Tag Archives: popular names

The Top 100 Baby Names in Australia for 2013

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in Name Data

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GIRLS 

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Ava
  4. Emily
  5. Mia
  6. Amelia
  7. Ruby
  8. Sophia/Sofia
  9. Chloe
  10. Sophie
  11. Isabella
  12. Lily/Lilly
  13. Ella
  14. Grace
  15. Sienna
  16. Madison/Maddison
  17. Isla
  18. Matilda
  19. Zoe
  20. Emma
  21. Ivy
  22. Lucy
  23. Isabelle/Isabel
  24. Hannah
  25. Scarlett
  26. Evie
  27. Harper
  28. Zara
  29. Willow
  30. Layla
  31. Abigail
  32. Georgia
  33. Eva
  34. Imogen
  35. Jasmine
  36. Milla/Mila
  37. Summer
  38. Jessica
  39. Alexis
  40. Savannah
  41. Sarah
  42. Mackenzie
  43. Evelyn
  44. Annabelle
  45. Alice
  46. Stella
  47. Elizabeth
  48. Bella
  49. Chelsea
  50. Audrey
  51. Violet
  52. Poppy
  53. Addison
  54. Holly
  55. Paige
  56. Ellie
  57. Aria
  58. Madeleine/Madeline
  59. Phoebe
  60. Alyssa
  61. Hayley
  62. Indiana/Indianna
  63. Maya
  64. Anna
  65. Eden
  66. Lola
  67. Eliza
  68. Eloise
  69. Alexandra
  70. Piper
  71. Charli/Charlie/Charlee
  72. Claire
  73. Lara
  74. Samantha
  75. Molly
  76. Rose
  77. Olive
  78. Aaliyah
  79. Victoria
  80. Amelie
  81. Penelope
  82. Lillian
  83. Eve
  84. Jade
  85. Mikayla
  86. Amber
  87. Ayla
  88. Heidi
  89. Harriet
  90. Daisy
  91. Elsie
  92. Skye
  93. Leah
  94. Indie
  95. Pippa
  96. Indigo
  97. Nevaeh
  98. Peyton
  99. Caitlin
  100. Ariana
 BOYS 

  1. Oliver
  2. William
  3. Jack
  4. Noah
  5. Jackson/Jaxon
  6. James
  7. Thomas
  8. Ethan
  9. Lucas
  10. Cooper
  11. Lachlan
  12. Joshua
  13. Mason
  14. Liam
  15. Alexander
  16. Samuel
  17. Harrison
  18. Jacob
  19. Max
  20. Benjamin
  21. Charlie
  22. Henry
  23. Isaac
  24. Xavier
  25. Hunter
  26. Riley
  27. Oscar
  28. Harry
  29. Levi
  30. Daniel
  31. Ryan
  32. Jayden
  33. Hudson
  34. Logan
  35. Tyler
  36. Elijah
  37. Flynn
  38. Sebastian
  39. Leo
  40. Blake
  41. Jake
  42. Michael
  43. Connor
  44. Archie
  45. Zachary
  46. Braxton
  47. Luke
  48. Eli
  49. Matthew
  50. Lincoln
  51. Aiden
  52. Patrick
  53. Nate
  54. Nicholas
  55. Archer
  56. Dylan
  57. Joseph
  58. Chase
  59. Edward
  60. George
  61. Mitchell
  62. Finn
  63. Nathan
  64. Beau
  65. Ryder
  66. Angus
  67. Hugo
  68. Hayden
  69. Jordan
  70. Luca
  71. Ashton
  72. Caleb
  73. Owen
  74. Louis
  75. Kai
  76. Toby
  77. Bailey
  78. Adam
  79. Nathaniel
  80. Austin
  81. Charles
  82. Jasper
  83. Marcus
  84. Christian
  85. Alex
  86. Felix
  87. Jesse
  88. Darcy
  89. Hamish
  90. Dominic
  91. Jett
  92. John
  93. Ali
  94. Aaron
  95. David
  96. Seth
  97. Lewis
  98. Parker
  99. Anthony
  100. Jonathan

 GIRLS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers
Aria (+27), Penelope (+20 at least), Eloise and Lillian (+18), Evelyn (+16), Samantha (+15), Ayla (+14 at least), Olive (+13), Harriet (+12 at least), Daisy (+11 at least)

Biggest Fallers
Amy (-33 at least), Tahlia (-24 at least), Kayla (-21), Charli/Charlie/Charlee and Molly (-19), Jade and Mikayla (-15), Caitlin and Leah (-14), Gabriella (-13 at least)

New: Ariana, Ayla, Daisy, Elsie, Harriet, Indie, Indigo, Nevaeh, Penelope, Peyton, Pippa

Gone: Amy, Angelina, Ebony, Elise, Gabriella, Josephine, Kayla, Lacey, Lauren, Mariam, Tahlia

Comments: Sophia/Sofia rises 4 spots to join the Top 10. Nevaeh manages to join the national Top 100, even though it only charts in Queensland.

BOYS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers
Louis (+27 at least), Nathaniel (+22 at least), Ryder (+21), Hudson (+18), Lincoln (+17), Felix (+15 at least), Leo (+15), George (+11), Jett (+10 at least)

Biggest Fallers
Declan (-17 at least), Aidan/Aiden and Hamish (-17), Dylan and Hayden (-16), Kai (-13), Adam and Anthony (-12), Cameron (-11 at least), Zac (-10 at least)

New: Aaron, Felix, Jett, Lewis, Louis, Nathaniel, Parker, Seth

Gone: Andrew, Callum, Cameron, Christopher, Declan, Gabriel, Muhammad, Zac

Comments: Muhammad leaves the Top 100, even though it was one of the biggest risers in New South Wales. Royal baby names George, Alexander and Louis all rose in popularity, with Louis and George amongst the high risers for 2013.

