Can Phoebe Complete This Sibset?

08 Saturday Oct 2016

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choosing baby names, French names, honouring, middle names, name popularity, nicknames, sibsets

Siobhan and her husband are expecting their third child in a few weeks, who will be a sister to their son Douglas and daughter Lucinda (often called Doug and Lulu).

Their front runner is the name Phoebe. It has a sentimental connection, as Siobhan’s mother is named Fiona, so both names have a similar sound, and the nickname Fi can be used for either name.

Although Siobhan isn’t sure that anything will be better than Phoebe, she is still looking as this is their last child, and would like a great sibset. Siobhan loves sibsets that have a “matchy yet mismatched” sort of feel – ones that go together well, without seeming too obviously a set.

She likes names that are familiar but underused or have a slightly dated feel, and a cute nickname is a bonus. If the baby had been a boy, he would have been named Montgomery and nicknamed Monty.

Other names that are still on the list are Eva, Edith, and Cecilia, and Siobhan has no idea what the middle name will be at this point.

Siobhan welcomes people’s input and ideas.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I know what you mean about those matchy-yet-not-matchy sibsets – I like them too, as they can be charming and unexpected. To me Douglas and Lucinda seem slightly hipster and vaguely Scottish, and Phoebe does fit in with this, as it’s something of a favourite in Scottish songs and ballads.

The names all have quite different popularity profiles: Douglas is a classic which peaked in the 1920s and is now in limited use; Lucinda is a modern classic which has never been popular but is fairly well used; while Phoebe is a retro name which has been popular since the 1990s, but never reached the Top 50. I guess you could say all of them are under-used in some sense.

What makes Phoebe special for you is that you connect it with your mother, and I don’t think you can go past a name that has some kind of meaning or positive association for you. It sounds as if it is the FEE in the name, or the potential to use Fi or Fee as the nickname, which is the main drawcard. There are other names which could give you the same sound and nickname, but perhaps you have already considered and rejected them.

Felicity can also have Fee has the nickname, and it doesn’t seem wildly different from Fiona. Like Fiona it peaked in the 1970s, but never became very popular, making its profile similar to Lucinda – a modern classic which is underused, but remains in reasonable use. It somehow reminded me a little of Montgomery, too.

Another one is Josephine – the original long form for the French nickname Fifi. Josephine is a classic which peaked in the 1910s, so quite similar to Douglas. It hasn’t been popular for many decades, yet has remained in constant steady use, so is very similar in popularity to Lucinda.

A third one that occurs me, and is perhaps something of a stretch, is Daphne. It’s a Greek name like Phoebe with a strong PH in it ending in an EE sound, and it peaked in the 1920s like Douglas. Like Phoebe, it’s a retro name as it has recently come back into fashion but is still underused and has a similar popularity level to Douglas. Fee seems like a cute nickname for it, and more modern than Daph and Daffy.

When you are completely stuck for a middle name and literally have no ideas, then family names can be a good option – although as you are already using a spin on a family name upfront, you might find this a bit much. If so, the unused names on your baby name list can be a go-to resource. It’s especially safe for you as you are not planning on another child and don’t have to worry that you might be “name stealing” from a future daughter.

From your list, I think Phoebe Cecilia is very elegant. I admit that I’m probably very biased though, as I have Cecilia as a middle name on my own name list! I think I would prefer it matched with a longer name like Cordelia or Vivienne, but something short like Phoebe Jane or Phoebe Kate would also work well.

To recap, I think Phoebe makes a great addition to your family and has a wonderful association for you. It’s not the only name you could use that fits the bill, but I think Phoebe is probably where your heart lies. I don’t think you would have any serious problem finding a middle name to go with Phoebe.

Good luck with your name search, and do let us know what name you eventually use!

POLL RESULTS
90% of people approved of the sibset Douglas, Lucinda and Phoebe, with 39% thinking it was great, 27% thinking it was nice, and 25% thinking it was fine. 10% of people weren’t fans. 32% of people thought this sibset was better than any other suggested – 10% more than the next choice, which was Douglas, Lucinda and Josephine.

Waltzing With … Eve

25 Sunday Sep 2016

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

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Biblical names, celebrity baby names, epithets and titles, fictional namesakes, Greek names, hebrew names, international name popularity, Irish names, modern classics, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from movies, nicknames, popular names, saints names, UK name popularity, US name popularity

The Spring Equinox has just passed, and I’m planning on doing lots of gardening in the school holidays. So here’s a name suited to the season of new life and growth.

Biblical Namesake
Eve is derived from the Hebrew name Hawwah (in modern Hebrew, Chavah) which comes from both the word for “breath” and for “life”. It can be translated as “she who lives” or “source of life”.

The goddess Asherah, who was the wife of God in early Semitic tradition, held the title Chawat, which is the source of the name. Interestingly the word is from the same root as the word for “snake”, as these creatures are symbols of wisdom, and serpents were sacred to Asherah.

As the first pages of the Old Testament tell us, Eve was the first woman, created by God as a wife for the first man, Adam. God fashioned Eve from Adam’s rib while he slept. The story is quite similar to a Sumerian myth: in this case, the word for “rib” was a pun on the word for “life”, which explains why Eve was made from this body part.

Eve and Adam began in complete harmony with nature, living in the Garden of Eden as caretakers to the plants and animals, and eating only fruit and other plants. The couple were in a state of blissful innocence, and wore no clothes, for the Bible tells us that they were “naked and not ashamed”.

Apart from the simple requirements of daily gardening and animal husbandry, a raw food diet, strict veganism, and total nudity, God really only had one major rule and that was not to eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is an impressive way of saying The Tree of Knowledge of All Things, or even just The Tree of Knowledge. He decreed that the punishment for this crime would be an immediate death sentence.

The Tree of Knowledge was right in the middle of the Garden of Eden so you couldn’t avoid seeing it, and it was an especially beautiful tree, laden with the most delicious-looking fruit. This was the start of the original “trouble in paradise”.

The snake was said to be the craftiest and most cunning of all the animals God had created, and in those days it walked upon legs. It was also able to talk, or perhaps Eve and Adam had the innate ability to understand the speech of all creatures.

This crafty, leggy, chatty snake schmoozed up to Eve and, without ever actually suggesting this would be a good idea, or that she should do it, the snake cleverly planted the idea in Eve’s mind that eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge would open her mind to untold wisdom. It would make her the intellectual equal of God, and the experience wouldn’t lead to death after all.

So what with these cunning arguments, and the tree being so delectable and accessible, Eve ate the fruit. She handed it over to Adam, and he ate it as well. It’s worth pointing out that the Bible says that Adam was right next to Eve the whole time, and had presumably heard all the same crafty snake talk without butting in with any counter-arguments, or insisting they’d better leave right now. Nope, he just hoed right in on a forbidden fruit binge.

Their minds now open to all knowledge, the first bit of information they received was they were walking around in the nude, and that made them feel suddenly ashamed. Hastily they sewed themselves loincloths out of fig leaves, and then hid from God, because another vital bit of info they’d gotten was that they’d done something incredibly bad, and now had this horrible gnawing feeling, which was guilt.

Part the knowledge they had imbibed was the ability to pass the buck, because once God started asking them a few probing questions Adam was quick to pin it all on Eve, and Eve was just as fast shifting all the blame on the snake.

Of course when God learned the truth, the proverbial hit the fan and there were major penalties handed out. The snake became legless so he had to crawl in the dust, and from now on humans would hate and fear him. Eve would suffer horrible pain during childbirth so that sexual desire would be its own punishment, and she would be subservient to her husband. The earth itself would turn against Adam, so that he would have to work and suffer for every mouthful he ate.

Finally God banished Eve and Adam from the Garden of Eden, because he was afraid that now they knew everything their next step would be to eat from the Tree of Life, which was right next to the Tree of Knowledge, and gave immortality to those who ate from it. Mysteriously, this tree wasn’t mentioned before and God never warned them off it. But he was worried now, and set some fiery cherubim to guard it.

It was only after all these events that Adam gave Eve her name, to show that she would become the mother of all humanity. Before this, Adam just called her Woman. It’s food for thought that Eve’s name came only after she had lost her innocence, and that Adam only knew her name when he had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge. Eve is a name born out of hard-won wisdom.

According to Christian tradition, Adam and Eve repented of their sin and were forgiven by God. They ascended into Heaven upon the Resurrection of Christ, and have been canonised as saints, with their feast day being Christmas Eve, aptly enough.

There has been a tendency to see Eve as responsible for the Fall of Man. She is often cast in the role of temptress, and the phrase “the wisdom of Eve” refers to feminine wiles. It is further extrapolated that all women are somehow more sinful by nature, and the Bible is sometimes used to justify women being kept in submission, even though hardly anybody seems to think that men as a sex should have to struggle and suffer for every bite of food.

