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Waltzing With … Carter

19 Sunday Jun 2016

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Famous Namesake
It’s cold and wet at the moment – just the right weather for curling up with a good book. But what if you want to curl up with a bad book? That’s what pulp fiction is for: cheap, disposable paperbacks that can entertain you for an hour or so.

Australia’s prolific prince of postwar pulp fiction was Carter Brown – the pen name of British-born Alan Yates. He came here during the war, and married an Australian woman he had met on leave. They lived in England for a while, but Alan’s articles and radio scripts kept getting rejected, so they returned to Sydney in 1948.

One of Alan’s jobs was producing the in-flight magazine for Qantas. In the evenings, he wrote a western, and went on to write horror, science fiction, and detective stories. At his publisher’s urging, he wrote his first full-length crime novel, Murder is My Mistress, which came out in 1954. It was so successful that Alan was contracted to become a full-time writer, turning out a novel every month for a weekly income plus royalties.

In the next 30 years, Alan wrote over 200 novels under the pen name Carter Brown, as well as 75 novellas. An individual title could sell up to 200 000 copies, and his total sales were 55 million. His books were second only to the Bible for the number of languages they were translated into.

His detectives included ditzy blonde private investigator Mavis Seidlitz, Hollywood screenwriter Larry Baker and his drunken assistant Boris Slivka, San Francisco lawyer Randy Roberts, and Lt. Al Wheeler, a policeman from fictional Pine County near LA.

The plots had beautiful, dangerous women, plenty of action, a bit of a laugh, and enough sex and violence to keep readers coming back for more. They could expect strippers, starlets, spankings, vampires, ghosts, aliens, witches, Satanists, psychiatrists, sexy Women’s Libbers, deadly yoga instructors, and rampant dwarfs.

There were loads of alliterative titles, like Bullet for My Baby, Honey, Here’s Your Hearse, Darling, You’re Doomed, and Cutie Wins a Corpse. Blondes were a favourite topic, featuring in Blonde Verdict, No Blonde is an Island, Blonde on the Rocks, and Blonde, Beautiful, and – BLAM!

The books were usually set in California, which was what readers expected. Alan hadn’t been to the United States when he first started, so wrote from his imagination, with some comic results. However, this didn’t bother his readership in Australia and Europe, most of whom hadn’t been to America either.

Once his books started being sold in the US in 1958, he did visit America and was able to add more realism. It was also America which fixed his pen name in place: he had sometimes published as Peter Carter Brown or Peter Carter-Brown, but it was felt Carter Brown would do better in the United States. A helpful rumour circulated that Carter Brown was the favourite author of President John F. Kennedy, which boosted sales.

Alan’s life was very different from that of his heroes, as he was a devoted family man who enjoyed a beer and a joke with friends. He spent nearly all his time writing, living in dread of deadlines, and surviving on coffee and Benzedrine to maintain the relentless pace. He dreamed of one day publishing a serious work, a historical novel set in Australia, but there was too much writing to be done.

Alan was no Raymond Chandler, but although he wrote pure pulp, it wasn’t complete trash. He was able to keep readers addicted through constant inventiveness while sticking to the same formula the publisher insisted on, and his humour, puns and literary allusions added sparkle to the text. Some of his works are still in print, and he has a loyal readership among fans of vintage crime fiction.

Alan won his only literary award a dozen years after his death, when he received the Ned Kelly Award for lifelong contribution.

Name Information
Carter is an English occupational surname for someone who transported goods, or who made a living building carts. It’s a very old surname, and may pre-date the Norman Conquest.

There are many people with the surname. Jimmy Carter, former American president; archaeologist Howard Carter who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen; writer Angela Carter; country singer June Carter from The Carter Family, wife of Johnny Cash; Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman; Rubin Carter, the boxer known as “The Hurricane” who later worked to help people wrongfully convicted; and Shawn Carter, the rapper known as Jay Z, married to Beyoncé.

Famous Australian Carters include ornithologist Thomas Carter who found many bird specimens; entomologist Herbert Carter, beetle expert; physicist Brandon Carter, known for his work on black holes; photographer and film-maker Jeff Carter; influential businessman Bruce Carter; and high jumper Doris Carter, the first Australian female track and field athlete to make the Olympic finals.

Carter has been used as a personal name since at least the 17th century, and usually given to males. Famous namesakes include Carter Braxton, one of the signatories to the United States Declaration of Independence, and Carter Woodson, the African-American historian considered to be the father of Black History Month in the US.

An influential fictional character with the surname Carter is John Carter of Mars, an immortal Southern Virginian gentleman created by Edgar Rice Burroughs: practically every sci-fi adventure story since owes a debt to him. There’s also dime novel detective Nick Carter, and mob enforcer Jack Carter, from the cult film Get Carter.

Fictional characters with Carter as a first name include superheroes such as Carter Grayson from the Power Rangers, Carter Hall, otherwise known as the Hawkman, and Carter Slade, the original Ghost Rider. There’s also Carter Kane from Rick Riordan’s Kane Chronicles, a powerful teenage magician and the human host of the Egyptian god Horus.

In the US, Carter has been on the Top 1000 almost continuously for boys since the late 19th century. It has been climbing since 1980, joined the Top 100 for the first time in 2004, and is currently #24.

Carter began charting for girls in 2013, and is currently #533. Two female Carters from popular culture are tomboy Carter Mason in the Disney movie Princess Protection Program, played by Selena Gomez, and rebellious Carter Wilson, on the teen drama series Finding Carter.

In the UK, Carter has been in the Top 500 since the late 1990s and has been generally rising since 1999, rising steadily since 2010. It is currently #118, so not far outside the Top 100. Carter is a popular name in Northern Ireland, and is most popular in New Zealand, where it is #20 and rising. It only charts as a female name in the US.

In Australia, Carter debuted in the Top 100 in 2014, and last year went up 19 places to #79, making it one of the fastest rising names of 2015. Carter debuted at #83 in New South Wales, being one of the fastest rising names in the state, and was #39 in Queensland.

Carter fits right in with the surname trend, as well as with the other rising AR names, like Archer, Arlo, and Harvey. It sounds sleek and tailored, but also rugged and manly – a tough-talking guy who looks good in a suit. Like Carter? Join the club.

POLL RESULTS
Carter received an approval rating of 71%. 42% of people thought it was okay, but only 8% loved it.

Fresh Names For Boys

01 Sunday Nov 2015

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An audit of Featured Names on the site has revealed there are less boys names than girls, so I’m going to cover two lots of boys names this month to give them a chance to catch up. These names seem “fresh” because they don’t have a history of charting in Australia, aren’t popular, and are rising in other countries. They are ones to keep an eye on!

