Tag Archives: popular culture

Famous Name: Bruce

17 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by in Famous Names

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When the name Acacia was featured for Wattle Day, I mentioned that Monty Python made gentle fun of our national flower with their Bruces Sketch, where all the philosophy faculty at the (fictional) University of Woolloomooloo are named Bruce. This seems to be the origin of the notion that Bruce is a particularly Australian name.

Barry Humphries has said that the inspiration for the Bruces Sketch was his Barry Mackenzie character, who began life as a comic strip in Private Eye. Barry Humphries’ television series, The Barry Humphries Scandals, was a precursor to Monty Python, and Eric Idle has cited Humphries as one of his comedy influences.

It’s rumoured, not implausibly, that Humphries himself suggested the name Bruce as an Australian signifier, either directly or indirectly. The name Bruce peaked in Australia in the 1930s, and in Britain slightly later, in the 1940s. Even at its height in the UK, it was only around the bottom of the Top 100, so it wasn’t nearly as common there.

Humphries was born in 1934, so had peers called Bruce. The most obvious example is Australian director Bruce Beresford (born 1940), who directed the Barry Mackenzie films. Like Barry Humphries, Bruce went to England in search of career opportunities, but was unable to break into the British film industry, and found success at home, with movies like Breaker Morant and Puberty Blues, and in North America with Driving Miss Daisy, and Black Robe.

The connection between Barry and Bruce continued when Humphries took the role of a great white shark named Bruce in the animated film, Finding Nemo. The American film-makers named Bruce, primarily not as an Australian reference, but after the shark in Jaws, whose models were all called Bruce after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer. Bruce the Shark does have an Australian accent though, and uses ockerisms like “Good on ya, mate!”.

From the United States, the name Bruce gained a different stereotype, being associated with homosexuality. The reasons are unclear, but one of the most popular theories is that it’s connected to the campy Batman television shows of the 1960s, as Batman’s real name is Bruce Wayne. Another is that it is from the 1960s parody song Big Bruce, where Bruce is a camp hairdresser.

Apart from these reasons, it does seem that the “tough guy” names of one generation are often seen as effeminate, dorky, or otherwise laughable by the next. Something to think about should you be considering one of today’s rugged baby names, such as Axel, Blade, Diesel, or Rowdy.

Bruce is a Scottish surname of Norman-French origin. The Clan Bruce are from Kincardine on the Firth of Forth in Scotland, and trace their origins from the French de Brus or de Bruis, coming from Breux in Normandy (now Brix), sometimes said to mean “the willow lands”. This history and etymology is now considered doubtful, due to lack of evidence.

The first of the family on record to come to Britain was Robert de Brus, who accompanied King Henry I there after the Battle of Tinchbray in 1106. He was granted large tracts of land in Yorkshire, and named 1st Lord of Annandale by King David I of Scotland in 1124. A family legend says that the first of their line was Robert de Brus, who came over with William the Conqueror but this is more wishful thinking than fact.

Of course the most famous member of Clan Bruce was Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots from 1306 to 1329, claiming royal blood as great-great-great-great grandson of David I. One of the most famous warriors of his generation, he led Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. He fought successfully during his reign to regain Scotland’s place as an independent nation, with a great victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. Today he is remembered in Scotland as a national hero.

According to a popular legend, while on the run from the English, Robert the Bruce took shelter in a cave. Here he whiled away the lonely hours watching a spider trying to connect one area of the cave’s roof to another using its web. Each time the spider would fail, but kept trying until at last it succeeded Inspired by the plucky little arachnid, Robert the Bruce returned to defeat the English, winning more supporters, and eventual victory. If you ever read this story as a child, it probably ended by saying the moral was :”If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again”.

This story was first told by Sir Walter Scott in in his Tales of a Grandfather: Being Stories of the History of Scotland (1828), and it is believed to have been adapted from a story about Sir James Douglas, Robert the Bruce’s ally and lieutenant. However, the story is very old, being similar to Jewish tales about King David, and Persian stories about Tamerlane and an ant. Apparently people love the idea of beleaguered rulers being inspired by small creatures with exoskeletons.

Robert the Bruce was the high point of the Clan Bruce, although Robert’s son David also became King of Scotland. Various Bruces did historically worthy things, and one of the most famous is Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. He spent most of his fortune taking sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens, which was falling into ruins: today they are known as the Elgin Marbles, and on display in the British Museum.

Bruce has been used as a first name since the 17th century, and was used in both England and Scotland. Although it has plenty of history, Bruce didn’t become a huge success as a boy’s name until the 20th century, which gives it a rather modern feel.

In Australia, Bruce is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #85 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #22. It didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1970s – perhaps Monty Python wasn’t a help to it, or perhaps after many decades its time of popularity was up. Although uncommon, Bruce has remained stable for years around the 400-500s.

So how Australian is the name Bruce really? Well, apart from the Monty Python sketch (which is, you know, fiction), it peaked earlier here than elsewhere, and peaked much higher than in Britain. However, it peaked only a little higher than in the US, where it is also a classic, and peaked at #25 during the 1950s. Its current popularity in Australia is little different to that in the UK and US, so possibly not quite as Australian as you might have thought!

POLL RESULTS
Bruce received an approval rating of 32%. People saw the name Bruce as too dated (25%), too stereotypically ocker (19%), and too boring (14%). However, 8% of people thought it was strong and handsome. Only one person thought the name Bruce was sexy.

(Photo shows Bruce from Finding Nemo)

Famous Name: Rebel

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Famous Names

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omRebel Wilson seems to be in the papers ever time I open it. Just in the past few weeks, she’s hosted the MTV Awards (and won a couple of them too), attended an official function at the White House, a Vanity Fair party, and a Hollywood première, been chosen to appear in Kung Fu Panda 3, had a glamorous makeover, is tipped to have a sex scene in upcoming Pain & Gain, performed on Late Night, and been interviewed on The View and BET.

Browsing through the headlines, I read that she is funny and wonderful, wows on the red carpet, has captivated audiences everywhere, loves being a gay icon, is now a certified international star, a great dancer and the toast of Hollywood, and it’s a proven scientific fact that she is the greatest living thing on the planet and reviewers wish she could star in every film. I am also reliably informed by some pundit that if you don’t love Rebel Wilson, you’re stupid.

It seems that Rebel has “arrived” in Hollywood, and in the uncertain world of acting, comedy and entertainment, she has gained enough success to be counted as a famous person.

It’s all a long way from her beginnings on Australian television, playing the controlling wife Toula on the SBS comedy Pizza. I could appear very clever by claiming that I always knew that Rebel would make it in Hollywood, but I can’t, because I didn’t. It never crossed my mind, even as I noted that she was a scene-stealer on the show, and by far the funniest thing about the TV special Pizza World.

To be fair, I don’t think anyone else from her early days predicted it either. A maths whiz who went on to study law, she spent a year in South Africa as a Rotary Youth Ambassador. She claims that while suffering hallucinations during a bout of malaria, she saw herself winning an Oscar. After that, she pursued acting, and when she got laughs during a serious performance, realised she had a gift for comedy.

So far, there’s been no Oscar, but she has received an acting scholarship funded by Nicole Kidman, got her big break in Bridesmaids after she wrote and starred in her own TV show, Bogan Pride, and won the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance in Pitch Perfect – past alumni of this award include George Clooney, Jennifer Garner, Isla Fisher and Zac Efron.

Rebel’s parents named her after a girl who sang at their wedding, and Ms Wilson’s siblings are named Ryot, Liberty and Annachi (her brother Ryot and sister Liberty have been contestants on The Amazing Race).

Professional dog showers with a surprisingly conservative streak, the Wilsons gave all their children middle names from English royalty – Rebel’s is after the present queen, and at school she was known as Elizabeth. I recently saw a birth notice for a little Rebel Elizabeth, so maybe this is a name combination which works well.

