The Poems of Ossian by James McPherson, a young warrior and chieftain of Lochlin who falls in battle. In Scandinavia, Orla is used as a male name, and that might be because of McPherson’s poetry, which was very popular in Scandinavia. Orla is simple to spell and pronounce, and the princessy meaning would be attractive to many parents. Orla is #82 in Ireland.

Sinead
Anglicised form of Sinéad, the Irish form of Jeanette, the pet form of the French name Jeanne. It is the equivalent of the English name Janet, which is a pet form of Joan. In practice, Sinead is often understood as the Irish form of Jane or Jean; it has even been used as an Irish form of Jennifer since Jenny is an old pet form of Jane. The name is pronounced shi-NAYD. A famous Irish namesake is Sinéad de Valera, the wife of the Rebublican leader and Ireland’s third president, Éamon de Valera. A teacher of the Irish language, Mrs de Valera was named Jane by her parents, but changed her name to Sinéad not long after she was married. Sinéad de Valera was a successful children’s writer, who wrote in both English and Irish. She helped to popularise the name in Ireland, and the Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor was named after her. Sinéad has lost popularity in Ireland in recent years, and has never charted in Australia, although still seen occasionally.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Maeve, Bridget and Aoife, and their least favourite were Ciara, Deirdre and Sinead.

(Picture shows detail from an Irish pound note, which bears the likeness of Queen Medb or Maeve; the pound hasn’t been used in Ireland since 2002 when the euro was introduced)

The Fastest Rising Top 100 Names of 2013

20 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Naming Issues

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Baby Center, Babynameobsessed, celebrity baby names, classic names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Google, Italian names, middle names, name popularity, name trends, names from television, nicknames, popular names, royal names

GIRLS

Aria
In 2012 Aria was a newcomer to the national Top 100, and one of its highest-risers. In 2013 its success continued as the #1 rising name in Australia and Queensland, and a top rising name in New South Wales and Victoria. Aria is one of the main characters in the Pretty Little Liars book and television series, and also sounds similar to Arya from Game of Thrones. Its Italian origins make this a good cross-cultural choice too.

Evelyn
Classic Evelyn was the #1 rising name in the Northern Territory, and one of the top rising names nationally, as well as in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. In 2012 it was a top rising name nationally, and last year increased the speed at it which it rose. Ivy was the fastest-rising girls’ name of 2012, and here’s another name with a V, following hard on the heels of Evie, Eva and Ava.

Penelope
I suspect Penelope’s entrance into the Top 100 has caused some dismay. It’s certainly made me eat humble pie, as I was foolish enough last year to reassure parents that Penelope was not too popular when you had a careful look at the available data. I began to get an inkling I had made a boo-boo when day after day, I saw that the search term popularity of penelope in australia had come up yet again. I couldn’t help worrying that if all these people trustingly chose the name Penelope, its popularity was sure to increase dramatically. My fears were not unfounded, as Penelope rose more than 100 places to be the #1 rising name in Victoria, and was a top rising name nationally and in New South Wales. A slew of celebrity babies named Penelope has helped this name become hot property, and it’s back on the Top 100 for the first time since the 1970s.

Samantha
Perenially popular Samantha had been gradually sliding down the Top 100 for over a decade, but last year got a boost, going up 15 places nationally and 58 places in Victoria, as well as being a top rising name in the Australian Capital Territory, and joining the Western Australian Top 50. Perth-born model and singer, Samantha Jade, who won The X-Factor in 2012, and recently had a starring role in the hit INXS mini-series, Never Tear Us Apart, probably has something to do with it. Popular breakfast television presenter Samantha Armytage may be another factor.

Lola
Lola was the #1 name rising in New South Wales and a top rising name in Queensland. Short forms such as Maggie and Elsie did well in the charts in 2013, and although Lola is part of this movement, it seems much cheekier and flirtier than its retro sisters. Could it be the next Ruby?

BOYS

Louis
Even though classic Louis has charted since the 1900s, it was a newcomer to the Top 100 last year. It rose at least 27 places to become the #1 rising name in the country for 2013, as well as a top rising name in New South Wales and Victoria. Louis has been rising steeply for several years now, and it was only a matter of time before it made the Top 100 – but being chosen as a royal middle name can’t have done any harm.

Hudson
Hudson was one of the fastest-rising names of 2012, and continues to power up the charts. It was the #1 rising name in New South Wales, and a top rising name nationally, as well as in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. This name has been doing very well since being chosen as a baby name by two celebrities – TV chef Curtis Stone in 2011, and pop star Guy Sebastian in 2012.

Nathaniel
Nathaniel is another newcomer to the Top 100 charts, having charted in the 1900s then dropped off the charts until the 1960s. It was the #1 rising name in Victoria, and a top rising name nationally, and in New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania. This retro name has been making smooth and steady progress up the charts for decades, and its entry into the Top 100 coincides with the release of the first successful singles of pop singer Nathaniel (thanks to Ebony at Babynameobsessed for this tip). Another famous Australian namesake is Nathaniel Buzolic from The Vampire Diaries. This provides another way to get the popular short form Nate.

George
Remember those reports from Baby Center that Prince George hadn’t had any effect on the popularity of the name George? And how they said that before any official data had been released? Well now some has, and the name George was a top rising name nationally, and in Queensland and Western Australia (our most monarchist states?). George rose 11 places to #60; its highest ranking since the 1970s. As well as the little Prince currently gracing our shores, there is a baby George in Downton Abbey, the heir to an earldom. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are fans of the show, making their choice of George a possible subconscious small-screen homage. It’s interesting to note that George, Alexander and Louis all became more popular last year.

Lincoln
Lincoln was a fast-rising name of 2012, and before all the data had come in, I predicted that it would make the national Top 50 for 2013. It rose 17 places and just scraped in at #50, so a close call! Lincoln was also a top rising name in Victoria and Western Australia. Lincoln Younes plays “River Boy” Casey Braxton on Home and Away, and the name Lincoln has been increasing in popularity ever since he joined the show in 2011.

