Tag Archives: royal names

Waltzing with … Sullivan

13 Sunday Jan 2013

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thesullivansfamilynewWe are now about halfway through the summer holidays. Despite your best intentions that every day of the holidays will be productive, rewarding, and jam-packed with memorably fun activities, there always seems to come at least one day where you find yourselves slumped in front of the air conditioner watching non-ratings season re-runs on TV. Perhaps this is what has inspired me to cover a name from Australian television.

The Sullivans is one of Australia’s most successful soap operas. First aired in 1976, it centred on an ordinary middle-class Melbourne family, and the effects that World War II had on it. The war gave endless opportunities for dramatic plot-lines; various members of the Sullivan family, and their friends and neighbours, went off to battle, worked as nurses, opposed the war, developed psychological problems, married people from different countries, got divorced, committed suicide, were lost at sea, ran the black market, went to prison, were interned as enemy aliens, shot by the Nazis, killed by bombs during the London Blitz, and had to adapt to peace-time conditions.

The show’s producers went to great lengths to ensure historical and cultural accuracy. Not only did the sets use authentic period furniture, but even the weather in the show mirrored that which actually occurred on each day during the war. This attention to detail and high production standards, not to mention a new nostalgia for the recent past, made the show a success.

A consistent ratings winner which gained the acclaim of the critics, it won five Logie Awards in 1978 and was the first Australian drama series to be sold overseas; more than 45 countries broadcast The Sullivans, where it was most popular in the United Kingdom. It made a star of Lorraine Bayly, who played dignified matriarch Grace Sullivan, and employed dozens of Australasian actors in supporting roles. Like all good soaps, it provided a testing ground for young actors, and it was on the set of The Sullivans that later big names such as Mel Gibson, Kerry Armstrong, Kylie and Dannii Minogue, Sam Neill, Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton gained early experience.

Ratings for the show suffered after fan favourite Grace Sullivan was killed off, and as time went on, the war finished and most of the main characters were dead or had otherwise been written out. There was some talk of continuing the story into the 1950s and showing how Australia changed in the post-war era, but it was decided to let it come to an end in 1983.

Sullivan is an Anglicisation of the Irish surname O’Sullivan, which means “grandson of Súilleabhán”. The meaning of Súilleabhán is disputed, but one theory is that it means “dark eyed”. There are also Sullivans whose family name is derived from Súileacháin, meaning “quick eyed”.

The O’Sullivans originated in County Tipperary, and the original Súilleabhán was a direct descendant of one of the kings of Munster, so his dynasty is of royal blood. The O’Sullivans also claim descent from the first Celts to colonise Ireland, migrating there from northern Spain in 800 BC.

Although this story is mythological, it does have some truth to it, for DNA studies show that the Celts of Britain and Ireland (all Celts, not just the O’Sullivans!) are descended from a tribe of Iberian fisherfolk who migrated there about 6000 years ago, and formed what is considered to be the indigenous population of the British Isles. In fact, nearly everyone in Britain is descended from them, and any of us who have British and Irish ancestry are too.

Famous Australians Sullivans include Pat Sullivan, who helped create Felix the cat; Victoria Cross recipient Arthur Sullivan; Olympic swimmer Eamon Sullivan; and Paralympic athlete Tim Sullivan. Actor Sullivan Stapleton, who starred in Animal Kingdom, is a rare example of it as a first name.

Sullivan has never charted in Australia, and only a few with the name can be found in old records, although it is reasonably common as a middle name. In 2012, there were 16 baby boys given the name Sullivan in Victoria. In the US, it is #524 and rising briskly up the rankings; in England/Wales, it is #970, and also trending upward.

Last year country music singer Melinda Schneider welcomed a son named Sullivan James Gable, and this may help raise the name’s profile in Australia.

Sullivan is a name from Australian popular culture, and more specifically, it is one from Melbourne, where The Sullivans was set and filmed. It feels modern, yet at the same time rather nostalgic, looking back to the 1970s and ’80s – who in turn were looking back with nostalgia at the 1940s.

Irish-surnames-as-first names are a great favourite in Australia, as in other countries where a significant proportion of the population claim Irish heritage. For those wanting something more unexpected than old favourites like Ryan or Darcy, I think Sullivan fits the bill of being something that’s recognised as a “real name”, while still underused. Sully or Van could be used as nicknames.

Name Combinations for Sullivan

Sullivan James, Sullivan Kelly, Sullivan Lucas, Sullivan Maddox, Sullivan Patrick, Sullivan Thomas

Brothers for Sullivan

Beckett, Cooper, Finlay, Oscar, Ronan, Toby

Sisters for Sullivan

Aisling, Emerson, Isla, Kenzie, Maeve, Violet

Note: Middle names and sibling names partially based on real life examples

POLL RESULT: Sullivan received an approval rating of 96% – the highest-rated featured boys name of 2013, and the highest-rated overall. 40% of people thought it was okay, and nobody disliked it.

(Picture is a publicity shot from The Sullivans; photo from fan site)

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 Victoria – Girls

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in Name Data

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Biggest Movers Up

  1. Harper +72 at least
  2. Bella +35
  3. Mackenzie +34
  4. Pippa +28 at least
  5. Ebony +21 at least
  6. Victoria +21
  7. Mila +20
  8. Rose +20
  9. Paige +18
  10. Sophia +15

Also Up

Alexandra, Audrey, Ava and Evelyn, Eva and Eve, Eden, Emily, Layla, Kayla, Elizabeth, Isla, Savannah, Sofia, Bonnie, Millie, Billie, Charlie, Willow, Sara, Natalie, Kiara, Madeleine, Maddison, Maya, Mia, Molly, Zoe

Up Slightly

Alice, Eliza, Emma, Evie, Gemma, Hayley, Imogen, Isabelle, Jade, Jasmine, Lola, Ruby, Scarlett, Sophie, Stella, Stephanie, Summer

Victoria Beckham’s daughter Harper seems to have made a real impression on Victorian parents, and Mrs Beckham’s own name was also one of the biggest risers. You can see Victoria and Sophia as “royal sounding” names, but commoner Pippa Middleton seems to have won more hearts than any of the royals (although Elizabeth, Isla and Savannah all went up the charts). Isabella may have gone down, but Bella is surging upward. Eden and Eve seem inspired by Genesis, and while flower names in general seem to have wilted slightly, the lovely Rose is blooming. Back in the charts with a bang were long-time favourites Ebony and Kayla, who obviously have life in them yet.

