Famous Name: Billie

08 Wednesday Jun 2016

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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.

Rare Girls Names From the 1950s

05 Sunday Jun 2016

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 1 Comment

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Ancient Egyptian names, Australian names, Biblical names, celebrity baby names, controversial names, created names, english names, famous namesakes, French names, Greek names, hebrew names, Indian names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name trends, names from movies, names of rivers, nicknames, pen names, Roman names, Shakespearean names, Slavic names, stage names, Swedish names

The most popular girls names of the 1950s were Susan, Jennifer, Christine, and Margaret, but what were the least popular names? Here are ten names which were only chosen once in any year between 1950 and 1959 in South Australia, making them unique names for their time and place. They continue to be rare, and some parents will still find them appealing.

Adelie
Anglicised form of Adélie, a variant or pet form of the French name Adèle. The name came into common use in the 19th century, and has a strong connection with Antarctica. Adélie Land borders the Australian Antarctic Territory, and has been claimed by France, although most countries do not recognise their sovereignty. The coast of Adélie Land was discovered in 1840 by the French explorer Jules D’Urville, and named after his wife Adèle. Since 1956 there has been a French research station here, and perhaps it helped to give the name some publicity in this decade. Adélie penguins get their name from Adélie Land, and the location has another penguin connection, as this is where the award-winning French documentary March of the Penguins was filmed. Names such as Adeline and Adele are on trend, and Adelie has a strong local association. Usually pronounced AD-uh-lee by English-speakers; Addie is the obvious nickname.

Drusilla
Feminine form of the Roman family name Drusus. The first of the line was Livius Drusus, who gained his name by killing a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in one-on-one combat. Although the meaning of Drausus is unknown, one theory is that it comes from the Celtic for “strong”. Drusilla was the name of one of King Herod’s great-granddaughters, and she briefly appears in the New Testament as the wife of the Roman governor Felix Antonius; mention is made of her beauty, and that Felix used great cunning to persuade the Jewish – and already married – Drusilla to wed him, a pagan (later she perished in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius). Drusilla has been used as an English name since at least the 17th century; presumably the loveliness of the biblical namesake was a drawcard. A famous namesake of the decade was British actress Drusilla Wills, who passed away in 1951. In Australia this name has an intellectual image, due to novelist and literary critic Drusilla Modjeska; however Drusilla often has a Gothic connection in popular culture. Dru makes a cool nickname.

Isis
Greek version of the Egyptian goddess Aset, whose name means “throne”, and represents the power of the pharaoh. Worshipped as the ideal wife and mother, Isis was a patron of nature and magic; she was the protector of the poor and downtrodden, but also heeded the prayers of the wealthy and aristocratic. She was popular throughout Egypt, and later her cult spread through the Greco-Roman world, where she came to represent wisdom. She even influenced Christianity, for the popular image of the Virgin Mary nursing the baby Jesus was taken directly from Isis suckling her son Horus. Worship of Isis continues today in both pagan and interfaith contexts, and she has become important to occult, esoteric and New Age movements. A famous namesake from this decade was Isis Finlay, the Miss Cuba of 1954. The British astronomer Isis Pogson, who used her middle name, was probably named after the River Isis, part of the Thames, and this is the inspiration for the name of the Isis Rivers in Australia. A lovely ancient name which has suffered from the coincidence of the terrorist group popularly called ISIS, although Islamic State is the more usual way of referring to it.

Keturah
Hebrew name meaning “incense”, probably with spiritual overtones rather than simply describing a pleasant aroma. In the Old Testament, Keturah was the second wife of the patriarch Abraham; he married her after the death of Sarah, and she is implied to be a lower-status wife. Keturah bore Abraham six sons, and Abraham settled them in colonies at some distance away, presumably so that they wouldn’t trouble his son Isaac. They are said to represent the Arab tribes who lived south and east of Palestine, although the youngest ended up in Syria. Despite being one of the most ignored characters in the Bible, Keturah has been used as an English name since the 17th century, but has never gained popularity. Keturah fit in with popular names of the 1950s such as Kathleen, Kathryn, Karen and Kerry, and even today underrated Keturah is surprisingly stylish. You could use Kitty as the nickname.

Kiki
Can be used as a short form of any name starting with a K, ending in -iki, or with a strong K sound, or as a true nickname with no relation to the birth name. The name was well known by the 1950s due to the French artist’s model and cabaret singer Alice Prin, who worked under the professional name Kiki, and was known as The Queen of Montparnasse. The companion of American photographer Man Ray for several years, she is the subject of many of his most famous works. An artist in her own right, her autobiography was reprinted in the 1950s under the title The Education of a Young Model. Kiki died in 1953, but she remained a bohemian symbol of feminine freedom and audacity. Another inspiration was Norwegian-born fashion designer Kiki Byrne (born Olaug Grinaker), who was Mary Quant’s rival in the trendy London scene of the late 1950s and 1960s. Kiki was also a celebrity baby name in this decade, the nickname of Chiara, daughter of American artist Tony Smith, and his opera singer wife, Jane Lawrence (Kiki Smith is now a highly successful artist herself). Kiki is a vintage nickname which still seems daring, chic, and sexy.