Arlo
May be a variant of the surname Arlow, a corruption of Harlow. Arlo is the Anglicised form of Aherlow, and the Glen of Aherlow is a picture-postcard valley in Ireland. Its name comes from the Irish eathralach, meaning “between two highlands”, as the valley is nestled between major peaks in the Galtee Mountains. The name became part of English literature when Edmund Spenser used Arlo Hill as a place name in his poem The Faerie Queene; Spenser’s estate in Ireland was near the Glen of Aherlow. Arlo has been used as a boy’s name since the 18th century, and originated in the United States: I think probably from Arlow, used at the same time, and in a couple of records the person is listed as both Arlow and Arlo. One of the its most famous namesakes is folk singer Arlo Guthrie, although you may also think of street skater Arlo Eisenberg, and agent Arlo Glass from TV series 24. Around the 200s in Australia, Arlo is climbing steeply in both the US and UK, and is already popular in New Zealand. Arlo fits in with the trends for an AR sound and O-ending, and being chosen for their sons by both Toni Colette and Kasey Chambers can only have helped.

Bodhi
In Buddhism, bodhi is the deep understanding gained about the true nature of reality; this understanding is part of the Buddha’s liberation on the path to Nirvana. It literally means “awakened” in Sanskrit and Pali, but is often translated as “enlightenment”. The great spiritual teacher Gautama Buddha is said to have attained bodhi while sitting under a sacred fig tree in India, now known as the Bodhi Tree, and Bodhi Day is celebrated by Buddhists on December 8. Bodhi has been used as a personal name since the 20th century, with a surge of interest in the 1970s, when all things Eastern became trendy. The name received a notable outing in the 1991 cult film Point Break, with Patrick Swayve as a rebel surf leader named Bodhi. The film ends at Bells Beach in Victoria, which may help explain why Bodhi is such a favourite in Australia, and around the 200s. It is much rarer in other countries, but climbing steeply in both the UK and US. Apart from the spiritual meaning, Bodhi fits in with names like Beau and Brody. Chosen for his son by actor Cameron Daddo, this is a relaxed surf-friendly name.

Casper
A form of the name Jasper, which has a huge number of European spelling variants. It’s been in use since the Middle Ages, when it was most common in Central Europe. Today Casper is a popular name in The Netherlands and Scandinavia, and rising briskly in the UK, where it is in the 200s. It is around the 400s here, and would make a great alternative to popular Jasper – especially as Casper the Friendly Ghost is no longer much of an issue.

Djanjo
Nickname of the great French jazz guitarist, born Jean Reinhardt. Reinhardt was of Romani descent, and his nickname means “I awake” in the Romani language”: it is pronounced JANG-go. There was a revival of interest in his “gypsy jazz”sound in the 1960s, and Django’s musical influence can barely be overstated; he has been an inspiration to generations of guitarists. His music has been used in movie soundtracks, and Djanjo himself is a character in Martin Scorcese’s Hugo, while being referenced in other films. Djanjo is the main character in a popular series of spaghetti Westerns, and got a reboot in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, with Jamie Foxx as freed slave Djanjo Freeman. Django isn’t common in any country, but has been rising in the UK since Tarantino’s 2012 film. Cool and on trend, this is a musical name with a cowboy vibe.

Ezra
In the Old Testament, Ezra was a scribe and priest, and according to Jewish tradition is credited with introducing several of the main aspects of Jewish law and teachings. This makes him a greatly respected figure in Judaism, and also in Islam and Christianity. His name is translated as “help”, although it may be a contraction of the Hebrew name Azaryahu, meaning “God helps”. Ezra has been in use as an English name since since at least the 16th century, and has been more common in the US; a famous namesake is the American poet Ezra Pound, and it’s referenced in the name of rock band Better Than Ezra. Ezra is around the 300s here, but is rising steeply in the US and UK; it is only just outside the US Top 100. This is becoming an increasingly hip choice.

Micah
In the Old Testament, Micah was a prophet of Israel. His name looks a lot like Michael, and has a similar meaning: “who is like Yahweh?”, while Michael means “who is like God?” (in both cases, it it is rhetorical, as nobody is God’s equal). Micah’s prophecies became especially relevant to Christians, as one was interpreted as meaning the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, and Jesus referred to the Book of Micah several times in his teachings. Because of this, the prophet is regarded as a saint, and the name Micah has been used since the 17th century, introduced by the Puritans. Micah is around the 100s here, and is even more popular in the US, although not so common in the UK. The name has become a favourite in horror and fantasy works, and will appeal to people who like Michael, but want something with a more contemporary feel.

Rafael
From the Hebrew name Rafa’el meaning “God heals”; the name is often spelled Raphael, with Rafael most common in Spanish-speaking countries. In Jewish tradition, Raphael is one of the seven archangels, and mentioned in the Old Testament. He is an angel of healing and protection from demons, and venerated in Christianity and Islam as well as Judaism. Regarded as a saint in Catholicism, St Raphael is the patron of pilgrims and travellers, as well as of medical workers. The name Rafael has been in use since the Middle Ages and was common in Spain. A well-known contemporary namesake is Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal. Rafael is around the 100s here, and in the 200s in the US and UK. It is a popular name in Europe, especially in Portugal, and is rising in France and Switzerland. Romantic and with strong, positive associations, this comes with the obvious nicknames Raf and Rafe.

Roman
Derived from the Latin name Romanus, which simply means “a Roman” to signify a man from Rome or a citizen of the Roman Empire. There are a number of saints named Romanus, including an early martyr, as well as a pope and several Byzantine emperors. The name is particularly associated with Russia and Eastern Europe, as there were quite a few Russian, Romanian, and Bulgarian leaders named Roman. However use of the name was internationally quite widespread, and can be found in Spain, Germany, and England from early on. There are two famous film directors with this name: Roman Polanski and Roman Coppola, the son of Francis Ford Coppola. Roman is around the 200s here, and is rising very steeply in the US and UK, only just outside the Top 100 in both countries. Rom- names are on trend, and this is a stylish multicultural choice which was selected for her middle son by Cate Blanchett.

Silas
In the New Testament, Silas was an early Christian leader chosen to be a companion of St Paul. The pair were briefly imprisoned together, until a convenient earthquake broke their chains and burst the prison doors open. Paul refers to him by the Roman name Silvanus, which is from the Latin silva meaning “forest”; in Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of forests. This would identify Silas as the same person as Saint Silvanus, who was one of the disciples of Jesus; tradition says he became a bishop and died a martyr. If so, Silas could be a nickname, or understood as a Greek form of Silvanus. However, Silas is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Saul, meaning “asked for, prayed for”, which was also Saint Paul’s birth name. Whether Silas was two people or one is a question for the scholars, but Silas became an English name by at least the 16th century because of this character. Here the name Silas is around the 500s, but it is far more popular in the US, and rising in the UK. In popular culture, it has become associated with villains – the creepy albino monk from The Da Vinci Code, and serial killer Silas Blisset in British soap Hollyoaks. The wicked factor has actually boosted the name’s popularity.