Biggest Movers Down

  1. Samantha -68
  2. Abbey -43
  3. Amelie -30
  4. Isabel -30
  5. Mikayla -37
  6. Caitlin -27
  7. Holly -27
  8. Charli -20
  9. Lara -20
  10. Anna -19

Also Down

Abigail and Abby, Alana, Alexis, Alyssa, Amber, Angelina, Addison, Annabelle, Isabella, Caitlin, Claire, Georgia, Heidi, Daisy, Poppy, Violet, Olive, Lily, Lilly, Leah, Lucy, Madeline, Ella, Ellie, Jessica, Sienna, Zara

 

Down Slightly

Amy, Charlotte, Grace, Madison, Olivia, Phoebe, Tahlia

Samantha dropped the most places at 68, and fell off the list altogether. The #2 biggest fall from Abbey also took off her list, and Abby and Abigail fell too. In fact, A names in general didn’t do so well, with Amelie and Alana dropping from the list, and Addison, Anna and Alyssa falling significantly. Olive only debuted last year, and is already falling – perhaps a bit of “getting too popular” jitters, or another plant name to suffer; Daisy dropped her petals and her place on the list. Lara was the biggest riser in the ACT, but the name of Sydney socialite Lara Bingle fell 20 places in Victoria. While Kayla bounced back, Mikayla plunged.

No Change in Position

  • Chloe (4)
  • Amelia (8)
  • Matilda (16)
  • Hannah (20)
  • Ivy (27)
  • Milla (35)
  • Piper (75)
  • Indiana (78)

New to the List

  • Harper (29)
  • Pippa (73)
  • Billie (97)
  • Millie (99)
  • Bonnie (100)

While the celebrity names did best out of the newbies, down the bottom of the list are sweet retro names Bonnie and Millie, and Billie, which sounds like a cross between them. Millie and Bonnie have both been steadily rising in NSW, but I expected them to make the Top 100 in Victoria first. They managed to squeak in and prove me right by a whisker.

Back on the List

  • Ebony (80)
  • Kayla (88)
  • Sara (90)
  • Natalie (91)
  • Kiara (95)

Gone from the List

  • Amelie (64)
  • Mikayla (67)
  • Alana (73)
  • Samantha (75)
  • Caitlin (77)
  • Abbey (78)
  • Abby (98)
  • Angelina (98)
  • Daisy (98)

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.

The Historical Naming of British Monarchs

23 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by in Naming Issues

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william-kate-canada-love5With the announcement early this month that Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child, the baby name blogosphere went slightly gaga. A few people even had a go at predicting the name of the royal baby, with Lou at Mer de Noms and Elisabeth at You Can’t Call It “It”! doing a great job. Of course, Kay at Nook of Names got a jump on all of us, and did her excellent analysis more than a year ago.

I’m going to admit right now that I don’t know what the royal baby will be named, and I can’t guess. I haven’t even been able to guess the baby names chosen by family and close friends, and these are people I know well.

But what I can do is to look at the names of the ruling monarchs of Britain and England (back to William the Conqueror), see how they were named, and then see what the royal baby might be called if the same principles were applied this time. As this gives a wide selection of choice, I have eliminated those names which seem  unlikely as they are still in use by other members of the royal family who have the title Prince or Princess, or which are too obviously “foreign”.

Although this doesn’t actually tell us what the baby will be called, as I studied the names of past monarchs, a few things stood out as to how they weren’t named.

  • Monarchs could be named for someone from several generations back, but almost none were named after a ruler from long ago in history. This makes the idea that the royal baby might be named after someone from many hundreds of years ago, such as Edmund or Matilda, seem rather fanciful.
  • Apart from being named after one of their parents, monarchs were almost never named after a relative who was still alive. For the baby princess to be named Elizabeth, for example, is by no means impossible, but would be historically unusual.
  • The Duchess of Cambridge is not the only commoner to marry a British royal, as the mother of Queen Anne was one. Although royal babies could be named after their commoner mother, they were not named after her relatives. If the royal baby is named after one of the Middletons, it would be a genuine break with tradition, and a sign we have entered a new age.
  • Only one female monarch was given a feminine form of a man’s name, with Queen Victoria named Alexandrina after her godfather, Alexander I of Russia (she didn’t keep the name after she became queen). The idea that the princess could be named Charlotte after Prince Charles, or Phillipa after Prince Phillip, would thus be a very unusual one.
  • The most obvious: nearly all English and British monarchs are named after a relative. The only two I could find who weren’t were Edward I and John. Edward I was named after Saint Edward the Confessor, which was considered wildly eccentric at the time, although Edward is now a traditional royal name. John was named after St. John the Baptist. Very much a younger son, he was not expected to rule, and interestingly his name was shunned by subsequent royalty – there was never a John II.
  • Apart from the occasional deceased uncle or foreign godparent, monarchs were nearly all named after a direct ancestor – a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent, for example. It’s fun looking through the royal family tree and wondering if the royal baby might be given the name of a great-great-great-aunt, or one of Queen Victoria’s sons, but this seems a very distant hope.

Now, with our expectations in check, let’s see what names are available, if we follow history.

POTENTIAL PRINCESSES

Alice

This seems to be almost everyone’s #1 choice for a baby princess, who would be named after her great-great grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, the mother of Prince Philip. There have been four British princesses named Alice, but no queens – in fact, there are many more Queen Alices in fiction than in real life, giving this sweet name a distinct fairy-tale quality on a modern-day monarch.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is seen as a front-runner, presumably because it’s thought Queen Elizabeth would happily endorse a tiny namesake. Princess Elizabeth would be named after both her great-grandmother and great-great grandmother, and as a bonus, Elizabeth is the middle name of the Duchess of Cambridge. There have been five English queens named Elizabeth, two of them rulers in their own right, and one Scottish Queen Elizabeth. However, as Queen Elizabeth II is still alive, this would be a historically unusual choice.

Diana

The favourite choice of the gossip magazines, and the name of the baby’s grandmother. When the royal couple visited our region, they were asked in an interview if they would call their first daughter Diana, and William said it would be one of her middle names. I actually think it would be nice if Diana was left for Prince Harry to use for his daughter’s first name, since Prince William got his mother’s engagement ring.

Mary

A solid choice that many are tipping, with the princess to be named after her great-great-great-great grandmother, Mary of Teck. There have been six British princesses named Mary, and four queens, two of them rulers; it’s also been used amongst Scottish royalty. Historically speaking, Mary stacks up extremely well.

Victoria

Another favourite choice for the baby princess, who would be named after her great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria. There has only ever been one queen with this name, but eight British princesses called Victoria – in fact it’s the birth name of Alice of Battenberg. A Victoria II would probably go down well with the British populace, although the Crown Princess of Sweden (related to the royal family) will be one day be Queen Victoria as well.

Catherine

Few seem enthusiastic about a baby Princess Catherine, but historically, it’s the most likely option. Eighteen monarchs have been named after a parent, and of the three queens who have ruled Britain, two of them were named after their mother – and the third one took her mother’s name, Victoria, as her regnal name. Queen Elizabeth II herself is named after her mother, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons. There have been five English queens named Catherine, and at least one of them, Catherine of Aragon, was deeply loved by her subjects.