A rebel is someone who resists or defies authority, often with connotations of doing so violently. The word comes from Old French, and is ultimately from the Latin for “I fight back”.

The name Rebel became much more common in the American southern states after the American Civil War. The soldiers in the Confederate army were known as the Rebels, and personified as Johnny Rebel or Johnny Reb. It could thus be seen as a patriotic name for some Americans, and was given to both sexes, but mostly boys.

In Australia, it appears rarely in the records, mostly in the middle, and is much more common as a girl’s name. There is a female Australian film producer named Rebel Russell-Penfold, and mum Rebel Wylie writes for Kidspot.

Tough baby names like Bandit, Rocket, Blade and Maverick are fashionable, and the classic teen movie Rebel Without a Cause, western TV show The Rebel, and pop song He’s a Rebel give this name a certain retro rockabilly vibe (rebels were clearly a real fad of the 1950s and early ’60s).

Although unisex, it tends to read female in Australia, and the current success of Rebel Wilson only strengthens that. I think it can still work as a boy’s name though – it certainly doesn’t have an ultra-feminine meaning, and The Rebels is a popular name for sports teams, and also a biker club.

If you fancy the idea of having your own little Rebel, it’s a name which is on trend, and a little different without being too strange. The recent success of Rebel Wilson means that most people have heard of it, although some parents may fear that the larger-than-life comedienne could overshadow the name.

POLL RESULT: Rebel received an approval rating of 32%. People saw the name Rebel as unprofessional (19%), ridiculous (17%), and over the top (16%). However, 13% thought it was different and cool. 12% thought Rebel Wilson made the name seem more usable, while 3% were put off the name by the actress.

Underused Names for Girls

03 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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sabine women detailLast week we had names from Victoria which were used less than ten times in 2012. Those names are uncommon – but what if you wanted something even rarer? These are names which don’t appear even once in the Victorian data from last year, and have never charted in Australia. However, they are not strange or obscure, and all of them can be found in Australian historical records.

Angharad

Angharad is an Old Welsh name meaning “greatly loved”. It was reasonably common in medieval times, and there are several Angharads in Welsh history. In Welsh mythology, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of Peredur, one of King Arthur’s knights. Angharad Morgan is a main character in How Green Was My Valley, and in the film version was played by Maureen O’Hara. Actress Angharad Rees became well known in the 1970s for playing the role of Demelza in the TV series Poldark. Lots of famous Angharads, yet I could find only one woman named Angharad in Australian records. The pronunciation, ang-HAH-rad, may have caused some concern. This is a strong and unusual name with a lovely meaning. It would definitely stand out.

Beatrix

Beatrix is based on the name Viatrix, the feminine form of the Latin name Viator, meaning “voyager, traveller”. Early on, the spelling was altered to associate it with the Latin word beatus, meaning “blessed”, and it was common amongst early Christians. Some baby name books sandwich these two meanings together and interpret it as “blessed traveller”. Saint Beatrix was an early Roman martyr; according to legend, she was strangled by her servants. The name became less common in England after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. One of the most famous people with this name is Beatrix Potter, the children’s writer and illustrator, who gave us such delightful characters as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Squirrel Nutkin and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. As well as these talents, she was also a scientific researcher, conservationist, farmer, and sheep breeder. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands helps give this name a royal touch, and a famous literary character is Beatrix “Trixie” Belden, girl detective. To me, this charming name seems spunkier and more eccentric than her sister Beatrice.

Cressida

In Greek mythology, Chryseis was the daughter of a Trojan priest named Chryses, and she was captured by the Greek champion Agamemnon as part of the spoils of war; he refused to give her back even after being asked nicely. Chryseis’ dad prayed like blazes to the god Apollo, who obligingly sent a plague through the Greek soldiers until Chryseis was returned. A later legend says that she bore Agamemnon a son. Her name given in the Iliad simply means “daughter of Chryses”; appropriately for a priest of Apollo, Chryses’ name means “golden”, perhaps in reference to sunlight. Some writers say Chryseis’ real name was Astynome, meaning “possessor of the city”. When medieval authors retold the tale of the Trojan War, this story had a complete rewrite. Chryseis became Cressida (KRES-ih-duh), and one corner of a tragic love triangle; she is made the epitome of the false woman and the whore. Some authors were sympathetic to Cressida’s plight, and in Shakespeare’s version, Cressida is complex, highly intelligent and witty. A famous Australian with this name is the artist Cressida Campbell. I find this literary name quite bewitching.

Emmeline

Emmeline is the Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, based on the word for “work”; it is therefore related to the name Amelia, and not to Emily. The name was introduced to Britain by the Normans, and many people prefer to give it a slightly French pronunciation as EM-uh-leen, while others seek to Anglicise the way it is said as EM-uh-line (like Caroline). My experience is that the British tend to say leen, Americans tend to say line, and Australians have a bob each way and can usually cope with either. There were several prominent suffragists named Emmeline, including Emmeline Pankhurst, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence and Emmeline Wells. Australia mountaineer Emmeline Du Faur was the first woman to climb Mount Cook (in record time), and the first person to climb several peaks – always dressed in a skirt. Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence was a keen hiker and woodcrafter, and to me the name Emmeline sounds vigorous, healthy, and practical. Emmeline has a solid history of use in Australia, being commonly found in old records, and today its nickname Emmie means it fits in with popular names such as Emily, Emma and Emmerson.

Isadora

Isadora is a variant of the name Isidora, the feminine form of Isidore, from the Greek for “gift of Isis”; the Egyptian goddess Isis was worshipped widely in the ancient world, and she was also important to the Greeks and Romans. Saint Isidora was a 4th century Egyptian nun, considered to be a “holy fool”, and treated with contempt by the other nuns for her eccentric ways, such as wearing a dirty dishrag on her head instead of a veil, and eating only leftovers instead of proper meals. When a visiting saint came to the nunnery, he immediately picked out Isidora as the only person holier than himself; upset by the praise and attention, Isidora ran away into the desert to be a hermit, and nothing more is known of her. The most famous Isadora is the American dancer Isadora Duncan, who developed her own unique style of dance, based on the natural movements of the human body. Like the saint, she was considered eccentric and radical, and danced to the beat of her own drum. Isadora is a beautiful, glamorous and individualistic name!

Lavender

Lavender has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, and was given to both sexes. It may have originally been derived from the surname, which is Norman-French and based on the word lavandier, referring to a worker in the wool industry who washed the raw wool (this is an occupation that both men and women had). Even in the middle of the 20th century, you can still find boys named Lavender. By now, however, it is almost entirely thought of as a girl’s name, and considered to be from the flower. The flower name comes from the Old French lavendre, possibly from the Latin for “blue-coloured”, lividius, but also influenced by lavare, meaning “wash”, because lavender was used in washing clothes. Lavender is often used to scent soaps and beauty products, and has been used as a relaxation aid for thousands of years. The colour lavender is associated with sensuality and decadence, and at one time, was considered symbolic of homosexuality. Like Rose, this is a pretty old-fashioned flower name that is more complex that it first appears.

Sabine

Sabine is a French and German form of Sabina, the feminine form of the Latin name Sabinus, meaning “Sabine”. The Sabines were an Italian tribe who inhabited the region where the city of Rome stands today, and some of them fought against Rome for their independence. According to legend, the Romans abducted Sabine women to populate the city of Rome; the war between the Romans and Sabines ended when the women threw themselves and their children between the armies of their fathers and those of their husbands. The history behind the legend is that the conquered Sabines assimilated with the Romans, beginning a new line of inheritance. Many of the noble Roman families traced their ancestry to Sabine origins, and at least some of the deities and rituals of Rome came from the Sabines. The Sabines were said to have taken their name from the hero Sabus, who was worshipped as a deity. Although it is too long ago to be sure, one theory is that the tribal name Sabine meant “us, ourselves, our own people”. You can either say this name the French way, sa-BEEN, or the German way, za-BEE-nuh; most English-speakers use the French pronunciation. There is at least one famous man named Sabine – the writer Sabine Baring-Gould, whose name was after the surname (derived from the personal name). You can find both men and women named Sabine in Australian records. Sabine is smooth and sophisticated, but comes with a cute nickname – Bean.