Thaddeus
In the New Testament, the Apostle Jude is usually identified as being the same person as the Apostle Judas Thaddeus, called so to differentiate him from Judas Iscariot. Thaddeus (said THAD-ee-us) seems to be derived from tadda, the Aramaic word for “breast, heart”, perhaps an affectionate nickname in the same way we might say dear heart or bosom buddy. It could also mean “hearty”, to suggest someone strong-hearted or warm-hearted. Perhaps the closest thing in English is the familiar piratical address my hearty, which has connotations of strength and courage, but also loyalty and camaraderie. Sometimes the name is given as Lebbeus, which could come from leb, the Hebrew word for “heart”, and thus be a translation of Thaddeus. Another theory is that it is from Todos, an Aramaic form of the name Theodore, although this fails to explain why the Bible also translates it as Lebbeus. It is unclear whether Judas Thaddeus is the same person as St Thaddeus, said to be one of the disciples of Jesus who was a missionary in Syria. In use as an English name since the 17th century, and given impetus by American Puritans, Thaddeus has a strong history in the United States. It is in the US Top 1000 and rising, and has been rising steeply in the UK since 2013. It’s very rare in Australia, but this is a handsome traditional name with a great meaning – Thad, Tad, Ted, and Teddy are obvious nicknames.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Arlo, Rafael and Casper, and their least favourite were Bodhi, Thaddeus and Djanjo.

(Picture shows a poster for the movie Django Unchained, with helpful pronunciation guide)

Waltzing With … Lachlan

06 Sunday Sep 2015

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Famous Namesakes
The name Lachlan has a long history in Australia because of Lachlan Macquarie, a British military officer born in the Hebrides who served as the fifth and last Governor of New South Wales. While still a teenager, he served during the American War of Independence, and saw active service in India and Egypt, eventually being promoted to the rank of Major-General.

Lachlan served his term as Governor from 1810-1821, and he had plenty to cope with, as the colony was disorderly following the Rum Rebellion against the former Governor, William Bligh. There was also a severe drought during his term, which brought about a financial depression, and the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 led to a huge increase in Australia’s population from both settlers and convicts. Despite these challenges, Lachlan loved Sydney’s climate and setting, and saw the colony in very positive terms.

This was the period of Australia’s history where it was in transition from a penal colony to a free settlement. Lachlan held liberal views towards convicts, pardoning them as often as possible. He scandalised settlers by accepting freed convicts into society, and appointing them to government positions – even as magistrates. He sponsored massive exploration, and established Bathurst, the first inland city.

He spent lavishly on public works, which the British government strongly opposed, as they still saw Australia as a dumping ground for convicts, to be run as cheaply as possible. Sydney’s layout is based on Lachlan’s street plan for the central city, and the colony’s most prestigious buildings were on Macquarie Street. He designed the Georgian-style Rum Hospital, which today is the state’s Parliament House, while its stables house the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He also designed the city centre of Hobart in Tasmania.

So much of the modern Australia we know was first begun by Governor Macquarie. He established the British system of justice, and the first Supreme Court. He encouraged the creation of the colony’s first bank, The Bank of New South Wales (now Westpac), and produced Australia’s first official currency. Towards the end of his term, he decreed that all traffic should keep to the left in New South Wales in line with British custom.

Perhaps the most important change he made was a symbolic one – he recommended that the name Australia be formally adopted, giving the seal of approval to Matthew Flinders’ choice. Little wonder that on Lachlan Macquarie’s tomb on the Island of Mull in Scotland he is called The Father of Australia.

Happy Father’s Day! And Happy Father’s Day to Lachlan Macquarie, the father of our country.

Name Information
Lachlan is a Scottish name from the Highlands. It is from the Gaelic Lochlann, meaning “land of the lochs” (land of the lakes). It was originally given as a nickname for someone from Norway: Norway has almost half a million freshwater lakes, so it well deserves this epithet. The name is pronounced LOK-lun.

The word Lochlann was first used to indicate “a Viking, a raider”, but gradually came to mean anyone of Norse descent. There was a strong link between the neighbouring lands of Norway and Scotland during the Middle Ages, as both battled for control of the Western Isles of Scotland. As part of the effort to improve the Scotland-Norway relationship, there were diplomatic missions between the two nations, and even intermarriage between the royal houses.

The name Lachlan (or Lochlann) was commonly used amongst the noble families of Scotland, who were often of part Norse descent. The name was traditional in the Clan Maclean, an old Highland clan who owned land in Argyllshire and the Hebrides. (Lachlan Macquarie’s mother was the daughter of the chieftain of the Clan Maclaine, another spelling of Mclean, and his father was the chieftain’s cousin). The current chief of Clan Maclean is Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart and Morven, 12th Baronet of Nova Scotia.

The name Lachlan is only popular in Australia and New Zealand (it is #27 in New Zealand). In the UK Lachlan was #546 in 2013, while Lochlan was #709; the name is fairly stable there. In the US, the name Lachlan first joined the Top 1000 in 2013, and is currently #902 – a long way off being popular, but gaining in popularity. In the US, the name was given to 14 girls last year, which seems very wrong from an Australian viewpoint!

The name Lachlan was #173 in the 1900s, and went off the charts altogether during the 1920s and ’30s. It returned in the 1940s at #220, and gradually increased in popularity. There was a surge in popularity during the 1970s, most likely because media magnate Rupert Murdoch named his eldest son Lachlan in 1971. Rupert’s grandfather was from Scotland, and the choice of Lachlan’s name may have been inspired by his Scottish heritage as much as a tribute to Lachlan Macquarie.

Lachlan first joined the Top 100 in 1982 at #96, joined the Top 50 in 1989, and the Top 25 in 1996 – fairly brisk progress up the charts. It suddenly leapt into the Top 5 in 1997, the year after Lachlan Murdoch joined the board of Newscorp. However, it never made #1, peaking at #2 in 2002 and 2005, and has now left the Top 10. Currently it #11 nationally, #15 in New South Wales, #10 in Victoria, #12 in Queensland, #7 in South Australia, #12 in Western Australia, #6 in Tasmania, #8 in the Northern Territory, and #4 in the Australian Capital Territory.

This is a strong handsome Australian classic with a connection to Australian colonial history. A popular name for many years, it is by no means fresh or original, but still a worthy choice.

POLL RESULT
Lachlan received an outstanding approval rating of 91%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2015. 39% of people loved the name Lachlan, and only one person hated it.

(Picture shows a 2010 stamp booklet issued in honour of Lachlan Macquarie’s bicentenary as governor)

Waltzing With … Felix

02 Sunday Aug 2015

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Famous Namesake
I think many Australians would readily associate this name with Felix the Cat, the silent film era cartoon. One of the most recognisable cartoon characters in film history, he was the first animated character to become popular enough to attract a cinema audience.

Felix the Cat was created by Sydney-born Pat O’Sullivan, who arrived in the United States in 1910 and began working as a cartoonist. By 1916, he had opened his own cartoon studio, and around 1917 he created Felix the Cat, inspired by a cat his wife Marjorie brought into the office. Under contract to provide one cartoon a month to cinemas, by 1921 Felix was in sixty percent of North American cinemas.