Nerissa
Created by William Shakespeare for a character in The Merchant of Venice. It is usually thought that he based it on the Nereids, the beautiful sea nymphs of Greek mythology who were the daughters of the sea god Nereus; his name and theirs comes from the Greek word for “water”. In the play, Nerissa is the handmaid of the heroine Portia, and the two of them team up to fool the boys and save the day with a clever plan. Although Nerissa is pretty, witty, and gets her man, her role as a servant and sidekick may not have helped the name’s fortunes. It doesn’t seem to have been used as a name until the 19th century, when Shakespeare became very fashionable, and has never been popular, like his other creations Jessica and Olivia. Nerissa was very on trend in the 1950s, when names like Nerida, Narelle, Nerine, and Nerys were all the rage. It perhaps sounds slightly dated now, but is still a very pretty name with an attractive fictional namesake.

Pandora
In Greek mythology Pandora was the first woman created by the gods, designed not as a companion and helpmate for man but his punishment. Each of the gods bestowed upon Pandora the most seductive of gifts, such as beauty, grace, intelligence, and charm, but she was also given a jar which contained all diseases and miseries. Pandora almost immediately opened it, so that evil entered the world. Only Hope was left in the jar, but it is unclear whether this was a Bad Thing (hope was never released, giving us no expectation of improvement) or a Good Thing (at least we still have hope). For that matter, why did the gods regard Hope as an evil? Scholars have devoted many pages to these questions. At least Pandora’s name is straightforward: she was named by Hermes with the meaning “all gifts”, to indicate how well the gods endowed her. Pandora has been used as an English name since at least the 18th century, although the backstory is a mixed blessing. An inspiration from this decade was the 1951 romantic film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, with Ava Gardner as femme fatale Pandora Reynolds. An exotic spin on Eve, but the mistranslation of her jar makes Pandora’s Box something of an issue.

Tasma
The pen name of Australian novelist Jessie Couvreur, who was of Dutch, French, and English descent. Jessie and her family arrived in Tasmania from London in 1852, and she was raised and given a liberal education in Hobart. Her pseudonym was inspired by the island state of Tasmania, and could be seen as a feminine form of Tasman. There is a Tasma Street in Hobart, apparently named in her honour. Jessie began publishing her work when she was sixteen, and she spent most of her career in Europe. An example of the New Woman, Jessie divorced her first husband, and was already financially independent through her work. She published eight novels between 1877 and 1897, lectured in French, and wrote for the Nouvelle Revue, receiving the Officier d’Académie from the French government; she was particularly interested in feminist issues. Later in life she became a correspondent for The Times in Brussels, proving herself an excellent journalist. A famous namesake is actress Tasma Walton, who is married to comedian Rove McManus, and has been a celebrity parent on the blog. Another celebrity mum, Yumi Stynes, has Tasma as her middle name. The name Tasma is particularly associated with Australia, and although it is found in other countries too, seemingly only after Jessie Couvreur began her international writing career, leaving open the possibility this is a genuine Australian original that’s both literary and patriotic.

Viveka
Swedish form of Wiebke, feminine form of the Germanic name Wiebe, a medieval short form of names containing the name element wig, meaning “war”. The name is pronounced VIV-eh-kuh. In the 1950s, Viveka would have fitted in with fashionable Vivian and Vivienne, and still makes a good alternative to those names. By coincidence, viveka is also a Sanskrit word meaning “discrimination, discernment”. In Eastern philosophies, viveka is the ability to tell the difference between what is real (eternal) and unreal (changing), which is necessary for spiritual growth; the word is used in yoga and certain meditation techniques. It is sometimes used as a female name in India, which makes Viveka a cool multicultural choice.

Zora
Slavic name meaning “dawn”. A famous Australian with the name was the writer Zora Cross, who wrote several novels between the 1920s and 1940s but is primarily known for her poetry. Her private life was scandalous for the time, because she separated from her husband and lived with her partner, who she had two children with and “married” in a private commitment ceremony. Zora’s partner adopted another child she had with a previous lover, and in turn he and his wife were separated, she living with her own partner. These bohemian arrangements were frowned upon and caused some difficulties with employment, but Zora was able to support herself through acting and journalism. Despite this interesting namesake, the name Zora probably appeared in the 1950s data because of post-war immigration from the former Yugoslavia (now Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina). Several other Slavic names appear in the data, including Zorica, a pet form of Zora. Very similar to popular Zara, this makes a good heritage choice and an alternative to Aurora.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Adelie, Zora and Viveka, and their least favourites were Pandora, Kiki and Drusilla.

(Photo shows the writer “Tasma” in Turkish dress in Istanbul; a favourite photo of hers since Turkish women’s clothing was unrestrictive compared to that in Europe)

Famous Name: Elizabeth

25 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names

≈ 4 Comments

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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)

What Name For a Globe-Trotting Girl, Future Rock Star or Lawyer?