Theodora

Theodora is the feminine form of the Greek name Theodoros, meaning “gift of God”. The name pre-dates Christianity, but its meaning appealed to early Christians, and there are a few saints with this name. One of them was Saint Theodora, who as punishment for her pious celibacy, was dragged into a brothel. Her first “customer” was a Christian man, who had came to save her; they were both martyred, but their virtue remained intact. This story is probably fictional, and may have been inspired by sacred prostitution, of which Christians obviously disapproved. An Eastern Orthodox Saint Theodora disguised herself as a man and joined a monastery. Her identity as a woman was only discovered after her death. The name was a very popular one for Byzantine empresses, and Theodora I is also regarded as a saint. A Roman Theodora was a senator, and supposedly the lover of one of the early popes. She was harshly condemned for daring to “exercise power like a man”. The hussy! The image you get from these historical Theodoras is of very strong, independent, determined women – which might explain why Disney has chosen this name for the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz: The Great and Powerful. Pop star Robbie William welcomed a daughter named Theodora Rose last year, called Teddy; he wanted a dignified full name for the cuddly nickname, and Theodora fit the bill perfectly.

Verity

Verity is an English word meaning “truth”, especially in regard to religious truth or doctrine. It has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, and would have been given as a virtue name by the Puritans. However, it was most likely also given in honour of the surname, for births of Veritys in Yorkshire are suggestive, given that the Verity family is a prominent one in that county. The surname is Anglo-Norman, and has the same meaning as the personal name. Originally, Verity was a unisex name, and in early records is given equally to boys and girls. The first Verity I can find born in the United States was a boy, and his family were Puritans in Massachusetts. You can find the name Verity given to both sexes in Australian records, but only as a middle name for boys, and it has never been very common here. Famous Australian women named Verity include the politicians Verity Barton and Verity Firth, the ABC presenter Verity James, and the actress Verity Hunt-Ballard, who played Mary Poppins in the Australian version of the musical. This is a crisp, clean name which sounds intelligent and upper-class to me.

Zia

Zia is a variant of the Arabic name Ziya, meaning “light, shine, splendour” – more specifically, it refers to light which shines by its own illumination, and is connected to the sun and sunlight. Traditionally, Zia is a male name, but Arabic baby name sites usually list it as female, and the name charts in France only for girls. There are quite a few people called Zia in Australian records, and they are not all Arabic men. There are women called Zia from different cultures, including Italian, where Zia may be short for a name such as Annunzia (zia means “aunt” in Italian, but this doesn’t seem to have been a hindrance to its use by Italians). Most women called Zia in the records seem to be of British descent, and I’m guessing either it was seen as a short form of other names, or parents just liked the sound of it. I can imagine parents today also liking the sound of it, because it is so similar to popular names such as Zara and Mia – indeed, it almost seems like a cross between these names. This is a zippy name which sounds a bit different, but won’t seem out of place in the playground.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Beatrix, Emmeline, and Isadora, and their least favourite were Lavender, Zia, and Angharad.

(Picture shows a detail from The Intervention of the Sabine Women (1799) by Jacques-Louis David)

She’s Having Last Minute Doubts About Their Baby Name

02 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Just before deadlineSarah and Rupert are expecting a baby girl, due in only a few days. They always agreed that their first daughter would be named Isabella, which is a traditional name in Sarah’s family. However, as time went on, the name Isabella became extremely popular, and also associated with the Twilight phenomenon, so Sarah grew less enthusiastic about using it.

Sarah’s solution was to use the name Isabel, which is traditional on the other side of her family. She and Rupert like its simplicity, and they plan to use another family name in the middle position.

However, with just a few days to go, Sarah is wondering if they have chosen the right name for their daughter. Although Isabel is towards the bottom of the Top 100, if you add up all the Isabellas and Isabelles, that makes quite a few girls called Issy or Bel. Sarah wonders if the name Isabel is really distinctive enough.

Sarah likes names in the style of Sibella, Arabella and Violet; Rupert prefers names like Molly, Ebony and Lila. As such, they haven’t really agreed on many names. The only other names Sarah and Rupert have agreed on are Camilla and Clementine. The Duchess of Cornwall puts Sarah off using Camilla, and for some indefinable reason, she can’t quite commit to Clementine.

Sarah wonders whether a personal meaning or family association is more important than popularity, and whether they should just stop discussing it and go with Isabel. She wants something classic and unique, yet can’t quite find it … and if she started meeting lots and lots of little Isabels she wouldn’t be happy about it.

Sarah has a very popular name, and it never bothered her, and Rupert loves his unusual name, so they know that children can be content with their name whether its common or rare. Sarah and Rupert have a nice solid one-syllable surname, such as Mack or Holt.

Sarah’s sisters, who have children already, tell her that once the baby arrives, she won’t give a thought to any of these worries, but right now they feel like genuine concerns!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The last few days before a baby arrives can be quite frustrating, and there’s so many “What ifs …?” involved. Some of us worry that the car will break down and we won’t be able to get to the hospital; some of us worry that we’ve packed completely useless things in our little bag; and some of us worry that we’ve picked the wrong baby name. I expect all these little worries are a coping mechanism to keep our minds off the really big worries that we could be having instead!

I think that you might just be having last-minute jitters. Like someone getting nervous before their wedding, you may be slightly anxious about committing to the name Isabel for life. You wonder if you’ve made the right choice – what if things don’t work out the way you hoped? And could there be a better name out there that you haven’t thought of yet?

The good news is that you are in a much better position than someone having doubts about their wedding. Unlike a wedding, you get to have the baby first and then decide if the name seems right. You don’t have to make any commitment until the baby arrives, and you get a good long time to make your mind up after the birth. Most importantly, the name Isabel won’t be heartbroken if you decide to go with another name instead.

At this stage, I believe it’s too late to be actively searching for, and arguing about, a different baby name. I think Isabel [Middle Name] [Surname] is a really delightful combination: one that’s a nice balance between pretty and feminine, and neat and sensible, and could belong to a wide variety of girls. It doesn’t sound like a name that someone has to live up to, or pull off, or get used to. To me it seems like a name that isn’t boring, but would be easy to live with.

Let’s take a good look at Isabel:

  • Isabel is a name both you and Rupert like You’ve only managed to agree on three girl’s names in the past nine months, so let’s face it – your chances of finding another name you both like in the next couple of days aren’t that high.
  • You haven’t come up with anything better The only other names you could use just don’t seem quite right. It’s not impossible you’ll change your mind once the baby is born, but for now they don’t seem like viable options.
  • Isabel fits both your requirements You like pretty, feminine names for girls like Arabella and Violet; Rupert prefers simple fuss-free names like Molly and Lila. Isabel seems like a perfect fit – as elegant as Arabella, with the clean lines of Lila.
  • Isabel honours your family heritage Isabel is a name from one side of your family, while also providing a distant nod to the Isabellas on the other side. As you don’t want to use Isabella any more (and it doesn’t seem possible to have both), Isabel appears to be a great solution to your dilemma.
  • Isabel is a classic that has never been common There is no such thing as a name which is both classic and unique, so I’m not surprised you haven’t managed to find one! The closest you could get would be an underused classic – one that has never left the charts, but never been popular. Isabel fits reasonably well, because it’s a classic, but never got any higher in popularity than the bottom quarter of the Top 100.
  • Isabel is falling in popularity That makes the chances of you running into lots of little Isabels in the future less likely. And as you can’t control what other parents name their children anyway, I wouldn’t give it another thought.
  • Popularity isn’t that big a deal anyway I do think that personal meaning and family associations are more important than popularity. You’ve eliminated Isabella for being too well known, which is fair enough, and Isabel seems like an excellent replacement. You know from having a popular name yourself that it doesn’t necessarily cause a child any problems – and your name is much more popular than Isabel.
  • If Isabel is not distinctive enough, what is? If you look at names for girls, there are certain family resemblances between them. Once a certain sound becomes popular, you tend to see it in other names too. I think you’d have trouble choosing something which sounded nothing like any other baby name being used – and still like it.
  • Isabel does not have to be an Issy or a Bel You could make her name distinctive by giving her a different nickname. There are old-fashioned nicknames for Isabel such as Isa, Ibby or Tibby, and more unexpected choices like Sabel, Tizzy, Whizz, Zibby or Zsa Zsa. Or you could not use any nickname at all.