Margaret

Margaret is a name from Scottish royalty, and a medieval Queen Margaret is one of the patron saints of Scotland. There has been only one English Queen Margaret, and she came to a sad end. A Princess Margaret would be named after Queen Elizabeth’s sister, and I somehow feel that this namesake, who attracted much scandal (whether deserved or not), would not be a help. However, one of Prince Philip’s sisters was named Margarita, and this is the English form of her name too.

Charlotte

A Princess Charlotte would be named after her great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Princess Charlotte of Denmark, whose birth name was Louise. There have been two British princesses called Charlotte; one of them went on to become a queen, but not of Britain. Lady Diana’s brother Charles had a daughter named Charlotte last year, who will be the royal baby’s second-cousin.

Henrietta

Queen Victoria is the only ruling queen to be named after a man – her godfather. We don’t know who will be the royal baby’s godfather, but traditionally the best man from the wedding is chosen as one of them, which makes Prince Harry a shoo-in. Could the princess be given the feminine form of his name? Unlikely, although there has been both a Queen and Princess Henrietta of Britain.

Augusta

A Princess Augusta would be named after her great-great-great-great-great grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel (who was married to a Duke of Cambridge). There have been five British princesses named Augusta, and although a few of them were in line to one day become queen, by mischance none of them made it that far, giving this name an unlucky feeling for a monarch. This seems very unlikely as a possible royal baby name.

POSSIBLE PRINCES

George

Everyone’s #1 choice for a prince, and you can see why. It’s not only a traditional royal name, held by six British kings and three princes, but also one of the patron saints of England. Prince George could be named in honour of his great-great grandfather, King George VI, although that monarch’s birth name was Albert. The name is also a traditional one in the Spencer family, and Prince William has a cousin named George on the Spencer side, as well as a relative called George on the royal side, the Earl of St Andrews.

Alexander

This name was a traditional one in the monarchy of Scotland, but has never been used in England. The Prince could be named after his great-great-great-great grandfather, Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, and his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Duke Alexander of Württemberg. There are two minor royals with this name, Alexander Windsor and Alexander Ogilvy, and a Spencer cousin, Alexander Fellowes, reportedly close friends with Princes William and Harry.

Louis

This is thought to have a reasonable chance of being selected, as Louis is one of Prince William’s middle names, and it’s a traditional one in the British royal family, although more often connected to the French monarchy. Prince Louis could be named after his great-great-great grandfather, Louis Mountbatten (formerly Prince Louis of Battenberg), and his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse. However, some royal-watchers think that Louis Lopes, the toddler grandson of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, may scupper Louis as a royal name.

Frederick

This is sometimes mentioned as a possible baby name, because it is a traditional one in the royal family. Although there are three princes named Frederick in British history, there are no kings. Lord Frederick Windsor is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and there is a Spencer cousin named Frederick (the heir to the earldom); another family connection is that the Duchess of Cornwall has a baby grandson named Freddy. Prince Frederick could be named after his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Friedrich is an ancestor of both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Francis

This would greatly appeal to fans of Lady Diana, as it is the masculine form of her middle name, Frances. As such, it may not meet with the approval of Queen Elizabeth. However, the prince could be named after his great-great-great-great grandfather, Francis, Duke of Teck – the duke’s son is the only Prince Francis the royal family have had.

Nicholas

Very much an outside chance, for there has never been an English king or prince named Nicholas. There is a minor royal named Nicholas Windsor, but he is not in line to the throne. Prince Nicholas could be named after his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Nicholas I of Russia.

Joseph

I consider this a very unlikely choice for the royal baby, who would be named after his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg.

Albert

Queen Victoria longed to have a King Albert on the throne, but her dream was never realised, as even royals called Albert have preferred to take another regnal name. The prince could be named after his great-great grandfather, or after his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, and as a bonus to Lady Diana fans, Albert was the name of her grandfather. I fear the genital piercing of this name has ruined the chances of another Prince Albert for some time.

Adolphus

Prince Adolphus was the great-great-great-great-great grandfather of the royal baby to be. Let’s face it – this name would go down like a lead balloon. It’s not happening.

John

Count John Hauke was another great-great-great-great-great grandfather. The British royal family avoid the name John, as it is supposedly an unlucky one for them. King John is a storybook villain, thanks to Robin Hood, and two Prince Johns died young. Diana wanted to call her eldest son John, after her father, but she was not allowed to because of this royal tradition.

What would you like the prince or princess to be named? And do you want the royal family to continue their naming traditions, or start creating new ones?

NOTE: Thank you to Elea from British Baby Names for explaining where King John got his name from.

Names of Australian Female Olympic Swimmers

25 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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During the winter, I compiled lists of names from Olympic medalists, and perhaps you noticed that no swimmers were included. That’s because swimmers are such a big part of our team, and historically the big medal winners, so that they really needed lists all to themselves. Now that it’s hot again, maybe they will inspire you to hit the pool!

Alva (Colquohuon)

Alva Colquhuon won silver at the 1960 Olympics. Alva is the feminine form of the Scandinavian name Alf, from the Old Norse for “elf”. Alva is also a male name, a variant of the Hebrew name Alvah, meaning “his highness”. As a male name, it is best known as the middle name of American inventor Thomas Alva Edison. Today it almost seems like a cross between Ava and Alba.

Brittany (Elmslie)

Brittany Elmslie is a young swimmer who attended her first Olympics this year, where she won a gold and two silvers. Brittany is the name of a region in north-west France, which in French is known as Bretagne. It was once known as Little Britain in order to distinguish it from Great Britain, hence its name. The Breton language is Celtic, related to Welsh and Cornish, and the history of the land and its people is intimately connected to Great Britain. Even today, Brittany retains its own identity and culture within France. Brittany has been used as an English girl’s name since the late 18th century – perhaps originally because Brittany was known for its resistance to the French Revolution. The name first entered the charts in the 1970s, making #245 by the 1980s. It peaked in the 1990s at #31, then sharply dropped, leaving the Top 100 in the early 2000s. It hasn’t charted at all since 2009 (the year actress Brittany Murphy died), and this is a good example of a name which reaches popularity very quickly, then becomes just as rapidly dated.

Dawn (Fraser)

Dawn Fraser is one of our most famous swimmers, who has received many honours; she is considered the greatest sprint swimmer of all time. She won two golds and a silver at the 1956 Olympics, a gold and two silvers in 1960, and a gold and a silver at the 1964 Games, setting two world records and two Olympic records. She is well known for her blunt speech and larrikin character, and one of the ferries on Sydney Harbour is named after her. Dawn is the period just before sunrise, where there is pale sunlight, but the sun itself is still below the horizon. The word comes from the Old English for “to become day”. The name is found from the 16th century onwards, and must at least sometimes have been given to girls born at daybreak. Dawn first entered the Australian charts in the 1910s, reaching #103 for the 1920s. It peaked in the 1930s at #32, and left the Top 100 in the 1950s. It hasn’t ranked since the 1980s, and the 1970s song Delta Dawn, about a crazy middle-aged woman, probably didn’t do its image any good – although covering it gave Australian singer Helen Reddy her first #1 hit. I wonder whether it might be time for a revival of this 1930s name? Apart from the fragile beauty of dawn, the word is filled with hope and optimism, and a sense of renewal.