21 Saturday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Naming Assistance

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

choosing baby names, middle names, nicknames, sibsets

Maggie and Dan are expecting their third child next month, a brother or sister for their daughters Zoe and Gemma (sometimes called Gigi). They’ve already chosen a boy’s name, but are having more trouble deciding on a name for a girl.

Maggie and Dan are Australians living overseas, and the most important thing is that the name needs to be easy to spell and pronounce, both for English-speakers and non-English speakers. They don’t want a name that’s too common, but nor do they want one that’s too unusual.

Maggie likes the idea of a name that would be equally suitable for a lawyer or a rock star when her daughter is grown up. I take that to mean a name which sounds both professional and “cool”, and is flexible enough to suit a wide variety of people.

So far these are the names on Maggie’s list:

Sasha – this was going to be Gemma’s name, but they changed their minds at the last minute. It was also on the list for Zoe, so the name is one they have seriously considered for several years, and they still love it.

Eloise – Maggie loves this name, and thinks it’s beautiful and goes perfectly with their existing names. Dan isn’t so keen, but Maggie thinks she might be able to convince him.

Laila – Maggie loves it, but Dan is on the fence. The spelling is an issue: Maggie doesn’t like the spelling of Layla, but thinks Leila will be said LEE-luh.

Skye – Another name Maggie loves, even though it’s not her usual style. It seems like a clean, fresh name that would go perfectly with their children’s names. Dan doesn’t dislike it, and could probably be talked into it.

Lily – Like Skye, this seems clean, fresh, and suitable. However, it’s very popular, so Maggie wonders if this would just be an okay choice, despite being very pretty.

Claudia – a name that Maggie has loved for years and years, but overlooked for both her first daughters’ names. She thinks Dan could be convinced.

Other names she likes: Phoebe, Frankie and Ruby (Ruby is a family name).

They will choose a middle name which goes well with the chosen name, and will complement it without competing with it. They might use Olivia, Isobel, Eloise, or Lily; they can’t use Rose.

Maggie and Dan’s surname is similar to Wheeler.

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

Maggie, what pretty names you have picked out for a girl! I can understand why it would be more difficult to pick a girl’s name after naming two daughters, but you certainly aren’t lacking in ideas.

Sasha
I can see this as an alternative for Gemma, as the names are quite alike in structure. Sasha has two different pronunciations even amongst English-speakers – SASH-uh and SAH-shuh. If you’re looking for a name with no pronunciation issues, then I’m not sure Sasha is the best choice, but it’s still workable. Sasha Lily seems like a pretty combination.

Eloise
I agree that this is a lovely name which goes very well with Zoe and Gemma, while having its own distinctive feel. I wonder if you would also like Esme, a rising name which I think would be even easier for non-English-speakers to say. Or maybe Eleanor? Eloise Claire and Eloise Celeste are two very French name combinations.

Laila
I think if Layla and Leila are both off the table as spellings, then Laila is the easiest spelling and should be easy enough to cope with; it’s very easy to pronounce as well. Apparently some people say Laila to sound like Lila, which doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I have never met any of these people, and perhaps you won’t either. I suppose Lila isn’t possible? I like Laila Juliet as a name combination, if you can handle all that L sound.

Skye
You’re right – this is a clean, fresh sort of name, it’s very easy to spell and pronounce, and it does sound nice with Zoe and Gemma. The name Skye “Wheeler” puts a very strong image in my mind that is rather charming and certainly memorable. To me this is perhaps more rock star than lawyer when combined with your surname, and maybe more folk singer than either! Skye Isobel would be a very Scottish combination.

Lily
I can easily imagine pretty Lily as a sister to Zoe and Gemma, but you’re right that it’s quite popular. You could always go with something like Lillian (or even Lucy), and there are lots of other flower names, like Daisy, Poppy, Violet, and Ivy. None of them quite have that pure simplicity of Lily though. Again, this puts a very attractive image in the mind. Lily Eloise is a sweet combination.

Claudia
You’re lucky that a name you’ve loved for ages is still rising and fashionable. I think this is a beautiful and elegant name, although perhaps not as relaxed and friendly as Zoe and Gemma. I’ve noticed that people who like the name Claudia often like Clara as well. I like Claudia Ruby as a name combination, although Claudia Lucy and Claudia Felicity strike me as nice too.

Phoebe, Frankie and Ruby are all spunky names which seem like reasonable matches with Zoe and Gemma. Phoebe is easy to pronounce, once you know that PHOE is said FEE and BE is said BEE, but it’s not an intuitive spelling. I like the idea of Ruby being a family name, as that makes the name’s high popularity unimportant.

Maggie, you’ve picked out some great names, and it almost feels as if you could pick any one of these names and we happy with it. But which one will you choose?

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

POLL RESULTS: The public’s top three choices for a girl’s name were Claudia (17%), Sasha (16%), and Skye (15%).

Waltzing With … Dami

15 Sunday May 2016

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

≈ Comments Off on Waltzing With … Dami

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famous namesakes, Korean names, name meaning, nicknames, Nigerian names, unisex names

Famous Namesake
Yes it’s Eurovision time again! Australia was allowed to compete for a second time in 2016, and we entered popular singer Dami Im. Dami was born in South Korea, and grew up in Brisbane, where she studied music and became a piano teacher; her first public performances were as a gospel singer at Christian youth camps in South Korea.