Pat O’Sullivan was fiercely protective of his creation, successfully gained royalties from pirated merchandise, and took action when Walt Disney made a Felix carbon-copy called Julius. Unfortunately for Felix, Disney then went on to create a certain Mickey Mouse, who starred in early talkie Steamboat Willie in 1928. This spelled the beginning of the end for Felix, and by 1931 it was obvious that Walt Disney was going to be the big success story of cartooning.

After Pat O’Sullivan’s death in 1933, his lead animator Otto Messmer took credit for the creation of Felix. Messmer’s claim is still accepted in the United States, even though O’Sullivan was acknowledged as Felix’s creator during his lifetime. Australian film curators have pointed out that it is O’Sullivan’s handwriting on the early Felix sketches, and that kittens in an early film are given Australian accents, saying ‘lo, Mum! ‘lo Ma!

The cartoon cat that Felix was based on was called Thomas or Tom (a fairly obviously cat-related name), but Pat O’Sullivan changed his name to Felix. Apparently this was after the Australian boxer Peter Felix, who was born in the West Indies, and won the heavyweight title in the 1890s – he often wore black and was a flashy dresser. Pat had seen Peter Felix in his last big fight in 1908, shortly before he left Australia. O’Sullivan had a strong interest in boxing, and when he first arrived in New York he himself boxed for prize money.

The name Felix was a very Australian choice, because in 1836 Scottish explorer Thomas Mitchell called the lush pastureland of western Victoria Australia Felix, meaning “happy Australia, fortunate Australia”. In 1845 English travel writer Richard Howitt’s lively Impressions of Australia Felix was published, and in 1849 the Australia Felix magazine was founded.

After the colony was named Victoria in 1850, the name Australia Felix gradually dropped out of use. However, 19th century Victorian politician Jonas Australia Felix Levien provides an example of it being used as a name, and he wasn’t born until the 1870s. (I have also found someone named Australia Felix Drake in historical records).

Despite all these Australian references, I can’t help wondering if Pat O’Sullivan was also thinking of Felis, the scientific name for the cat genus, from the Latin word feles, meaning “cat”.

Pat O’Sullivan gave Felix a lucky name, and the cat brought Pat luck and success. He did not have a very happy end to his life though. His marriage became increasingly strained (it probably got off to a rocky start, as they wed while he was on bail for raping a teenage girl; he was subsequently imprisoned for 9 months), and Marjorie fell to her death from their second floor apartment in 1932. O’Sullivan’s mental faculties deteriorated due to syphilis, and he died of alcoholism a year after his wife’s death.

Name Information
Felix is a Latin name meaning “lucky, fortunate”. It was first given as a nickname to the 1st century BC Roman general and statesman Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a free translation of the Greek nickname he acquired during his military campaigns – Epaphroditos, meaning “beloved of Aphrodite”.

Whether the goddess Aphrodite was taking care of him or not, Sulla was very successful, holding the position of consul twice, and being awarded the Grass Crown, the rarest and most prestigious Roman military honour, given only to those whose actions saved an entire legion or the whole army. Like Alexander the Great, he achieved many of his victories before his thirtieth birthday, and provided the model for later Roman leaders to gain power by force.

After him, the nickname became a common one for Roman leaders to take, and several emperors adopted it as a title. The Roman procurator Marcus Antonius Felix is mentioned in the New Testament, although not in a positive way – he imprisoned Saint Paul.

Felix was a favourite name amongst early Christians, as the name can imply being in the favour of God, or blessed by God. There are masses of saints named Felix, including quite a few martyrs, and three popes with the name. Saint Felix of Burgundy was sent as a missionary to East Anglia in the 7th century, and there are several churches dedicated to him in Yorkshire and East Anglia. The village of Felixkirk in Yorkshire is named after him, and so might be Felixstowe in Suffolk.

Although more common in Continental Europe, Felix has been in use as an English name since the Middle Ages, in honour of these various saints. It is particularly associated with East Anglia and south-eastern England in general, showing the legacy of Felix of Burgundy.

Felix was #172 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1920s (Felix the Cat didn’t do it any good). It returned in the 1980s at #396 and climbed steadily; it’s been on and off the Top 100 since 2011. Currently it is #89 nationally, #86 in New South Wales, #78 in Victoria, #36 in Tasmania, and #54 in the Australian Capital Territory. It was one of the fastest-rising names in Tasmania and Victoria last year, and one of the nationally fastest-rising names of 2013.

In the US, Felix is #267 and rising steeply, while the UK has a similar popularity to Australia, at #91 and rising. Felix is #66 in New Zealand and fairly stable – the highest popularity of any English-speaking country. Felix is well used in Western Europe and Scandinavia, and is most popular in Austria at #4.

Handsome, intelligent, and upbeat, Felix is a name with an irresistibly positive meaning and strong Australian associations. Once seen as rather hipster, this retro name is growing in popularity, and fittingly it’s rather a favourite in the state of Victoria.

POLL RESULT
Felix received an outstanding approval rating of 93%, making it the highest-rated boys name in the Waltzing With … category for 2015. 45% of people loved the name Felix, and only 3% hated it.

Requested Name: Beau

22 Wednesday Jul 2015

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Beau is a French word meaning handsome or attractive: it is the masculine form of belle, and both of these words are from the Latin bellus, meaning “beautiful, pretty, agreeable”. It is directly related to the English word beautiful, and is part of English surnames such as Beauregard (“beautiful view”) or Beaumont (“beautiful mountain”).

You can see Beau as a short form of such surnames, or as directly from the English word beau, which is old-fashioned slang for a man who is a well-dressed dandy, or for a woman’s lover or sweetheart. Both senses of the word go back to the Middle Ages, but it is rare to hear people using these slang terms in everyday modern life.

Some of the most famous namesakes were called Beau as a nickname, to indicate that they were at the very height of fashion. Richard “Beau” Nash was Master of Ceremonies in Bath and Tunbridge Wells in the 18th century, while George “Beau” Brummel was an arbiter of men’s fashions in Regency England, a friend of the future King George IV.

Beau Brummel was famous for his charisma and wit, and his name is synomous with style and masculine good looks. He changed men’s fashions from the wearing of bright colours, lace, jewels, and spangles to elegantly tailored dark clothing with a white shirt – it’s because of him that we consider it “good taste” for a man to dress in an expensively discreet suit.

Both the famous Beaus were middle-class men who had the confidence and personality to mix with the cream of society, and as a direct result, both died in debt (Beau Brummell died raving mad from syphilis, but this has not tarnished his image, just added a tinge of poignancy).