Eve is a fascinating character. Unlike Pandora, she was not given to man to plague him, but made to be his companion, “flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone”. She is the first mother yet she isn’t primarily a fertility figure, but one who is hungry for wisdom and brings knowledge to the world. In a sense, her act made the world as we know it – not the natural world created by God, but the human world of thoughts and ideas, of good and evil, of choices and consequences.

Name Information
Eve has been used as an English name since the Middle Ages, and was introduced by the Normans; there is a French saint named Eve who is the patron of the city of Dreux. The Latin form Eva was more common, but in everyday life the person might have been called Eve. The name has remained in use ever since, and in Ireland was sometimes used to Anglicise the name Aoife.

Eve first joined the charts in the 1950s at #409. The award-winning drama All About Eve came out in 1950, starring Anne Baxter as the scheming Eve Harrington. In the film, the name Eve is deliberately chosen to evoke a sense of deception. Another film of this decade was the 1957 The Three Faces of Eve, with Joanne Woodward winning the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a woman with multiple personality disorder.

The name Eve stayed around the 400 mark for decades, but began climbing steeply in the 2000s. It joined the national Top 100 last year. Currently it is #87 nationally, #95 in New South Wales, #65 in Victoria, and #46 in the Australian Capital Territory Territory. Last year it was one of the fastest-rising names for girls, going up 14 places, and was a fast-rising name in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

In the US the name Eve was almost continuously on the Top 1000 from the late 19th century until the mid 1980s, peaking in the early 20th century around the 400s. The name went off the charts in 1985, but reappeared in 1998 – the same year that rapper Eve Jeffers-Cooper, who performs under her first name only, began her career. Since then it has risen, and is now #475 and fairly stable.

In the UK, Eve joined the Top 100 in 1999, the same year British actor Clive Owen welcomed a daughter named Eve, and peaked in 2001 at #50. It left the Top 100 in 2010, the same year American rapper Eve began dating British entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper, now her husband. It is currently #161. Eve is still popular in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, and is in common use in France.

Eve is an ancient name, but one that has gained a very modern image, as it’s a favourite in sci fi to give to a “first woman” of some kind (the first gynoid or clone, for example), and also works well as an acronym, such as the robot EVE – Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator – in Wall-E.

This is a slim and trim modern classic underused for centuries due to the association with the biblical character, who is both our mother to revere, and blamed for our fall from grace. It is interesting that both Adam and Eve joined the charts in the 1950s, but Adam became popular almost immediately while Eve languished.

It’s never been able to match classic Eva (its Latin form) or popular Zoe (the Greek version), but it feels as if Eve’s day might be arriving. It fits in so perfectly with current trends for names such as Ava and Evelyn, and is a possible formal name for the popular nickname Evie.

Based on overseas trends, you wouldn’t expect Eve to go very much higher than it is already, but as every country has its own profile for Eve, we’ll have to wait and see what happens here.

POLL RESULTS
The name Eve received an overwhelming 99% approval rating, making it the highest-rated name of 2016. 46% of people loved the name Eve, and only one person disliked it. Nobody hated the name Eve.

(Painting is Adam et Eve au jardin d’Eden by Gustave-Claude-Etienne Courtois, 1853-1923)

Famous Name: Esme

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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aristocratic names, created names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, germanic names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, Scottish names, surname names, Twilight names, UK name popularity, unisex names, US name popularity, vintage names

Famous Namesake
Last week it was the 122nd birthday of Esme Fink, born on September 15 1894, and known as “Molly” from her middle name, Mary. She was an attractive blue-eyed blonde with a charming, fun-loving personality, and came from a respectable Melbourne family who had fallen on hard times, so her mother was desperate for Esme to meet an eligible bachelor as soon as possible.

While staying in Sydney, Esme caught the eye of of a middle aged Indian rajah who was there for the races and had become part of Sydney’s elite. His name was Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman, and he was the ruler of the princely state of Pudukkottai in British India, today in southern India. Martanda was smitten with Esme, and after a few months proposed marriage.

The happy couple wed almost immediately, and after being sneered at in the Australian press, travelled to India. Right from the start the British authorities were hostile to Martanda’s choice of bride. They had already warned him that a “mixed marriage” would not be formally recognised, and King George V decided that Molly Fink was a dreadful name. The final straw came when Esme became pregnant, and a poisoning attempt was made on her.

Esme and Martanda returned to Australia, where their son Martanda Sydney was born; Martanda became known in racing circles, and Esme as a socialite. They left Australia for London in order to demand recognition of their marriage, but when it became obvious their son would never be acknowledged, Martanda abdicated in exchange for substantial financial compensation.

Esme and Martanda settled in Cannes, where Esme’s friends included the photographer Cecil Beaton, and hostess Elsa Maxwell. Esme loved fashion, and was the first person to ever buy a Schiaparelli evening dress; she known for her extravagance, and eccentricities such as taking a pet tortoise for walkies while dressed to kill.

After her husband’s unexpected death, the Aga Khan proposed marriage to her, but she turned him down in order to live the high life independently. When World War II broke out she travelled to New York with Cecil Beaton and Anita Loos, and with her money frozen because of the war, worked illegally in a department store to make ends meet, while raising funds for Australian and Canadian servicemen.

She was estranged from her son after he was imprisoned for jewel theft, and as her funds dwindled became something of a recluse, taking comfort in alcohol and her Pekingese dogs. She died in 1967, leaving her extensive wardrobe to the Fashion Museum in Bath.

Name Information
Esme is the Anglicised form of Esmé, derived from the Old French word esmer, meaning “esteem, respect, love”, and pronounced EZ-may. It was first given to Esmé Stewart 1st Duke of Lennox, a cousin of King James VII, born in 1542; his mother was French. The name was used for eldest sons in his family for a few generations (the chain was broken after one of the Esmés died young, after which the name wasn’t used again by the family).

Esmé as a boy’s name never really took off, even in Scotland, and by the 19th century Esme was becoming better known as an English name given to girls, although still in some use for boys by the aristocracy, especially those with ties to Scotland.

The reason for its gender switch could have been because it sounds like a cross between Esther and May, or perhaps it became conflated with Ismay, a medieval English girl’s name thought to be derived from the Germanic name Ismagin, meaning “iron strength”. It is better known as a surname (the owner of the doomed Titanic was J. Bruce Ismay), and the surname Esmay is a variant. Ismay and Esme both came into use around the same time in the modern era, and at one time Ismay was usually given to boys – both names became more commonly feminine in the 19th century.

Another possible blow to the name Esmé remaining masculine was the scandalous 1894 novel The Green Carnation, published anonymously but written by Robert Hichens. The lead characters in the novel were Esmé Amarinth and Lord Reginald Hastings, closely modelled on real life lovers Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas. An instant success in both Britain and the US, its readers were shocked and titillated, and a reviewer described it as “impudent … bold … delicious”.

The book had to be withdrawn because it depicted homosexuality, but the damage was done and the novel set the stage for Oscar Wilde’s public disgrace and downfall. The Green Carnation was one of the works used by the prosecution in the case against Oscar Wilde for gross indecency, which saw him sentenced to two years hard labour. Use of the name Esme for boys became extremely rare after the late 19th century, and I can’t help wondering if the book helped cement the idea that the name was not only feminine, but effeminate on a man.

The name Esme has been used several times in literature, quite apart from this scandalising roman-à-clef. J.D. Salinger wrote a short story called For Esmé – with Love and Squalor; Esmé is an orphaned English teenager who befriends an American soldier. The name is referenced in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, which has a nasty piece of work named Esmé Squalor.

Another villainess is mutant Esme Cuckoo in Marvel’s X-Men series, while powerful witch Esmerelda “Esme” Weatherwax in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld fantasy series is a force for good. In Saki’s darkly comic 1911 short story Esmé, the title character is an animal and the person who bestows the name does not know its sex, so chooses Esmé as suitable for either male or female. Knowing Saki, it’s hard not to wonder if The Green Carnation helped inspire the choice of name.

More recently the name has featured in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, as Esme Cullen is the gentle, caring vampire den mother. Her name is half the basis for her granddaughter’s name, Renesmee.

Esme was #139 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1910s at #120 – the same period Esme Fink was in the papers as a society beauty and putative rani. Esme left the charts in the 1950s. Since then it has made a mild come-back, and is around the 600s.

In the UK Esme did not make the Top 200 during the 19th century. However, it has been rising steadily since the late 1990s, and joined the Top 100 in 2008. It is currently #38 and still going strong. One influence on the name may be the British model, DJ and actress Esmé Bianco, who played Ros in Game of Thrones. The name is popular in Scotland, at #57.

Esme doesn’t have a strong history of use in the US, and only joined the Top 1000 in 2010, two years after the first Twilight movie. Numbers have risen, and it is currently #682.

For many years in Australia this name was associated with gossipy old Esme Watson from A Country Practice, but it has been given a new lease of life. It’s a vintage name that feels contemporary and stylish, and by now its masculine origins are long past, although not forgotten. It’s an artistic name with plenty of literary clout, and popular culture has brought it new admirers.