Other Names That Rose

Lillian – top riser nationally and in New South Wales
Eloise – top riser nationally and in Victoria
Olive – top riser nationally and in Victoria
Violet – #1 rising name in Western Australia and Tasmania
Indigo – top riser in Victoria and Queensland
Felix – top riser nationally and in New South Wales
Ryder – top riser nationally and in Tasmania
Lewis – top riser in Victoria and Tasmania
Hugo – top riser in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory
Finn – top riser in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory

NOTE: I have chosen those names which increased in popularity in the most number of states and territories, making their popularity widest across the board in Australia. For the positions of each name in individual states and territories, please refer to the Name Data category for more information.

POLL RESULTS: People’s favourite fastest-rising names were Penelope and Louis.

Names of Australian Birds for Girls

30 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Ancient Germanic names, animal names, Australian Aboriginal names, Australian slang terms, bird names, birth notices, brand names, english names, fictional namesakes, germanic names, Greek names, Irish names, Italian names, Latin names, locational names, middle names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nature names, nicknames, retro names, scientific names, unisex names

I seem to have covered several bird names on the blog recently, and that might be because our family was watching light-hearted bird documentary series, Hello Birdy, on the ABC, or maybe just because I love birds. Australia is lucky enough to have a staggering array of birds, many of them colourful, beautiful, intelligent, or unusual, and sadly, often under-appreciated. Here are some names that bring to mind a few of our feathered friends. Click on a likely link, and you will be taken to a YouTube video of each bird – there’s at least one for every entry.

Brahminy
The Brahminy Kite is a bird of prey and scavenger native to Australasia and Asia; in Australia they are found in coastal regions in the north. They are chestnut brown with a white head, breast, and tail tip, and typically nest in trees in mangrove swamps. The name Brahminy is due to their being found in India; it alludes to the Hindu Brahmin priestly caste, and is said BRAH-min-ee. The Brahminy Kite is the official mascot of Jakarta, in Indonesia, and in India is regarded as a representation of Garuda, the sacred bird of the supreme god Vishnu. I would not have considered this as a person’s name if I hadn’t seen a baby girl named Brahminy. It’s a bold choice, and its connection with a sacred bird is fascinating.

Corella
The Corella is a small, white cockatoo with a pink blush to its plumage. They are found from the central deserts to the eastern coastal plains, and are a familiar sight on farms and in cities. In some areas, Corellas have become so numerous they are considered a pest, being particularly destructive to trees and cereal crops. They congregate in large flocks, even up to several thousand, and make a high-pitched screeching noise which is ear-piercing when a flock all calls together, and can be heard for miles. Although they are noisy birds, they are very playful and have the joie de vivre that all parrots are blessed with. They are popular as pets, because they are good talkers, and excellent mimics. The word corella comes from the Wiradjuri language of central New South Wales. Corella has been used as a girl’s name since the 18th century, and is probably part of the Cor- group which is based on the Greek Kore, meaning “maiden”. The bird gives it a uniquely Australian flavour.

Dove
Here’s the dirty little secret about Doves: they’re just pigeons! Not only that, it’s unclear what makes some species of pigeons “doves”, because while we generally call smaller pigeons doves, that isn’t always the case. The confusion arises because the word pigeon is from Latin, and dove from Ancient Germanic, so they are two different words for the same thing (like autumn and fall). Nonetheless, their images are completely different: doves are symbols of peace, while pigeons are seen as disease-ridden pests (in fact, pigeons are no more disease-ridden than any other animal and pose no general health risk). Australia has a number of species identified as doves, and although we often think of doves as modest and grey, the Emerald Dove has striking green colouring, and the many varieties of Fruit Dove are likewise very colourful. There are also introduced species of dove, including those kept as pets. Dove has been used as a first name since the 17th century, and has been far more common for girls; a contemporary example is Disney actress Dove Cameron. Dove not only rhymes with love, but doves are used as symbols of love, since pigeons mate for life; the word dove can mean “sweetheart”. Perhaps because of this, doves were considered sacred to goddesses such as Venus. Another religious connection is that in Christian iconography, the Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove.

Halcyon
Halcyon is the Latin name for the Tree Kingfishers, a large genus of birds found in Africa, Asia and Australasia, with Australasia having the most species. They are recognisable by their large heads and long pointed bills, and many are brightly coloured, often in iridescent blues and greens. The Laughing Kookaburra is a type of tree kingfisher, an iconic Australian bird with a raucous cackle that seems to epitomise the spirit of the bush. Halcyon is from the Greek for “kingfisher”, and is connected to a character from Greek mythology named Alcyone; the daughter of the winds, she married Ceyx, the son of the morning star. The pair were very much in love, and after Ceyx was lost at sea in a terrible storm, the unhappy Alcyone threw herself into the waves to end her life. The gods took pity on them, and changed both into kingfishers. According to legend, the “halcyon days” of midwinter, when storms cease, was when Alcyone laid her eggs, and her father restrained the winds so that she could do so safely. Because of this, the word halcyon (pronounced HAL-see-uhn) has come to mean “calm, serene, peaceful”, with our halcyon days those happy times we look back on with nostalgia. Halcyon has been used as a girl’s name since the 19th century: pretty and unusual, it gives Hallie as the nickname.

Lalage
Lalage is the scientific name for the Trillers, native to Asia and Australasia; they are small birds, usually coloured black, white and grey. They are called Trillers because during the breeding season, the males make a cheerful, almost continuous, trilling call. Lalage is derived from Greek, and means “to babble, to prattle”, or, in the case of birds, “to chirp”. The name became known from an ode by Roman poet Horace, where he speaks of his love for a young girl, his “sweetly laughing, sweet talking Lalage”. It has been used a few times since as a literary name, most notably in Kipling’s Rimini. Lalage has had occasional use, and in Britain seems to have a fairly upper-class image: contemporary examples are photjournalist Lalage Snow, and fashion designer Lalage Beaumont. In English, this name is usually pronounced LAL-a-gee or LA-la-ghee – just remember it’s three syllables, emphasis on the first, hard g like girl, not soft like germ. This fascinating name fits in with L-L names like Lillian, and as Lalage was a very young courtesan, almost seems like a posh version of Lolita! Lallie, Lollie, and Lala could be nicknames.