Beau Brummell has inspired several literary portraits, including as a character in Arthur Conan Doyle’s historical novel Rodney Stone. He was also in Georgette Heyer’s Regency Buck, and it became almost de rigeur to include him as a character in regency romances. Recently Beau Brummell has turned detective in a series by Rosemary Stevens, and taken part in homoerotic fiction written by Cecilia Ryan. Beau Brummel has also appeared on stage, radio plays, TV dramas, movies, and an operetta. The latest outing was probably on UK TV in This Charming Man, with James Purefoy as Beau.

The name Beau has been in use since the late 18th century, not long after the death of Beau Nash. Beau Nash was so severely mourned by his former mistress when he died that she supposedly lived in a hollowed out tree on a bale of straw for thirty or forty years: I haven’t the foggiest how that made her feel better, but presume the straw was changed from time to time.

Originally Beau was given fairly equally to boys and girls in Britain, but soon became overwhelmingly male as the name became more common in the United States. Interestingly, this pattern still holds true, as Beau is evenly unisex in the UK, but only charts for boys in the US. In Australia, Beau is usually considered a boy’s name, but you can still encounter the occasional girl named Beau.

In the US, Beau has been in the Top 1000 since the late 1960s. Its appearance then may have been because of the actor Lloyd “Beau” Bridges, the son of Lloyd Bridges. Beau Bridges received his nickname after Ashley Wilkes’ son in Gone With the Wind. During the 1960s Beau Bridges often appeared on his father’s TV show, The Lloyd Bridges Show, and gained parts in TV series such as The Fugitive and Bonanza.

Other 1960s influences were the rock band The Beau Brummells, Roger Moore playing Beau Maverick on the TV show Maverick, and the film Beau Geste, with Guy Stockwell in the title role as an American hero fighting for the French Foreign Legion – his nickname is from the French phrase beau geste, meaning “noble gesture”. In the US, the name Beau is currently #228 and rising.

In the UK, Beau has been in the Top 1000 for boys since at least 1996, and for girls since 2002. Currently Beau is #175 for boys and #169 for girls in the UK, but it is screeching up the charts for girls while staying stable for boys. Furthermore, if you include names like Bo, and double names like Beau-Lily, there are even more girls called Beau in the UK, so this seems to be in pink territory in Britain.

In Australia, Beau joined the charts in the 1970s at #261, and first joined the Top 100 in 1986 at #85. It made the Top 50 in 2011 and 2012 (at #50 and #40), but other than that has been steadily in the bottom half of the Top 100, or just below the Top 100. That makes it a good choice for someone who wants a name that is common, without ever having been highly popular.

Currently Beau is #80 nationally, #61 in New South Wales, #70 in Queensland, #88 in Tasmania, and #48 in the Australian Capital Territory. It has just dropped off the Top 100 in Victoria, and the Top 50 in Western Australia.

The name Beau is more popular in Australia than anywhere else in the world, although it is also Top 100 in New Zealand. Once of the factors in its success is probably the number of sportsmen named Beau, such as cricketer Beau Casson, AFL footballers Beau Maister and Beau Waters, and rugby union footballer Beau Robinson, who plays for the Queensland Reds.

However it is in rugby league that the name Beau really shines, boasting Beau Champion from the Parramatta Eels, Beau Falloon from the Gold Coast Titans, Beau Henry who has just left the Titans to play in the NSW Cup, Beau Scott from the Newcastle Knights, and Beau Ryan, who has retired from the Cronulla Sharks and become a comedian – his segment Beau Knows on the NRL Footy Show a reference to Nike’s Bo Knows ad campaign with American footballer Vincent “Bo” Jackson.

Non-sporting Australian Beaus include actor Beau Brady, who was on Home and Away for several years, and Beau Brooks, from online comedy group The Janoskians.

With Beau you get a simple no-fuss name with a very attractive meaning that is cute on a little boy and rather romantic or even sexy on a grown man. For centuries the name has been associated with masculine taste and style, and it sounds handsome and charming. Although unisex in other places, it is solidly masculine and even sporty in Australia, and has been in the Top 100 for decades without ever becoming highly popular. There is plenty to love about sweetheart Beau!

Thank you to Renee for suggesting Beau be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda, a name she is considering using.

POLL RESULTS
Beau received an approval rating of 72%. People saw the name Beau as adorable on a little boy and charming on a grown man (18%), and either cute or handsome (15%). However, 13% thought it was too nicknamey for a formal name. 5% found the connection to the old slang meanings of beau a turn off. Only one person thought the name Beau was too popular.

(Picture shows James Purefoy as Beau Brummell in This Charming Man)

The Fastest Rising Top 100 Names of 2014

31 Sunday May 2015

Posted by in Naming Issues

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GIRLS

Hazel
Hazel just joined the national Top 100 as its fastest-rising name, going up 63 places to make #88: the last time it was a Top 100 name was in the 1940s. Hazel was also new to the Top 100 in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, and one of the Apple Isle’s fastest-rising names. The catalyst for Hazel’s debut in the Top 100 is last year’s teenage tearjerker, The Fault in Our Stars, based on the novel by John Green, and with Shailene Woodley in the role of Hazel. A fashionable retro name with a cool Z sound, chosen by several celebrities, Hazel was due for popularity. Just outside the US Top 100, it’s aready in the Top 50 in New Zealand.

Aria
Aria has been on the Top 100 since 2012, and in 2013 was the #1 fastest-rising name nationally. Last year Aria was the #1 fastest-rising name in New South Wales and Western Australia, and also rose significantly in Victoria and South Australia. I saw many more baby girls named Aria in birth notices too, so this pretty name is still going strong.

Ariana
Hard on Aria’s heels is Ariana, which just squeaked into the national Top 100 in 2013. Last year it was the #1 fastest-rising name in Tasmania, and rose 27 places to become one of the fastest-rising names nationally. It was also one of the fastest-rising names in New South Wales and Queensland. The major influence on the popularity of this name is American pop singer Ariana Grande, who has a couple of Australian connections: she dated Jai Brooks from The Janoskians in 2013/14, and her 2014 song Problem featured Iggy Azalea: it was Grande’s first Top Ten hit in Australia. Not only a multicultural choice, Ariana benefits from looking like an elaboration of Aria (it isn’t though).

Eleanor
Eleanor was new to the national Top 100 last year, and one of the fastest-rising names, as it went up 31 places to debut at #84: a classic never off the charts, Eleanor has not been in the Top 100 since the 1900s. It was also one of the fastest-rising names in New South Wales and Queensland. This is in line with international trends, as Eleanor joined the US Top 100 last year, and has been Top 100 in the UK for decades. Elegant Eleanor fits in with the trend for El- names for girls, and can be shortened to Elle, Ella, Ellie, Nell, Nellie, and Nora, among others. Such a lot of popular and fashionable nicknames!

Evelyn
Evelyn has been on the national Top 100 since 2011, and is a classic name which was last on the Top 100 in the 1940s. One of the fastest-rising names of 2013, Evelyn continues its ascent, as last year it was a fast-rising name in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. I saw an increase of Evelyns in birth notices during 2014.