My advice would be not to think any more about the name. Wait until the baby is born and then see how you feel about calling her Isabel. Once you have a baby to hold in your arms, it all becomes a lot more real. I truly believe that if Isabel is not the right name for your daughter, the perfect name will come to you by the time she arrives.

NAME UPDATE: The baby’s name is Isabel!

POLL RESULT: Most respondents thought Sarah should stick with the name Isabel, with 60% giving this as their answer. Another 33% thought that Sarah should wait until the baby’s birth before deciding. The rest thought that Sarah should keep looking for another baby name, or consider their suggestions.

2012 Name Trends in Victoria – Boys

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in Name Data

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Biggest Movers Up

  1. Jaxon +37
  2. Braxton and Hudson +20 (Braxton at least this amount)
  3. Flynn +17
  4. Tyson +15 at least
  5. Nate +12
  6. Alex, Logan, Patrick and Spencer +11 (Spencer at least this amount)
  7. Archer and Hugo +10
  8. Declan, Dylan, Hunter and Isaac +9
  9. Alexander, Anthony and Lincoln +8 (Lincoln at least this amount)
  10. Archie, Edward and Toby +7 (Toby at least this amount)

Although Jackson went down slightly, Jaxon boomed – everything seems better when you spell it with an X; new boy Braxton provides a spin on this idea. Celebrity babies Hudson Sebastian and Flynn Bloom seem to have been influential, and new-to-the-charts Spencer almost seems like another royal name (one that has been repeatedly suggested by the public for the royal baby, I might add). Alexander and his short form Alex both did well, and so did Archer and Archie. The Cool Celtics for 2012 were Patrick, Declan and Dylan; the Elegant English were Anthony, Edward, Hugo and Toby. Back on the charts were Lincoln, much in the movies, and Tyson – Mike Tyson made a promotional visit to Australia in 2012. Isaac seems to be the only Old Testament name still gaining ground.

Biggest Movers Down

  1. Jake and Zac -22
  2. Darcy -20
  3. Aaron and Gabriel -17
  4. Nathan -16
  5. Nicholas -14
  6. Adam and Eli -12
  7. Hamish and Luke -11
  8. Aiden and Connor -9
  9. Ashton -7
  10. Jordan -6

Biggest losers were short forms Jake and Zac; while Jacob held steady, Zachary also fell. Old Testament names Aaron, Gabriel, Nathan and Eli fell – so did Adam, even as Eve rose. The River Jordan means “flowing down”, which is exactly what happened. The Celtic names that dropped were Darcy, Hamish, Connor and Aiden; likewise to the ACT, Aidan also fell, contrariwise, Jayden fell, Hayden rose.

No Change in Position

  • Jack (1)
  • William (2)
  • Oliver (3)
  • Ethan (4)
  • James (7)
  • Lucas (8)
  • Cooper (11)
  • Xavier (13)
  • Max (14)
  • Samuel (16)
  • Jacob (21)
  • Ryan (24)
  • Blake (37)
  • Angus (41)
  • Marcus (63)
  • Caleb (77)
  • Kai (78)

Sixty percent of the Top Ten names were unchanged, and so many boys names remained at the same position that I checked to see if I’d opened the 2011 list by mistake.

Back on the List

  • Tyson (86)
  • Lincoln (93)
  • Toby (94)
  • Christopher (99)

New to the List

  • Braxton (81)
  • Spencer (90)
  • Felix (96)

2012 Name Trends in the ACT – Girls

07 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in Name Data

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The tiny population size of the Australian Capital Territory provides two bonuses for those waiting to see the popular names – not only are they the first to get their name data out, but the full list of names is effectively the complete name data, showing all names which were used at least five times.

Biggest Movers Up

  1. Lara +57
  2. Mila +53 at least
  3. Phoebe +53 at least
  4. Ivy +52
  5. Alexis +51
  6. Elsie +46 at least
  7. Felicity +46 at least
  8. Heidi +46 at least
  9. Eleanor +43
  10. Evie +43

Also Up

Alexa, Alisha, Annabelle, April, Aria, Ayla, Bianca, Brooklyn, Catherine, Charlotte, Eliza and Isobel, Ellen and Elena, Esther, Holly, Isla, Jasmine, Laura, Lilah, Lola, Lacey, Lily and Lilly and Liliana, Lucinda, Freya, Amaya and Maya, Mia, Mackenzie, Molly, Madeleine, Matilda, Nina, Olive, Paige, Poppy, Rose, Ruby, Saskia, Scarlett, Willow, Zara, Zoe

Up Slightly

Audrey, Charlie, Emma, Grace, Layla, Lucy, Maddison

Socialite Lara Bingle’s reality TV programme, Being Lara Bingle, was panned by the critics and didn’t rate particularly well, but Lara has soared 57 places up the charts in Canberra. Parents who chose it are not necessarily Bingle fans, but at the very least are fans of her name (rhyming Zara also made significant gains). Sound-alikes Ivy and Evie also went up.

Biggest Movers Down

  1. Erin -72 at least
  2. Madison -68
  3. Savannah -67 at least
  4. Violet -67 at least
  5. Annabel -55
  6. Stella -50
  7. Maeve -49 at least
  8. Mikayla -49 at least
  9. Emilia, Gabriella, Gabrielle, Harper, Leila, Lillian and Madeline -41 at least

Also Down

Aaliyah, Abigail and Abby, Addison, Alice, Amber, Amelie, Anna, Beatrix, Caitlin, Chelsea, Claire, Darcy, Eloise, Harriet, Hayley, Elizabeth and Isabel and Isabelle and Isabella, Ella, Evelyn, Georgia, Jennifer, Kayla, Leah, Miranda, Olivia, Penelope, Samantha, Sarah, Skye, Stephanie, Taylor

Down Slightly

Alexandra, Amy, Ellie, Emily, Eva, Hannah, Imogen, Sienna, Sofia and Sophia

Annabelle is up, but Annabel down; meanwhile both Isabel and Isabelle suffered. Isabella also went down slightly. Only Annabelle was the belle of the ball. Yes, spelling matters. As an another example, Madison plummeted 68 places, while Maddison rose slightly.

No Change in Position

  • Sophie #3
  • Amelia #5
  • Chloe #6
  • Ava #11
  • Jessica #23
  • Bella #77
  • Jade #77

New to the List 

  • Mila #48
  • Elsie #55
  • Felicity #55
  • Heidi #55
  • Aria #62
  • Lola #62
  • Lacey #68
  • Nina #68
  • Alisha #77
  • Ayla #77
  • Brooklyn #77
  • Elena #77
  • Lilah #77
  • Olive #77
  • Saskia #77
  • Amaya #95
  • Catherine #95
  • Ellen #95
  • Esther #95
  • Freya #95
  • Liliana #95

More signs that L names are still doing well: Lola, Lilah, Lacey and Liliana have joined the charts. With Eleanor jumping 43 places, Ellen and Elena made their debut.