You can spell it Esmé if your state or territory birth registry will allow it (some won’t), but Esme looks neat and pretty, and by now I think nearly everyone knows how to pronounce the name without the aid of an accent. Adding an extra E to spell it Esmée in an attempt to feminise or Frenchify it is redundant, as by now the name already is feminine, and it’s not a French name but a British one.

POLL RESULTS
The name Esme received an approval rating of 82%. People saw the name Esme as intelligent and artistic (20%), pretty or beautiful (20%), classy and elegant (17%), and cute on a little girl but sophisticated on a grown woman (15%). However, 6% saw it as ugly and frumpy.

(Photo is of Esme “Molly” Fink, taken by Cecil Beaton)

Unique Boys Names from the 2015 Birth Notices

18 Sunday Sep 2016

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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American names, Arabic names, Biblical names, celebrity baby names, english names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Game of Thrones names, germanic names, Greek names, Hawaiian names, hebrew names, Irish names, locational names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names of rivers, nicknames, rare names, royal names, saints names, scandinavian names, Scottish names, surname names, vintage names, Welsh names

These are ten names given to boys which I saw only once in the birth announcements of last year. They are not all rare, but they are at least names you don’t see every day.

Aled
Welsh name, after the River Aled – a small river in Denbighshire in north Wales. Its meaning is not certain, although some have linked it with the Welsh root al-, meaning “wandering”, which suggests the winding flow of a river. Probably more importantly, in modern Welsh aled means “offspring”, making the name seem very suitable as a baby name. A historic namesake is the 15th century Welsh poet Tudur Aled, a nobleman from Denbighshire considered one of the finest poets of his time. Aled has been used as a boy’s name in Wales since perhaps the 18th century, and originated in Denbighshire. Its similarity to the name Allen must have been a help – it basically sounds like Allen with a D at the end instead of an N. A famous contemporary example is Welsh singer Aled Jones, who had a hugely successful career as a young boy, and is now a radio and television presenter. The name is still in use in the UK, although numbers have fallen. A pleasant Welsh heritage choice made familiar through a famous namesake.

Dashiell
English surname which is a corruption of the French surname de Chiel; its meaning is unknown. The de Chiel family were French Protestants who fled to Scotland escaping religious persecution in the 16th century. From here the surname morphed into Da Chiell, Da Shiell, Shiell, and Dashiell – the last seems to be first used in America, when the French-Scottish family migrated to Maryland in the 17th century. Dashiell has been used as a first name since the 19th century and was particularly associated with Maryland. The name has become famous because of the American crime novelist Dashiell Hammett, who wrote such classics as The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man; he received his name because his mother was one of the Dashiell family of Maryland. The name has never been common even in its country of origin, but is now rather fashionable as well as having literary cachet. Actress Cate Blachett welcomed a son named Dashiell in 2001, so this is a celebrity baby name. Pronunciation is a slight issue – Dashiell Hammett said his name da-SHEEL, while these days the name is nearly always pronounced something like DASH-uhl. Said thus, it gives the obvious nickname Dash, as demonstrated by Dashiell “Dash” Parr in The Incredibles.

Eamon
Anglicised form of Éamonn, the Irish form of Edmund. The name became well known because of the American-born Irish statesman Éamon de Valera, who was a force in Irish politics for over half a century. He came to prominence as a leader during the Easter Rising of 1916 and eventually became the country’s president in 1959. Éamon didn’t retire until he was 90, making him the world’s oldest head of state. Éamon de Valera was originally named George, and later had his name changed to Edward, so Éamon was a conscious attempt to give himself an authentically Irish name. Éamon de Valera visited Australia in the 1940s, and had strong links of friendship with the Irish-Catholic community here, especially amongst the priesthood, so the name Éamon or Eamon was very well known here for many years. A famous Australian namesake is the former Olympic swimming champion Eamon Sullivan. An Irish heritage choice which is dated in Ireland, but won’t seem so here, especially as it fits in well with current naming trends.

Gilbert
Germanic name meaning “bright pledge, bright hostage”. The meaning of “hostage” makes some people uneasy, however in the past it was common for political treaties to be accompanied by the exchange of hostages, usually nobles or even royalty, as a guarantee of good faith. The name Gilbert was introduced to Britain by the Normans, and was popular in the Middle Ages. In Scotland Gilbert was sometimes used to Anglicise the Gaelic name Gille Brigte, meaning “follower of Saint Bridget”. There are a few saints with the name, including Gilbert of Sempringham, the son of a Norman lord from Lincolnshire who founded the only English religious order, the Gilbertines; they didn’t survive the Reformation in England. Gilbert was #123 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1990s. It returned in 2011, and is now around the 500s. This is a vintage charmer which L.M. Montgomery fans may connect with handsome Gilbert Blythe, the love interest of red-haired heroine Anne Shirley. Comes with the nicknames Gil, Gib, Bert, and Bertie.

Keanu
Hawaiian name literally meaning “the coolness”, and translated as “the cool breeze”. In Hawaii it has been given to both sexes, but mostly to boys. The name has become famous because of Hollywood star Keanu Reeves, who has some Hawaiian heritage through his American father. He’s made a name as a blockbuster action star through The Matrix series, Speed, and Point Break, but is forever famous for the cult Bill and Ted movies. He has a connection to Australia since he lived here as a baby. The Hawaiian pronunciation of the name is keh-ah-noo; Keanu Reeves says his name more like kay-ah-noo, while many seem to say it kee-ah-noo. The strong identification of the name Keanu with the actor may cause some parents to think of it as a “one person name”, although it’s attractive with a nice meaning. On one hand, the Hollywood connection makes the name familiar and easy to deal with; on the other, prepare for people to assume you are a huge fan of Keanu Reeves.

Leif
Scandinavian name from the Old Norse name Leifr, meaning “descendant, heir”. Depending on which part of Scandinavia a person is from, the name is pronounced either LAYF or LIFE. Leif has a very famous namesake, because Leif Erikson was a Viking chieftain from Greenland, the son of Erik the Red. He was described by contemporaries as a strong, striking-looking man who was wise and considerate, and regarded as lucky. Leif converted to Christianity on a voyage to Norway and preached his new-found religion to the Greenlanders. Leif Erikson is perhaps best known for voyaging to a country he called Vinland, somewhere in modern Canada, where he founded a few Nordic settlements around 1000 AD. Leif Erikson not only pushed back the date of European colonisation in North America, he helped give Scandinavian immigrants to the Unites States a special tie to their adopted country. In the United States, Leif Ericson Day is celebrated every October 9. Leif is a slightly dated name in Scandinavia, but feels fresh here. A famous Australian namesake is music industry graphic designer Leif Podhajsky.

Ptolemy
Anglicised form of the Greek name Ptolemaios, meaning “war-like”, pronounced TOL-uh-mee. The name is mentioned in Homer’s Iliad as one of the Greek warriors. Ptolemy was a common name amongst the aristocracy of Macedonia, and the name was traditional in a line of Macedonian rulers in Egypt descended from one of Alexander the Great’s generals. They were in power for nearly three centuries, and are collectively known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty; one of their most famous members is the ruler Cleopatra. The most famous namesake is Claudius Ptolemy, nearly always known as Ptolemy. He was a Greco-Egyptian Roman citizen who wrote several important scientific treatises on maths, astronomy, geography, and astrology. His work was essential to medieval knowledge, and Christopher Columbus used his work on geography as the map for his famous voyage. There is a Ptolemy mentioned in the New Testament, and two saints with the name. Ptolemy has been used as an English name since the 17th century; it sounds like the English name Tolomy, short for Bartholomew. A rare but very cool name – possibly even a little too cool.

Rayyan
Arabic name meaning “thirst quenching, well-watered, luxuriant”; in the Quran the word is used to mean “splendour”. In Islamic tradition Rayyan is the name of one of the four gates of Paradise, dedicated to those who have fasted often in their lives. A common name in Arabic-speaking countries and communities, this works well in English-speaking countries. Not only is it quite similar to popular Ryan, but the possibility of using familiar Ray as the nickname gives your son the option of complete assimilation in the future. It even sounds very slightly like the English word rain, which fits in with the Arabic meaning. A no-fuss Arabic heritage choice.

Solomon
Hebrew name meaning “peace”. In the Old Testament King Solomon was the son of King David, famed for his enormous political and military power, and fabulous wealth gained through trade partnerships. According to Jewish tradition Solomon used that wealth to build the First Temple in Jerusalem, and his reign was a Golden Age. The Bible tells us that Solomon once prayed for wisdom, and because he did not ask for something selfish, he was granted not only wisdom but many other gifts as well. Legend says he received magical powers, and the ability to control angels and demons! An enigmatic passage in the Bible describes a visit made by the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, and the Ethiopian monarchy claimed descent from Solomon. Solomon is credited with writing Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon – one of the most beautiful works of poetry in the Bible. A central figure in Judaism, Solomon is venerated as a prophet in Islam, and regarded as a saint in Eastern Christianity. Solomon has often been used by Jewish people, East Europeans, and Africans, but has been used as an English name since the Middle Ages in honour of the biblical figure. A wise and peaceful name that might remind people of the Solomon Islands.