Emily (Seebohm)

Emily Seebohm has been a champion swimmer since 14 and is now 20. She won gold at the 2008 Olympics, and a gold and two silvers at the London Games. Emily is the English form of the Roman name Aemilia, the female form of the family name Aemilius. The Aemilii were one of the noblest and most ancient patrician houses of Rome, and were probably of Sabine origin. They interpreted their name as meaning “persuasive”, and others derived it from Latin aemulus, meaning “rival”, but most likely these are both false etymologies. The English form is first found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales; he adapted it from a character named Emilia in a poem by Giovanni Boccaccio, where two men are rivals for the affections of the same woman. Although in use from early on, it didn’t become popular until the Hanoverians came to the throne in the 18th century, as Princess Amelia, daughter of George II, was called Emily by her family. Emily was #36 for the 1900s, but fell until it had left the Top 100 by the 1930s. It reached its lowest point in the 1950s at #455, then climbed steeply; it skyrocketed to make #26 for the 1980s. Emily peaked at #1 in 1998, and remained there for most of the early 2000s. Currently this pretty classic is #12.

Hayley (Lewis)

Hayley Lewis was at her peak during the 1990s, when she won many medals internationally, but although she attended three Olympics, only won silver and bronze at the 1992 Games. Hayley is now the host of Channel Ten’s weight-loss show, The Biggest Loser. Hayley is an English surname from a common English place name meaning “hay clearing” in Old English; the surname dates from the 13th century and is especially associated with Yorkshire. It’s been used as a personal name for both boys and girls since the early 18th century, but only became popular in the 20th century, and only as a girl’s name. This was because of English actress Hayley Mills, who was the most popular child star of the 1960s, and made several Disney films as a teenager. Hayley first entered in the charts in the 1960s, when Mills began her career, debuting at #489. It climbed steeply during the 1970s, and was Top 100 by the 1980s. Hayley peaked in 2005 at #21, and is currently #50. It dropped just one place in 2011, and looks set to maintain a graceful decline that could see it in the Top 100 for several more years.

Jacinta (van Lint)

Jacinta van Lint won silver at the 2000 Olympics. Jacinta is the feminine form of the name Jacinto, a Spanish/Portuguese name meaning “hyacinth”. The Spanish pronunciation is something like ha-SEEN-tah, but in English we say it juh-SIN-tah. It is best known as the name of Blessed Jacinta Marto, who was one of the three children of Fátima in Portugal, who reported witnessing visions of an angel and the Virgin Mary in 1916-17. Jacinta has been rather a favourite in Australasia, first entering the charts in the 1950s, and climbing until it peaked at #101 for the early 2000s. It fell to #197 in 2009, and since then has picked up slightly, to make #189 last year. The fact that it entered the charts in the 1950s makes me wonder if use of the name was originally inspired by the 1952 Hollywood movie, The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima, which starred Sherry Jackson as Jacinta (the name had the English pronunciation in the film). It’s a pretty name which has had steady use without ever becoming highly popular in New South Wales – although more common in Victoria.

Lisbeth (Trickett)

Lisbeth “Libby” Trickett won gold and bronze at the 2004 Olympics, two golds, a silver and a bronze in 2008 while setting a world record, and gold at the London Games this year. Lisbeth is a variant spelling of Lisbet, a Scandinavian short form of Elisabeth. The name has recently become well-known due to Lisbeth Salander, the antiheroine of Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s crime thriller Millennium series. The first novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was turned into a Hollywood movie last year, with Rooney Mara as Lisbeth. Lisbeth Salander is a disturbed computer hacker with a punk-Goth style, and a victim who refuses to lie down, but instead turns vigilante. It’s definitely given sweet Lisbeth a far more dangerous and edgy image.

Marilyn (Wilson)

Marilyn Wilson won silver at the 1960 Olympics. Marilyn is a portmanteau name combining Mary and Lynn. It can be found from the late 18th century, and seems to have sprung up in several countries almost simultaneously, so that an origin for the name isn’t obvious. Its most famous namesake is Hollywood sex symbol Marilyn Monroe, and thanks to Elton John’s Candle in the Wind, nearly everyone knows her birth name was Norma Jeane. The name Marilyn was chosen for her by a studio executive because she reminded him of Broadway beauty Marilyn Miller (oddly enough, Marilyn later married writer Arthur Miller). Marilyn Miller was born Mary, and combined her name with her mother’s middle name to create her stage name. Marilyn first entered the charts in the 1920s, when Marilyn Miller began her career, and by the 1930s was #146. It skyrocketed to make the Top 100 in the 1940s, and peaked in the 1950s, the era in which Monroe enjoyed her greatest success, at #44. It then plummeted into the 200s during the 1960s after Monroe’s death, and hasn’t ranked at all since the 1980s. This is a dated name, yet still possesses some of the lustre of its two glamorous namesakes.

Nadine (Neumann)

Nadine Neumann had to battle against the odds, first recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome as a teenager, then breaking her neck before she could attend the 1992 Olympics. She made it to the 1996 Games, but failed to win a medal. After retiring, Nadine became an educator and writer. Nadine is the French form of the Russian name Nadia, a short form of Nadezdha, meaning “hope”. The French pronunciation is na-DEEN, but in Australia we usually say it nay-DEEN. Its most famous namesake is South African novelist and political activist Nadine Gordimer, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991. In the 1960s, the name got its own popular song when Chuck Berry released Nadine, describing his object of desire as moving “like a wayward summer breeze”. Nadine first charted in the 1950s, the decade that Nadine Gordimer published her first novel; it debuted at #535. The name peaked in the 1970s at #145, and by 2009 no longer charted at all. However, Nadine recently made a minor comeback, reaching #573 last year. Irish singer Nadine Coyle, from pop group Girls Aloud, may have been a help; her first solo album was released at the end of 2010.

Sarah (Ryan)

Sarah Ryan won silver at the 1996 Olympics, silver in 2000 and gold in 2004. In the Bible, Sarah was the wife of the prophet Abraham, and a woman of surpassing beauty; she is honoured in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. She was barren until extreme old age, when God blessed her and Abraham with a son named Isaac. Her name was originally Sarai (said suh-RYE), but when she and Abraham made their covenant with God, her name was changed to Sarah. As both names have the same meaning (“woman of high rank, female ruler of the court”, translated as “princess”), it is unclear what the purpose of the change was. It’s possible the ah sound in Sarah suggested the name of Yahweh more closely, as if to demonstrate she was now a woman of the Lord, not of the world. In fact, Sarah is the only prophetess in the Bible who is spoken to directly by God. Although Sarah is a Hebrew name, its origins are Babylonian, and some scholars identify the Biblical Sarah with the goddess Ishtar. This vaguely fits with the Old Testament story, which says Abraham and his wife were originally pagans from Sumeria. Sarah was #43 in the 1900s, but had left the Top 100 by the 1920s, and reached its lowest point in the 1940s at #284. By the 1960s it was Top 100 again, and peaked in the 1980s at the #1 name. Currently it is #31, and remains a lovely classic.