NOTES: The national Top 100 combines variant spellings when computing popularity. This does change the results, and sometimes it’s not clear why certain names are combined and others not: for example, why Milla and Mila are counted as one name, when they are pronounced differently, while Louis and Lewis are counted separately, when they are often pronounced identically. Overall, the number of babies receiving a Top 100 name dropped from 40.6% to 39.6%, and more boys than girls received a popular name.

The Top 100 Baby Names in New South Wales for 2013

08 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Name Data

≈ 7 Comments

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GIRLS

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Chloe
  5. Mia
  6. Emily
  7. Isabella
  8. Ava
  9. Sophie
  10. Ruby
  11. Sophia
  12. Ella
  13. Sienna
  14. Grace
  15. Lily
  16. Ivy
  17. Zoe
  18. Matilda
  19. Isla
  20. Emma
  21. Evie
  22. Hannah
  23. Harper
  24. Scarlett
  25. Lucy
  26. Eva
  27. Zara
  28. Abigail
  29. Layla
  30. Georgia
  31. Sofia
  32. Isabelle
  33. Willow
  34. Imogen
  35. Annabelle
  36. Savannah
  37. Sarah
  38. Maddison
  39. Jasmine
  40. Jessica
  41. Audrey
  42. Madison
  43. Elizabeth
  44. Evelyn
  45. Stella
  46. Chelsea
  47. Alexis
  48. Mackenzie
  49. Ellie
  50. Alice
  51. Bella
  52. Mila
  53. Summer
  54. Lara
  55. Addison
  56. Lilly
  57. Victoria
  58. Violet
  59. Poppy
  60. Anna
  61. Claire
  62. Phoebe
  63. Lola
  64. Alyssa
  65. Maya
  66. Aria
  67. Madeleine
  68. Eloise
  69. Eliza
  70. Alexandra
  71. Holly
  72. Eden
  73. Indiana
  74. Aaliyah
  75. Molly
  76. Rose
  77. Piper
  78. Caitlin
  79. Elsie
  80. Isabel
  81. Penelope
  82. Mikayla
  83. Samantha
  84. Lillian
  85. Hayley
  86. Paige
  87. Amelie
  88. Olive
  89. Gabriella
  90. Ariana
  91. Emilia
  92. Skye
  93. Leah
  94. Ayla
  95. Jade
  96. Daisy
  97. Harriet
  98. Zahra
  99. Eve
  100. Indie
 BOYS

  1. William
  2. Oliver
  3. Jack
  4. Noah
  5. James
  6. Lucas
  7. Thomas
  8. Lachlan
  9. Cooper
  10. Liam
  11. Ethan
  12. Jacob
  13. Alexander
  14. Isaac
  15. Joshua
  16. Samuel
  17. Harrison
  18. Benjamin
  19. Mason
  20. Max
  21. Charlie
  22. Jayden
  23. Henry
  24. Daniel
  25. Hunter
  26. Ryan
  27. Oscar
  28. Levi
  29. Xavier
  30. Harry
  31. Riley
  32. Flynn
  33. Logan
  34. Sebastian
  35. Elijah
  36. Jackson
  37. Tyler
  38. Leo
  39. Archie
  40. Joseph
  41. Matthew
  42. Michael
  43. Zachary
  44. Adam
  45. Aiden
  46. Nicholas
  47. Patrick
  48. Hudson
  49. Jaxon
  50. Jake
  51. Braxton
  52. Christian
  53. Edward
  54. George
  55. Luke
  56. Hugo
  57. Eli
  58. Luca
  59. Nathan
  60. Chase
  61. Ashton
  62. Beau
  63. Blake
  64. Lincoln
  65. Dylan
  66. Marcus
  67. Hayden
  68. Finn
  69. Kai
  70. Archer
  71. Caleb
  72. Nate
  73. Toby
  74. Connor
  75. Ali
  76. Anthony
  77. Austin
  78. Louis
  79. Muhammad
  80. Jonathan
  81. Charles
  82. Angus
  83. Jordan
  84. Nathaniel
  85. Felix
  86. John
  87. Jasper
  88. Mitchell
  89. Dominic
  90. Owen
  91. Alex
  92. Ryder
  93. Aaron
  94. David
  95. Jett
  96. Darcy
  97. Bailey
  98. Gabriel
  99. Jesse
  100. Christopher

GIRLS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers
Lola (+23), Elsie (+22 at least), Imogen (+22), Ellie (+21), Penelope (+20 at least), Evelyn (+20), Aria (+19), Alexandra (+18), Lillian (+17 at least)

Biggest Fallers
Hayley (-34), Tahlia (-23 at least), Rose (-21), Kayla (-20 at least), Gabriella and Holly (-18)

New: Ariana, Ayla, Daisy, Elsie, Emilia, Harriet, Indie, Lillian, Penelope, Skye, Zahra

Gone: Amy, Angelina, Charlie, Elise, Heidi, Josephine, Kayla, Lauren, Mariam, Milla, Tahlia

Comment: Penelope hits the ground running to join yet another Top 100. Josephine’s great leap forward of 2012 turns out to be a statistical anomaly, while Lauren could not sustain her Olympian comeback.

BOYS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers
Hudson (+26), Louis (+23 at least), Archer (+22), Austin and Muhammad (+20), Nathaniel (+17 at least), Ashton (+17), Felix (+16 at least)

Biggest Fallers
Dylan (-33), Beau (-22), Andrew (-21 at least), Angus (-21), Blake (-18)

New: Aaron, Felix, Jett, Louis, Nathaniel, Ryder

Gone: Andrew, Callum, Cameron, Hamish, Zac

Comment: Cooper and Liam inch their way up to join the Top 10, while Scottish names take a definite tumble. Fun royal baby name fact: George, Alexander, and Louis all rose in popularity!

 

 

How Can She Choose a Modern Baby Name If He’s Still Living in the ’70s?