Felicity, like Eleanor and Ivy, was listed on Nameberry as one of its popular names chosen by Nameberries in 2012; maybe there are some Canberraberries out there?

Vintage favourites Esther, Elsie and Olive joined the list, as did modern choices like Mila and Brooklyn. Fashionable Freya and Saskia made their mark, perhaps with help from Australian actresses Freya Stafford and Saskia Burmeister.

Two name choices new to the list that seemed very 2012: Catherine, the name of the Duchess of the Cambridge (much in the news), and Nina, as the weather phenomenon La Niña came to an end this year, after three years of cooler and wetter conditions.

Back on the List

  • Phoebe (48)
  • April (77)
  • Bianca (77)
  • Poppy (77)

Gone from the list

  • Erin #35
  • Savannah #40
  • Violet #40
  • Maeve #58
  • Mikayla #58
  • Emilia #66
  • Gabriella #66
  • Gabrielle #66
  • Harper #66
  • Leila #66
  • Lillian #66
  • Madeline #66
  • Abby #77
  • Miranda #77
  • Penelope #77
  • Skye #77
  • Taylor #77
  • Aaliyah #92
  • Beatrix #92
  • Darcy #92
  • Jennifer #92
  • Kayla #92
  • Leah #92

Lillian and Leila made way for Liliana (new) and Layla (rising); Madeline was rejected in favour of Madeleine. Harper and Penelope were two celebrity baby names which didn’t resonate with Canberrans. Darcy as a girl’s name was apparently a flash in the pan rather than a harbinger of unisex things to come, and Savannah was dumped in favour of her sister Isla, who rose in the rankings.

Names of Australian Male Olympic Swimmers

02 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 19 Comments

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kpAshley (Callus)

Ashley Callus won gold in 2000 and bronze in 2008. Ashley is an English surname from a common place name meaning “ash tree clearing”. It’s been used as a personal name since the 17th century, and was originally given to boys. It only became popular in Australia after the release of the 1939 movie Gone with the Wind, with the character of Ashley Wilkes (actually George Wilkes – Ashley is his middle name). Played by Leslie Howard, Ashley is a true Southern gentleman, and the one man Scarlett cannot get. The name Ashley first charted in the 1940s, and by the 1950s was #160; it made the Top 100 for the 1970s, and peaked in the 1980s at #62. It was during the 1980s that Ashley became a unisex name, making an impressive female debut at #55 – higher than the peak for boys. Coincidentally or not, it was in 1982 that the popular character Ashley Abbott joined soapie The Young and the Restless, first portrayed by Eileen Davidson. Ashley peaked for girls in the 1990s at #33, and although it left the Top 100 in 2009, it rose again and is now #93. As a boy’s name, Ashley left the Top 100 in the 1990s, and no longer ranked by 2010. However, last year Ashley increased for boys as well as girls, reaching #466. The usual nicknames is Ash.

Francis (Gailey)

Francis “Frank” Gailey won three silvers and a bronze at the 1904 Olympics. Born in Australia, Frank emigrated to the United States, and his medals are credited to the US. However, as he was an Australian citizen when he won them, we claim them toward our own medal count. This doesn’t seem to be accepted internationally. Francis is the English form of the Italian name Francesco. This began life as a nickname, because the 12th century Giovanni di Bernardone was known as Francesco, “the Frenchman”. This may have been because his father was on business in France when he was born, or because the young Giovanni quickly became fluent in French. While still a young man, Francesco began to turn away from the pleasures available to him as the son of a wealthy man, and to live a life of poverty and simplicity. Known as Saint Francis of Assisi, he is the patron saint of Italy, and also the environment. Many stories about him reflect on his deep love for animals, and his sense of kinship with all life. Francis charts as a unisex name from 1900, but by the 1950s was male-only, and in the Top 100. It left the Top 100 the following decade and remained stable for decades before falling out of use in 2010. However, last year Francis was back in the charts at #388.

Garrick (Agnew)

Sir Robert David Garrick Agnew, always known by the second of his middle names, attended the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. A graduate of Harvard, Sir Garrick became a very wealthy businessman, and also a champion fisherman. He died of a heart attack after going swimming in a pool. Garrick is an English surname which is the Anglicisation of two slightly different French surnames of Old Provencal origin. Garric means “kermes oak tree”, a small evergreen oak; Garrique means “grove of kermes oaks” – both names denoted someone who lived near such trees. The surname was introduced to Britain in the 17th century by French Huguenots, Protestants who fled persecution in France. The great 18th century English actor David Garrick was from a Huguenot family; his grandfather changed the name from Garric. Garrick has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and first appears amongst British Huguenot families. It’s been reasonably well used in Australasia, and I think it still sounds rather distinguished and gentlemanly.

Jayden (Hadler)

Jayden Hadler is a young swimmer who attended his first Olympics this year. Jayden is a modern name of uncertain origin. It’s first found in the United States in the 19th century, and turns up around the same time as other J-D-N names then in vogue, including Jadin. Jadin is a French occupational surname for someone who made bowls, derived from the French word for bowl, jatte, and it’s hard not to wonder if Jayden began as a variant of this name, influenced by Jay, a surname after the bird, whose name means “joyful, lively”. Jaidan, Jadan and Jaden were also in use around this time – some of the variants we see today date back over a century. Jayden became popular in Australia earlier than other countries, and first charts in the 1970s. You can see that it fit perfectly with popular or fashionable names of that era such as Jason, Hayden and Aidan. By the 1980s it was #307, then zoomed up the charts to make #47 for the 1990s. It peaked in 2003 at #14, and by 2010 had fallen to #28. Last year it rose again to #21, and could be considered a modern classic. The question is – is Jayden from the 1970s “the same name” as Jayden from the 19th century?

Kieren (Perkins)

Kieren Perkins was considered one of the world’s best long-distance swimmers, specialising in the 1500 metre freestyle. He won gold and silver at the 1992 Olympics, gold in 1996, and silver in 2000. Since retiring from swimming, he has gained success in the media and the corporate world. Kieren is an Anglicised form of the Irish name Ciarán, a diminutive of the name Ciar, meaning “black, dark”. There are six Irish saints called Ciarán, the eldest of which is known as the first Irish-born saint. Although an educated man of noble birth, according to tradition he was a hermit, who lived like a wild man dressed in skins. Many legends describe him as having a love for and power over wild animals. Kieren is pronounced KEE-ren. Kieren has never charted in Australia, with parents preferring the variant Kieran, currently #240.

Leith (Brodie)

Leith Brodie won two bronzes at the 2008 Olympics. Leith is the port area in the city of Edinburgh; its name comes from the Gaelic word lìte, meaning “wet”. This makes sense when you realise that Leith is at the mouth of a river. Leith has played an important role in Scottish history and been the scene of many battles, as well as a major industrial centre. Leith is an aristocratic surname; the Leith family are of Scottish origin, and descend from William Leith, who was Lord Provost of Aberdeen in the 14th century. Leith has been reasonably well-used in Australia, and from the available records, seems to have been used almost equally on males and females. For boys, it probably seemed like a cross between Lee and Keith, and for girls, maybe a cross between Lee and Beth. This name still seems a bit “mum and dad” to me, but maybe it’s ready for an early retro-revival.