Fame came for Dami when she won X-Factor Australia in 2013 and received a recording contract. Her self-titled album went platinum after debuting at #1 in the charts, as did the single from the album, Alive. Since then she has released two more albums, the second one going gold, and her albums also chart in South Korea. Apart from her other recognitions, she has been named the cultural ambassador for her home town of Logan City.

Unlike Guy Sebastian, who was given automatic entry into Eurovision as a special guest, Dami had to compete for her position at Stockholm. Would she get through? (nail bite, nail bite). Yes of course – she gave a stunning performance which earned her a standing ovation and thunderous applause from the crowd. Australia thus became one of the countries to win a place in the finals, and was immediately tipped as a strong contender.

In the finals, it looked as if Australia was going to win in a landslide victory, as the juries from each country thought Dami had given the best performance. However, when the televotes from the audience came through there were several upsets: countries given little encouragement from the juries stormed ahead in the audience vote, while some which the juries had judged a solid performance were suddenly flailing.

In the end, the Ukraine’s Jamala won with a haunting political song, while Australia came a close second with Dami Im’s power ballad Sound of Silence. Russia, which was the favourite to win, came in third. Australians were allowed to vote in Eurovision, and as you aren’t allowed to vote for your own country, they mostly voted for Belgium – perhaps influenced by Dami picking it as one of her own favourites in the competition.

There’s been lots of complaints about Australia being allowed to compete, but at the very least we’ve proved we have what it takes to do well at Eurovision without needing special treatment, and can be popular with both juries and audiences.

It’s not known yet whether we will be invited back for Eurovision 2017, but in any case SBS has another card up its sleeve. They now have the rights to produce their own version of Eurovision for the Asia Pacific, and the first one may be launched in Sydney next year. Not coincidentally, China broadcast Eurovision for the first time in 2016.

It’s interesting that the United States also broadcast Eurovision for the first time this year, because Justin Timberlake was selected as a surprise interval act. As that’s how Australia joined the Eurovision glamour train, pundits are wondering if the United States will be the next nation to be invited to compete. Grab your sequins and thicken your skins, would be my advice – it will be a bumpy but fun-filled ride to the finals.

Name Information
Dami is an Anglicised form of the Korean name Da-Mi, meaning “of great beauty, very beautiful”. The name is pronounced DAH-mee – Dami Im’s fan base is called The Dami Army, which makes the pronunciation obvious. By coincidence, dami is also a Korean vocabulary word, a verb meaning “to put in”.

Dami’s name demonstrates the usual pattern for Korean names: a one-syllable family name, and a two-syllable personal name (of course in Korea Dami’s name would be Im Da-Mi). Dami’s surname Im is the equivalent of the English name Forest or Woods, so her name altogether makes for a very attractive image.

Dami is a name that works well cross-culturally because it is used by Europeans as a short form of girl’s names such as Damiana. The name Dami is used in Nigeria for both sexes, short for names such as Damilola, meaning “God has rewarded me”. It also seems familiar to English-speakers as we have similar-sounding girl’s names such as Demi and Dani.

An international name suitable for an Australian woman performing on the world stage!

POLL RESULTS

Dami received an approval rating of 79%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2016. 36% of people loved the name Dami, while only 4% hated it.

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

≈ Comments Off on Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1950s

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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)

What Name for Alex and Charlie’s Brother or Sister?

07 Saturday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Naming Assistance

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

birth stone names, choosing baby names, food names, middle names, nicknames, sibsets

Brooke and Ryan are expecting their third child next month, who will be a brother or sister for Alexander, called Alex, and Charlie. Brooke wonders if they already have a problem, because they chose a formal name with a nickname, and then a nickname as the full name.

Brooke’s favourite choice for a boy is Hugo. Although Ryan also likes the name, his favourite is Banjo. Brooke likes Banjo, but isn’t sure whether she is daring enough to use it. Other names they have thought of are Frank, and Fred (maybe short for Frederick?)

For a girl’s name, which Brooke is finding harder, she would like a traditional vintage-style name, but doesn’t want anything too popular. So far she likes:

Olive – Brooke imagines a lot of other people might not like it, and as she’s a chef she wonders if it’s too much having a food name; maybe in the middle?

Pearl – this would be the baby’s birth stone, so a nice link

Rose

Isabel, Isobel or Isabelle – Brooke doesn’t know which spelling she prefers, and thinks it might be too popular. However, it is Ryan’s favourite name for a girl

Maeve

Mabel

Maisie – loves it, but it has the same ending as Charlie

If it’s a boy, the middle name could be Bradley, which is a family name. If it’s a girl, Brooke would like to use Audrey, to honour a relative, but she could also use Emily, a family name from an earlier generation. Florence is another possible family name.

Brooke doesn’t want a name that starts with A or C, or sounds too similar to Alex and Charlie. Her main concern is that she’s not sure whether to choose another long name that has a nickname, like Alexander/Alex, or another nickname that’s a full name, like Charlie.

Brooke and Ryan have a surname vaguely like Schneider.