Tyrion
A name mostly known through popular culture. Currently it is associated with Tyrion Lannister from A Game of Thrones, played by award-winning actor Peter Dinklage. Born into privilege, Tyrion is despised by his family, and must learn to live by his not-inconsiderable wits. The cynical, debauched, bitterly intelligent Tyrion is a fan favourite, and author George R.R. Martin’s own favourite character from the series. Before that, Tyrion was a High Elf in the the 1980s role-playing game Warhammer, and a wise dragon king in the 1990s German-Australian television series Tabaluga. Tyrion is a variant of the name Tyrian, meaning “of Tyre”. Tyre was a wealthy island-city in ancient Phoenicia whose name meant “rock” because of the formation it was built on; today it is in modern Lebanon. Tyre was famous for its production of expensive purple cloth, only affordable by royalty and aristocracy; the word tyrian can refer specifically to the colour purple, and has connotations of pomp and power. You could also connect the word Tyrian to Tyr, the Norse god of war. Despite these interesting associations, Tyrian and Tyrion have been used only very rarely as personal names; however they seem like fantasy names which can still work in the real world.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Dashiell, Solomon and Eamon, and their least favourite were Rayyan, Aled and Tyrion.

(Picture shows Dashiell “Dash” Parr from The Incredibles)

Unique Girls Names from the 2015 Birth Notices

11 Sunday Sep 2016

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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Arabic names, aristocratic names, created names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, Greek names, hebrew names, Indian names, international name popularity, Irish names, Latin names, modern names, Mongolian names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from television, names of rivers, nicknames, Norwegian names, polynesian names, Russian names, saints names, Scottish names, Sindarin names, Slavic names, unisex names

These are ten names given to girls which I saw only once in the birth announcements of last year. They are not all rare (and some of them are popular in other countries even if uncommon here), but they are at least names you don’t see every day.

Aviva
Feminine form of the modern Hebrew name Aviv, meaning “spring”. The word aviv refers to that time of year when grain crops are ripening, is a month of the Jewish calendar, and well known from Israel’s capital Tel Aviv, meaning “Spring Hill”. The names Aviv and Aviva have also become commonly used in Russian-speaking countries. The American philosopher Noam Chomsky has a daughter named Aviva, who is a historian and activist, and you might have seen Aviva Dreschel on The Real Housewives of New York City. Another TV Aviva was pretty schoolgirl Aviva “Viv” Newton from Home and Away, played by Mouche Phillips back in 1990. Although Aviva is a rare name in Australia, it fits in perfectly with current name trends for girls, and does not look at all out of place next to popular Ava and fashionable Vivian. Despite the name’s origin, I suspect many people will automatically connect it to the Latin viva, meaning “alive”. However, this dovetails nicely with the true meaning, as spring is a season of new life. Avi, Viv, Eva, Evie, and Viva are obvious nicknames – the last one is also a brand of paper towels. Vivka is a traditional Russian pet form.

Clodagh
Modern Irish name taken from the name of the River Clodiagh, which runs through the counties of Tipperary and Waterford. There’s a small river with the same name in Kilkenny, and you can find variations of the name all over Ireland. There’s a River Clydagh in Mayo, a Clady Water in Antrim, and towns with names such as Claudy in Derry and Bunclody in Wexford, at the foot of the River Clody, which is yet another river with basically the same name. The name is derived from the Gaelic for “wash, clean” – baby name sites often tell us that Clodiagh was a goddess of water in Irish mythology, but nothing is known of such a deity, although it’s not implausible. The name is said to have first been bestowed in 1897 on the youngest daughter of John Beresford, 5th Marquess of Waterford, giving the name aristocratic origins. Lady Clodagh married the son of an English earl and wrote memoirs, gaining a wider audience for her name. Clodagh is a popular name in Ireland and Northern Ireland, being in the Top 50 of both countries. Pronounced KLO-da, this is an Irish heritage choice reminiscent of Chloe and Claudia.

Eilidh
Medieval Scottish name. Despite the rather daunting spelling, it is very easy to pronounce – AY-lee. It is usually said to be the Scottish equivalent of Helen, although seems much more likely to be a form of Elionoir (said AY-lee-nuh), the medieval Scottish form of Eleanor, due to the usual medieval mix-up between Eleanor and Ellen. It has also been linked to the Irish name Eileen, the name Evelyn, and so august a source as the Oxford Press suggests it as a Scottish medieval pet form of Elizabeth. Eilidh was a common name during the Middle Ages, but went out of use and was revived in the 20th century so you can see it as both ancient and modern. It’s a popular name in Scotland, and is currently #22. This is a charming Caledonian choice whose sound fits in with familiar names like Ellie, Ayla, Hayley and Kaylee, and due to the competing theories of origin, could be used to honour multiple women at once.

Liv
Norwegian name from the Old Norse hlif, meaning “shelter, protection”. In modern Norwegian, it coincides with the word for “life”. Both these meanings bring to mind the character of Líf from Norse mythology: it is foretold that at the end of the world, she and her male partner Lífþrasir will survive by hiding in the World Tree, and from them will new generations of humans be born (their names can be translated as Life and Life’s Lover). This gives it an irresistible connection to the name Eve. The name Liv became well known in the English-speaking world through the award-winning Norwegian actress Liv Ullman, who starred in several Ingmar Bergman films. The American actress Liv Tyler was named after her – Tyler’s mother saw Liv Ullman on the cover of TV Guide a few months before Liv Tyler was born. The name Liv is popular in Scandinavia, Belgium, and The Netherlands, and doesn’t seem unfamiliar because of popular Olivia. Short and simple with two great meanings, this is a rare but very usable name.

Nadia
Can be a variant of Nadya, a short form of the Slavic name Nadezhda, meaning “hope” (in some Slavic languages, Nadia actually coincides with the word for “hope”). Nadia has an extensive history of use, being used in English-speaking countries, Latin America, Scandinavia, France, Italy and Spain, as well as in Russia and Eastern Europe. Nadia is also an Arabic name, a transliteration of Nadiyyah, which can be translated as “tender, delicate”, or “the caller”, to suggest one who inspires others to a higher cause. Nadia is a popular name in Spain and Portugal, and most popular in Poland, as well as being widely known in the Arabic world. In Australia, Nadia joined the charts in the 1950s at #348; one of the names introduced by post-war immigration. It peaked in the 1980s at #181 and is currently around the 200s or 300s. This is a multicultural choice with two positive meanings that will be familiar almost everywhere.

Rhea
In Greek mythology Rhea was one of the Titans, the daughter of the earth goddess Gaia and sky god Uranus. The sister and wife of Cronus, the god of time, Rhea was the mother of the chief Olympian gods and goddesses. It was she who helped save Zeus from being killed by his father, tricking Cronus by presenting him with a stone wrapped in a blanket instead of a baby god. As such, she was venerated as the mother of the gods, and as a mother goddess and guide of destiny; she is often depicted driving a chariot pulled by two lions. The mother of Romulus and Remus, and the mother of Hercules were both named Rhea after the goddess. The meaning of Rhea’s name is uncertain. It’s traditionally derived either from the Greek word for “ground”, or from “flow, discharge”. Another suggestion is that it comes from the word for “pomegranate”, a fertility symbol. It’s quite possible that the name is pre-Greek and the meaning unrecoverable. Pronounced either REE-uh or RAY-uh, Rhea is an uncommon name but is simple to spell and say, and fits in well with current naming trends (not to mention the fashion for mythological names). It’s also a good multicultural choice, as it sounds like European Ria, used as a short form of names like Maria, and also like the Indian names Riya and Reya.

Serena
Latin name meaning “serene, tranquil”. There is a legendary Saint Serena, said to be the Christian wife of the Emperor Diocletian; Diocletian’s wife was actually Saint Prisca, sometimes called Saint Alexandra just to confuse things further. There was a famous Christian noblewoman named Serena in ancient Rome, married to a high-ranking general and cousin to the emperor. The story goes that she took a necklace from a statue of Rhea Silvia, the legendary mother of Romulus and Remus, and placed it around her own neck. The last Vestal Virgin cursed her for her impiety, and after this Serena was troubled by nightmares about her own death; these dreams proved prophetic when she was falsely accused of conspiring with the Goths and executed. The name Serena first entered the charts in the 1960s at #515; this was the era when Serena was Samantha’s mischievous brunette cousin on Bewitched (played by Elizabeth Montgomery in a wig). The name mostly rose after that, peaking in 2009 at #190: it’s now around the 200s. A popular name in Italy, this is another multicultural choice with a famous namesake in American tennis champ Serena Williams, and numerous fictional namesakes.