(Picture is of Dawn Fraser at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne; photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Famous Name: Bede

07 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by in Famous Names

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On November 1, Corporal Daniel Keighran became the third Australian soldier serving in Afghanistan to receive the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for bravery in Australia. Corporal Keighran is the first member of the Royal Australian Regiment, and the 99th Australian, to receive a VC, and did so with great modesty and humility. Daniel’s wife Kathryn had no idea of the courage her husband had displayed under fire in battle two years ago until she learned he was about to be decorated for it. The Victoria Cross was awarded in a ceremony at Government House in Canberra.

Watching this story on the news reminded me to look at the list of those Australians awarded the Victoria Cross in the past, as I wanted to cover the name of a World War I hero for Armistice Day, which is on Sunday. As I ran my eye down the list, one name stuck out because it has been in my Request file for ages, and I briefly covered it in my article at Nameberry a short time ago. So it was quite an easy choice for me to select Bede as this week’s Famous Name.

Corporal Thomas James Bede Kenny, always known as Bede, was born in Sydney in 1896. The son of a butcher, he had just begun training as a chemist’s assistant when he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force in 1915. He initially served in Egypt, then was sent to northern France in 1916 to take part in the second phase of the battle of Pozières, in the battalion bombing platoon.

It was in the spring of 1917, as British and Australians captured the outpost villages of the Hindenberg Line, that he performed the acts of valour that were to earn him the Victoria Cross. In the attack on Hermies, his platoon came under heavy fire from a machine-gun post which caused severe casualties. Bede rushed at the enemy single-handed, hurling three bombs, the last of which knocked out the post. He then took the surviving Germans prisoner, his actions contributing significantly to the success of the operation.

Later he was injured in battle and invalided home to Australia, arriving in Sydney to a hero’s welcome a few weeks before the Armistice. He was offered the chance to join the military police, and rejected it immediately, as for some reason he had a great dislike of them.

In civilian life, he worked as a salesman, and was happily married; he is remembered as a popular man with many friends, and a fondness for innocent pranks. He was left partially deaf from the war, and also suffered the effects of trench foot throughout his life. The great tragedy of his life was the deaths of two of his three children, which he never recovered from.

Like Corporal Keighran, Corporal Kenny never talked about his wartime experiences, and the only sign that he was proud of his military service was that he always led the VC winners at the Sydney Anzac Day marches. He died in 1953, and by a cruel irony, his pallbearers were military policemen.

The most famous person with the name Bede is the 7th/8th century English saint, Venerable Bede. Although it is not certain, it is thought that his Anglo-Saxon name, Beda, is from the Old English word bēd, meaning “prayer”. If so, it’s possible that his parents chose a religious life for him from his birth. The name wasn’t a common one, but interestingly, one of the kings of Lindsey, in England’s north, was named Beda; as Venerable Bede was from this area, it’s tempting to wonder if he was named after an ancestor, or a famous local namesake.

Venerable Bede is most famous for his prolific writing career, eventually completing over sixty books, most of which have survived. He wrote on a wide variety of subjects, including science, history, grammar, hagiography and theology; his best known work is An Ecclesiastical History of the English People, which begins with Caesar’s invasion of Britain, and ends with Bede’s own times. His use of AD to refer to events after the birth of Christ helped it become standard. He was also a teacher, a music lover, and was said to be accomplished at singing and poetry recitation, even writing some poetry of his own.

Bede is the only Englishman to be declared a Doctor of the Church; he is also the only Englishman to be mentioned in Dante’s Paradiso, where he appears amongst the theologians and doctors of the church. He is regarded as a saint in both the Catholic and Anglican churches.

If you are thinking that Bede (pronounced BEED) sounds a lot like the word bead, you would be correct. That’s because the Old English word bede, meaning “prayer” is the source of the modern word bead – because beads are used as a means of keeping count of prayers, a practice in Christianity which dates to the 5th century (although prayer beads are ancient and used in many religions). Because of this, you will sometimes see the name Bede interpreted as “bead” or “prayer bead”.

Bede isn’t a common name in Australia; at the same time, it isn’t all that unusual either. There are plenty of Bedes in the records, and if you go to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, you will find quite a few famous Australians with Bede as part of their name. What you primarily notice is that these Bedes tend to be from Catholic backgrounds (and some High Anglicans), and that Bede is usually one of their middle names. It is also the name of Bede Durbidge, who won Surfer of the Year a few years ago, giving the name a more cool laidback image.

I can imagine some people thinking that Bede sounds weird and ungainly; something only a staunchly Catholic family would use; a name best suited to leaving in the middle position. Which sounds perfectly reasonable – except that less than half a century ago, there was another boy’s name that seemed weird and ungainly, was used almost exclusively by Catholics, and generally relegated to the middle position, usually after Francis.

That name was Xavier, which is now #22 and rising. Could Bede be the Xavier of the future?

It’s a very old name with a solid history of use in Australia, part of the Catholic tradition, and with spiritual associations. It’s short yet substantial, clunky yet surprisingly cool. It’s the name of our heroes, our leaders, our intellectuals, our athletes, our artists, our businessmen, and for many of us, our dads and uncles and grandfathers too.

Wherever it might be headed, I see this name often enough in birth notices to know that it is not going away, which gives me a strange feeling of comfort.

(Photo of the Victoria Cross from The Australian)

Names of Australian Male Paralympic Medalists

28 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Bruno (Moretti)

Bruno Moretti won silver in table-tennis at the 1960 Paralympics, and a gold and two silvers in athletics at the 1964 Paralympics. Bruno is a Germanic name meaning “brown”. The name was used by the nobility in medieval Europe, and there are several saints named Bruno. One of them is Saint Bruno of Cologne, who was the son of Saint Matilda. He was Duke of Lotharingia and Archbishop of Cologne, and his court in Cologne was an intellectual and artistic centre. Bruno was also the given name of two popes – Gregory V and Leo IX. Bruno has a long history of use in Europe, and today is Top 100 in Croatia, Catalonia, Spain, and Chile. It’s also a common surname in Italy, and Giardano Bruno was a Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer, who suggested that the Sun was a star, and the universe had infinite worlds, populated by intelligent beings. He went down very badly with the Spanish Inquisition, who had him burned him at the stake. Today he is regarded as a martyr to science. Bruno is a warm cuddly-sounding name, and seems to be a popular choice for bears, both real and fictional.