Lark
Larks are plain brown birds to look at, but their great beauty is in their voices, for they are famous for their melodious singing. This has made them a favourite subject for poets, such as Percy Bysshe Shelley’s, To a Skylark, and to say someone sings “like a lark” is a great compliment to the range and joyousness of their notes. Traditionally, larks are a symbol for dawn and daybreak, as in “getting up with the lark”, and this has given them religious overtones, for just as dawn is the passage between night and day, it can also be seen as that between heaven and earth. In Renaissance paintings, larks were sometimes used as a symbol of Christ. Although Australia has many birds with lark as part of their name, our only true lark is Horsfield’s Bushlark, widely found in grasslands and open woodlands. It is much smaller than larks in the northern hemisphere, and doesn’t have quite such an impressive voice, although its songs are still rich and varied, and it is a good mimic as well. The Eurasian Skylark which features in Shelley’s verse has been introduced here. Lark has been used as a name since the 18th century, and is historically more common for boys, but is often now thought of as more feminine than masculine. It’s a simple, non-frilly nature name laden with symbolism, and is more often found in the middle.

Maggie
Maggie is the affectionate name for the Australian Magpie. Although they look similar, it isn’t closely related to the European Magpie. Easily recognisable from their black and white plumage, magpies are very familiar in suburban life. Magpies are one of Australia’s favourite songbirds, because they have a complex, melodious warble, and will carol in chorus at dusk and dawn. They can also mimic other birds and animals, including human speech. Bold and sturdy, they are not typically wary of humans, and will happily accept (demand!) free food from us. They become unpopular in spring, as males can be so aggressive during breeding season that they swoop or even attack humans to warn them away. This is when feeding them pays off, as they can tell individual people apart, and won’t scare their buddies. The Magpie was a totem animal for the Indigenous people of the Illawarra, and is an official emblem of South Australia, appearing on the state flag. Magpies is a common name for sporting teams, and the cocky attitude of the Magpie is seen as indicative of the national character. Maggie is also a short form of Margaret. It was #174 in the 1900s, and was off the charts by the 1940s, returning in the 1970s. It has climbed steadily, and is currently in the 100s.

Oriole
Orioles are a large family of birds found throughout the world, which come in a variety of colours. Australian Orioles are green, perfect for blending in with the trees. They are fruit-eating birds, and the Figbird is one of the Orioles, although it doesn’t only eat figs. Orioles and Figbirds are attracted to backyards with small fruit trees and bushes, and which have native trees such as eucalypti and wattle; they are a fairly common sight in suburbia. The word oriole is derived from the Latin for “gold”, because the Eurasian Golden Oriole is a bright yellow. Oriole is related to names like Aurelia and Auriol, which are from the same derivation, and looks a lot like Oriel, which may be seen as a variant of Auriol, but also has Irish and Germanic origins. Oriole seems like a way to retain the golden meaning, while also referencing the bird.

Rainbird
The Rainbird is the colloquial name for the Pacific Koel, a species of migratory cuckoo which arrives here in spring from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, and is found in north and eastern Australia. It’s called a Rainbird because of the belief that its rather mournful “whooping” call is a harbinger of wet weather. Males call for a mate during their breeding season, which coincides with the spring rains and the summer “wet season”, and are so loud they can be considered a nuisance. Like all cuckoos, Rainbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other species so that they can be raised by the unsuspecting hosts; however, unlike most other cuckoos, the baby Rainbird doesn’t kill the host chicks. Rainbirds are rather goofy-looking birds; the males have glossy black plumage and bright red eyes. I have seen Rainbird used as a girl’s middle name, and think it makes a wonderful name for a spring or summer baby. It would work equally well for boys.

Rosella
Rosellas are colourful parrots which are very familiar in suburbia. I think we might take them for granted, because they really are pretty, with a more pleasing range of calls than most parrots. Rosellas will be attracted to any garden that provides them with water, seeds and fruit, and can become so tame that they will eat out of your hand. This has led them to become common as pets, but in captivity they can become bored and aggressive, so I think it’s nicer to have them as backyard visitors. European settlers first saw Eastern Rosellas at Rose Hill (now called Parramatta), and called them Rosehill Parakeets; this evolved into Rosehillers, and eventually became Rosella. The Sydney suburb of Rozelle is named after them. Rosella is also a popular brand of tomato sauce, which sports an Eastern Rosella as its logo. By coincidence, Rosella is also an Italian name, an elaboration of Rosa, and looks like a combination of popular Rose and Ella.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Lark, Maggie and Rosella, and their least favourite were Brahminy, Oriole and Lalage.

(Photo shows an Eastern Rosella)

The People’s Choice of Girls Names – 2

15 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

African names, American names, Arabic names, astronomical names, British names, celebrity baby names, created names, Creek names, Disney names, Dutch names, english names, epithets and titles, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, germanic names, Greek names, hebrew names, honouring, Indian names, Italian names, Latin names, locational names, Maori names, middle names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names from ballet, names from films, names of rivers, Native American names, nicknames, Old Norse names, Persian names, Roman names, royal names, saints names, Sanskrit names, scandinavian names, screen names, Shakespearean names, surname names, Tibetan names, Tiv names, unisex names, virtue names, vocabulary names, Welsh names

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 16^th 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 19^th 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 19^th 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 19^th 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)

Famous Name: Diamantina

04 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

famous namesakes, gemstone names, Greek names, honouring, Italian names, locational names, middle names, nicknames

On December 10, it will mark 154 years since Lady Diamantina Bowen arrived in Queensland. Lady Bowen was the wife of Queensland’s first governor, Sir George Bowen, whose history and surname we looked at in Brisbane Suburbs That Could Be Used as Boys Names.