Tauriel
Tauriel is a character in The Hobbit movie series by Peter Jackson, played by Evangeline Lilly. She doesn’t appear in the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien but was created for the films by Peter Jackson, Phillipa Boyens, and Fran Walsh. In the films Tauriel is one of the Woodland Elves of Mirkwood; a warrior and head of the elven guard. She’s a rebellious figure, and rather reckless, but shows her softer side through a romantic plot line. The name Tauriel was created for the character from the Sindarin language invented by Tolkien, and is probably best translated as “forest maiden”; it’s said TAWR-ee-el. There’s a real Katniss vibe to this name, as they are names from popular culture, and both Tauriel and Katniss are bold, brave young women who are brilliant with bow and arrows. It feels like a name with a use-by date, but doesn’t seem that strange, as it has the Tori sound from Victoria and the -elle sound ending shared with names like Estelle and Gabrielle.

Ulanni
Variant spelling of Uʻilani or Uilani, a Polynesian name usually translated as “heavenly beauty” or “royal beauty”, which can also be spelled Ulani. It can be pronounced yoo-LAH-nee. Uilani an be given to either sex (there is a male soccer player from Tuvalu called Uilani), but is generally thought of as a female name, and is sometimes a surname as well. To me, Ulanni feels like a more specifically feminine spelling, and this is a pretty heritage choice which comes with the fashionable nickname Lani.

Zaya
Mongolian name meaning “fate, destiny”. It is a Top 10 name for girls in Mongolia, although a famous namesake is Zaya Pandita, a 17th century Mongolian prince who became a Tibetan Buddhist scholar – in his case, the name is a variant of the unisex Indian name Jaya, meaning “victory” in Sanskrit. The name has recently been in the spotlight because of the fantasy film Gods of Egypt, which has a slave girl named Zaya as the love interest, played by Australian model and actress Courtney Eaton. In the film the name is said ZAY-uh, but it can also be pronounced ZY-uh. Zaya is a spunky little name that seems like a fresh alternative to Zara, Zahlia, and other Z names.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Liv, Aviva and Eilidh, while their least favourites were Clodagh, Tauriel and Ulanni.

(Picture shows a poster for Gods of Egypt, featuring Zaya)

Requested Names: Estelle and Estella

07 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by A.O. in Requested Names

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European name popularity, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, Greek names, Latinate names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, retro names, royal names, saints names, UK name popularity, US name popularity, vintage names

Estelle is a French name. It became known because of Saint Estelle, a legendary 3rd century martyr from Gaul whose father was a Roman nobleman, and her mother descended from a long line of powerful Druids. After converting to Christianity, her own father condemned Estelle to death for her faith, making her another of those young girl saints with less than supportive dads.

The saint’s name was actually Eustelle, from the Greek for “beautifully adorned”. Over time, the spelling of the name seems to have been altered so that it looked as if it was derived from estela, the Occitan word for “star”. (Occitan is a dialect from southern France).

Although Estelle was apparently a popular saint in the Charente region of southern France, the name doesn’t seem to have received much use until the 18th century. In 1788 the French poet Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian published a pastoral romance called Estelle and Némorin, and although critics didn’t exactly give it rave reviews, it seemed to kick-start Estelle as a baby name.

An early namesake was Estelle Duboeuf, later Fornier, who was born in 1797. The Romantic composer Hector Berlioz met Estelle on a summer holiday in the French Alps and instantly became infatuated with her. He was already a fan of Estelle and Némorin, and perhaps there was some connect between the fictional and real Estelles. He was 12 and she was 18, so this wasn’t a relationship which was going anywhere, and Estelle married a lawyer and had six children.

For the rest his life Berlioz considered her to be his muse and called her his Stella montis (Latin for “mountain star”). One of Berlioz’s early compositions was based on a song in Florian’s Estelle and Némorin, full of despair at having to leave his “star” behind. Its melody wound itself into the violins in his Symphonie fantastique, and his longing for Estelle helped inspire his symphony Romeo and Juliet.

Much later in life Berlioz again encountered Madame Fornier, now an elderly widow, and asked her to marry him. She turned him down and never understood his obsession with her, but they remained friends and he left her an annuity in his will. She was his first love, his last love, and his sweetest love, and the fact that it was almost entirely in his imagination made it all the more powerful.

The name Estelle became a favourite choice in 19th century romance novels in both Britain and America. One of the most famous examples of the name in literature must be the the beautiful but pitifully frozen-hearted Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens’ 1860 novel Great Expectations.

Dickens may have chosen the name Estella because of its similarity to Stella, the unattainable beauty in Sir Philip Sidney’s poem Astrophel and Stella, so the name already signified painful, hopeless unrequited love to a woman far out of reach, cold and distant as a lovely star.

Estella is the Latinate form of Estelle, and it has also been in use since the 18th century. It was originally more popular in Italian and Spanish-speaking countries, although used in English-speaking ones as well.

Estelle was #228 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #222, the era of American silent screen star Estelle Taylor, regarded as one of the most beautiful women of the silent era. The name fell in popularity after Estelle gave up acting to pursue a singing career, and had an unhappy marriage to boxing champ Jack Dempsey. By the time Estelle passed away in the 1950s, the name had left the charts.

It returned in the 1970s at #625, just after American actress Estelle Parsons won an Oscar for her role in Bonnie and Clyde. It went down in the 1980s, perhaps because Estelle Getty on sitcom The Golden Girls made it seem like an old lady name. Estelle began climbing in the 2000s. Its current position is probably around the 200s, but could be higher.

In the US, Estelle was in the 100s from the late 19th century until the end of the 1920s. It left the Top 1000 in 1964 and returned in 2012. This was the same year that the Swedish royal family welcomed Princess Estelle, daughter of Crown Princess Victoria; Estelle is second in line to the throne of Sweden. The name Estelle is currently #822 in the US.

Estelle has been less popular in the UK, and was only in the Top 500 for a few years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It left the Top 1000 in 2011, but perhaps Princess Estelle brought it back, as it returned the following year. It’s currently #891 and seemingly falling again.

Estelle was a Top 100 name in France in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has been gradually falling in favour and is now #187. It’s still popular in Belgium.

Famous Australian Estelles include journalist Estelle Blackburn, naturalist and wildflower painter Estelle Thomson, and model/dancer Estelle Asmodelle, Australia’s first legally recognised transsexual, billed as “Australia’s first transsexual pin-up” in the 1980s.

In the US, Estella was in the 100s from the late 19th century until 1912, and left the charts in 1974. Like Estelle, it returned in 2012 and is now #873. Estella has never been in the Top 1000 in the UK; last year there were 16 baby girls given the name. Estella is a royal name as well, as Prince Edward of Kent’s daughter Lady Helena Taylor had a daughter named Estella in 2004.

Estelle and Estella are pretty vintage names with a fascinating literary and musical history which have recently gained royal glamour, and fit in with popular names like Isabelle and Stella. They also strike me as names which have great potential as multicultural crossovers – apart from the French connection, Estelle has sometimes been chosen by Jewish families as a spin on biblical Esther, while Estella may appeal to those from Romance language backgrounds such Italian and Portuguese.

Could one of these names be right for your little star?

Thank you to Patricia for requesting the names Estelle and Estella be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda; Patricia is considering using one of these names.

POLL RESULTS

Estelle received an approval rating of 70%. 35% of people loved it, and only one person thought Estelle was a terrible name. Estella did less well, with an approval rating of 51%. 44% of people weren’t keen on it, although only 6% thought Estella was a terrible name.72% of people preferred the name Estelle to Estella for a baby girl.

Famous Name: Billie

08 Wednesday Jun 2016

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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American names, celebrity baby names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from television, nicknames, popular names, retro names, screen names, stage names, UK name popularity, unisex names, US name popularity

After looking at the fastest-rising names in the Top 100 for last year, I thought it would be a good idea to add these names to the database if they hadn’t already been covered. This week we are starting with Billie, a name which has risen through television.

Name Information
Billie is traditionally considered a short form of names such as Wilhelmina, but more practically is used as a feminine form of Billy, short for William. In fact its gender lines are very blurry, because the name originated in the US in the 18th century as a spelling variant of Billy, and for quite some time there were more male Billies than female ones.

In the US, Billie charted for boys on the Top 1000 from 1880, not leaving it until the mid 1980s. It peaked in 1929 at #122, but last year there were just 10 baby boys named Billie. It began charting for girls in 1886, and was in the bottom portion of the Top 100 from 1928 to 1934 – as with the boys, the name peaked in 1929 and 1930 at #79. It left the Top 1000 in 1998, and last year there were 95 girls named Billie, with numbers continuing to fall for both sexes.