Moss (Christie)

Maurice “Moss” Christie won silver at the 1924 Olympics. Moss can be a nickname for names such as Moses, Mostyn or Maurice, or it can be from the surname. The surname Moss has several possible sources. As an Irish name, it is usually translated as “son of the follower of Saint Munnu”. Munnu was the nickname of Saint Fintán of Taghmon; his nickname means “teacher”. As an English surname, Moss can mean “swamp, peat bog”, given to someone who lived near one, or it can be taken from the name Moses. Although many of these sources are male, the swamp one is obviously unisex, and you could also see Moss as a nature name, directly after the soft springy green plant. This could be used on both boys and girls.

Noel (Ryan)

Noel Ryan was an international swimming champion who attended the 1932 Olympic Games. Noel is another word for Christmas which was introduced by the Normans and comes from the Old French. Ultimately it is from Latin, meaning “birth”, referring to the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s been used for both boys and girls in England since the Middle Ages, originally given to those who were born at Christmas time. Later on, it may have been influenced by the surname, which could be from the personal name, given as a nickname to someone born at Christmas, or to someone who played an important role in Yuletide celebrations. In Australia, Noel has only ever charted as a male name. It was #76 for the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #21. It was out of the Top 100 by the 1970s, and hasn’t charted since the 1990s. This is another 1930s name I would like to see make a comeback, and think it works equally well for girls.

Percival (Oliver)

Percival “Percy” Oliver won thirteen Australian freestyle and backstroke titles, and attended the 1936 Olympics. After retiring from swimming, he became a teacher and was responsible for the administration of the Education Department’s swimming programme. He died last year aged 92. In Arthurian legend, Percival is one of King Arthur’s knights, and connected to the quest for the Holy Grail. In the romance Perceval by Chretien de Troyes, Perceval meets the crippled Fisher King in a mysterious castle, and sees a grail (in this poem, a wide deep dish with a communion wafer which feeds the king), but does not understood its importance. Brought up not to chatter too much, Perceval fails to ask the question that would have healed the king, and once he realises the mistake he’s made, vows to find the castle again and complete the quest. At this point, Chretien abandons his poem, and it was left to other writers to finish the story. In doing so, the role of Percival became much diminished. The name Perceval seems to have been created by Chretien de Troyes from the Old French meaning “pierce valley”. What he was trying to get across I have little idea. This is another Arthurian name which was revived by the Victorians due to Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, which depicts Sir Percival as a spiritual knight better suited to holy quests than the average warrior. Percival was #77 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 by the 1920s; it hasn’t charted since the 1950s. This is a vintage name which seems very usable, especially with its cute nickname Percy.

Regan (Harrison)

Regan Harrison won silver at the 2000 Olympics. Regan (pronounced REE-guhn) is an Anglicised form of the Irish surname O’Riagain or O’Raogain, meaning “son of Riagain”. Riagain is a Gaelic name of uncertain meaning; one suggestion is that it comes from the Gaelic word for “impulsive, angry”; another that it means “little king”. There was a medieval Irish prince called Riagain; he may have given his name to the town of Ballyregan in Northern Ireland. Regan is also found as a female name in Shakespeare’s King Lear, where Regan is the middle of the king’s three daughters. She is a vile creature full of false flattery, who throws her elderly father out of her home in the middle of a storm. To nobody’s disappointment, she is poisoned by her older sister, who is even more horrible. This revolting namesake doesn’t seem to have put parents off using the name for their daughters. The meaning of it is unknown; Shakespeare got the story and characters from earlier British legends, and Regan is presumed to be Celtic. A popular notion is that (female) Regan is derived from the name of the Celtic goddess Rigantona, who we also know as Welsh Rhiannon. It makes the name slightly more appealing, but I can’t confirm if it’s true or not. Rigantona means “great queen”.

(Photo is of Kieren Perkins after winning gold at the Atlanta Olympics, becoming the only Australian since Dawn Fraser to successfully defend an individual Olympic championship)

Team Pink, Team Blue, or Team Lavender?

11 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Your Questions Answered

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I wasn’t going to do another one of these, but it turned out the list of questions on unisex names could almost be eliminated if I did just one more, so I couldn’t resist doing an end-of-year clean up.

Some names are easy for most of us to assign to Team Pink or Team Blue – for example, a straw poll would probably show strong support for Amelia as a girl’s name, and Archibald as a more masculine moniker. But there are quite a few others that we have to think about a bit more, and some seem to be both feminine and masculine in such equal measure that we could probably call them Team Lavender.

Of course, for practical purposes, all names are unisex, so this is only designating them according to linguistic meaning, historical use, and current popularity.

I. ARE THESE GIRL NAMES?

Sydney as a girl’s name

Sydney is historically a unisex name in Australia, but hasn’t charted at all since the 1960s. I think it’s up for grabs by either gender, and is a definite member of Team Lavender.

Rory girl name popularity Australia

According to the data at hand, the popularity of Rory as a girl’s name in Australia is zero. It’s charted as a boy’s name since the 1940s and is currently #159; it’s never charted as a girl’s name. This makes it (for the purposes of this question) Team Blue.

Is Indiana a girl’s name? (multiple asks)

Yes, historically it is, for the first people named Indiana in the records are female. It’s only since the Indiana Jones movies that the name has widely been seen as potentially masculine – although the movie’s protagonist is named Dr Henry Walton Jones. From Utah rather than the state of Indiana, we learn in The Last Crusade that he took his nickname from the name of the family dog. I’m not sure whether the dog was male or female. Indiana has only ever charted as a girl’s name, and is currently #78 and climbing steeply. I call Team Pink.

Bodhi as a girl’s name

Bodhi is a Sanskrit word meaning “awakened”, referring to the enlightenment of the Buddha. As men and women are equally capable of spiritual enlightenment, I think this is for both boys and girls and can join Team Lavender.

Can Russell be a female name?

The surname Russell simply means “red” or “reddish”, and there’s nothing specifically masculine about it. However, Russell has a reasonable history of acceptance as a male name. Currently it doesn’t chart for either gender, and I think it could be used for a girl’s name. You could also use the vocabulary word Rustle. Maybe a Deep Indigo?

Is Campbell a girl name?

In Australia it is accepted as a male name, and has charted for boys since the 1950s, being now at #384. In the US it is more common as a female name. The surname means “crooked mouth”, which doesn’t sound at all pretty to me, but isn’t technically masculine. In Australia, I think it’s still Team Blue.

II: ARE THESE BOY NAMES?

Marlo as a boy’s name

Marlo Hoogstraten is a Dutch-born Australian DJ; he works under the name MaRLo. Marlo Stanfield is a character in the TV show, The Wire, who is head of his own drug crew. There seem to be more references to Marlo as a male name than a female one. This may be a pale Blue-Toned Lavender.

Is Riley a boy’s name in Australia?

Yes, it’s charted as a male name only since the 1970s, and is currently #20. Team Blue.

Can Autumn be a boy’s name?

There’s no reason why not, except that it is widely accepted as a female name. In Australia, Autumn is a fairly rare name for either sex, so it might be easier to be a boy named Autumn here than elsewhere. It would be unusual though. A very pale Pink-Toned Lavender.

Boys name Kirra

The town in Queensland is nearly always given as a female name in Australia. Besides sounding similar to girl’s names Keira and Kira, part of the reason may be because in Greek mythology, there are a couple of nymphs named Kirra, giving it a distinctly feminine vibe. I’m assigning this one to Team Pink.

Tahgan boys name

I only know of Taghan as a place name in the Middle East, which sounds unisex to me. It looks similar to boy’s name Teagan and girl’s name Tegan, so I’m calling this for Team Lavender.

Bay as a boy’s name

Although this nature name could be either male or female, in practice I’ve only seen this given to boys in Australia – maybe because it sounds like it could be short for Bailey. I guess it could be seen as Blue-Toned Lavender.

III: ARE THESE BOY OR GIRL NAMES?

Is Lyndall male or female?

Historically, it’s a girl’s name. Lyndall charted as a female name only from the 1930s to the 1990s. It currently doesn’t chart for either sex. Pink, or at least Pinkish.