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

Brooke, I don’t see it as a big problem that you have an Alex, short for Alexander, and a Charlie. I don’t think you have to consciously choose or reject one or the other type of name for your third child, and there’s no “name police” that will come down on you for mixing and matching a formal name with a nickname. There are plenty of families who do this, and I promise nothing terrible happens to them!

You can pick a name like Hugo, which doesn’t usually have a nickname – Alex, Charlie, and Hugo sounds just fine. Or you could pick a name like Banjo, which is a nickname, but not short for anything, so would be a third type of name – Alex, Charlie and Banjo is nice.

Frank and Fred (possibly short for Frederick) are also worth considering. I know neither of them are a favourite name, but there have been so many parents lately choosing a name for their child that wasn’t a front-runner on their list that I would not discount them.

Frank is handy because it’s not necessarily a nickname (it’s a name in its own right), but is often used as a nickname, so it bridges that gap between Alexander and Charlie. Fred is cute, and if you wanted to use Frederick as the formal name, then Alexander, Charlie, and Frederick works great – it even sounds quite royal.

I love all the girls names that you have chosen. It does sound as if you are having serious doubts about Olive, but it could make a wonderful middle name if you decide not to go with Audrey, Emily or Florence.

If you love the V sound in names, then Maeve might be a good replacement with no obvious food associations (although I think it literally means “mead”, the drink). Maeve Audrey, Maeve Emily and Maeve Florence all sound nice.

Pearl is very pretty, and if the baby arrives in June, then the link with the birth stone would be a bonus. Names that mean “pearl”, such as Margaret, Margot or Lulu would also fit the birth stone. Pearl Florence is darling.

I’m wondering if that was the thinking behind Rose as well, because that is usually given as the birth flower for June. It’s very pretty, and Rose Audrey is sweet, but to me this is quite hard to say with your surname. It could work as a middle name though.

Mabel is lovely, and has the advantage of being a nickname that is nearly always used as the full name, so is another gap-bridging name. Mabel Emily and Mabel Florence seem especially nice.

I don’t think it’s a huge issue that Maisie ends with the same sound as Charlie, but would it help if her name was Margaret, nicknamed Maisie? Or would plain Mae fit the bill? (I feel as if we are back to Maeve by this point).

I think Ryan has made a good choice too, with Isabel. If you wanted the least common spelling, then I would go with Isobel – this is also a Scottish name which seems like a nice match with Alexander and Charlie, wihich have strong Scottish associations. If you wanted a more “vintage” feeling, then I would pick Isabel, which was more popular in times past. Isabelle is the most popular spelling today. Isabel Audrey and Isabelle Florence are nice, although if you wanted to go down the birth stone route, Isobel Pearl seems rather charming.

Don’t worry any more about having an Alexander and a Charlie – whatever you pick will work fine. You needn’t feel that you must pick a nickname or a name with a nickname to fit in. I can tell you are more excited about choosing a girl’s name, which is understandable after two boys. If it’s harder for you, it sounds as if that’s because there’s more names you are interested in using. I would just enjoy all the choice!

UPDATE: The baby was a girl, and her name is Pearl!

POLL RESULTS: The public’s choice for a boy’s name was Hugo (53%), and for a girl it was Isobel/Isabel/Isabelle (22%), although Pearl was close behind on 20%. The favourite spelling of Ryan’s choice of name was Isobel, which more than half of respondents voted for (52%).

Girls Names from the Top 100 of the 1950s

01 Sunday May 2016

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

aristocratic names, Biblical names, celebrity baby names, english names, European name popularity, famous namesakes, fictional namesakes, flower names, French names, germanic names, hebrew names, Irish names, Latin names, locational names, middle names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, name trends, names from movies, names from television, names from video games, nature names, nicknames, plant names, royal names, saints names, screen names, Spanish names, surname names

Annette
French pet form of Anne. It was in common use by the 18th century, not only in France and French-speaking countries, but in the English-speaking world, Central Europe, and Scandinavia. Annette sprang straight into the Top 100 in the 1930s; a famous namesake from this era was singer Annette Hanshaw, one of the most popular radio stars of the decade. The name peaked in the 1950s and ’60s at #41, perhaps inspired by 1950s Mousketeer Annette Funicello, who starred in teen beach movies in the 1960s. Two famous Australian namesakes are feminist and political activist Annette Cameron, and early 20th century swimming star Annette Kellermann. It would be easy to dismiss Annette as a tired 1950s name, but there’s still something sweet and elegant about it, and it doesn’t seem strange next to popular names like Annabelle, especially as French names like Estelle are gaining in favour. Annie and Nettie are the standard nicknames.