In the UK Billie has also charted for both boys and girls, although always much higher for girls. In the mid 1990s Billie was #182 for girls, and generally fell in popularity after that. After hitting a low in 2009 at #673, the name has risen and is now #439. Boys hit a peak in 1997 at 17 births, but since then has mostly around a handful of births per year; in 2014 there were 4 baby boys named Billie.

In Australia, the name has only ever charted as a female name. It first charted in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was around the 300s and 400s. This correlates with the biggest career success for seminal jazz star Billie Holiday, often known as Lady Day. Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan, and took the first part of her stage name from silent film star Billie Dove, called The American Beauty for her good looks (Dove was born Bertha Bohny, so in her case Billie was a screen name). The name’s peak in the US seems to fit better with the film star, as it peaked there before Billie Holiday’s career really began.

The name Billie disappeared from the Australian charts in the 1950s, when Billie Holiday’s career began to fail, embroiled in legal proroblems, drug addiction, and illness; she died in 1959. However it returned in the 1970s at #739, when there was a Billie Holiday revival. A film based on her autobiography called Lady Sings the Blues was released in 1972, with Diana Ross in the starring role, and the soundtrack was a huge success. In 1973, Billie Holiday was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

After a steep rise in the 1980s, the name Billie climbed more gradually, levelling off around the high 200s/low 300s towards the late 2000s. However, the name began zooming up the charts after 2010, when the hit TV drama series Offspring began screening. This starred Kat Stewart as the bold, brassy and brutally honest big sister Billie Proudman; she puts her wild child past behind her as she matures, and eventually helps her sister Nina raise her daughter.

Based on its trajectory, I predicted that Billie could be in the Top 100 by 2013, encouraged by the fact it was already in the Top 100 in Victoria. Instead it debuted in the national Top 100 in 2015, gaining 19 places or more to make #82. It made the Top 100 in New South Wales for the first time at #99, was the fastest-rising girl’s name in Victoria, going up 40 places to #57, and was #83 in Tasmania. Analysis of data from Sydney shows it is a favourite in the city’s wealthy northern suburbs.

There have been further boosts to the name in Australia, with soapie Home and Away introducing tomboy surfer Billie Ashford in late 2014, and attractive chef Billie McKay winning MasterChef in 2015. AFL star Chris Judd, and his wife, model Rebecca Judd, welcomed their daughter Billie in 2014, making this a celebrity baby name.

Other famous Billies include Broadway and silent film star Billie Burke (real name Mary), who played Glinda the Good in The Wizard of Oz; British pre-war long distance cycling champion Billie Fleming (real name Lilian); American tennis champion Billie Jean King; American country music star Billie Jo Spears; British actress and singer Billie Piper; Australian TV actress Billie Hammerberg; and Australian professional wrestler Billie Kay (born Jessica). Examples of famous men named Billie include Billie Joe Armstrong from the band Green Day and AFL footballer Billie Smedts.

Billie is a retro name only popular in Australia, as there is a local interest in the name. Data shows you are more likely to appreciate the name if you live in Victoria or Tasmania, or in Sydney’s northern suburbs. With Billie, you get a cute and spunky tomboyish name shared with strong and beautiful female namesakes; it’s a casual name that you can take to the beach, but hip enough to dress up nicely in the evenings too. Billie’s day has arrived: the question is, will it keep climbing?

POLL RESULTS
Billie received an approval rating of 46%. 23% of people thought it was only suitable as a nickname, although 22% saw it as strong and spunky. Only one person thought the name Billie seemed smart and classy.

Famous Name: Elizabeth

25 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

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Biblical names, classic names, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, hebrew names, international name popularity, locational names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, nicknames, popular names, royal names, saints names, UK name popularity, US name popularity

Famous Namesake
Next month marks 226 years since Elizabeth and John Macarthur came to New South Wales on the Second Fleet. From her arrival Elizabeth found herself in a privileged position, for she was the first educated woman to arrive in the colony. Beautiful, tastefully-dressed, charming, witty, articulate, and well-read, she held court among the men of colonial society like a queen. Because of this, she is known as Australia’s First Lady.

When her husband was made Commandment at Parramatta and given land there, he built Elizabeth Farm at Rosehill for them. Originally just a stone cottage, in time the farm became a country estate surrounded by gardens and orchards. While her husband was a politically controversial figure who created chaos and drama wherever he went, Elizabeth transformed their home into an oasis of peace and harmony which even impressed her husband’s numerous enemies.

Elizabeth wrote many letters to family and friends in England, and what strikes the reader is the happiness she managed to create for herself in her new homeland. She loved the climate, and was sensitive to the beauty of the natural landscape, exulting in the way she could grow vegetables, fruit and flowers in rich abundance. She enjoyed the social life of the colony, and with her high spirits and sense of fun, was perennially popular.

After her husband was arrested in 1809 and forced to flee to England, Elizabeth took on the management of John’s extensive merino sheep farm on his estate in Camden, including managing the convict labour force; she is credited with pioneering haymaking in Australia. Elizabeth was a spectacular success in the business, which involved travelling alone through dangerous territory and writing detailed reports for her husband. Together they were a formidable force: John promoting Australian wool in England, while Elizabeth worked hard at producing it.

When her husband returned in 1817, Elizabeth remained important to the Macarthur wool business. Now wealthy and powerful, John built a mansion on the estate in Camden, and descendants of the Macarthurs still live at Camden Park: here also is the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, and nearby Elizabeth Macarthur High School, a selective agricultural high school. Elizabeth Farm, which is one of the oldest colonial dwellings still standing, is now a museum where visitors can move freely and interact with everything on display.

Colonial society was a hotbed of gossip and could be relentlessly critical. Anyone who made the smallest error in appearance or behaviour was mocked and torn down, yet none of this ever touched Elizabeth Macarthur. Contemporaries heap only praise upon her as a devoted wife, perfect mother, accomplished homemaker, and determined businesswoman. She never gossiped, never criticised, and never complained, either of her own workload or the brutality of colonial life.

To the end of her life she remained a lady through and through, combining gentleness and delicacy with a very womanly strength and tenacity. Our First Lady, and our greatest.

Name Information
Elizabeth is from the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elisheba, which can be translated in two ways. One is “God is an oath”, to indicate the power of God’s word – what He swears will be done must come to be. The other is “God is abundance”, to suggest that God always fulfils our needs. Even for a biblical name, Elisheba has a very religious meaning, and in the Old Testament, she is the wife of Aaron, the first High priest, and the mother from whom the priestly caste was born.

The Greek form of the name is used in the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. Elizabeth was a distant descendant of Aaron, presumably named for her ancestress, and married to Zechariah, who was a priest. The couple had been married for many years and grown old together without ever having the son they longed for.

This is a well-worn plot device in the Bible, so it should come as no surprise that the angel Gabriel brought Zechariah the good news that God had answered their prayers, and Elizabeth was going to have a baby. While pregnant, Elizabeth was visited by a young relative of hers named Mary, from Nazareth, who had received a similar message from Gabriel.

As soon as Mary greeted her, Elizabeth felt the child leap in her womb, and she was moved to hail Mary as “blessed among women” and “the mother of the Lord” (her words used to write the Hail Mary prayer, the basis of Ave Maria). Because of this, she is seen as one of the female prophets.

Elizabeth gave birth to a son, who she named John. He became John the Baptist, the preacher and prophet seen as a forerunner to the ministry of his kinsman Jesus. As a prophet and mother of a prophet, Elizabeth is revered as a saint in Christianity, and given reverence in Islam.

The name Elizabeth has been in use since the Middle Ages, and there are several other saints with the name. The most famous is Elizabeth of Hungary, a 13th century princess famous for her charity. One story told of her is that she was secretly taking bread to the poor when someone demanded to know what she had in her basket. She lifted her cloak, and instead of bread, all that could be seen was a divine vision of roses. This was such a popular act that after this female saints often seemed to cart around miraculous roses as a sign of God’s favour.

Because of the saint’s noble ancestry the name Elizabeth became a favourite among European royalty and aristocracy. It is a traditional name in the British royal family, and Elizabeth I was the last Tudor monarch of England, named after her grandmother Elizabeth of York, the wife of Henry VII. The present queen is Elizabeth II, and she was named after her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, wife of George VI. Her name was given to the suburb of Elizabeth in Adelaide.

Thanks to its royal associations Elizabeth has remained popular for centuries, and there are many famous namesakes, such as poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and actress Elizabeth Taylor. In Australia there is the writer Dame Elizabeth Durack, Sister Elizabeth Kenny who saved so many polio patients, pioneer Elizabeth Underwood who founded Ashfield in Sydney, and speedy athlete Elizabeth “Betty” Cuthbert.

In fiction we know witty Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice; shy Elizabeth “Beth” March in Little Women; good-girl twin Elizabeth Wakefield in Sweet Valley High; the mysterious Elizabeth (aka Anna) from Bioshock Infinite; spirited beauty Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean; klutzy Elizabeth “Lizzie” McGuire from the TV series; dainty Elizabeth Grayson from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley books; and Enid Blyton’s “naughtiest girl” Elizabeth Allen.