Lady Bowen was born in the beautiful Ionian Islands of Greece as the Contessa Diamantina di Roma, one of a large aristocratic family descended from Venetians who had occupied the Ionian Islands for centuries as part of the Republic of Venice. Diamantina’s father was President of the Ionian Senate, and had been appointed Poet Laureate of the islands by Queen Victoria, as the Ionian Islands were then a British Protectorate.

Diamantina grew up in a privileged world, was well-educated, and familiar with government, politics and diplomacy. She was described as pretty, slender and graceful, with an attractiveness which came from her expression rather than her features. She was softly-spoken, and had a slight accent when speaking in English; in private, she spoke Italian. Despite their Italian origins, the di Roma family were members of the Greek Orthodox faith.

Diamantina married Sir George Bowen, government secretary to the islands, in 1856, and came to Brisbane three years later with her husband and baby daughter. The Bowens were met by a crowd of 4000 people, waving both the Union Jack and the Greek flag in welcome. Brisbane was enormously excited by their arrival, and there was a 21-gun salute, triumphal arch, fireworks, and days and days of speeches, proclamations, and general celebrations in their honour.

One of the ladies who presented Diamantina with a bouquet described her as a “beautiful Greek fairy princess … stepped out of a poetry book”. The poor fairy princess had endured agonising sea sickness to get there, and being pregnant, possibly morning sickness as well; it must have been an ordeal for her to stand there in the heat and humidity through all the official events.

Brisbane itself must have been something of a culture shock to Diamantina, because although it was a prosperous and thriving community, it was also a pioneering one, and would have seemed rough and dusty, with lumpy roads, and an unreliable water supply.

However, Lady Bowen fulfilled her duties as Queensland’s first lady admirably. She became a celebrated hostess, and her balls and dinner parties were the highlight of the social scene. She held a weekly salon, and her graciousness is credited with raising the general tone of Brisbane society.

Diamantina was an accomplished pianist and singer, and her interest in music led to her to become a patroness of the arts. When their official residence was ready, the Bowens had an elegant and spacious sandstone mansion to entertain in. Diamantina personally supervised the layout of the grounds, and assisted with the development of the surrounding Royal Botanic Gardens.

Diamantina was also a tireless worker for charity. She started the first Sunday School for children, and helped found the Lady Bowen Lying-In Hospital, Brisbane’s first maternity hospital, and forerunner to the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital. She was also a patron of an orphanage, and of a hospital for the incurably ill. At a time marked by religious bias, Lady Bowen befriended the Sisters of Mercy, and became a patroness of their fund-raising efforts.

Diamantina was greatly admired in Brisbane, and became a great favourite. She was dignified without being aloof, and reserved without being cold, but most of all kind-hearted and compassionate, with a genuine desire to be accessible. I suspect it was because of his wife that Sir George was asked to stay on a further two years after his term of office ended.

When the Bowens finally left after eight years, 120 of Brisbane’s married women presented Diamantina with a diamond necklace, and 120 of its single women gave her a gold bracelet studded with emeralds. Diamantina must have made several close personal connections in Brisbane, because we are told that she wept bitterly as she left, becoming so distraught that she had to be carried to the ship to New Zealand, where Sir George had been appointed governor-general.

Diamantina had many namesakes in Queensland – not only Roma Street and Lady Bowen Park in Brisbane, but the town of Roma, the Diamantina River, and Diamantina Island are just a few that come to mind.

Diamantina returned to Australia when Sir George became governor of Victoria. Now in her mid-life, Diamantina’s manner had become impressively regal, and she was seen as exotic, fascinating, and elegant. A Melbourne gossip columnist noted her dazzling black eyes, flawless creamy complexion, and lovely figure. She inspired awe and respect, but never again did she seem quite so loved as she had been in Queensland, where she was a figure of poetry and romance.

Diamantina is a variation of the Greek name Diamanto, meaning “diamond”. The name is used in both Greece and Italy, and can be pronounced dee-uh-man-TEE-nuh or dy-uh-man-TEE-nuh. The obvious nicknames are Di, Dee and Tina, although Diamond, Mandy and Monti seem possible as well. Lady Bowen’s eldest daughter had Diamantina as her middle name, and she went by Nina, which appeals to me most of all.

Diamantina is a pretty and elaborate girl’s name which belonged to one of the most charming ladies to grace our shores. Diamantina was a heroine to the Greek community in Queensland, and this could be a Greek heritage choice, or a Queensland heritage choice. If the name Diamond seems too hard or crude, Diamantina may seem softer and more elegant.

POLL RESULT: Diamantina received an approval rating of 42%. 36% of people thought it was too fussy and frilly, although 21% saw it as romantic and fairytale.

(Picture shows the governor’s official residence, now Old Government House, in the grounds of Queensland University of Technology, where it is used for functions)

Famous Names: Indi and Mirabella

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Australian Aboriginal names, celebrity baby names, english names, famous namesakes, Italian names, Latin names, Latinate names, Linda Rosenkrantz, locational names, name trends, Nameberry, names of businesses, names of electorates, nicknames, popular names, unisex names

The 44^th Parliament of Australia opened yesterday at 10.40 am, with the swearing in of new MPs. When I covered a name from the election back in September, I hinted that there might be more political names coming up when all the votes had been counted. Now more than two months later, after an extraordinary vote-counting process which seems to have been more than usually disorganised, all results seem to have been declared, and we can go ahead with some names from politics.

One of the electorates which political pundits were keeping a close eye on was Indi. The division of Indi is in north-eastern Victoria, and its northern border is the Murray River, while in the south-east it is bordered by the Australian Alps. Its largest settlement is the city of Wodonga, on the border between Victoria and New South Wales. Although one of the largest electorates in Victoria, much of it lies within the Alpine National Park and is uninhabited.