Cody (Meakin)

Cody Meakin grew up playing both rugby union and Australian rules football; he broke his back in a rugby scrum, and while still in high school, became quadriplegic after a car accident. He took up wheelchair rugby in 2010, where he became an international champion. He won gold at the London Games this year. Cody is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Cuidighthigh, meaning “son of Cuidightheach”. Cuidightheach is an Old Irish epithet meaning “helpful”. The most famous person with the surname must be “Buffalo Bill” Cody, an American frontiersman who became a celebrity for his Wild West touring shows; these introduced the concept of the American West to Britain and Europe. Buffalo Bill was a supporter of Native American rights, women’s rights and conservation, making him a very modern namesake, as well as giving the name Cody an “American West” feel. In the 1990 Disney film, The Rescuers Down Under, the boy from the Australian outback is named Cody. Cody first charted in the 1970s, and was top 100 by the 1990s. It peaked in the early 2000s at #59, and only left the Top 100 last year, when it dropped to #124.

Dylan (Alcott)

Dylan Alcott has been paraplegic from birth due to a spinal tumour, and began playing wheelchair basketball in 2003. He won gold at the 2008 Paralympics, and silver at this year’s London Games. Dylan is a Welsh name which is difficult to translate exactly, but very roughly means “flood, wave, tide”. In Welsh mythology, Dylan Ail Don was a blond god of the sea, and his epithets were “son of the wave” and “son of the sea”. In the legends, he is killed, and it’s said that the sound of the waves is the sea lamenting his death. The name became well known outside Britain due to the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who was named after the god. In Welsh, his name is pronounced DUL-uhn, but Thomas himself preferred the Anglicised pronunciation of DIL-uhn. Thomas’ emotionally powerful yet tightly controlled verse was admired by a young American named Robert Zimmerman, who promptly changed his name to Bob Dylan. As Dylan went on to become a folk balladeer, protest singer and counter-cultural icon, the name Dylan ended up with a double helping of street cred. Dylan first charted in the 1960s and reached the Top 100 in the 1980s. It peaked in the early 2000s at #17, and is currently #41.

Erik (Horrie)

Erik Horrie was left paraplegic after a car accident in 2001, and became involved in wheelchair basketball, but last year switched to canoeing. He won a silver medal at the 2012 London Games, and also welcomed his son Lewis. Erik is derived from Old Norse, and interpreted as “only ruler, eternal ruler, eternal power”. It has been heavily used in the royal houses of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the most famous to us being Erik the Red, who explored a little-known country, called it Greenland, and became its head chieftain. King Erik IX of Sweden is considered to be a saint, and according to legend was martyred while attending a church service. The name Erik was used in England by the Anglo-Saxons, and settlers from Scandinavia but only became popular in the form Eric in the 19th century, thanks to an earnestly moralising book called Eric, or Little by Little. Other fictional Eriks include the Phantom of the Opera and Erik the Viking from the Monty Python film.

Fabian (Blattman)

Fabian Blattman became paraplegic after a motorcycle accident, and took up wheelchair athletics to improve fitness. One of our most successful Paralympians, he has set several world records. He won a silver and bronze in 1992, a gold and a silver in 1996, and a gold, silver and bronze in 2000. The name Fabian is derived from the Roman family name Fabius, one of the most ancient noble houses of Rome. According to legend, the Fabii claimed descent from Hercules, and were shepherds who followed founding father Remus. Their name is said to be from the Latin word for “broad bean”, a vegetable that the Fabii were supposedly the first to cultivate. The surname Fabianus was given to freed slaves who had been owned by the Fabii, and Fabian is from this name. It was introduced to England by the Normans, but never became as popular there as its equivalents in Continental Europe. There is a 3rd century Saint Fabian, who was elected pope by a dove; despite this unorthodox beginning, he was highly-regarded and worked hard for the early church. The Fabian Society gives this name a left-wing edge; the socialist organisation took its name from the Roman general Fabius Maximus, who wore Hannibal down by attrition rather than engaging in head-on battle.

Jago (Mikulic)

Jago Mikulic was a blind athlete who competed at the 1976 Paralympics, and won a silver in javelin and a bronze in the pentathlon. Jago is a Croatian form of James or Jacob, and is said YAH-go. It can also be a Cornish form of those names, but is pronounced JAY-go in this case. However, the Welsh form Iago is very old and predates the common use of Biblical names in Britain; K.M. Sheard suggests that it may be from the Celtic word for “ice”. If so, this would give Cornish Jago another possible origin.

Kerrod (McGregor)

Kerrod McGregor was a track and field Paralympian who won two golds, three silvers and two bronzes at the 1984 Paralympic Games, one gold in 1988, and one silver in 1996. Kerrod is an English surname that can be derived from the village of Curridge in Berkshire, with the village’s name meaning “Cusa’s ridge”. Cusa was a common Anglo-Saxon name, but what it meant I have been unable to discover. Another possible origin is the hamlet of Kerridge in Cheshire, which means “key ridge” – Kerridge Ridge is one of the foothills of the Pennines. The surname seems to have been most common in Yorkshire. The name Kerrod is well known in Queensland from former NRL star Kerrod Walters, who had a twin brother named Kevin.

Nazim (Erdem)

Nazim Erdem was born in Turkey and came to Australia early in life. As a kid, he practised holding his breath under water as a little game with himself. At the age of 20 he dived into shallow water in an effort to impress some girls; he was underwater for two and a half minutes before being rescued, and his technique of holding his breath saved his life. After the accident, he was quadriplegic. He began playing wheelchair rugby in 1992, and won silver medals at the 200 and 2008 Paralympics, and a gold at the London Games. Nazim is an Arabic boy’s name which means “organiser, convenor”, and as a title, loosely corresponds to the word “mayor” in English. The name isn’t uncommon in Turkey, and Nâzım Hikmet was a charismatic Turkish writer, a leader of the literary avant-garde who was often arrested for his revolutionary political beliefs, and spent much of life in prison or exile. His poetry and his struggles for peace are widely admired in Turkey and outside it; some of his poems have been turned into songs by folk singers such as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger. The name is pronounced NAH-zim.

Rene (Ahrens)

Rene Ahrens won a bronze in discus in 1980 and 1988. René is the French form of the Latin Renatus, meaning “born again, reborn”, referring to the act of baptism, and a popular choice for early Christians. René was a name used by the French aristocracy, and the name is known to us through the philosopher René Descartes (“I think therefore I am”). There is a Saint René Goupil, a French missionary to Canada who is one of the rare North American martyrs. The name is pronounced reh-NAY. Although the feminine form Renee has been popular in Australia,  masculine Rene remains very rare here – no doubt partly because it could easily be confused with the girl’s name.