Elizabeth is a solid classic which has never left the Top 100; it is the only girl’s name to have achieved this distinction. Elizabeth was #13 in the 1900s, and peaked in 1952 at #10, the year that Elizabeth II ascended the throne, and also a year that she toured Australia. Elizabeth is currently #42 nationally, #45 in New South Wales, #50 in Victoria, #49 in Queensland, #42 in Western Australia, and #25 in the Australian Capital Territory.

In the US, Elizabeth has enjoyed even greater popularity and almost never been out of the Top 25 (in 1948 it reached #26). It was continuously in the Top 10 from the 19th century until the mid 1920s, and rejoined the Top 10 in 1980. Since then it has been in the Top 10 or only just outside it, and is now #13.

In the UK, Elizabeth has never been out of the Top 50. It was a Top 10 name from the mid 19th century until the 1930s, and regained its Top 10 spot in the 1950s when Elizabeth II became queen, but left it again by the following decade. It is currently #37. Elizabeth is popular in all English-speaking countries, and most popular in the United States. It is also popular in Mexico and Latin America.

Elizabeth is that rare creature: a true timeless classic. Held by generations of royalty, it is a name of strength, power, and dignity, while also wholesome, honest, and serious. It is as practical as bread and as pretty as roses, and tells us that every word must bear fruit, every promise must be fulfilled.

There isn’t really any other English name that sounds like Elizabeth: it is both distinguished and distinctive. Furthermore, it has a wealth of nicknames, so that every Elizabeth has the chance to be a Lizzie, a Beth, a Libby, a Birdie, an Ellie, an Elsie, or a Betsy (and that’s just for starters). Hail to thee, Elizabeth, mother of many names!

POLL RESULTS

Elizabeth gained an excellent approval rating of 87%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2016. People saw the name Elizabeth as classy and elegant (23%), versatile because of its many nicknames (19%), strong yet feminine (17%), and intelligent and professional (15%). However 6% of people thought it was too common and boring. Only one person thought the name Elizabeth sounded snobbish.

(Photo shows the verandah at Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta)

Famous Name: Georgia

11 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

celebrity baby names, famous namesakes, Greek names, international name popularity, modern classics, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names from songs, names of countries, names of US states, nicknames, popular names, saints names, stage names, UK name popularity, US name popularity

Famous Namesake
The blog will look at a few musical names in May, and this week the focus is on jazz singer Georgia Lee. She was born Dulcie Pitt in Cairns, and her ancestry was an exotic blend of Jamaican, Indian, Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Scottish. She and her sisters Sophie and Heather formed The Harmony Sisters, and they toured Queensland to entertain the troops during World War II, meeting other performers such as Hollywood star John Wayne.

After the war she took the stage name Georgia Lee and became a cabaret singer in the jazz and blues clubs of 1950s Sydney and Melbourne. She was part of the bohemian world that included famous artists like Donald Friend, Margaret Olley, and Russell Drysdale, and together with Indigenous opera star Harold Blair, took part in the first Moomba Festival in Melbourne in 1951.

Georgia made her mark overseas when she went to London to sing in the West End, which was recorded on BBC radio. Homesickness cut short her international career, but back in Australia she toured with Nat “King” Cole, and appeared on popular TV shows such as Graham Kennedy’s In Melbourne Tonight and Bandstand.

She apparently suffered some sort of nervous breakdown in the late 1950s, but recovered enough to record her 1962 album Georgia Lee Sings the Blues Down Under, which was done all in one take. This was the first album ever recorded by someone with Indigenous Australian ancestry, and was also the first album in Australia recorded in stereo. The album was reissued in 2009, a year before Georgia’s death.

Georgia Lee was our Queen of Jazz, with a distinctly Australian identity and style. She was also a trailblazer for other Indigenous performers. Interviewed in her late seventies she said, “I had a fantastic life and met so many wonderful people”.

Name Information
Georgia is a feminine form of George, a name of Greek origin meaning “farmer”, which became well known because of the dragon-slaying St George. There is a St Georgia as well, a 6th century French nun, who doesn’t get nearly as much publicity, due to the paucity of dragons in her area.

As with its masculine counterpart, the name Georgia was rarely used in Britain until the 18th century, when the Hanoverian dynasty gained the throne; before this, the name Georgia was better known on the Continent, from the Italian Giorgia. However, an early British example is said to be a god child of Anne of Denmark, the wife of James I.

King George II gave his name to the American state of Georgia, which was first administered as a British colony. The name became more popular in the United States, and was a particular favourite in the south. A famous Georgia from Georgia was Georgia Brown, the daughter of politician Dr George Brown, who named her after their home state (although surely after himself too). Her story is said to have inspired the jazz standard Sweet Georgia Brown, whose lyrics explain that Georgia named her, Georgia claimed her.

Another geographical namesake is the country Georgia, once part of the Russian Empire. The origin of its name is not certain: it may be after St George, or from the Greek for “tiller of the soil”, as ancient Greeks called agricultural tribes Georgi. Another theory is that it comes from the Persian word gurg, meaning “wolf”, to indicate “land of wolves”. Its possible all these theories are true, with the different origins conflated.

The name Georgia first entered the charts in the 1940s, debuting at #442. A famous namesake for the era was American singer Georgia Carroll, who was part of the Big Band sound of the 1940s. Previously a model, the attractive songstress was known as “Gorgeous Georgia”. Another was the American artist Georgia O’Keefe, whose reputation grew substantially during the 1940s.

The name Georgia began increasing in popularity in the 1960s, making #228. This was the decade that Ray Charles released his hit version of the song Georgia on My Mind, which was written about the American state Georgia, although the lyrics are ambiguously written so that a girl can also be pictured. The composer Hoagy Carmichael did know a girl named Georgia – his sister – although he said that was a coincidence.

Georgia joined the Top 100 in 1989 at #98. It quickly leaped into the Top 50, making #42 by 1991, and was in the Top 10 by 1996, and the Top 5 by 1997. It peaked at #3 in 2001. It is currently #26 nationally, #25 in New South Wales, #26 in Victoria, #23 in Queensland, #31 in South Australia, #24 in Western Australia, #85 in Tasmania, and #21 in the Australian Capital Territory.

In the UK, Georgia’s popularity has been similar to that in Australia. It was a Top 100 name by the 1990s, peaking at #10 in 1997, and is now #48. Georgia is also popular in New Zealand, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. In the US, Georgia has never left the Top 1000. It was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but got as low as the 700s in 1990. It has been generally trending upward since then, and is now #230, so Georgia’s popularity has been quite different there.

The variant Jorja made the Top 100 in both Australia and New Zealand during the early to mid 2000s. It has never been popular in any other country, and in the US only made the Top 1000 once, in 2006 when it was #976 (the year after heavy metal singer Bret Michaels welcomed a daughter named Jorja). This is a common variant spelling of Georgia in Australia, which I suspect parents think will be more intuitive to pronounce, and be free of geographical associations. Like other spelling variants, it’s generally frowned upon by those who furrow their brows over names.

Georgia is a modern classic which has been Top 100 for almost thirty years, and is now very stable in the Top 30. It peaked higher in Australia than anywhere else, and has become one of our popular standards. Georgie is the usual nickname, but Gigi is now more fashionable. If this sweet peach of a name that’s been celebrated in dozens of songs has been on your mind, then you might keep going back to Georgia.

POLL RESULTS

The name Georgia received an approval rating of 79%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2016. People saw the name Georgia as pretty or beautiful (17%), suitable for all ages (17%), warm and sunny (16%), and sweet and spunky (15%). However 9% thought it was too common and boring. Only one person thought the name Georgia had too many spelling and pronunciation issues.

(Photo of Georgia Lee from ABC radio)

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1950s

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

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aristocratic titles, classic names, english names, epithets and titles, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, Greek names, imperial names, Indian names, Irish names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, names from movies, nicknames, papal names, Roman names, royal names, saints names, Scottish names, surname names

Adrian
From the Roman name Hadrianus, meaning “from Hadria”. Hadria (now called Adria) is a town in northern Italy. Its name may be from the River Adria, named from the Venetic word adur, meaning “water, sea”. It has given its name to the Adriatic Sea, to which the river was once connected. A famous Roman namesake is Publius Aelius Hadrianus, otherwise known as the Emperor Hadrian, well known for the wall he built across northern England. There have been many saints named Adrian, including Adrian of Canterbury, an African-born English scholar famous for his learning. There have also been six popes named Adrian. The name Adrian has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages, but only became common in the 19th century. Adrian was #144 in the 1900s and joined the Top 100 in the 1940s; by the 1950s it was #94. It peaked in 1976 at #38 and left the Top 100 in 2004; it is currently around the 100s so still in reasonable use. This is a classic which has been superseded by Aidan, but a reliable choice which is still widely popular around the world.