Indi has existed continuously since Federation, being one of the original 75 electorates formed in 1900, and for almost all of its history has voted conservative. The last time Labor won here was in 1928, and that was because the conservative candidate rather carelessly forgot to nominate. The first person to represent Indi was Sir Isaac Isaacs, who went on to become Attorney-General, Chief Justice of the High Court, and the first Australian-born Governor-General.

The name Indi is taken from a local Indigenous name for the Murray River. Names starting with Ind- are very trendy in Australian, such Indiana, India, Indigo, Indie and Indy, and Indi seems like a great way to follow this trend with a specifically Australian meaning. It could be used for either sex, although many people feel an -i ending seems “feminine” eg Toni is for girls, Tony for boys.

Traditionally, Indi has been represented by what has been described as the “rural gentry”, but this changed in 2001 when former Melbourne barrister Sophie Panopulous (later Sophie Mirabella) won the seat with a primary vote of 40%. She was dubbed “Uptown Girl” by those who didn’t relish the thought of a young, female, Greek-Australian city lawyer representing their rural seat; however she had no trouble gaining pre-selection for the seat from the Liberal Party, and easily defeated her opponents.

Sophie continued to win elections in the safe Liberal seat, however some residents felt that she was taking them for granted. They formed a grassroots movement, Voice for Indi, to find an Independent candidate to run against Sophie Mirabella, and eventually Cathy McGowan accepted.

Cathy had been a staffer for Indi’s Liberal MP in the 1970s and ’80s, a regional councillor for the Victorian Farmer’s Federation, and President of Australian Women in Agriculture. She has a Masters in Applied Science in Agricultural and Rural Development, and received an Order of Australia for raising awareness of women’s issues in regional, rural and remote areas. Cathy lives in Indigo Valley, where she was born and raised, and works as a farmer and rural consultant.

The contest in Indi was extremely close, and counting of votes went on for eleven days, but on September 18, Sophie Mirabella conceded defeat and Cathy McGowan claimed victory by 431 votes, giving her a swing of 9.2% and a slender majority of 0.2% – the first time an Independent has won in rural Victoria since World War II, and the first Independent to ever win Indi. I believe this was the narrowest win in the lower house for this year’s election, and Sophie Mirabella was the only Liberal incumbent to lose her seat.

I can’t help feeling rather tickled that an Independent from Indigo Valley won the seat of Indi. Amazingly, nobody thought to use this as a headline, which would have been rather fetching.

An important message from the Voice for Indi election campaign is that a sitting MP should never take a safe seat for granted in the long term. The good news is that if you are stuck with a lacklustre MP in your electorate, you may be able to get rid of them with the right candidate, a well-orchestrated campaign, and grassroots support. Yay, people power!

Although she didn’t manage to make herself very popular in politics, Sophie Mirabella has a fantastic surname.

Mirabella is an Italian name which is the Latinate form of the English name Mirabel, from the Latin for “wonderful”. In the Middle Ages, Mirabel was a unisex name, but is now considered feminine, while Mirabella is specifically feminine (the male form is Mirabello – Mirabello Cavalori was an Italian painter during the Renaissance).

Beautiful, elaborate and right on trend, Mirabella would be a great choice for someone who loves Miranda and Isabella, but worries they seem too common. This has been chosen as a name for his daughter by Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams, and it’s a long-time favourite of Linda Rosenkrantz from Nameberry – that’s a very high recommendation! You could use hip Mira or popular Bella as the short form.

One other issue is that Mirabella is the name of an Australian company which makes electric light-bulbs, but when you think about it, light is a positive association. Unfortunately, I fear that the widely-loathed Mrs Mirabella may have done this pretty name more harm than a few light globes ever could.

POLL RESULTS: Indi received an approval rating of 60%, while Mirabella enjoyed more success with a rating of 75%.

(Photo shows the Murray River near Wondoga, from where the Division of Indi receives its name)

Famous Names: Aria and Delta

14 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

alphanumeric names, celebrity baby names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, geographical names, Greek names, historical records, Italian names, locational names, musical names, musical terms, name popularity, name trends, names from songs, names from television, nature names, nicknames, saints names, vocabulary names

The Australian music industry celebrated an important birthday a month ago, because July 10 this year marked thirty years since the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) began collating sales information from music stores. The ARIA charts developed from the Kent Music Report, and the first Australian charts began in the 1960s, collated by Go-Set magazine, the music “bible” of its time which later spawned Australian Rolling Stone, and whose weekly music columnist Ian “Molly” Meldrum would go on to host seminal music show Countdown.

The first single to top the ARIA charts way back in 1983 was Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler, the first #1 album was Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and the most consistently popular performer over the many years of her career has been Madonna. However, Kylie Minogue equalled Madonna for the most #1 singles (10), and was equal second with the Black Eyed Peas for most weeks (30) spent at #1 in the singles charts.

Pop singer Delta Goodrem’s debut album, Innocent Eyes, spent longer at #1 than any other Australian album at 29 weeks, and she is the first ever music artist to have five #1 singles from a debut album. Innocent Eyes went on to be the best-selling album of the 2000s. Delta played aspiring singer Nina Tucker on soapie Neighbours, where she sang Born to Try, scoring Delta her first #1 spot on the ARIA charts. She has won ten ARIA Awards, and all her albums have gone to #1, making her one of Australia’s best-selling female artists. Delta is currently a judge, coach and mentor on The Voice.

In music, an aria is a vocal piece performed by a singer, usually as part of a larger work. We often connect arias to opera, although they can be part of classical concert music too, and usually think of them as very beautiful and elaborate pieces of music that only an expert singer can do justice to.

Some famous arias are Ave Maria, O Sole Mio, La Donne e Mobile from Rigoletto, and Nessun Dorma from Turandot (if you think you don’t know them, click on the links to listen, and you’ll probably find that you have heard them before). In Italian, aria means “air”, and is from the Latin word for “atmosphere”.