05 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

≈ 4 Comments

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047728-bcabc874-5cb4-11e3-8eb9-1c57f26bd260Fiona and Brent are expecting their fourth child next month. They had no problems choosing names for a baby girl, but have found it more difficult to agree on names for boys.

Fiona and Brent want many of the same things in a name: it must be easy to spell and pronounce, it must be recognisable as a name to everyone, it must have a long history of use, and it must have an established nickname. The trouble is, they don’t always see eye to eye on what those things mean.

Brent only likes names that he is familiar with from people of his own generation – the names of people he went to school with. His choice would be a name like Peter, Ian, Jason, or Nicholas.

Fiona doesn’t want a dated 1970s name for her son, although she would be happy with a classic name that has always been popular. She would like a religious association for the name, but could gain that from the middle name. Her choice would be a name like Owen, Dominic, Patrick, Luke, or Silas.

As a result, Fiona and Brent are left with a very short list of compromise names which are classics, and could belong to someone of any age. So far they have managed to agree on John, David, William, and Patrick.

Sometimes Fiona loves the idea of having a little Johnny, Davey, Billy or Paddy, and feels a compromise is absolutely fine. Other times she worries that these names will sound out of place on a baby born in 2014, and seem a bit old-fashioned next to the Lucases and Olivers who will be his schoolmates. These concerns are significant enough to keep her awake at night.

She wonders if there is any such thing as a classic name which is a safe and reliable choice, and yet still sounds fresh? Or have they picked out good names, and can stop looking for something else?

Fiona and Brent’s other three children have very nice classic names from the Bible. Fiona doesn’t care at all if the name doesn’t fit into a “sibset”, although the names they have already chosen do happen to sound good together.

The middle name will be John, unless they pick John for the first name, and the second middle name will be Francis.

The family surname is an unusual English one that is instantly recognisable as the name of an extremely famous fictional character eg Merlin, Batman. It tends to get good-natured teasing, and although it’s a nice surname with positive associations, they don’t want a first name which will draw further attention to it, or excite more comment.

* * * * * * * * * *

I was so interested to get your e-mail Fiona, because I quite often see women writing in to name forums saying that their partner only likes names from his own generation, and the advice often seems to be to wait until the next baby, because by then he’ll have realised that the popular names of today are Chloe and Mason, not Kylie and Jason. Clearly that doesn’t always work, since you are now up to Baby #4 and Brent hasn’t changed his mind.

If it makes things easier for you, it really isn’t that uncommon for couples to choose baby names from their own era. Many people like “normal” baby names, and for some, normal means the names they grew up with. I read birth notices every week, and you’d be surprised how many families I see where the children’s names could be people I went to school with: Emma, Natalie and Damien, or Penelope and Marcus, or Joshua, Sarah, Michael and Elizabeth.

I think you’ve come up with an excellent compromise in choosing classic names that feel familiar to Brent, yet remain common enough that they haven’t become dated. It probably suits your surname too, because if your surname is unusual yet highly recognisable from another context, a classic name gives it dignity, and even a bit of anonymity.

However, you did ask if there is a way to choose a classic name that feels fresh and modern, and to a certain extent, there is. Last year I wrote an article on classic names, which sorted them into categories, and the first category is Contemporary Classics, which are classics currently at their most popular, so that they feel traditional, yet also up-to-date. Boys names in this category which were reasonably common in the 1970s include:

  • Alexander (#69 in the 1970s)
  • Angus (#139 in the 1970s)
  • Lachlan (#137 in the 1970s)
  • Marcus (#109 in the 1970s)
  • Samuel (#83 in the 1970s)
  • William (#48 in the 1970s)

There are also the Up and Coming Classics, which are currently rising in popularity. Although a classic name can’t exactly sound original, Up and Coming Classics seem quite fresh and stylish. Boys names in this category which were reasonably common in the 1970s include:

  • Frank (#143 in the 1970s)
  • John (#14 in the 1970s)
  • Leon (#141 in the 1970s)
  • Patrick (#65 in the 1970s)

As you can see, three of the four classic names you are considering are actually quite fresh and modern, with William very popular, and John and Patrick rising. And David is still in the Top 100, and fairly stable, so it definitely isn’t dated. I don’t think these will stand out or seem strange in a future classroom.

I know you were a bit iffy about William, and whether it sounded odd with your surname, and I’m going to be the one who tells you: yes it does. Even though it’s a handsome classic, it does draw attention to your surname, in the same way Arthur Merlin or Robin Batman would seem a bit much (even if you called him Artie or Rob). I would cross William off your list.

I think John, Patrick, and David all sound really nice with the middle names you have chosen, and they all sound fine with your surname. Basically, I guess I’m saying you have already done a good job of choosing names for your potential future son, and there’s no need for you to keep looking.

I hope that you can now get a few good nights sleep in before the baby arrives!

Readers, which of the names on Fiona and Brent’s name list do you like best? And do you have any name suggestions for them?

(Photo shows 1970s bowler Jeff Thomson)

NAME UPDATE: The baby’s name is John Patrick Francis!

POLL RESULT: The public’s choice for the baby’s name was Patrick John Francis, with nearly half of respondents voting for this name combination.