Christopher
From the Greek name Christophoros, meaning “bearing Christ”; it was a name chosen by early Christians to indicate they held Jesus Christ in their hearts. The legendary St Christopher is said to have carried the Christ Child across a river, making the name’s meaning literal. Christopher seems to be a title or epithet of the Egyptian martyr St Menas, and the story is very similar to one told of the hero Jason in Greek mythology. Christopher is a hugely popular saint, and you may even know someone who has a St Christopher medal to keep them safe, as he is the patron of travellers, athletes, surfers, and sailors. Christopher has been used as an English name since the Middle Ages, and has remained in constant use for centuries. Famous Australian namesakes include poet Christopher Brennan, winemaker Christopher Penfold, Federal Minister Christopher Pyne, statistician Professor Christopher Heyde, and actor Chris Hemsworth. Christopher was #97 in the 1900s and left the Top 100 in the following decade. It returned in the 1940s and by the 1950s was #11, peaking at #2 in the mid 1980s. Christopher just left the NSW Top 100 in 2015, so is still common here, and popular in the English-speaking world.

Darryl
Variant of the English surname Darrell, from the Norman-French D’Airelle, meaning “from Airelle”; Airelle in Normandy means “courtyard”. Although Darrell has been used since the 17th century, the variant Darryl didn’t come into common use until the 19th. Darryl entered the charts in the 1930s at #174, and was on the Top 100 by the 1950s, when it was #80 for the decade. This corresponds to the period when Darryl F. Zanuck was head of Twentieth Century Fox. That was also its peak, and it left the Top 100 in 1969; it hasn’t charted since the 1990s (Daryl has a similar history, but slightly less popular). A famous fictional namesake is cheerful battler Darryl Kerrigan from The Castle, voted the favourite Australian film character of all time. Is that enough to give Darryl another go around the block? Some would say you’re dreaming to think it.

Denis
From a medieval French form of Dionysius, derived from Dionysos, the Greek god of wine. The god’s name combines his father’s name, Zeus, with Nysa, the mythological region where he was raised. Dionysius was an extremely common name in ancient Greece, and the name continued to be used in the Christian era. There is a Dionysius in the New Testament, a judge of Athens converted by St Paul. A number of saints have the name, and a pope as well. However, the most famous is the Dionysius who became bishop of Paris in the 3rd century and was martyred; he is known as St Denis and is one of the patrons of France. According to legend, after being decapitated he picked up his head and walked several miles with it, preaching sermons the whole way. He seems to have started a trend, as after that it became fashionable for saints, especially French ones, to carry their own heads. St Denis was very popular, and his name was introduced to England by the Normans. It became a great favourite in Ireland. Denis was #109 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1930s. It peaked in the 1940s at #41, and by the 1950s was #73. It left the Top 100 in 1957, and hasn’t charted since the late 2000s. The surname form Dennis has always been more popular, and this spelling is still in use.

Gary
Surname usually said to be a variant of the surname Geary, a medieval English nickname for names such as Gerard and Gerald, and thus another form of Gerry or Jerry. In Ireland Geary is used to anglicise the Gaelic name O Gadhra, meaning “son of Gadhra”, with the name Gadhra meaning “dog”. The surname Gary is more common in Ireland as a contraction of McGarry, from the Gaelic name Mag Fhearadhaigh, meaning “son of the brave”. Gary has often been understood as a pet form of Gareth, even though that isn’t its origin. Gary has been used as a boys name since perhaps the 16th century, coming into common use by the 19th. Gary entered the charts in the 1930s when Gary Cooper began his Hollywood career in films such as A Farewell to Arms. The name Gary was in the Top 100 by the 1940s and peaked in 1952 at #8, the year Gary Cooper starred in classic Western High Noon. Gary left the Top 100 in 1985, and hasn’t charted since the early 2000s. Its downfall is usually attributed to the numerous child sex offence charges against British pop star Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) although it had already left the Top 100 long before he was first arrested. Garry had a similar history, but was a bit less popular.

Glenn
Scottish surname meaning “narrow valley”. It has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, becoming more common in the 19th. Glenn joined the charts in the 1940s, just as Hollywood star Glenn Ford was making his name known in war drama So Ends Our Night, and appearing in early film noir Gilda. It was in the Top 100 by the 1950s when it made #40 for the decade, peaking at #17 in the early 1960s, around the time Glenn Ford starred in epic Western Cimarron. It left the Top 100 in 1987, and hasn’t charted since the 1990s. There are a number of Glenns in the field of music, including pianist Glenn Gould, jazz star Glenn Miller, Glenn Frey from The Eagles, heavy metal guitarist Glenn Hughes, and Glenn Tilbrook from Squeeze. In Australia there is cricketer Glenn McGrath, and rugby league star turned politician Glenn Lazarus. Glenn is a simple nature name that could still appeal – in a discussion I had with other parents, Glenn was the 1950s boy’s name most people wanted revived. Glen had a similar history, but was less popular.

Keith
Scottish surname from the lands of Keith in East Lothian, whose name is said to come from a British word meaning “wood”. In the 11th century, the lands were supposedly given to a Germanic warrior of the Chatti tribe who helped defeat invading Danes, and some believe the name may be German in origin. The Clan Keith held a hereditary title as protector of the King of the Scots, and took leading roles in the Scottish Wars of Independence. One of the most powerful of the Scottish clans, various Keiths have been appointed ambassadors and keepers of the crown jewels, so have always had close ties with royalty. Keith has been used as a personal name since the 18th century; from the beginning it had strong associations with Scotland. The name became popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to George Elphinstone, Baron Keith, an admiral during the Napoleonic Wars. Keith was #43 in the 1900s, peaking in the 1920s at #8. By the 1950s it was #44 for the decade; it left the Top 100 in 1970, and hasn’t charted since the late 2000s. I do see the occasional baby named Keith (could country singer Keith Urban be an influence?), so this name is still going long past its peak, and could experience a revival in the future.

Neil
Based on the Irish name Niall, perhaps derived from the Old Irish word niadh, meaning “champion, warrior”, or from nel, meaning “cloud”. The most famous Niall in history is the semi-legendary 5th century Irish king Niall of the Nine Hostages. The name Niall was popular in medieval Ireland and Scotland. It was adopted by the Vikings, who had strong ties with Ireland in the Middle Ages, and the name was taken to Scandinavia in the form Njall. The Normans, who were of Viking stock, brought the name to England, although the name already existed in the north, where it had been introduced from Ireland or by Scandinavian settlers. Neil was in use by the 17th century, and originated in Scotland, perhaps influenced by the surname McNeil, meaning “son of Niall”. Neil was #110 in the 1900s and joined the Top 100 the following decade. It peaked in 1955 at #33 and left the Top 100 in 1986. It is currently around the 600s, and the Indian name Neel, meaning “blue”, is more common. Neil is still a pleasant Gaelic choice with some cool namesakes, including astronaut Neil Armstrong, singer Neil Young, and Beat muse Neal Cassady.

Shane
Anglicised form of Séan, the Northern Irish version of Seán, pronounced SHAYN rather than SHAWN, and an Irish form of John. Shane has been in common use since the 19th century, and was strongly associated with immigration from Ireland. The name became famous because of the classic 1953 Western film Shane, with Alan Ladd in the title role as the mysterious stranger who rides into a little Wyoming valley and becomes a guardian, teacher, and inspiration to a family of settlers still unskilled in the ways of the West. The name Shane rocketed into the Top 100 from nowhere in 1954, and was #69 for the decade. It peaked in 1973 at #12 and left the Top 100 in 1997 (cricketer Shane Warne doesn’t seem to have helped, even at the peak of his success). It is now around the 500s and drifting away like its famous namesake – will anyone ever cry out, Come back, Shane!, I wonder?

Wayne
English occupational surname for a wagon-driver or wagon-maker, from the Old English waegn, meaning “cart, wagon”. It has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and was more common in the United States – probably because of Anthony Wayne, who was General in Chief of the Army during the American Revolutionary War. The name Wayne first charted in the 1930s, the decade when Hollywood star John Wayne began his career in Western films; he hit the big time in 1939 with Stagecoach. Interestingly, 1939 was also the year that superhero Batman first appeared, the alter ego of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne; this seems significant, although the creators named him after Anthony Wayne. Wayne was in the Top 100 by the 1940s and peaked in 1955 at #11, the year after John Wayne starred in airline disaster flick The High and the Mighty. It left the Top 100 in 1987 and hasn’t charted since the 1990s, the name disappearing after the Wayne’s World movies with Mike Myers as partying slacker Wayne Campbell. This name is no longer excellent, which is bogus and sad.

POLL RESULTS

The public’s favourite 1950s names were Adrian, Christopher and Neil, and their least favourites were Darryl, Denis and Gary.

(Picture shows At Newport, 1952, by classic Australian photographer Max Dupain; now held at the Art Gallery of NSW)

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