Jordan – boys name or girls name?

Jordan has charted as a boy’s name since the 1960s, peaked in the 1990s at #23, and is currently #63. It has charted as a girl’s name since the 1980s, peaked in the 1990s at #85, and is currently #389. So it’s both a boy’s name and a girl’s name, but more boyish, since it’s been used longer as a boy’s name, hit a higher peak as a boy’s name, and is still Top 100 for boys. Deep Blue-Toned Lavender.

Is Jagger more a boy or girl name?

I’d say it’s more of a boy name, just by usage. I have seen people use Jagga or Jaggah for girls though. Blue, at present.

Kayley “unisex name”?

I think technically Kayley is two separate names, one unisex or male, and the other one female. The surname Kayley can be from several origins, and if English or  French, it refers to place names (unisex). On the other hand, if Gaelic, it means “son of Caollaidhe” (male). It’s been overwhelmingly used as a girl’s name though, probably with the idea it’s an elaboration of Kay, a pet form of Katherine. There have been a very few men named Kayley. Confusingly, I think this is Pink, Blue and Lavender all at the same time.

IV: ADVICE NEEDED

What boy’s name can Gigi be short for?

There’s a few choices. According to Wikipedia, famous men using Gigi as their nickname have Luigi, Luigino, Gianluigi or George as their full name – although my own first thought was Giglio. Another possibility is that in the story Gigi, the protagonist’s full name was Gilberte, so maybe a boy called Gilbert could be a Gigi.

Will people automatically assume someone called Kelly is a girl?

I would probably assume an adult named Kelly to be a woman, but I could easily adjust if it turned out to be a man instead. For a new baby, I wouldn’t assume it was either a boy or girl.

Are guys put off by women with male names?

There are quite a few studies on what names men and women find sexy, but these name-image polls are useless in real life, when you are confronted with a living breathing human being. I don’t believe any man would turn down a beautiful woman because her name was John; conversely, no matter how alluring and feminine your name, if you look and smell like you’ve been living in a sewer, I don’t think you are going to be besieged by suitors. Just from my own observations, I’ve noticed a lot of guys say they are intrigued by girls who have unisex nicknames, like Jamie, Charlie or Teddie.

A good unisex name for a budgie

You could use a nickname that could be short for either a girl or boy name, such as Charlie, Joey or Sam, otherwise I think a nature name would be nice, such as Ash, Blueberry, Midnight, Sky, Sunny, or Snowflake. You could also use a cutesy sort of name such as Pippet, Peep, Peck, Pixel, Tweety, Chirp, Happy, or Fidget. Apparently budgies can’t say words with a hard G sound in them, so avoid Giggles, Goldy or anything like that if you’re hoping to teach it to talk.

Is Cressida a Girl Name or a Car Name?

03 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in Naming Assistance

≈ 25 Comments

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Emily and David are expecting a baby girl in three weeks, and still haven’t settled on a name for her. They’ve thought of lots of nice names they could use, but each one seems to have its drawbacks, and they keep crossing names off their list and changing their minds. So far, they don’t really love one name more than another; none of them seem to jump out and say, “I’m the one – stop looking!”.

When they chose their first child’s name, it was much easier. David suggested the name Clementine, Emily loved it too, and straight away it seemed perfect and they never considered anything else. This time it’s been quite different, and they’ve found the process more worrisome.

At the moment they have on their list:

  • Cressida – Emily is slightly bothered by the car called the Toyota Cressida
  • Ottilie – concerned about spelling and pronunciation issues
  • Josephine – like it a lot, but doesn’t seem very exciting
  • Isadora – worried about references to Dora the Explorer, or that she’ll be yet another Izzy in a sea of Isabellas and Isabels
  • Mathilda – David loves Mathilde, but Emily thinks it’s too French and won’t be pronounced correctly; also aware of the popularity of Matilda, which isn’t a problem if it’s the right name
  • Francesca – loved it for ages, but a friend has just used it

Their name style is for names that have been forgotten by most people, a bit quirky, and with a vintage feel. They would like a name that is interesting and offbeat, but not “made up”. They seem to be leaning towards three-syllable names ending with -a, and Emily loves names that have a European/French vibe to them but don’t sound out of place in an English-speaking country.

David and Emily have a typically Scottish surname, such as Baxter, Cameron or Ramsay.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Emily and David, I know you probably feel slightly desperate, with your baby due in only a few weeks, and still no name picked for her. However, I think you’re actually doing really great. You know what your name style is, and you have very compatible tastes in names. You’ve already drawn up a list of lovely names, and if your daughter was born tomorrow, you could probably use any of them for her.

I think you had such a dream run choosing the name for your first child that your expectations are slightly unrealistic. Sometimes the perfect name drops into your lap from the heavens, but you can’t expect that to happen every time. Finding little niggling things wrong with the names you like best is completely normal.

I’d stop trying to find the perfect name that ticks absolutely every box and has no flaws of any kind, and concentrate on finding one that you both like, and that you can imagine saying every day for the rest of your lives. A name that your daughter can grow into and grow up with, and a name that fits into your family and lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be “perfect” – it just needs to work for you.

Let’s have a look at your name list:

Cressida

I’m extremely biased, as this is one of my favourite names and has been for many years. I love the upper-class eccentric feel of the name, and the crisp sound of the first syllable. The meaning of the name – “golden” – is also beautiful.

I know you’re a bit worried about the Toyota Cressida, but they stopped making them 20 years ago, which seems like ancient history to me. The Cressida isn’t a famous or classic car, and I haven’t heard it mentioned for decades (I actually forgot this car even existed) . In Australia, the car isn’t said the same way as the name either – it’s pronounced kreh-SEE-dah, whereas the girl’s name is KREHS-ih-dah (in the US, they say the car name “correctly”). On the one hand, that makes the human name distinct from the car; on the other hand, some people may try to say your daughter’s name like the car, and would need gentle correction.

The fact that you feel a bit excited about this name is a good sign, and the way it breaks one of your “rules” is also encouraging. You didn’t want another name starting with C, so the fact you are still seriously considering it means you must be very interested. I would definitely keep this one on your list for now.

Ottilie

I love the idea of this name, but like you, I’d be concerned about the pronunciation. I’ve listened to it being said by people from around the world on forvo, and it seems to be said quite differently in each country. The only English-speaking nation to contribute is the USA, and they seem to have two pronunciations – OTT-uh-lee, and aw-TIL-ee-uh. I actually don’t know how to pronounce this name correctly, and I’m unclear as to whether there even is a correct way to say it. I’ve tried saying all the pronunciations in my standard Australian accent, and I’m not impressed with the results. I think you’d have to be really certain you knew how it was going to be said, prepared to educate people on it, and to be forgiving if they mangled it. If this doesn’t daunt you, then you obviously love the name dearly, and should keep it on your list.

Josephine

This is a great name, and a classic which has never gained high levels of popularity. However, I dislike it as a sister match to Clementine, as to me the endings of the names are too similar.

Isadora

I think this name is gorgeous, and would make a lovely match with Clementine, and with your surname. I don’t think she would be “yet another Izzy”, as most girls called Isabella go by Bella as their nickname. I think you are worrying way too much about Dora the Explorer – Dora the Explorer is a positive character! She’s smart, kind, friendly and helpful. I would definitely keep this one your list, and give it serious consideration.

Mathilda

I sympathise with David – he’s right, Clementine and Mathilde are a great match. On the other hand, you’re right about the French pronunciation. Mathilda seems like a good compromise, and I think it’s worth keeping this one on your list too.