Tristan (Knowles)

Tristan Knowles lost his leg at the age of 9 as a result of cancer, and also lost a lung at the age of 11. He has been playing wheelchair basketball since 1999, and in 2002 was named the NSW Wheelchair Basketballer of the Year. He won silver in 2004, gold in 2008, and a silver at this year’s Paralympic Games in London. Tristan is a Cornish hero of Celtic folklore who is also one of King Arthur’s knights of the Round Table. He is best known as the lover of the beautiful Irish princess Iseult (or Isolde). Iseult was to marry Tristan’s uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, but she and Tristan accidentally drank a love potion that had been prepared for Mark and his bride to share. The two became hopelessly infatuated with each other and embarked on a passionate affair, until Tristan was banished from Cornwall by an understandably irate Uncle Mark. The story was enormously popular in the Middle Ages, and is one of the forerunners to the story of adulterous lovers Lancelot and Guinevere. The name Tristan was yet another revived in the Victorian era, thanks to Tennyson, and the poems he wrote based on Arthurian legends. In the story, Tristan’s name is supposed to be linked with triste, the French word for “sad”, to fit in with his tragic love life. However, it is a form of the Pictish name Drust, which means “riot, tumult”. Drust was a traditional name amongst the royalty of Scotland, and it’s quite a puzzler as to how a Cornish story ended up with a hero with a Scottish name. Some claim that Tristan was a real person, pointing to a 5th century stone in Cornwall, which is supposed to be the grave marker for someone named Drustanus, the son of Cunomorus. Titillatingly, Cunomorus is said to be King Mark himself, suggesting that Tristan and Iseult’s step-incest was even closer and creepier (although his uncle was also his adoptive father anyway). Tristan and Iseult are two literary characters I’ve never been able to warm to, as their actions are so selfish; perhaps the story is trying to tell us that nobody does very well out of an infatuated love affair, not even the lovers themselves. Tristan first charted in the 1960s, and has managed to reach #100 twice, in the 1980s and late 2000s. It’s currently #123.

(Photo of Dylan Alcott celebrating victory from Zimbio)

Names of Australian Female Paralympic Medalists

21 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Amber (Merritt)

Amber Meritt was born with a club foot, and is originally from England; she came to Australia as a child (she’s now 19). She started playing wheelchair basketball in 2007, and won silver at the London Games. Amber is fossilised tree resin, and since prehistoric times has been valued as a gemstone. The word amber is derived from Arabic, and means ambergris, the waxy substance regurgitated by the sperm whale; it was only later realised these were different substances. Amber has been used as a girl’s name since the 17th century, but wasn’t popular until the 20th. The name became notorious in 1944, when the racy historical romance, Forever Amber, was published, with its heroine the sleep-her-way-to-the-top Amber St. Clare. Despite being condemned, and even banned here until 1958, the book was a bestseller, and made into a film. Amber was in rare use in the 1950s, and during the 1960s made #647 (about one Amber per year). It absolutely skyrocketed during the 1970s up to #135, peaked in the early 2000s at #49, and is now #91. This pretty gemstone name is still popular, and it’s all thanks to a “dirty” book! If looking for a nickname, Miss Merritt goes by Bambi.

Danae (Sweetapple)

Danae Sweetapple was blind from birth, and started swimming in 1990. She won a silver and two bronzes at the 1992 Paralympics. In Greek mythology, Danaë was a Greek princess and the mother of the hero Perseus. Her father shut her up in a bronze tower due to a prophecy that he would be killed by her son, but she was impregnated by Zeus, who came to her in the form of golden rain. The king had Danaë and Perseus cast into the sea, and they washed ashore onto an island, where a kind fisherman raised Perseus as his own son (as an adult, the prophecy was fulfilled when Perseus did kill his grandfather). Getting it on with a godly shower of gold was either supremely satisfying or very traumatising for Danaë, as she had no interest in mortal men afterwards, and never married or had further children. Her name is derived from the Danaans, one of the names the Greeks used for themselves, with the idea that they were partly descended from Danaus, a mythical prince of Egypt. I’m not sure how the Greeks would have said her name (nobody seems to agree), but not like the way it is usually said in Australia, which is dan-AY.

Elaine (Schreiber)

Elaine Schreiber won a bronze in table tennis, a gold in club throw, and a silver in javelin at the 1964 Paralympics, and a silver in table tennis at the 1968 Games. Elaine is a name shared by several characters in Arthurian legend, who are occasionally confused with each other. One of the most famous is the fair Elaine of Astolat, who dies of unrequited love for Sir Lancelot. The story inspired Tennyson’s poem, The Lady of Shalott, and it was only after the popularity of his poem that Elaine became a commonly-used English name. Elaine is an Old French variant of Helen. Elaine was #254 in 1900, joined the Top 100 in the 1920s, and peaked in the 1930s at #18. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and reached its lowest point in the late 2000s, when it was in rare use. Since then, it has been very gently rising, and is currently #457.

Gloria (Pascoe)

Gloria Pascoe developed epilepsy at the age of 9, and became totally blind by 55. At 61, she attended the 1980 Paralympics, where she took gold in lawn bowls. Gloria is the Latin for “glory, fame, renown”, and in Christian tradition it denotes the manifestation of God’s presence, often associated with a divine light. The name Gloria has been in use since at least the 16th century, but received a boost in popularity in the 19th from two literary works. One was Gloria, a romantic novel by popular American novelist E.D.E.N. Southworth in 1891; the other was George Bernard Shaw’s 1897 comedy of errors, You Never Can Tell. Both these works feature very attractive heroines who seem to have done the name more good than all of God’s glory. Gloria was #257 in 1900, Top 100 by the 1920s, and peaked in the 1930s at #23. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and hit its lowest point in 2009 when it was in rare use. Since then it has risen again, and is currently #427. If you’ve been paying attention, you will see this makes it the virtual twin of Elaine in terms of popularity.

Jemima (Moore)

Jemima Moore became paraplegic at the age of 6 from a virus, and is now 20. She won a silver medal in the 100 metres relay at the 2008 Paralympics, and attended the London Games. In the Bible, Jemima was the eldest of Job’s three daughters, and she and her sisters are described as being the fairest in the land. The name Jemima literally means “warm” in Hebrew, and can be translated as “day”. The name could actually be derived from Arabic, as there is an ancient land in Arabia who had a queen called Jemama; if so, Jemima from the Bible could be inspired by the queen of Arabic folklore. This does fit in with the Biblical story, because Job and his family were said to be from an Arabic country. The name Jemama means “turtledove”. It first charted in the 1960s, the same decade children’s show Playschool first broadcast, which has a rag doll named Jemima. Never in the Top 100, it peaked at #196 in the late 2000s and is currently #254 and stable. This is a fashionable name which has never gained popularity or lost cachet.