As a girl’s name, Aria is usually said to be a modern English name. It’s hard to track it through historical records, as any Arias you find could easily be a misprint for Maria, so while there are hundreds of Arias in Australian records, with both English and Italian surnames, your guess is as good as mine whether they were really named Aria.

There is a Saint Aria, an obscure early Christian who was martyred in Rome, but her name seems to have been short for Ariadne.

Aria catapulted into the national Top 100 last year, debuting at #83, the second-highest rising name for girls in Australia, and possibly the highest, if we had access to all the data. The name has been popularised by the character of Aria Montgomery, from the Pretty Little Liars books and TV series, and young singer and actress Aria Wallace; it’s also been boosted by its similarity to other fashionable names, like Arya, Arianna, Ariel, Allira and Allegra. Musician Ash Grunwald welcomed a daughter named Aria earlier this year.

Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet; it’s based on a letter in several Semitic alphabets which is supposed to represent a door. The Greek letter is shaped like a triangle when capitalised, and it is for this reason that the landmass at the mouth of river became known as a “delta”. If you want to get geographically technical, it is wave-dominated deltas which tend to have this triangular form; the most obvious example is that of the River Nile, and it is the Nile Delta which was first given the name, and is the “original” delta.

The Mississippi Delta region is the area which lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, and includes parts of the states of Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. Here’s another geographical technicality – the Mississippi Delta isn’t actually a delta – it’s an alluvial plain. The Mississippi River Delta is 300 miles to the south, in Louisiana, where the river meets the Gulf of Mexico. Just in case you have, in this short space of time, due to my scintillating prose style, become obsessed with river deltas, the Mississippi River has a bird-foot delta, where long finger-like projections reach out into the sea, and isn’t actually delta-shaped in the least.

The Mississippi Delta (the region, not the actual river delta in Louisiana – gosh I hope all this geography isn’t getting too confusing) is associated with the very beginning of several genres of popular music, such as Delta blues and rock and roll. You can no doubt get yourself into some very stimulating arguments over whether Delta blues is significantly different to any other kind of blues, or just how rock and roll got started anyway, but the Mississippi Delta would be crazy not to cash in with tons of music festivals, and they’re not, so they do.

Rita Coolidge is an American singer who inspired the song Delta Lady, by her one-time boyfriend, singer-songwriter Leon Russell. I always assumed that the name came about because Ms Coolidge is from the Mississippi Delta, but – more geographical technicalities – she’s from Macon county in Tennessee, which isn’t in the Delta region. So we may be talking poetic license here rather than geographical technicalities, although from the song’s lyrics, Russell seems to be using delta as a metaphor for ladyparts (as in the erotica collection, Delta of Venus, by Anais Nin).

(Just as an aside, the faded southern belle of unsound mind in the song Delta Dawn, which became Helen Reddy’s first #1 hit, was from Brownsville in Tennessee, which prides itself on being the “heart of the Tennessee Delta”. Dawn was a real Delta Lady.)

It was the song Delta Lady which inspired Delta Goodrem’s parents to name their daughter Delta, so that is one possible source of the name, but you could see it as a geographic name, a nature name or an alphanumeric name as well. You can also see it as a musical name, because a major 7^th chord is sometimes called a Delta Chord.

There are many, many women named Delta in Australian historical records, dating back to the 19^th century, and it is currently #412 in Victoria.

So here’s two pretty, modern-sounding musical names for girls, both with an Australian focus. Cross-cultural Aria is much more on trend that Delta, and consequently more popular, yet Delta has a more solid history of use as a personal name. Which one do you like better?

POLL RESULTS: Aria received an approval rating of 78%, and Delta of 33%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOz6Mt2t084

Girls Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin – Part 2

28 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

animal names, astronomical names, Australian Aboriginal names, baby name books, bird names, birth notices, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, flower names, Greek names, hebrew names, historical records, Italian names, Japanese names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from books, names from fairy tales, names from movies, names from television, names of businesses, names of horses, names of ships, nature names, nicknames, plant names, Polish names, popular names, Romanian names, Slavic names, unisex names, varieties of fruit

My first lists of names from Aboriginal languages are the most popular articles on the blog, so it seemed time for another selection. These names are all ones which have been used as personal names in Australia. I have done my best to elucidate meaning and history as much as possible.

Alinta

Alinta means “flame” in one of the traditional languages of South Australia; it was published in a dictionary by the Royal Society of South Australia in 1891. The name was popularised in 1981 when it was featured in the award-winning mini-series Women of the Sun. Each episode portrayed fictionalised accounts of lives of Aboriginal women in Australian society through history, and the first was Alinta: The Flame. It shows first contact between an Aboriginal tribe and Europeans, when early settlers encounter a tribe while searching for grazing land. The tribe’s culture is threatened by the newcomers, and the tribe is wiped out. The only survivors are a woman named Alinta and her child; Alinta vows that her daughter will “carry the torch” for her culture. There are several businesses in Australia named Alinta, most notably a Western Australian energy company, one of the largest in Australia, and named with the Aboriginal meaning in mind. There is also an Australian-bred variety of strawberry called Alinta. It’s not a very unusual name here, and there are several young actresses with the name. Alinta is also used as a name in Romania, where it means “caress”.

Arika

Arika is a name from the Waka Waka people of south-east Queensland, meaning “blue water lily”. There are several species of blue water lily native to Queensland, and they are used as bush food, for all parts of the plant are edible. In Aboriginal mythology, water lilies are a gift from the Rainbow Serpent, and sometimes in Indigenous astronomy, small stars were seen as water lily bulbs. In the novel Book of Dreams by Traci Harding, the meaning of the name is translated, and it says that in the past, Aboriginal women named Arika were given the name Lily by white people – which suggests that Arika might be a good name to honour a great-grandma Lily. Australians named Arika include Indigenous artist Arika Waulu Onus, and Arika Errington, who works in Aboriginal health, and contacted the blog to tell us about her name. I saw several children and teens named Arika online, mostly from Queensland, so it seems as if this name could be today’s Nerida. Arika sounds a bit like Erica, and is an angram of the Japanese name Akira, while having a similar meaning to Lotus. Possible nicknames that occur to me are Ari and Riki.