BOYS

Maxwell
Maxwell was new to the Top 100 last year, and was the #1 fastest-rising name nationally, going up 43 places to debut at #97. It was also one of the fastest-rising names in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Maxwell is a classic name never off the charts, and was last in the Top 100 during the 1950s. Fitting in with the trend for boys’names that shorten to Max, Maxwell is rising in the both US and UK, but has not yet become popular in either. Because of the Victorian connection, I wonder if the retirement of Nick Maxwell, captain of Collingwood, had any effect.

Fletcher
Fletcher joined the Top 100 last year, and went up 26 spots to make #99. It also joined the Top 100 in Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory, having already been Top 100 in Tasmania for some time. Although Fletcher was not a fast-rising name in any particular state or territory, that’s because it is so new on the charts that there is no data yet for that to show up. Fletcher has been rising in the charts since the 1990s, and has been a Top 100 name in New Zealand since 2010: it is still quite a way off becoming popular in either the US or UK, so this is a Trans Tasman trend.

Harvey
Harvey debuted on the Top 100 last year, rising 20 places to reach #84; this made it one of the fastest-rising names nationally, and it also rose significantly in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory – which seem to have a strong influence on the Top 100 for boys’names this year! A retro name which charted from the 1900s to the 1950s, rejoining the charts in the 1990s, Harvey has never been on the Top 100 before. It’s been a popular name in the UK since the late 1990s, so it’s in line with British trends. The death of veteran journalist Peter Harvey in 2013 may have been on influence on its rise.

George
George is a solid classic which has never been out of the Top 100, but last year it joined the Top 50 for the first time since the 1970s. After the birth of Prince George, the name George became one of the fastest-rising names of 2013, and its upwards progress continues. One of the fastest-rising names in New South Wales and Victoria, I saw many more Georges in birth notices, especially from rural and regional areas.

Nate
Nathaniel was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013, and last year more parents opted to go straight for the short form, Nate, which was one of the fastest-rising names in both New South Wales and Victoria. Nate has been in the charts since the early 2000s, and is only popular in Australia, although it once made the bottom of the Top 100 in New Zealand, and is rising in the UK.

NOTE: A quick reminder that the fastest-rising names of 2013 were Aria, Evelyn, Penelope, Samantha and Lola for girls, and Louis, Hudson, Nathaniel, George and Lincoln for boys.

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 Hazel, gaining 38% of the vote, and Maxwell, gaining 27% of the vote (George was close behind on 26%). The least favourite were Ariana (7%), and a tie between Harvey and Nate (15%).

Famous Name: Aurora

25 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Famous Names

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Name in the News
On March 17, a rare aurora australis was seen over New Zealand and Australia, swirling across the late night skies in patterns of red, green, blue, and purple. Aurora australis is also known as the Southern Lights, the southern hemisphere equivalent of the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights.

An aurora event occurs when rapidly moving particles that originated from the sun come in and strike the upper atmosphere, more than 100 kilometres above the earth. The energy from the particles striking molecules in the atmosphere are released as light, and the colours that you see depend on which molecules are struck – green and red come from oxygen, while blue and purple are from nitrogen.

Aurora events sometimes happen when large solar flares and explosions of material come off the sun, which is what occurred this week, setting off a geomagnetic storm. An aurora australis is usually best viewed from Antarctica, but moderate ones can be seen from Tasmania. However, this week’s aurora was so bright that it was visible as far north as Canberra, and Goulburn and Kiama in New South Wales, while even in Brisbane there was a red tinge to the sky.

In Aboriginal mythology, the aurora australis was often seen as fire in the sky, and conjectured to be bushfires in the spirit world, campfires glowing in the land of the dead, or fires lit by evil spirits. It seems to have been generally seen as an ill omen, or a sign of a god’s displeasure. In south-west Queensland, where aurorae are uncommon and less spectacular, it was thought that the spirits were able to transmit messages through an aurora, allowing communication with the ancestors.

Rare, awe-inspiring, and staggeringly beautiful, an aurora is a celestial phenomenon not to be missed. Little wonder that in the past it was seen as something mysterious and otherworldly.

Name Information
Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn, and her name literally means “dawn, sunrise, daybreak”. She is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Eos, and the Hindu goddess Ushas. The name comes from an ancient root meaning “shining one”, and is related to the English word east, as well as the Latin aurum, meaning “gold”. It has connotations of springtime, and the new year – all symbols of rebirth and new beginnings.

In Roman mythology, Aurora renews herself each morning and flies across the sky to announce the arrival of the sun, her brother. She often appears in poetry (Virgil describes her as having a “saffron bed”), and her beauty and desirability are such an important part of her image that it is thought she must originally have been a goddess of love, with the different aspects of dawn and eroticism becoming separated into Aurora and Venus.

One of her key myths involves her love affair with a Trojan prince named Tithonus. Wanting to be with Tithonus for all eternity, she asked Jupiter to make him immortal. He granted her request, but because Aurora did not ask for him to remain eternally youthful, he was doomed to be old forever. Aurora saved him from this fate by turning him into a grasshopper.

Although you may read of the goddess Aurora in Tennyson and Shakespeare, see paintings of her, and even hear of her from Bjork, the name is probably best known from the 1959 Disney film Sleeping Beauty, where the comatose princess is called Aurora. In the movie, the king and queen choose the name because their daughter has “filled their lives with sunshine”.

In Charles Perrault’s version of the fairy tale, the Sleeping Beauty was not given a name, but she bears the Prince two children named L’Aurore (“the dawn”) and Le Jour (“the day”). Tchaikovsky’s ballet gives the daughter’s name to the mother, so the Sleeping Beauty is called Princess Aurora, and Disney followed this, as well as the TV series Once Upon a Time. (In the German version of the tale, she is called Briar Rose, which Disney used as Aurora’s code name, and in the earliest Italian one, Talia, who had children named Sun and Moon).

Aurora has been used as a name since the 17th century, and from the beginning was an international choice, showing up in records in England, Italy, and Scandinavia, and by the following century was used in countries all over the world, but especially in Europe.

Currently, Aurora is popular in Norway and most popular in Italy, where it is #3. In the United States, Aurora has been almost constantly on the Top 1000, and is now #145. It has been rising steadily since 1995 – the same year that Disney’s Sleeping Beauty was re-released in cinemas. In England/Wales, Aurora has been on the charts since 2011, and is rising steeply at #257. Amongst English-speaking countries, Aurora is most popular in New Zealand, where it has been Top 100 since 2013 and was #77 last year.

In Australia, Aurora is around the mid-100s, so has a similar popularity to that in the US. As it is rising in other countries, it is most likely rising here too. Around the world, Aurora is often given as a name in scientific contexts, and in Australia it is well known as an energy company. Aurora Point on Macquarie Island is named after the SY Aurora used on Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic expedition, with the yacht itself named after the aurora australis.