Requested Name: Eva

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Requested Names

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 20 Baby Names in the Northern Territory for 2013

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Name Data

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GIRLS

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Ruby
  5. Chloe
  6. Matilda
  7. Mia
  8. Sophie
  9. Emily
  10. Evelyn
  11. Grace
  12. Isabella
  13. Jasmine
  14. Zoe
  15. Lily
  16. Madison
  17. Ava
  18. Ella
  19. Isla
  20. Savannah

BOYS

  1. William
  2. Cooper
  3. Oliver
  4. Lucas
  5. John
  6. Mason
  7. Noah
  8. Thomas
  9. Alexander
  10. Jack
  11. Michael
  12. Ethan
  13. Jaxon
  14. Logan
  15. Riley
  16. Xavier
  17. Isaac
  18. Jackson
  19. James
  20. Lachlan

GIRLS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Riser: Evelyn (+11 at least)

Biggest Faller: Sophia (-13 at least)

New: Evelyn, Isla, Lily, Madison, Savannah

Gone: Alice, Hannah, Layla, Maddison, Sophia

 

BOYS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Riser: Oliver (+18 at least)

Biggest Faller: James (-17)

New: Alexander, Isaac, Jaxon, John, Logan, Noah, Oliver, Xavier

Gone: Charlie, Daniel, Harrison, Henry, Levi, Liam, Ryan, Samuel, Tyler

NOTE: The Northern Territory only releases a Top 20 each year due to its very small population size.

Interview with Alexia Mae at Baby Names from the Bible

23 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by in Blog Reviews

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Interview-PhotoAlexia Mae is the warm and enthusiastic blogger behind Baby Names from the Bible, devoted to all the great names in the Good Book, whether familiar or unusual. I usually allow blog readers to decide which blogger is interviewed, but last month Alexia Mae was kind enough to invite me to be interviewed at Baby Names from the Bible, so this is a return visit – although she would have been chosen next time anyway. Alexia Mae passed her 100th post a month ago, so let’s hope there are many more.

What is your name?

Alexia Mae. I’m the “Dear Abby” of baby names, as Alexia Mae is my pen name.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

My real one? Oh, yes. It’s not too common a name; it’s only ever made it to #30. But the spelling of it is unique, which catapults it outside the Top 1000 for all time. Add a filler family middle, and the annoyance of people misunderstanding my name, and I begged to be called Alexia as a kid. Fast forward to me needing a pen name … Bob’s your uncle, I had one. Mae is in honour of my grandma. Now that I’m an adult I appreciate my given name more. I was almost a Kasia, which I would have loved, too.

How did you become interested in names?

I blame my name craziness on Shane, my kindergarten crush. He was the ruddy-haired Irish kid with the leather necklace, the dude everyone wanted to be friends with. In a classroom of boring names from the ’80s, Shane stuck out. I suddenly became very aware of people’s names.

When I was thirteen, my mom got pregnant. My brother Aaron and I were close in age, but now I was way older for this new brother, and boy, was I ready to help name the kid! Shot down, but kept on trying. Their choice? Another A name, Andrew. A perfect recipe for my mom to never get our names right. But, after stealing (I mean permanently borrowing) a name book my mom picked up, I came down with full blown name-nuttiness. It’s been downhill ever since.

How did you become interested in biblical names?

That first baby name book I got my hands on happened to be about biblical names. And it was literally four pieces of paper. (Maybe that’s why my parents never got out of the As.) It was small. But it had a big impact. To see the meaning of names, and to be able to go to the Bible and see them used, just blew me away. It was my own “sawdust trail moment” for names. They have proved themselves to be real gems, and have a power in their age and timelessness.

Do you have a favourite baby name book?

The Holy Bible 😉 My email inbox is also swarmed with name people I’m subscribed to, and I rely on Clare’s Scoop for everything else. (That gal needs an award.) [WMTM: She got one! She has a gold ribbon saying her page is one of the most highly-recommended in the Society topic on Scoop].

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

My husband Josiah and I both love the idea of using biblical names for our children. When I was first married I searched for biblical baby name books, and couldn’t find any. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Not even the one that I originally had. Then I began to think about that original name book, and thought it was awfully small compared to the actual Bible. I mean, the Book of Numbers wouldn’t even fit in there, and it’s practically nothing but names.

I kept asking myself, if I can’t find them, who else will? Why is no one celebrating the biblical names I know must exist? So I began logging the names I was coming across for my own use, and I really wanted to share them … and Baby Names from the Bible was born.

Do you have a favourite blog entry on Baby Names from the Bible?

The post that I’m the most proud of is one I wrote a couple of years ago, Why Name Your Baby a Biblical Name? I take a moment to stand on my soap box and talk about why people, even those who aren’t religious, should take another look at baby names from the Bible. Forget about Zerubbabel. How about Junia? Rissah? Ardon? There are names galore for anyone thirsty for a good name.

Are there any other ways to stay in touch with you online?

I’m @NamesDaily on Instagram, and I post names every day, both biblical and not. Instagram has been an amazing experience. I have a growing following of over 2000 people. I’m getting the opportunity first hand to see names that knock your socks off, and some, that well, just don’t. I’m also on YouTube.

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names?

Yhess. Yoonique namez. If I have to read it more than once to get what name you’re actually trying to say, I’ve got to stand up and get a cup of coffee. It literally makes my skin crawl. Jaycein? I am somebody who has zero adrenaline tolerance for awkwardness in any way, so I have to get up and walk it off. True stuff.

In the name community, I feel sometimes it’s like Eskimos marketing ice to fellow Eskimos who live in the same igloo. I want to find ways to branch out and actually talk to parents who have never even owned a baby name book. I think that’s why I love being on Instagram so much, because it’s exactly that. I enjoy so many people in the baby name community, but I want to find ways to branch out, too. (We need an annual name conference.)

What are some of your favourite names?

Boys: Judah and Josiah, of course. Abel.

Girls: Juniper. Ellowyn. Cassia. Maewyn. I really love Naphtali for a girl, but can’t bring myself to use it because no one would be able to pronounce it or spell it. It’s like Natalie with an F. I’m drawn to biblical names, but I enjoy other names, too.

What names do you dislike?

Delilah. I see the appeal, but I would never use it. The same with Jezebel. That one makes my skin crawl when I hear someone nonchalantly talking about using it. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the connotation still exists. Jezebel was a murderer, and it would be like naming your child Hitler. I just don’t think you should do it.

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: Biblical – Leah (#33). Other – Harper (#24) and Lillian (#25)

Boys: Biblical – Josiah (#79). Other – Landon (#34)

What are your favourite names in the rest of the US Top 1000?