Jedda

Jedda (1955) was the first Australian film in colour, the last film of famous director Charles Chauvel, and the first film to star two Aboriginal actors in leading roles. In the movie, Jedda is an Aboriginal girl raised from infancy by a white woman after her mother died giving birth to her. Although she is curious about her own culture, her adoptive mother forbids her from learning anything about it, with tragic consequences. The film was nominated for the main prize at Cannes, and was a commercial success in Australia. In the movie, the name Jedda means “little wild goose” – a forerunner of the chase she will engender. I am not sure if the meaning was invented for the film, or drew on local knowledge; Jedda certainly exists as an Aboriginal name in historical records before 1955. An Aboriginal lady told me that she understood the name Jedda (which was her daughter’s name) as “little child”, but she didn’t say what language that was from. This is reasonably well used as a girl’s name, being similar to Jenna and Jetta – but I have seen it on a boy, because it shortens to Jed, and is also a plant name, because jedda (Jedda multicaulis) is a native shrub.

Kalina

Kalina means “love” in the extinct Wemba-Wemba language of north-west Victoria and south-west New South Wales. It has often been used as a place name, street name, a name for businesses and organisations, and sometimes as a girl’s name in Australia, but I’m not sure whether it was used as a personal name by the Wemba-Wemba people. It is also a literary name, because Kalina is one of the brumbies in the Australian classic children’s series, The Silver Brumby, by Elyne Mitchell – although in this case, Kalina is a white stallion, and his name is understood to mean (in horse language) “marvellous beauty of frost on snow”. Kalina is also a Slavic name which means “cranberry bush”; in Romania it means “rowan tree”, and in Poland it means “virburnum bush”. This is a pretty cross-cultural name which has several attractive meanings, and seems very easy to wear, being similar to Karina, Katrina and Kalista.

Leumeah

Leumeah is an outer southern suburb of Sydney, in the Macarthur region. It was settled by John Warby, a convict explorer who was transported here in 1792. In 1802, Warby was given the job of protecting cattle roaming free south-west of Sydney. Here he befriended the Tharawal people who lived in the area, and learned some of their language. In 1816 he was granted land on which to build a house, barn and stables; the barn and stables are still standing – one of them is a restaurant and the other a motel. (Just to confuse things, the stables is called The Barn Restaurant). Warby named his farm Leumeah, which means “here I rest” in the Tharawal language, and this became the name of the suburb. It is pronounced LOO-mee-uh. I have seen one or two girls given this name, and it seems like an especially happy name for an Australian, as it came about from a rare case of friendship between Aborigines and European settlers. The sound of it is quite on trend, and Lulu could be a nickname.

Marlee

Marlee is a small town in mid-northern New South Wales, whose name means “elder tree” in the local Biripi language. Native Elderberry or Yellow Elderberry is Sambucus australasica; its berries are bush food and they are sweeter than the variety from the northern hemisphere. Marlee is a popular name for houses and streets, suggesting leafy abundance, and it is not uncommon as a girl’s name here. Marlee also means “swan” in the Nyungar language of Western Australia, so it has a nice meaning in two languages. It is a rare week when I don’t see a baby named Marli, Marlie, Mahli or Mali in the birth notices, and Marlee fits in perfectly – in fact there was a Marlee in this week’s birth announcements. You could see these names as attempts to “feminise” Marley, but they could just as easily be short forms of Marlene, Mahlia or Malia. Marlee seems like a great way to join this trend with a specifically Australian meaning.

Narelle

Queen Narelle was the wife of King Merriman (or Umbarra), an important elder of the Yuin people in the latter part of the 19^th century. The Yuin people are the traditional owners of the South Coast region of New South Wales, in the Bermagui area. Aboriginal people traditionally did not have kings or chiefs, and the title of “king” was given to certain elders by white people as a (misguided) mark of respect. There is a famous photo of Queen Narelle’s well-attended funeral taken around 1895, which shows black and white people mourning for her together, so it does seem as if Narelle and Merriman were able to form a bridge between cultures, or that relations in the 19^th century could be harmonious. You may see Narelle translated as “woman from the sea” in baby name books, but in fact the meaning isn’t known; it is pronounced nuh-REL. Narelle first charted in Australia in the 1920s at #362, and reached the Top 100 in the 1940s. It peaked in the 1950s at #50, and was out of the Top 100 in the 1970s. It hasn’t ranked since the 1980s or charted since the 1990s. The name took a dive in the late 1970s, when it featured on highly popular comedy series The Naked Vicar Show. Narelle was a slightly dim-witted, mildly tarty woman – hence the plummeting popularity of the name, which immediately lost all cachet. However, Narelle is actually a pretty name, and the TV show has long been off the air. It even fits in with the trend for -ell names for girls, and could have fashionable Nell or Nellie as the nickname. Names from the 1950s are predicted to make a comeback: could Narelle be one of them?

Nyah

Nyah is a small town in Victoria on the banks of the Murray River, pronounced NY-ah. It began as a utopian socialist community in the late 19^th century, but as utopian socialism went out of fashion, it lost the necessary government support, and it isn’t now any more utopian or socialist than the next country town. Its name means “this bend (of the river)” in the local Boorung language – the bend of the Murray River at Nyah was an important boundary marker for the Boorung people. The region around Nyah has several Indigenous sacred sites, and in the surrounding state forests, anthropologists have discovered many interesting artefacts of Aboriginal culture. I know of someone with this name, and it seems attractive and simple, similar in sound to popular names like Maya, while also a place name important to Indigenous heritage.