Beverley
English surname from the town of Beverley in Yorkshire; in the Middle Ages one of the wealthiest towns in England, and a centre for pilgrimage with its own patron saint, John of Beverley. The town’s name is from the Old English for “beaver lake” or “beaver clearing”, as there were once beaver colonies in the nearby River Hull. Beverley has been used as a personal name since at least the 18th century, and from the beginning was given to both sexes, but mostly to boys. One of the reasons it became more common for girls in the 20th century could be silent film star Beverly Bayne (born Pearl, she used her middle name). Beverley has charted in Australia since the 1910s, the beginning of Beverly Bayne’s career, debuting at #321. It rocketed into the Top 100 in the 1930s, peaking in the 1940s at #13. By the 1950s it was #56, and it left the Top 100 in the 1960s, falling off the charts in the 1980s. Unisex-style surname names for girls are on trend, and Beverley is just Everley with a B, yet a comeback seems unlikely.

Heather
The common name for the widespread hardy shrubs; the plant name was later influenced by the word heath, as they grow on heathlands and moors. Heather is one of the symbols of Scotland, as it grows abundantly in the Highland hills. White heather is supposed to lucky, probably because it’s rare. Heather has been used as a girl’s name since at least the 17th century, but did not come into common use until the 19th, when flower names became fashionable. Heather was #128 in the 1900s and joined the Top 100 in the 1910s, peaking in the 1930s at #30. By the 1950s it was #47, and it left the Top 100 in the 1970s, leaving the charts altogether in 2010. The film Heathers gives it a dark edge, but the lovely Heather Jelly, played by Kerry Armstrong in SeaChange, brings a touch of suburban fantasy to it. It’s a flower name that’s strong and sensible rather than feminine and frilly, and might well appeal to a future generation.

Jill
Variant of Gill, short for Gillian, an English feminine form of Julian which dates to the Middle Ages. It’s perhaps most famous as the heroine of the old nursery rhyme, the girl who comes tumbling down the hill after Jack. At one time, Jill was used to mean any young girl or sweetheart (just as Jack meant any lad). It didn’t become common as an independent name until the 19th century – I wonder if that’s because it’s when Jack and Jill became widely published? Attractive fictional Jills include brave Jill Pole in the Narnia novels by C.S. Lewis, and P.G. Wodehouse’s flapper-era Jill the Reckless. A more modern example is tough heroine Jill Valentine from the Resident Evil game franchise. Jill entered the charts in the 1920s at #171, and was in the Top 100 by the 1930s at #45, which was also its peak. It was #73 by the 1950s, and left the Top 100 in the 1960s, leaving the charts in the 1990s. Vintage short forms like Tess, Nell and Mae are in vogue, and there seems no convincing reason why spunky Jill could not be used.

Judith
In the Old Testament, Judith is a beautiful widow who saved her people by seducing an enemy general of the Assyrians and decapitating him while he was drunk. The Book of Judith doesn’t fit any historical facts, and so is accepted as a parable or religious fiction; however, it has been a popular subject in literature, art, and music. There’s another Judith in the Bible – one of the wives of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Judith is the feminine form of the Hebrew name Judah, meaning “praise”. It has been in use since the Middle Ages and was traditional among European nobility and royalty. An early celebrity baby was Judith Shakespeare, the Bard’s daughter, and twin sister of Hamnet. Famous Australian namesakes include actress Dame Judith Anderson, poet Judith Wright, singer Judith Durham, and comedian Judith Lucy. Judith entered the charts in the 1910s at #248, and was in the Top 100 by the 1920s. It peaked in the 1940s at #3, and by the 1950s was #8; it left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and the charts in the 1990s. Mature and substantial, Judith seems almost ready for a comeback, and the nickname Jude is positively cool.

Leonie
From the French name Léonie, feminine form of the Latin name Leonius. It can be seen as a feminine form of Leo, with the same meaning of “lion”. In use since at least the 18th century, it soon spread to the English-speaking world as well as Central Europe; it is still popular in France, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Famous Australian namesakes include distinguished academic Dame Leonie Kramer, senior journalist Leonie Wood, and actress Leonie “Noni” Hazlehurst; it’s also the name of Chris Hemsworth’s mother. Leonie entered the charts in the 1910s at #338 and was in the Top 100 by the 1940s. It peaked in the 1950s at #55, left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and was off the charts by the early 2000s. This is a 1950s name that still sounds pretty and elegant, fits in with the trend for animal names, and has the advantage of never being highly popular.

Linda
Originally a Latinised short form of medieval Germanic names such as Sieglinde, or short for names such as Irmilinda; in these cases, the -linde or -linda meant “soft, tender”. However in the modern era, Linda is given because of the Spanish word linda, meaning “pretty”. Linda has been used as a personal name in Spain since perhaps the 17th century, and spread to other countries. The 19th century opera Linda di Chamounix by Donizetti helped popularise it in the English-speaking world, and Nancy Mitford’s novel The Pursuit of Love, with beautiful Linda Radlett as its focus, has some plot elements in common with the romantic opera. Linda was #53 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1920, sinking to #189 in the 1930s. It returned in the 1940s and was #24 in the 1950s, peaking at #12 in 1963. Linda left the Top 100 in the early 1980s, falling after Alice Lynn “Lindy” Chamberlain was falsely convicted of her daughter’s death, and hasn’t charted since 2009. Linda is a classic with a lovely sound and meaning which now feels dated, along with its ‘sixties sisters Melinda and Belinda. Although it does not sound that odd next to today’s Lilys and Laylas, most will probably believe it needs a rest before rediscovery.