Margaret (#178) and Judah (#273)

What are your favourite names that don’t currently chart?

Blythe (never charted) and Clive (hasn’t charted since 1935)

What is your son’s name?

Judah David. Our story of Judah’s name is a fun and interesting one, and you can read about it at So There’s This Name ….

If you found out you were pregnant right now, what names would you be considering?

I would be trying to convince Josiah to like Blythe Salomae. We have boys names we like, but like we did with Judah, we’re not telling anyone.

What is something we don’t know about you that you would like to share?

I love the Anne of Green Gables series and have read them probably too much. Tell me Lucy Maud Montgomery wasn’t a name nut. Ludovic Speed? Gilbert ❤ Is this why I love the name Blythe? I will never tell.

What advice would you give someone choosing a baby name?

If you can’t use the one you love, use it anyway. Never, ever settle. Unless it’s Jezebel or Kidneigh Bean, and then I’d say maybe keep looking. Valuable life lessons also apply to names. You are giving your babies the first impression they will have on people. Give them something that makes them proud. Something that makes you proud. And like weak coffee, name regret stinks. I’ll brew down some Starbucks, and you can come over and we can talk more about names!

(Picture shows Alexia Mae with her son Judah; photo supplied by Baby Names from the Bible)

Top Baby Names in Tasmania for 2013

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by in Name Data

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GIRLS

  1. Charlotte
  2. Ruby
  3. Amelia
  4. Ella
  5. Mia
  6. Lucy
  7. Sophie
  8. Zoe
  9. Grace
  10. Matilda
  11. Chloe
  12. Isla
  13. Isabella
  14. Olivia
  15. Ivy
  16. Lily
  17. Ava
  18. Emily
  19. Willow
  20. Stella
  21. Layla
  22. Sophia
  23. Evelyn
  24. Bella
  25. Evie
  26. Isabelle
  27. Maddison
  28. Sienna
  29. Violet
  30. Alice
  31. Ellie
  32. Addison
  33. Esther
  34. Savannah
  35. Scarlett
  36. Amber
  37. Phoebe
  38. Emma
  39. Imogen
  40. Bonnie
  41. Mackenzie
  42. Molly
  43. Paige
  44. Harper
  45. Heidi
  46. Holly
  47. Madison
  48. Maggie
  49. Millie
  50. Alexis
  51. Audrey
  52. Elsie
  53. Lacey
  54. Poppy
  55. Stephanie
  56. Summer
  57. Chelsea
  58. Florence
  59. Hannah
  60. Maya
  61. Annabelle
  62. April
  63. Brooke
  64. Eleanor
  65. Elizabeth
  66. Eva
  67. Georgia
  68. Jasmine
  69. Lillian
  70. Lilly
  71. Madeleine
  72. Madeline
  73. Mila
  74. Abigail
  75. Bronte
  76. Daisy
  77. Eden
  78. Eliza
  79. Harriet
  80. Hayley
  81. Mabel
  82. Nevaeh
  83. Olive
  84. Piper
  85. Rubi
  86. Sarah
  87. Zara
  88. Charli
  89. Claire
  90. Ebony
  91. Indy
  92. Jessica
  93. Kaylee
  94. Lola
  95. Abbie
  96. Abby
  97. Amy
  98. Annabel
  99. Charlie
  100. Dakota
  101. Eloise
  102. Estelle
  103. Eve
  104. Gabrielle
  105. Indiana
  106. Indianna
  107. Isabel
  108. Josie
  109. Lauren
  110. Macey
  111. Nina
  112. Peyton
  113. Tilly
  114. Trinity
 BOYS

  1. Oliver
  2. Jack
  3. William
  4. Noah
  5. Thomas
  6. Hunter
  7. Charlie
  8. Mason
  9. Cooper
  10. Lucas
  11. Hamish
  12. Henry
  13. Lachlan
  14. Alexander
  15. Archie
  16. Harrison
  17. James
  18. Xavier
  19. Oscar
  20. Riley
  21. Hudson
  22. Jasper
  23. Logan
  24. Max
  25. Samuel
  26. Elijah
  27. Benjamin
  28. Ethan
  29. Flynn
  30. Edward
  31. Toby
  32. Jacob
  33. Joshua
  34. Liam
  35. Tyler
  36. Eli
  37. Harry
  38. Ryan
  39. Angus
  40. Connor
  41. Isaac
  42. Lewis
  43. George
  44. Jackson
  45. Levi
  46. Nate
  47. Owen
  48. Louis
  49. Daniel
  50. Fletcher
  51. Joseph
  52. Bentley
  53. Charles
  54. Jaxon
  55. Lincoln
  56. Luke
  57. Alex
  58. Archer
  59. Beau
  60. Blake
  61. Caleb
  62. Chase
  63. Jobe
  64. Jordan
  65. Michael
  66. Ryder
  67. Sebastian
  68. Tyson
  69. Zachary
  70. Hayden
  71. Jayden
  72. Mitchell
  73. Parker
  74. Ari
  75. Bailey
  76. Braxton
  77. Darcy
  78. Dylan
  79. Jake
  80. Jett
  81. Joel
  82. Koby
  83. Matthew
  84. Adam
  85. Campbell
  86. Declan
  87. Felix
  88. Jesse
  89. Leo
  90. Nicholas
  91. Reuben
  92. Seth
  93. Zane
  94. Elliot
  95. Heath
  96. Hugo
  97. Kai
  98. Kaiden
  99. Louie
  100. Luca
  101. Malachi
  102. Marcus
  103. Maxwell
  104. Nathaniel
  105. Rocco
  106. Spencer
  107. Theo

GIRLS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers

Violet (+86), Paige (+66), Evelyn (+63), Maggie and Savannah (+60)

Biggest Fallers

Jessica (-60), Hannah (-44), Zara (-38)

New: Abby, Annabel, Bronte, Daisy, Dakota, Elsie, Estelle, Florence, Indy, Josie, Kaylee, Lauren, Mabel, Macey, Nevaeh, Nina, Peyton, Rubi, Stephanie, Summer, Tilly, Trinity

Gone: Adele, Anna, Ayla, Faith, Freya, Gracie, Hailey, Indie, Isobel, Josephine, Kate, Leah, Lydia, Macy, Milla, Pippa, Rose, Rosie, Sofia, Tayla, Victoria, Zoey

Comment: Tasmania seems to embrace both the new and the retro with equal warmth. Where else can you see Mabel and Nevaeh side by side, or Maggie and Savannah growing at the same rate?