Francesca

The fact that your friend has used the name, and you still have it on your list, shows that you have quite an attachment to it. Understandable – it’s a lovely name, and like Clementine, is fashionable without being popular. Whether you use it or not depends on how you and your friend feel about sharing your childrens’ names; whether you think that seems cute and fun and a wonderful bond between you, or whether it would cause problems in your relationship. It probably depends a lot on what kind of a friendship you have, and maybe even how often you see each other. If both of you are happy to share, then I’d keep it on your list.

You asked for more name ideas: I feel as if you have already thought of everything by now, having already crossed off a long list of possible names. However, here’s some more:

Aurelia

Like Cressida, this name means “golden”, and is a nice match with Clementine. To me it seems European, vintage and quirky. I’ve seen a few people in birth notices choose Aurelia as a middle name, so I can tell that parents like it, but haven’t quite the confidence yet to use it as a first name. I’d like to see it move out of the middle name spot.

Elodie

You considered Eloise at one point; I thought this seemed an alternative to that. It’s pretty, French, and like Clementine is fashionable and underused at present.

Lilias

You might think this is a bit corny, but I couldn’t resist matching your Scottish surname with a Scottish name. Lilith was on your reject list, and this has a very similar sound. As a clementine is a type of mandarin, Clementine and Lilias is a sweet “fruit and flower” sibset.

Miranda

This is a Latinate name like Clementine, and I think Clementine and Miranda make a pretty and romantic sibset. Miranda is a name which is currently gaining in popularity while not being heavily used yet, and I think it would meet with widespread approval.

Rosamund or Rosamond

You already rejected Rosalie and Rosalind, so I thought I’d try you with another Rose name. It’s European, aristocratic and slightly off-beat, and Clementine and Rosamund make an elegant sibset.

Sylvia or Silvia

To me, this has a similar feel to many names on your reject list. It’s European and vintage, and definitely isn’t heavily used. I like the woodsy meaning, and the silvery sound of the name. Like Clementine, it’s not a nature name, but it somehow feels like one.

Readers, when you hear the name Cressida, do you think “girl” or “car”? Which names on Emily and David’s list do you like best, or which names would you recommend to them?

NOTE: The baby’s name was Isadora Mathilde!

Famous Name: Mungo

31 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Famous Names

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Blue Juniper from Baby Name Ponderings has been profiling names from horror films all October in the lead-up to Halloween, and here you can read about such fabulous finds as Amity, Romero, Dresden and Mockingbird. Perhaps this helped inspire me to do a name from an Australian horror film for October 31.

Lake Mungo came out a few years ago, but I only managed to catch it last year on DVD, after missing it on television. It’s one of those movies which is probably better to see on the small screen, because the film is made in the style of a TV documentary. This makes comparisons to The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity inevitable, but I think it’s better than both of these, and avoids any annoying shaky camerawork.

It’s not a horror movie with buckets of blood, hordes of screaming teens, or bizarre demonic cults, but a supernatural mystery thriller that is extremely tense and uneasy to watch – it is definitely a “scary” film. It’s about the grieving process after death, about the secrets that people take to the grave, and about the images left behind when someone dies that haunt us. It also asks the viewer to try to decide which events in the film are “real” and which aren’t – a process made all the more difficult that the closer you look, the less sure you become.

What I loved most about Lake Mungo was its complete authenticity – it’s one of the realest films I have ever seen, and even though when I put the DVD on, I knew it was “just a movie”, during the course of watching it I even began to doubt that. Rumour has it that this film is going to be remade by Hollywood, but I urge you to watch the original instead. For starters, the distinctive Australian voice of the film would be lost.

Although the movie is set in country Victoria, as the title suggests, Lake Mungo plays an important role. This is a salt lake in south-western New South Wales, which has been completely dry for several thousand years. Although geologically rich and part of the World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes region, it is most famous for the archaeological discoveries that were made there in the late 1960s and 1970s.

These were of human remains, the bones of a young woman and two men. The woman and one of the men had been ritually cremated and decorated with red ochre. The other man, of a later time period, had been carefully positioned in a shallow grave, his bones stained pink with the ochre surrounding him. The oldest archaeological site discovered in Australia, and amongst the oldest evidences of  cremation in the world, they demonstrate a culture which was sophisticated enough to have developed spiritual beliefs and elaborate funeral rites for their dead.

The dating of the remains has been difficult and controversial, but they are currently accepted as being at least 40 000 years old, and very possibly more. The bones have also been dated as being at around 68 000 thousand years. This was slightly upsetting for scientists, as it is thought that modern humans migrated from Africa around 60 000 years ago. 68 000 years would mean that the first humans to leave Africa went straight to Australia, which would involve at least some sea travel. This idea didn’t seem workable and it was revised down to 40 000 – however, some research hints that the older dating may not be as far fetched as first thought.

Even more controversially, when mitochondrial DNA testing of the bones was done, it was found that they were genetically different to Aborigines, and to all of us (although they would have looked much the same). As the theory is that modern humans came out of Africa (which explains why everyone on earth is very closely related), where did these Lake Mungo humans that weren’t closely related to us come from? Somewhere else, or is our genetic heritage more complex than first thought? This basically upset everyone, and as a result it seems to have been decided not to do any further research on them, lest we discover more upsetting things.

All in all, I think this makes Lake Mungo the most interesting place in Australia, and the remains that were found here the most fascinating things in Australia, and probably the world. There are secrets here more ancient and mysterious than anything you will see at Halloween.

Before it was declared a national park in 1979, the land Lake Mungo lies upon was part of Mungo sheep station. The station was named by the Cameron brothers who owned it, after St Mungo’s church in Scotland, of which they had seen a picture. It’s not known which St. Mungo’s church they named it after.

Mungo was the nickname of Saint Kentigern, who was born in the 6th century, in a British kingdom which is now part of Scotland. Of royal but illegitimate birth, he was brought up in Fife by Saint Serf, who was ministering to the Picts. Saint Serf is supposed to have given him his pet name Mungo, of which the meaning is unclear. It’s been suggested that it is British for “my dear one”, or “dearest”, based on similar-sounding words and phrases in Welsh.

K.M. Sheard says that the meaning of the name is linked to the saint’s real name, because Kentigern means “chief dog, lord hound” – a very common combination of words in ancient British names. She notes that Mungo looks to be derived from the British for “my dog”, which has close equivalents in Irish and Welsh. The name would thus have been an affectionate way of saying “my pet”, probably with connotations of “my dearest follower” or “my most loyal companion”.

According to legend, Saint Mungo performed four miracles, one of the most touching restoring to life Saint Serf’s pet robin. He is a patron saint of Scotland, and of the city of Glasgow, which has on its crest of arms images to represent the miracles of Saint Mungo. As such, it is a name with close ties to Scotland and the north of England, where the name was given in honour of the national saint.

You will find references to Saint Mungo in at least two works of fiction. In G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown detective stories, Father’s Brown’s former parish was St. Mungo’s, in Essex. In the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, the London hospital in the wizarding world is St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Rowling may have been influenced in her choice of saint because according to local traditions, Saint Mungo encountered the bard and prophet Merlin, cured him of madness, and converted him to Christianity.

In Australia, the MacCallums have produced four generations of intellectuals all named Mungo – the youngest a long-serving political commentator known for his staunchly pro-Labor views. The actor Mungo McKay has a horror connection, as he has been in the films Undead and Daybreakers. In Australian records, people called Mungo do mostly have Scottish surnames, and many in the 19th century seem to have been named in honour of Scottish explorer Mungo Park.

I can see that some people are going to have problems with the name Mungo, but there’s something rather endearing about the name and the saint, and it has several associations with mystery and magic. In Australia it connects us to the most ancient peoples of our land, and an enigma locked away forever. If you’re looking for a Scottish heritage choice with a fashionable O-ending, yet yearn for something out of the ordinary, Mungo may be one to consider.

(The picture is a publicity shot from the movie Lake Mungo, not a photo of the place Lake Mungo)