Talia

Talia is a small town on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia whose name means “near water” in one of the local languages – appropriately enough for a town by the sea. It may be from Wirangu, or one of its closely related languages. Talia has charted in Australia since the 1970s, which seems to follow its inclusion in Aboriginal Words and Place Names by Alexander Wyclif Reed (1965). It first ranked in the 1980s at #483, and hit its peak in 2009, when it joined the New South Wales Top 100 at #91. Since then it has rapidly declined, and is now #222. The variant spelling of Tahlia has been much more successful, which has been in the Top 100 since the 1990s, peaked in 2009 at #36, and is now #78. Tahlia may be more than an attempt to make clear the Australian pronunciation of Talia – it may also be to differentiate it from international names, because Talia is known as a girl’s name in several other cultures. Talia is a variant of the modern Hebrew name Talya, meaning “dew of God”, and the Italian form of the Greek name Thalia, meaning “blooming”. It can also be used as a short form of Natalia. Talia was the name of the princess in an Italian folk tale on which Sleeping Beauty was based. This is a pretty cross-cultural name with a specifically Australian meaning, and although it is less popular than Tahlia, that may make it more attractive to some parents.

Yindi

Yindi was the name of a ship, one of four that the Australian government presented to the navy of the Philippines as a gift in 1958. Each of them were given Aboriginal names taken from The Australian Language by Sidney J. Baker (1945). The first ship was the Yindi, whose name is translated as “sun”; in most Aboriginal cultures, the sun is female. Yindi also means “to descend” in the Yindjibarndi language of Western Australia, and the name may remind you of the Australian band Yothu Yindi, which means “child and mother” in the Yolngu language of the Northern Territory. I saw a baby girl named Yindi in a birth notice last year, and it struck me as a really stylish choice, which stands out from the crowd and has a sunny meaning.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Talia, Alinta, and Kalina, and their least favourite were Leumeah, Jedda, and Narelle.

(Photo shows Nymphaea gigantea – a species of blue water lily native to south-east Queensland; © Raimond Spekking / CC-BY-SA-4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Requested Name: Fia

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by A.O. in Requested Names

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

famous namesakes, Gaelic names, historical records, Italian names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nicknames, Old Irish names, Old Irish words, rare names, Samoan names, Scottish names, unisex names

Fia is one of those names whose origin is difficult to ascertain, or which may have multiple origins. This isn’t uncommon with names that are exceptionally short and simple, but it does make it difficult to research, and my findings are going to involve a certain amount of supposition.

The earliest I can find Fia in historical records is around the 18^th century, across central and eastern Europe, later moving north to Scandinavia. The most likely explanation is that Fia was used as a short form of a longer name, and, considering names common to all the countries involved, my guess would be that it is short for Sofia (in fact I have seen quite a few Europeans online named Sofia with Fia as their user name).

Fia isn’t often found in the English-speaking world until the late 19^th century, and turns up in the United States amongst immigrants from the aforesaid European countries.

In Australian records, Fia is found very rarely, and associated with both Italian and Samoan immigrants. The Italian is interesting, because the most common explanation of Fia is that it is short for the medieval Italian name Fiammetta, which comes from the Italian word for “fire”. From the records of Italian immigrants to the US, I see Fia used as an abbreviation of Fiorella, meaning “little flower”, although Fia could still be short for Sofia in Italy (it is currently #1 there).

In Samoa, Fia is a common unisex short form of any name beginning or ending with fia. An example is AFL footballer Fia Tootoo, whose entire name is Fiatupu To’oto’o. A Samoan girls name that ends with -fia is Tausa’afia, which means “pleasant, lovable”; Fia can be used as the nickname.

There are two other theories I have read about the origin of Fia that are worth mentioning. One is that it is Scottish Gaelic, and originates from the medieval name Duibhshíth, which has been translated as “black fairy”. The other is that it is short for the medieval Irish name Fiachna, meaning “raven”, or related to fiadh, the Old Irish word for “deer” (originally any game animal).

I don’t find these theories very convincing, mostly because Duibhshíth and Fiachna are male names, and fiadh is also a masculine noun. I wasn’t able to find many women named Fia in Scotland or Ireland in historical records, and the very few I found may have been transcription errors, or abbreviations for longer names, such as Fionnuala. It would be strange for a genuinely Gaelic name to be so absent from Scotland or Ireland.

It would seem that in the English-speaking world, Fia is a modern name, and most likely began as a short form of Sofia. We may have lost touch with its origins due to the vagaries of immigration, and the name’s rarity.

If you are wondering how rare Fia is: there were 28 baby girls named Fia in the United States in 2012, 10 baby girls with the name born in the UK in 2010, and Fia doesn’t show up in Australian data at all. That’s very rare.

Fia is a neat, simple little name which would make a great alternative to popular Sofia and Mia, is a handy nickname for anything from Safiyah to Fiorella to Fiona to Seraphina, and which seems very multicultural. Its dearth of history and namesakes mean that it’s a baggage-free name, with few issues attached, and its rarity ensures that people don’t have a ready image to attach to its bearers.

However, if you are looking for an authentic Gaelic name to honour your Scottish or Irish heritage, I suggest you keep looking. I don’t think this is it.

Thank you to Celia for suggesting the name Fia to be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda.

POLL RESULT: Fia received an approval rating of 68%. 19% of people thought the name Fia was pretty and unusual, but 15% preferred it as a nickname for a longer name only.

(Photo shows Swedish model Fia Ljungstrom)

	waltzingmorethanmati… on Zarah Zaynab and Wolfgang…
	Madelyn on Zarah Zaynab and Wolfgang…
	drperegrine on Can Phoebe Complete This …
	waltzingmorethanmati… on Rua and Rhoa
	redrover23 on Rua and Rhoa

Waltzing More Than Matilda

~ Names with an Australian Bias of Democratic Temper

Tag Archives: Italian names

What Would You Name a Sister for Allegra?

Irish Names For Girls

The Fastest Rising Top 100 Names of 2013

Names of Australian Birds for Girls

The People’s Choice of Girls Names – 2

Famous Name: Diamantina

Famous Names: Indi and Mirabella

Famous Names: Aria and Delta

Girls Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin – Part 2

Requested Name: Fia