BOYS NAME TRENDS

Biggest Risers

Owen (+53), Hudson (+46), Lewis (+39), Ryder (+36), Caleb (+35)

Biggest Fallers

Seth (-54), Leo (-46), Jake and Jett (-38)

New: Ari, Charles, Heath, Jobe, Joel, Kai, Kaiden, Koby, Louie, Malachi, Marcus, Michael, Parker, Zane

Gone: Aaron, Aiden, Andrew, Ashton, Billy, Brax, Brock, Callum, Cameron, Finn, Gabriel, Jax, Patrick, Saxon, Vincent, Zac

Comments: Fun royal baby name fact – George, Alexander and Louis all rose in popularity in 2013!

NOTE: Because of its small population size, Tasmania’s top names are its complete name data. For the same reason, its charts are highly volatile.

Famous Name: Samuel

12 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Famous Names

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Last month, on Valentine’s Day, actor Samuel Johnson broke a world record by riding a unicycle more than 15 000 km on a zig-zagging route across Australia for 364 days. How did it all start? His sister Constance set him the toughest challenge she could think of. It started as a joke, and turned into a promise.

You see, Sam’s beloved sister Connie has cancer. She has fought it three times in her life, beginning from the age of 11, but now she is dying, and doesn’t have much time left. So Samuel promised he would raise a million dollars towards breast cancer, with his unicycle challenge dubbed Love Your Sister.

So far he has raised almost 1.5 million dollars for breast cancer research through the Garvan Institute, and plans to work full time for the charity. Even better, Connie’s cancer is stable, and her oncology team are surprised and very pleased with how well her treatment is going. They say there is a good chance she still has a year left, maybe more.

The reason I chose to cover this story, apart from the chance to record a key moment in unicycling history, and because I had been looking for an opportunity to feature the name Samuel, is because of the wonderful sibsets involved. Connie has two small boys named Willoughby “Wib” and Hamilton. Samuel’s two sisters are Constance and Hilde.

Samuel is a character from the Bible whose story starts before he is even conceived. His mother Hannah was barren, and prayed for a baby in the doorway of a religious shrine, vowing that if her prayer was answered, she would dedicate the child to God. A priest of the shrine named Eli heard her, and offered a blessing, suggesting that her prayer would be answered. Hannah gave birth to a son that she named Samuel; in fulfilment of her promise, she gave Samuel to Eli once the child was weaned (about the age of three).

Eli brought Samuel up to work in the shrine, where he proved a devoted and highly intelligent assistant. While still a child, Samuel woke up in the night to hear a voice calling his name. Thinking it was Eli calling him, he went to ask him what he wanted. After this happened a few times, Eli realised that it was God calling Samuel, and instructed him in how to respond, so he could hear the word of God.

God’s first message turned out to be a piece of unwelcome news for Samuel’s mentor Eli, because it was foretold that both his sons, who were corrupt priests, would come to a bad end. During Samuel’s youth, the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, who took control of the land and ransacked the shrine. During the conflict, both of Eli’s sons were killed, and the old man, now blind and about ninety, died of shock when he heard the report.

Samuel became publicly recognised as a great prophet and seer, and after twenty years of oppression, he organised the Israelites into an army and led them in battle against the Philistines. There was a decisive victory for the Israelites, and for many years afterwards there was peace in the land. Samuel became a judge of the Israelites, and all went well for ten years, until the people demanded a king to rule over them instead. Samuel (after warning everyone what a terrible idea having a king was) anointed both Saul and David as the first and second kings of Israel.

Samuel was the last judge and the first prophet of the Hebrews, and the founder of a kingdom. He is revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and regarded as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox faiths.

Samuel is the English form of the Hebrew name Shemu’el. The Bible tells us that the name Samuel means “asked of God”, which Hannah chose to indicate that Samuel was an answer to her prayer. However, this is not correct, and is rather the meaning of the name Saul. It would seem that the names of the first prophet and first king have got confused, and perhaps even their narratives have too.

Samuel can be translated as either “heard by God”, or “hearer of God” – the first one to suggest that Hannah’s prayers were heard and answered by God; the last one to signify his role as prophet. It can also be understood as “son of God”, which makes sense as Samuel was raised from early childhood in God’s shrine.

Although in some use in Britain in the late Middle Ages, Samuel became far more common after the Protestant Reformation. Famous English Samuels include lexicographer Dr Samuel Johnson, satirical poet Samuel Butler, and diarist Samuel Pepys. Samuel was one of the very earliest English names to travel to the American colonies, and famous American Samuels include Samuel Adams, one of the founding fathers of the United States, Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse code, and Samuel Langhorne Clemens, otherwise known as the beloved author Mark Twain. The United States itself even became personified as a Samuel – Uncle Sam.

Samuel is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #46 for the 1900s, and dropped out of the Top 100 during the 1930s. It reached its lowest level in the 1960s at #164, but was back in the Top 100 by the 1970s. It was #14 for the 1990s, and since then has remained extremely stable, hovering around that position.