Maureen
Anglicised form of the Irish name Máirín, a pet form of Máire, the Irish form of Mary. A modern name, Maureen came into common use in the 19th century, with significant use in Ireland. Maureen joined the charts in the 1910s at #271, and was in the Top 100 by the 1930s, when Irish-American film star Maureen O’Sullivan, who played Jane in several Tarzan films, married Australian-born film director John Farrow. The name peaked in the 1940s at #18, when gorgeous Irish-American actress Maureen O’Hara was starring in such films as How Green Was My Valley and Miracle on 34th Street. By the 1950s it was #42, and by the 1960s had left the Top 100; it hasn’t charted since the 1980s. It may not be currently fashionable, but Maureen does not seem horribly old-fashioned, as there are so many contemporary and even rather hip namesakes. Who could forget Maureen “Mo” Tucker from The Velvet Underground, or writer and activist Maureen Duffy? Bisexual performance artist Maureen Robinson from the musical Rent shares her name with a time-evading mama in the sci-fi Future History series by Robert Heinlein. Another generation might find Maureen strong and attractive, and even now it could appear clunky and cool.

Susan
English form of the Hebrew name Susanna, meaning “lily”; it has been in use since the Middle Ages. Famous Australian namesakes include Justice of the High Court Susan Kiefer; socialite Lady Susan Renouf; long distance swimmer Susan “Susie” Maroney; and Susan Cullen-Ward, who became Queen Susan of Albania. Susan was #149 in the 1900s, and was in the Top 100 by the 1940s, peaking as the #1 name of the 1950s; the name’s popularity was influenced by Hollywood star Susan Hayward. It left the Top 100 in the 1980s, and last charted in 2010. Susan was a favourite name in children’s fiction, so you might have grown up with Susan Pevensie in the Chronicles of Narnia, Susan Walker in Swallows and Amazons, Susan Garland from The Country Child, Little Friend Susan from Milly-Molly-Mandy, Susan from The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, or Susan from Worzel Gummidge. This is a charming classic which has suffered from being a mid-century #1 now at the ebb of its cycle, leading to much hand-wringing. Depending on your point of view, you will either think it’s too dated and needs more time before it feels fresh again, or can see that choosing Susan will put you way ahead of the curve when ‘fifties names make a comeback.

Yvonne
Ultimately the feminine form of the medieval Germanic name Ivo, thought to be a short form of names beginning with Iv-, meaning “yew”. Because yew wood is used to make bows, the name can be glossed as “bowman, archer”. In French, the name became Yves, hence Yvonne. Although introduced to England by the Normans, the name died out and only became common again in the 19th century. Famous Australian namesakes include opera singers Yvonne Minton and Yvonne Kenny, and rugby league commentator Yvonne Sampson, but the most famous is tennis champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley, one of the great players of the 1970s and ’80s. Yvonne joined the charts in the 1910s at #165 and was in the Top 100 by the following decade. It peaked in the 1930s at #26 and by the 1950s by #68. It left the Top 100 in the 1970s and hasn’t charted since the early 2000s. Yvonne seems dated, except that the strong V sound is still on trend, and popular Evie could be used as the nickname. I see baby girls with names like Evanne, Yvanna and Yvaine, so it feels more like a name that has evolved rather than simply gone out of use.

POLL RESULTS

The public’s favourite 1950s names were Leonie, Annette and Heather, and their least favourites were Linda, Maureen and Beverley.

(Picture of 1950s model from an exhibition of Melbourne fashion photography by Athol Shmith held at the National Gallery of Victoria).

What Name for Olive and Mabel’s Sister?

30 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by A.O. in Naming Assistance

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

choosing baby names, fictional namesakes, middle names, name combinations, Nameberry, Namehunter, names from television, nicknames, sibsets

I’m positive you will remember Charlotte and Jake. A couple of years ago they got themselves into a baby naming pickle with their second daughter: they named her at the hospital, but then family disagreements made Charlotte unsure of their decision.

They picked another name, but friends and family made some very hurtful comments about it which added to Charlotte’s worries. Eventually they decided that the second name was the right one, and their baby girl officially became Mabel a couple of months after her birth, a sister for their eldest daughter, Olive.

Charlotte and Jake are expecting their third child in the spring, and it will be another girl. They have learned some valuable lessons in regard to baby naming since Mabel’s birth. Jake definitely has – he wouldn’t even consider the prospect until they both agreed that this baby would be named before she leaves the hospital!

Charlotte is keeping her name list down to ten names, and they aren’t sharing their name ideas with friends and family this time. Another point of interest is that Olive is now old enough to have her own opinions, and her four favourite name choices are top of Charlotte’s list.

Charlotte (and Olive’s!) Name List:

Edie or Edith
Violet
Nora
Ida
Iris
Margot
Agnes
Ethel (starting to grow on her)

Charlotte quite likes the middle name Percy with some of these names, perhaps short for Persephone (she’s been watching the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs which has a Lady Persephone, sister to Agnes). Another possibility for a middle name is Florence.