Aurora is an internationally recognised name with a poetic meaning and many attractive associations – an alluring dawn goddess, a sunshiney fairy tale princess, an iridiscent light in the heavens. It’s elegant and enchanting, rich and frothy, a name that seems to shimmer with colour, shot through with the rosy pink and gold of daybreak. One drawback is that it not particularly easy to say, which is why Auroras nearly always seem to have a nickname, such as Aura, Auri, Rora, Rory, Ro, or Roo, adding a cute or tomboyish option to a flouncingly feminine name.

POLL RESULTS
Aurora received a decent approval rating of 66%. 21% of people saw the name Aurora as pretty or beautiful, but 16% found it too difficult to pronounce.

(Picture is of Aurora australis seen over the Forth River in Tasmania; photo taken by Julie Head and published in The Advocate).

Famous Name: Grace

21 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by in Famous Names

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Last month it was the 121st birthday of Grace Cossington Smith, one of the most important Australian artists of the 20th century, and a contemporary of Clarice Beckett.

Grace was born in Sydney, and studied under Antonio Dattilo Rubbo, an inspiring and extremely supportive art teacher who encouraged his students to experiment; he affectionately called Grace “Mrs Van Gogh”. Her painting The Sock Knitter, showing her sister knitting socks for the war effort, is considered to be Australia’s first post-Impressionist painting, and she exhibited in galleries from 1915.

Her paintings are notable for their bright patterns and vibrant energy, using careful square brushstrokes to create images of colour shimmering through sunlight. She painted scenes of Sydney, and is famous for her iconic representations of the Harbour Bridge, showing the bridge’s construction. Grace’s Sydney was bustling, busy, exciting; filled with crowds, colour and sunshine. Later in life, she became known for her still lifes and interiors.

Art museums began buying Grace’s work in the 1940s, but she did not become famous until the 1960s, and in 1973 was appointed an Order of the British Empire as an exhibition of her work toured with the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Grace was 81, and let it be known that she would have welcomed recognition a little earlier. She received her OBE while in a nursing home, and by then was too frail to paint any more.

Grace is an English word which can be understood in several different ways. We might think of grace in terms of physical elegance and poise, but there is also social grace, where a person is charming and well-mannered.

The theological concept of Divine Grace is present in several religions. In Christianity, it means the undeserved love and mercy given to us by God – a gift that allows us a share in divinity. Although there are many theological disagreements, nearly all Christians believe that the grace of God is necessary for salvation, and that it is through divine grace that we are able to resist sin.

The word grace comes from the Latin gratia, meaning “kindness, favour, esteem”, ultimately from an ancient root which means “praise, welcome”. The word is related to grateful. Both the secular and spiritual senses of the word grace have connotations of effortlessness – no matter how many lessons in physical movement or etiquette you might have, you can only appear graceful if it seems natural and easy for you. And the grace of God comes not through our own efforts, but is a gift that we are freely given without earning it.

The English name Grace was not originally linked to either of these meanings, but from a Germanic name Grece, meaning “grey”, and pronounced like Grace. However, it quickly became associated with the Latin Gratia or Gracia, to suggest “charming, pleasant”, and it is thought that women with these names would have been known as Grece or Grace in everyday life.

St Gracia of Lerida may have been an influence on the name’s development; she was the daughter of a Spanish Muslim caliph who converted to Christianity and was martyred in the 12th century. Born Zaida, she took Gracia as her Christian name, and is sometimes known as St Grace. There is also an obscure pre-Norman English saint named Grace connected with St Probus of Cornwall; some speculate that she was his wife, and others that she was a great lady who supported him in his ministry. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence that she ever existed.

In Greek mythology, the Graces are goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, creativity, and fertility, patronesses of amusements and festivities. Despite this seemingly frivolous purview, in some mysterious way they were connected to the Underworld and the secrets of the afterlife – perhaps a taste of the joys which might await us on the other side. In Renaissance art, they are usually depicted as three beautiful young women who are either naked or lightly draped in diaphanous garments, and often embracing each other or clasping hands.

These attractive figures might have influenced the choice of the name Grace from the late Middle Ages, but it is usually thought that after the Reformation, Grace would have been given by Puritans as a virtue name, with the religious meaning in mind.

Grace is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #29 in the 1900s, left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and reached its lowest point in the 1970s at #373. It then began climbing steeply, around the time of Princess Grace of Monaco’s death, and reached the Top 100 in 1988 at #89.

By 1991, Grace was in the Top 50 at #45, and in the Top 20 by 1998 at #13 – the highest point it had ever gained historically. Grace reached the Top 10 in 2002 at #9, however it did not stay there long, and stabilised just outside the Top 10, where it remains today.

Currently Grace is #12 nationally, #11 in Victoria, #14 in New South Wales, #12 in Queensland, #11 in Western Australia, #9 in Tasmania, #11 in the Northern Territory and #10 in the Australian Capital Territory. Highly popular in all states and territories, it is also a Top 100 name in other English-speaking countries, and is most popular in Northern Ireland and Ireland at #3 and #4 respectively. Its popularity in Britain and New Zealand is much the same as here.

Grace is a true timeless classic; a solid choice as an English name which has never gone out of fashion or fallen into disuse in nearly a thousand years. Yet it is more popular now that it has been at any other time in Australia’s history, making it a contemporary classic which feels both traditional and up-to-date.

Grace is a beautiful name with simple elegance; sophisticated and unpretentious, and even more popular as a middle name. It’s a saint, a princess, a goddess, and millions upon millions of ordinary women throughout the ages. There may be many little girls named Grace, but that’s no reason why your daughter cannot join their ranks. Gracie is a common pet form, and quite a few parents are choosing this as the name on the birth certificate.

POLL RESULT
Grace received an excellent approval rating of 83%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2014. People saw the name Grace as a beautiful timeless classic (29%), simple yet sophisticated (18%), suitable for all ages (18%), and intelligent and professional (11%). However, 6% thought it was too popular. Nobody thought the name Grace was harsh or ugly.

(Picture shows Church Interior by Grace Cossington Smith, c 1941)

 

Requested Name: Eva

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Requested Names

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Front1Eva is the Latinate form of Eve, a Hebrew name translated as “breath, life”. Eve is famous as the first woman in the Bible, and the companion of the first man, Adam. She shared Adam’s fate of being cast out of the Garden of Eden, and is regarded in the Bible as the mother of all humanity. Apart from the biblical figure, there is also a saint named Blessed Eva of Liege, a medieval holy recluse.

Eva is the most usual form of the name Eve in many countries around the world, and in Ireland and Scotland, can be used to Anglicise the Irish name Aoife, meaning “beauty”. In Australia, Eva has historically been often used by European immigrants, particularly amongst Catholics and Jews. This gives it considerable scope as a potential heritage choice.