Currently it is #12 nationally, #20 in New South Wales, #15 in Victoria, #12 in Queensland, #18 in Western Australia, #11 in Tasmania, #16 in the Northern Territory, and #14 in the Australian Capital Territory. It is of similar popularity in the UK and the US, and is a Top 100 name in many countries, making this a very international name.

Samuel is a handsome name which has strength, but also softness. A timeless classic, it is currently at its historic height of popularity, and has been stable for decades, making it a very safe choice. It is so commonly used around the world that it has no particular image attached to it. That means that when it comes to picturing a Samuel, he could be any age, of any appearance, and be anything; an athlete, writer, doctor, traveller, builder, or prime minister. The short form Sam is commonly used as a full name for boys, and is currently only just outside the Top 100.

POLL RESULT
Samuel received an outstanding approval rating of 88%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2014, and the highest-rated boys name of the year. People saw the name Samuel as handsome and classic (27%), strong yet gentle (17%), ageing well (16%), a “nice guy” name (15%), and suiting a variety of people (13%). However, 6% thought it was too common and boring. Nobody thought that the name Samuel wasn’t masculine enough.

Famous Name: Lincoln

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Famous Names

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089717-port-lincoln

Today is the 210th anniversary of the naming of Port Lincoln, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, on the shores of Boston Bay, which opens out into the Spencer Gulf. Port Lincoln is a regional city of around 15 000 people, and about 7% of the population are Indigenous, from the Nauo, Barngala, Wirangu, and Mirning peoples.

Two of Port Lincoln’s claims to fame are that it is said to have more millionaires per capita than any other place in Australia, and boasts the title of Seafood Capital of Australia, as it has the largest commercial fishing fleet in the country, which catch tuna and sardines, and a thriving aquaculture industry which farms tuna, yellowtail kingfish, abalone, mussels, oysters, seahorses, and lobsters.

Port Lincoln has produced more than its fair share of athletes and sportspeople, with many AFL footballers originally hailing from Port Lincoln. Netballer Lauren Nourse began her career in Port Lincoln, and Paralympic cyclist Kieran Modra was born there. Weightlifter Dean Lukin, who won gold at the 1984 Olympics, was a tuna fisherman, and upon his retirement returned to manage the family fishing business. Another with a connection to the fish industry is tuna farmer Tony Santic, the owner of Makybe Diva, the only horse to win the Melbourne Cup three times. There is a life-sized bronze statue of Makybe Diva on the town’s foreshore.

The scenic beauty of Port Lincoln attracts many tourists, who come here for yachting, scuba diving, and game fishing. The novel Blue Fin by Colin Thiele is set in Port Lincoln and revolves around the fishing industry; the movie was filmed in nearby Streaky Bay. Some of the scenes from Jaws and Gallipoli were filmed in Port Lincoln, and the reality television show Australian Survivor was filmed nearby.

British naval explorer Matthew Flinders discovered Boston Bay on February 26 1802, and named the body of water Port Lincoln, after his birthplace of Lincoln in England. Lincoln is believed to mean “settlement by the pool” in a blend of the British and Latin languages, with “the pool” referring to Brayford Pool, a natural lake in the city’s centre. The city of Lincoln is twinned with Port Lincoln in South Australia.

The surname Lincoln comes from the city of Lincoln, and the most famous bearer must surely be Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. He led his nation through the American Civil War, and his Gettysburg Address became an iconic statement of American belief in the principles of liberty and democracy. His assassination in the final weeks of the Civil War made him a national martyr, and he is consistently ranked as one of the greatest US Presidents – often, the very greatest.

Lincoln has been used as a first name for boys since the 18th century, with most early bearers of the name born in Lincolnshire and surrounding districts. Although Lincoln was used as a name in the United States before Abraham Lincoln, its use soared during the years of the Civil War and just after it, and must often have been given in honour of the president.

A famous Australian with this name is actor Lincoln Lewis, the son of rugby league legend Wally Lewis. He has appeared in several television series, such as Home and Away and Neighbours, and had roles in films such as Tomorrow, When the War Began and After Earth. Lincoln is the brother of sportcaster Mitch Lewis, a celebrity dad on the blog in 2012.

The name Lincoln first charted in Australia in the 1960s, and first ranked in the 1970s, débuting at #207. It remained comfortably in the 200s for decades, then suddenly climbed at a dizzying speed during the latter half of the 2000s, and was in the Top 100 by 2009. The instigator of this surge of popularity was probably US television drama series Prison Break, starring Dominic Purcell as Lincoln Burrows. Dominic moved to Sydney from Britain as a baby, and studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He won an Australian Film Institute Award for his role in Prison Break.

Currently Lincoln is #67 nationally, #76 in New South Wales, #66 in Victoria, #40 in Queensland, #38 in Western Australia, #37 in Tasmania, and #66 in the Australian Capital Territory. Lincoln was one of the fastest-rising boys names of 2012 – the same year that the movies Lincoln, and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter were released. From the data that’s come in so far, Lincoln looks set to continue his ascent as one of the fastest-rising names of 2013.

Lincoln is a handsome, clean-sounding modern classic that may be more Aussie than you expected. It has certainly been warmly embraced in Australia, and is more popular here than in either the US or UK, where it isn’t even in the Top 100 (its similarity in sound to popular Lachlan can’t have hurt). Lincoln’s star is on the rise, and looks set to join the national Top 50 fairly soon: it’s already in my personal Top 50 for 2013.

Linc is the obvious nickname, with an attractive similarity to the word link, suggesting your little Linc could join the family together. I am spotting the short form more and more often in birth notices – perhaps because some parents are becoming reluctant to choose the popular Lincoln.

POLL RESULT
Lincoln received a respectable approval rating of 64%. People saw the name Lincoln as stylish and cool (16%), handsome and distinguished (15%), and strong and masculine (15%). However, 14% thought it was too trendy. Only one person thought the name Lincoln was too popular.