Jake’s Name List:

Edie
Alice (Charlotte can’t agree to this, it’s beautiful but just isn’t for her)
Nora
Rosie (they already know three families just in their suburb with an Olive and Rosie sibset!)
Margot

Charlotte favourite name is probably Ida. She loves the name Violet, but its growing popularity is a slight turn off. She adores Edie, but would like a full name option for it, and can’t commit to Edith; three of her old friends back in London, where the name is more popular, have daughters named Edith. However, she is currently watching Downton Abbey, so she might change her mind! She thinks Jake could agree to Ida and Violet without too much persuasion.

Charlotte wonders what people think of their name choices so far.

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

It’s always nice to hear back from parents who have been on the blog previously, and it’s especially good to hear from those who’ve had naming troubles in the past, and feel much more relaxed this time around. I’m so glad to hear that you’re expecting another little girl, and have put rules in place for yourselves to make things easier when choosing her name. I’m tickled by Jake’s name rule, but of course he’s quite right.

And how delightful that Olive is now asserting herself, and has such sympathetic taste in names to her parents: I love that she gets to make her own little name list for her new sister.

It sounds to me as if you are doing absolutely fine, and are making sensible choices for yourself. The better you plan now, the less stress you’ll experience once the baby arrives.

It’s good that you and Jake and Olive have all made name lists, and although you do have a quite a way to go yet, I wonder whether it might be time to start combining them into a Master List. The easiest way is to include all the names that both you and Jake have agreed on independently, with perhaps some wiggle room for names that you think either one might come around to.

So far it looks as if everyone likes these names: Edie (possibly short for Edith), Nora, and Margot.

And you think that Jake could be persuaded to agree to: Ida and Violet.

You have ruled out Alice, and still don’t seem too keen on Rosie, which you vetoed last time (I can see that being the fourth family in your suburb to pick both Olive and Rosie would not be appealing).

That leaves Agnes, Iris, and Ethel still up in the air. I remember Jake went off Agnes and Iris last time, but then again you vetoed Edie/Edith last time and it’s now at the top of your list. So I think it’s worth having more conversation about these names. Ethel is a very new addition to the list, and I would give that some time to settle in before you make any decisions either way.

So your list is now:

Front Runners
Edie/Edith
Nora
Margot

Maybe (need more input from Jake)
Ida
Violet

Still Possible (need more thought and conversation)
Agnes
Iris
Ethel

And there’s room to add more names that you might fall in love with over the winter, so you don’t need to worry that your name list is overstocked.

EDIE/EDITH
This is a name that everyone has at the top of their list, so can’t be overlooked. I do remember that you prefer names to have a long form, and Edith nn Edie might suit you better than Edie. I wouldn’t worry about your friends in London having daughters named Edith. If you ever catch up with them all on a trip it will be a cute talking point, but can’t see how it will impact on your day to day life. I think Olive, Mabel and Edith is adorable, and Edith Persephone, Edith Percy or Edith Florence all sound nice. Maybe the final episode of Downton can make up your mind!

NORA
Another favourite name of everyone. I know it’s technically a nickname, but so is Mabel: I think they are both names where the short form has become much better known than the full name. Nora seems very hip and spunky, and at the moment is even less common in Australia than Edie or Edith. Who wouldn’t love Olive, Mabel and Nora together (they even touch in the alphabet)? Nora Florence is lovely, while Nora Percy unfortunately sounds vaguely rude.

MARGOT
Yet another technically-it’s-a-nickname-but-not-really name! It’s terrifically hip and elegant, and I suspect could get a good response from people. Olive, Mabel and Margot are sweet together, and I like both Margot Florence and Margot Persephone (although in this case I think Margot Percy looks a bit rude). Margot has become an It Name lately, and that makes some parents nervous. Hopefully you can embrace that rather than be put off by it.

IDA
I’m just loving Olive, Mabel and Ida, and the combination Ida Persephone! And I think this name is sufficiently ahead of the curve that you won’t have to worry about other little Idas popping up all over the place. Jake went off this name before, so here’s hoping he has a change of heart.

VIOLET
Very pretty, although possibly a bit too much on trend for your complete comfort. Also I remember last time you weren’t sure about having another plant name with Olive, so how do you feel about it now? Would it make Mabel look out of place, or does Mabel actually help make it seem more possible?

I was interested to see that when I put Olive and Mabel into Nameberry’s Namehunter, it suggested Violet, Iris, Edith, Alice, and Florence for you. Other names on the list were Pearl, Clementine, Maisie, Clara, Beatrice, Cora, Adelaide, Willa, and June. And when I put your five top names in, it suggested Olive and Mabel, so it seems as if you have a really good feel for matching name styles.

I know you and Jake (and Olive) are going to choose a name for your baby girl that you love and makes a perfect match with her sisters – that just comes naturally to you. In the meantime, keep working on your name list as a family while remaining tight-lipped. Feel free to come back to us if you add new names and name combinations to your list – we’re always happy to help if we can.

POLL RESULT: The public’s clear choice for the name was Edith or Edie on 27%.

UPDATE: Last time I heard from Charlotte, Jake had convinced her that Edith was the right name for their new daughter.

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