Amongst English-speakers, the name received a boost of popularity in the 19th century after the publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In the book, Evangeline St. Clare, or “Little Eva” is an angelic little girl who inspires love in even the most heart-hardened, and in her final throes, converts all the slaves to Christianity with some locks of her hair. It is the pure goodness of Little Eva which changes the lives of all around her.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin created a wave of pro-slavery novels to combat its views, and one of them was Little Eva: the Flower of the South, in 1853. Quick to cash in on the Little Eva phenomenon, it features yet another angelic little girl called Little Eva, equally loving and lacking in prejudice – only in this book, Eva is so kind-hearted that when the slaves are set free, they elect to remain with her of their own free will. This idealistic dream of voluntary slavery never came to pass on a large scale.

A real life Little Eva was the 1960s pop singer, born Eva Narcissus Boyd. She didn’t receive her moniker from either of these literary characters, but was called Little Eva by her family to distinguish her from her aunt, also named Eva. Little Eva is most famous for singing The Locomotion, later covered by Australian pop star Kylie Minogue. Little Eva apparently wasn’t too impressed by Kylie’s version.

Another Australian connection to Little Eva comes from World War II, when an American Air Force plane named the Little Eva got lost and crashed after a bombing mission in an isolated region of the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. What happened to the survivors of the crash, and their desperate struggle against the dangers of the Australian outback, was made into a documentary called Aeroplane Dance, and is being developed into a feature film scheduled for release this year.

Eva is a classic name in Australia which has never left the charts. It was #37 in the 1900s, sinking until it left the Top 100 in the 1930s. It reached its lowest point in the 1980s at #425, then rose steeply during the 1990s to make the Top 100 for the late 2000s. Currently it is #24 nationally, #26 in New South Wales, #30 in Victoria, #31 in Queensland, #66 in Tasmania, and #27 in the Australian Capital Territory.

Eva is a very international name, being popular in all English-speaking countries, and all over Europe, including Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. It is most popular in Slovenia, at #2, and its popularity in Britain and New Zealand is almost identical to that in Australia.

Eva’s position in the Top 100 is stable, and it is now at its highest level of popularity ever. This makes it a Contemporary Classic – a traditional classic name which manages to feel modern and up-to-date. Because it is still rising, albeit gradually, it is also an Up and Coming Classic, so that it still seems rather fresh and stylish.

This all helps to make Eva an attractive choice. Furthermore, it fits in with the trend for short names ending in -a, such as Isla and Ella, and the V names, such as Ava, Ivy, Evie and Evelyn. This means that while Eva doesn’t stand out amongst its peers, neither does it sound particularly distinctive.

However, for those who care about such things, Eva has the advantage of being a classic, unlike Isla, Ella, Ava, Ivy and Evie, and also began rising before them, so that it cannot be accused of being a copycat. Eva is closest to the name Evelyn, which is also a classic that began rising in the 1990s – although Evelyn has yet to reach the popularity it enjoyed in the 1900s.

Eva is a beautiful classic name that is feminine without being frilly. Eva sounds intelligent as well as pretty, and it’s a name which ages well. It is easy to spell and pronounce, and is popular without being either extremely common or faddish. That makes it a baby name which might tick a lot of boxes on many people’s lists. The usual nicknames are Eve or Evie, but it is so short and simple that it doesn’t really need a nickname.

POLL RESULT
Eva received an excellent approval rating of 83%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2014. People saw the name Eva as a stylish classic (23%), feminine yet not frilly (19%), beautiful or pretty (18%), and easy to spell and pronounce (17%). However, 6% thought it was too popular. Nobody thought the name Eva sounded too much like the word evil.

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

Interview with Anna from Babynamelover’s Blog

12 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by in Blog Reviews

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When I first began blogging, I soon found out there was another Anna, from New Zealand, who ran Babynamelover’s Blog. Anna has been blogging since 2009, so she’s an old hand at it, and has a relaxing cool green-themed blog with lots of fun and interesting topics. Here you can find popular names in New Zealand and New Zealand name trends, as well as good data analysis and suggestions for names that could replace ones from the Top 100. There are also lists of hot and old fashioned names for boys and girls, name combinations, name lists galore, and lots of interesting birth notices from New Zealand. Anna also offers help to parents who are unsure about a particular name. For everything on NZ baby names, and lovely names in general, cross the Tasman to see the real names of New Zealand.

What is your name?

Anna Michelle Hamilton.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

No. I really like my name; I think my parents chose well. I was born at 32 weeks and they didn’t have one picked out so began at the As [in the baby name book]!

When did you first become interested in names?

Not sure how old I was, but perhaps around 10. I was forever reading the Christchurch Weekend Press and copying out the birth notices – my dad thought I was mad and wondered what I was up to. My brother bought me three name books on Trade Me [New Zealand classifieds] for Christmas one year and that’s how my collection of baby name books began – also the inspiration to write my own book.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

Blogging was a fairly new thing at the time, so that was something I was interested in learning how to do – and baby names are a big passion of mine.

Do you have a favourite blog entry on Babynamelover’s Blog?

I always love it when the top names for NZ are released each year and I can compare them to previous years and other countries, and share that with others. The one blog I am especially proud of though was when I announced the birth of my daughter and shared her name with the world.

How do New Zealand baby names differ from the rest of the world?

I think in general New Zealanders are quite conservative namers, and are particularly swayed by popular choices that are currently hot eg Isla, Mila and Cooper. Most seem to stay within the top 10 which is why these are so common, especially over a period of years – but there are a few surprisingly named babies which I love to hear about. I think we are swayed more by European naming trends than American ones. [Anna O: From an outsider’s perspective, what I most notice about the New Zealand birth notices from Anna’s blog are the lovely Maori names].

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names?

Only one thing bugs me, and that’s when people add extra letters to names.

What are some of your favourite names?

I guess my style could best be described as uncommon (in New Zealand), quirky, and fun. Some of my favourites include: Astrid, Iris, Thea, Winona and Polly, along with Casper, Gideon, Octavius, Barnaby, and August.

What names do you dislike?

Car names such as Austin, Cooper and Bentley. And very common girls names such as Emily, Charlotte, Amelia, and Lucy.

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

My hubby doesn’t like Astrid or Iris, which I adore. Jethro is too close to my daughters name.

What are your favourite names in the New Zealand Top 100?

Olive (#65) and Jasper (#84).

What are your favourite names that have never been in the NZ Top 100?

Astrid and Jethro.

What is your daughter’s name?

Juno Francesca Hamilton.

If you found out you were pregnant right now, what would be the first names you would think about using?

I am pregnant! Due 27th July 2014. Baby is nicknamed Astro right now – the name will be revealed when they are born. We will consider movie names again though! [Comment from Anna O: Wow, that was unexpected! Congratulations!]

Have you and your husband ever disagreed while choosing baby names together?

My husband and I are lucky we have names we both like – I like a lot that he doesn’t, but I am glad he has a strong opinion. Our daughter’s name we both loved – I didn’t want to compromise on that.

What is something we don’t know about you?

My favourite author is John Green. His characters have the best names!

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

Choose one you love, one that you would regret not using.

(Photo of Anna with her daughter supplied by interviewee).