(Photo shows fishing boats in the marina at Port Lincoln)

Interview with Zeffy from Baby Names from Yesteryear

16 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Blog Reviews

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Winterhalter_Eugenie_1855Zeffy is the enthusiastic blogger at Baby Names from Yesteryear, which features wonderful, winning, and sometimes slightly wacky names from history. Whether you enjoy names of English gentlemen, ladies from antiquity, or contemporary British royals, you will find many beautiful names which are elegant, elaborate and eccentric. You will also find names from South America, and names from Zeffy’s own family tree. One of my favourites of Zeffy’s posts is an extremely sweet story about one of her sentimental favourites – I dare you to read it without either smiling tenderly or getting a tear in your eye. Zeffy has been away from blogging for a year, but she’s back (hooray!!!), and this is a chance to catch up with her and find out what Zeffy is short for.

What is your name? 
Sephora. I go by Zeffy online, a nickname given to me by my loopy, but incredibly sweet, university professor.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?
Have I ever! I’ve disliked my name for most of my life. As a child, all I wanted was a nice common name, something like Jessica or Rebecca, so I could blend in. I was a bit shy as a child so I hated being different from everyone else. It was only when I got to my late teens that I realised my name was quite nice and fitted my personality very well. I would never consider changing it now – having such an unusual name is a big part of my identity.

How did you become interested in names?
It goes back to having an unusual name. I’ve always wanted to know where my name came from, what it meant, how it came to be used. My curiosity stemmed from having absolutely no clue about my name’s origins. I guess my interest in names in general dates back to when I started school and noticed that I was the only one whose name wasn’t “normal”. Since then I’ve always loved reading about names and looking up meanings. There hasn’t been a time when I haven’t been interested in names and their stories.

How did you become interested in names from the past?
I’m obsessed with history. I’ve always been interested in the history of people’s lives, particularly focusing on the social and private life of early 19th century English aristocrats. There’s something very fascinating about discovering the small details of what people 200 years ago ate for breakfast, where they bought their boots from, why they married who they did, and what they named their children. That’s what attracts me to names from the past – it’s a glimpse into the personal and private life of someone who lived hundreds of years ago.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?
I came across The Gentleman’s Magazine during my last year of university. I was meant to be researching contemporary reviews for Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man, but I kept flipping back and having a look through all the wedding announcements. Once I left university, I had a heck of a lot of time on my hands, and I really don’t deal well with boredom. I had to find a project to do before I completely lost my sanity. I thought about all the lovely names I’d read and decided to share them. I knew there had to be someone out there who was equally as interested in Georgian era names as I was. I couldn’t be the only one who oohed and ahhed over them!

Do you have a favourite blog entry on Baby Names from Yesteryear?
I really enjoyed writing about The Patronesses of Almack’s and Popular Names of the Georgian Era. They hit on my favourite time period in history so I can’t help but have a soft spot for them. Having said that, the posts I tend to like the most are those which required me to really do research, to look through a number of sources before hitting name gold. I’m such a geek, I know.

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names? 
When people think that many of the current trends are a modern concept. People have been naming their children all sorts of weird and wonderful things for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Masculine names on girls, surnames used as first names, nature names, unusual names … it’s all been done before, so let’s not get in a tizzy about them now.

There’s also something about the word “unique” which I find unrealistic. The chance of any name being unique is truly slim, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to change spellings in search for uniqueness.

What are some of your favourite names? 
A few of my current favourites are Minerva, Emmeline, Margaux, Josephine and Magdalene. For boys, Alexander, Lucien, Mikael and Hart are long time favourites. I think Noa is absolutely darling. Tierney, Seren, Clover, Lyra, Orion and Shia are just a few that are on my favourites list.

What names do you dislike?
I’ve never been a fan of overly “cute” names, on girls or boys, for a number of reasons. Children don’t need cute names to be cute. A lot of names that fall into that category for me have really taken off in England and Wales where there is currently a trend for over-the-top cuteness, especially on the girls’ side. There’s a message behind that trend which I’m not comfortable with.

I’m also not at all keen on the Mae/May/Mai hyphenated names which are very popular over here. It feels like half the female population under the age of 5 answers to Something-Mae. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike Mae or May. Just please, please stop hyphenating it!

Are there any names you love, but could never use?
So, so many. Hyacinth is always in the back of my mind, but I think of Hyacinth Bucket [from sit-com Keeping Up Appearances]and it’s over. Millicent is another. I really love how it sounds, but not how it looks. Ptolemy is probably the biggest one. Why does the P have to be silent?! I so wish it wasn’t; it would be a serious contender then.

What are your favourite names in the UK Top 100?
Eleanor (#63) and Alexander (#27).

What are your favourite names that have never charted in the UK?
Sanceline and Holland.

Do you have any names picked out for your future children? 
Not really. Children haven’t crossed my mind yet so it’s all up in the air. If, however, I were to have a baby at this exact moment, I guess it would be something like Emmeline Clover, Emmeline Jane Noa, or Noa Emmeline Jane. I adore Jane. I know it has in the past been overused in the middle spot, but it’s lovely and I can’t help myself. For a boy, it would be Alexander Lucien or Shia Alexander. I think when it comes down to it, I won’t be as tame in my choices. It’s fun having a name on the unusual side so I think I’ll go down that path. But who knows?!

What is something we don’t know about you?
I’m incapable or remaining serious for very long. Trying to answer your questions without making silly and inappropriate jokes hasn’t been easy! Also, I love exclamation marks 🙂

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a baby name?
I wouldn’t. I don’t have any children so I don’t know anything about how hard the naming process is or the pressures of it. I only wish all parents would put as much time as possible into choosing their child’s name. Your child has to live with their name every single day. That’s a big thing. Take it seriously! (Yay, got to use an exclamation mark again.)

(Painting shown is Eugenie, Empress of the French and Her Ladies by Franz Xaver Winterhalter; 1855 – one of the many lovely illustrations on Zeffy’s blog)