Lorraine (Dodd)

Lorraine Dodd became paraplegic at the age of 13, after contracting transverse myelitis. She attended the 1968 Paralympic Games, where she won three golds for swimming, and a silver and a bronze in athletics. Lorraine is a region in north-eastern France; its name comes from an earlier kingdom named Lotharingia, meaning “Lothar’s kingdom. Lothar I was a Frankish king and a great-grandson of Charlemagne; his name is Germanic and means “famous army”. As a personal name, Lorraine has been used since the 18th century, a century in which Lorraine first became part of France. It’s sometimes said to be a Catholic name, since St Joan of Arc was also known as The Maid of Lorraine. There was a World War I Battle of Lorraine, which probably boosted numbers, and the area’s importance during World War II reflects a peak in popularity at this time. Lorraine was in rare use in the 1900s, and reached the Top 100 in the 1930s. Peaking in the 1940s, it left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and hasn’t charted since the 1990s. You can see how Lorraine helped Lauren appear feminine, and Lauren also seems to have replaced Lorraine.

Madison (de Rozario)

Madison de Rozario became paralysed by a rare neurological condition at the age of 3 and is now 18. She won silver in 2008 as the youngest Paralympian on the team, and was also at the London Games. Madison is a surname meaning “son of Matthew“, although in some rare cases it may be derived from “son of Maddy”, with Maddy being a pet form of Maud. It’s been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and seems to have been given almost exclusively to boys in the beginning. Although certainly used in England, it was much more common in America, where it may often have been given in honour of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States (I only found one man named Madison in Australian records). Madison is famous in baby name circles for only becoming popular, and only becoming common for girls, after the movie Splash in 1984. This romantic fantasy, a rewrite of The Little Mermaid, stars Daryl Hannah as the mermaid, who chooses her “human name” from a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City, named after the former president – although Tom Hanks’ character tells her this isn’t a “real name”. Madison was #606 for the 1980s, with about three born each year. It then absolutely screeched up the charts to make #52 for the 1990s, and peaked in the early 2000s at #22. It sunk to #44 in 2010, then rose last year to make #41. It’s been a real success story, with its nickname Maddie fitting in with Madeline.

Priya (Cooper)

Priya Cooper was born with cerebral palsy, and spends most of her time in a wheelchair. She began swimming competitively while still at school, and is one of our greatest disabled swimmers, winning nine gold medals and breaking world records at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Paralympics. She was twice team co-captain, and twice a flag-bearer at closing ceremonies. She has received many honours, and since retiring has become a spokesperson and fundraiser for several charities. Priya is an Indian girl’s name which means “dear, beloved” in Sanskrit. In Hindu legend, Priya was one of the daughters of King Daksha, a son of the god Brahma. The name is pronounced PREE-yuh, and has been rather a favourite in Australia for many years.

Siobhan (Paton)

Siobhan Paton is an intellectually disabled swimmer who holds thirteen world records, and won six gold medals at the 2000 Olympics. She was named Paralympian of the Year in 2000, and also received an Order of Australia. Siobhán is the Irish form of the Norman-French name Jehanne, a variant of Jeanne. There were several medieval queens named Siobhán. It is said that the twentieth century popularity of Siobhan owes a great deal to the actress Siobhán McKenna, who was born in Belfast. She was most famous as a stage actress, but also appeared in King of Kings (playing Mary), Of Human Bondage, and Dr Zhivago. Ms McKenna’s son, Donnacha O’Dea, was an Olympic swimmer for Ireland in 1968. Siobhan first charted in the 1950s, and during the 1960s was #571, which represents about one Siobhan a year. Use of the name increased sharply during the 1970s and ’80s, and it peaked in the 1990s at #211. It hasn’t charted since 2009, so this is another attractive name which has never made the Top 100. Pronunciation is an issue, because the usual Irish pronunciation is SHIV-on, but in Australia it’s usually said shi-VAWN.

Ursula (King)

Usula King was a swimmer who won a silver and two bronze at the 1984 Paralympics. The name Ursula means “little she-bear”, derived from the Latin ursa (which we know from constellations Ursa Major and Minor – the Great and Little Bears). According to legend, Saint Ursula was a Romano-British princess who was sent by her father to marry the pagan governor of Armorica (Brittany). Possibly to stall proceedings, she got all bridezilla and declared that before the wedding she must go all over Europe on a pilgrimage, taking an unbelievable 11 000 virgins with her as her handmaids. On their way to Cologne, they were besieged by Huns, who had a busy day beheading the lot of them. The story doesn’t fit with any known historic facts, and one theory is that Ursula is a Christianised form of the goddess Freya. However, Cologne has a magnificent basilica dedicated to St Ursula and her companions, and a little village in Wales also has a church in their honour, in the belief that Ursula was originally from Wales (in the legend, she is from the West Country). Because of the saint, the name came into use in medieval times, and got a little boost in the 20th century from beautiful Swedish actress Ursula Andress, who was the first Bond girl, in Dr No. It’s clunky by contemporary standards, but strangely alluring.

(Photo of Madison de Rozario from her Twitter account)

The People’s Choice of Boy’s Names

23 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 15 Comments

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Adolf

A form of the Germanic name Adalwolf, meaning “noble wolf”. The Old English form is Æthelwulf, and there are a few famous men of this name in English history, most notably the father of Alfred the Great. The name was often used amongst the royal houses of northern Europe, and the Latinised form Adolphus turns up in the monarchy of the United Kingdom. There is a saint called Adolf of Osnabrück, a 9th century German monk. Up until the mid-twentieth century, the name was common in central and northern Europe, and can be found in Australia due to immigration from Germany and Scandinavia. The reason this name has been included is because barely a day goes by without someone Googling: “Is it legal to call your child Adolf?”, to which I can say, yes, it is legal here, and you can find quite a few Australians in the records with this name – including ones born during and shortly after World War II. I have met a man named Adolf (born around the early 1960s), and I believe he was named after his grandfather. The other chestnut is, “Is it legal to call your child Adolf Hitler in Australia?” to which I reply, Why would you want to do that? Seriously, why? As the name Ned Kelly is banned because he is considered too wicked, I’m pretty sure Adolf Hitler would also be illegal here.

Buster

This spunky name has more history than you might think. In England, it was first used in the middle position; Buster is a variant of the surname Bustard, after the bird. In 18th century America, it seems to have been more common for African-Americans, and may have started as a pet name in the sense of “breaker”. Later it took on the meaning of “unusual, prodigious, amazing”. Buster is used to address males in the same way as pal or fella (“Now listen up, buster”). This comes from the Spanish dialect busté, meaning “you”. It’s gone on to have negative connotations. One of the most famous men with this name is actor Joseph “Buster” Keaton, who started his career in vaudeville as a small child. He claimed to have received his nickname as a toddler from Harry Houdini, after falling down a flight of stairs unhurt. Houdini allegedly remarked, “That was a real buster!”, meaning “a fall with the potential to cause injury”. So Keaton’s name indicated he was tough enough to take a tumble. Buster Brown was a cartoon strip boy who was an angelic-looking blond prankster. In Australian slang, come a buster means to fall or fail by misfortune, while buster is a term for a strong wind – especially the Southerly Buster. This is a name Sydneysiders give to the abrupt cool change that sometimes blows in from the south during the warmer months. Vintage name Buster has recently become rather an Australian favourite for boys, although in the novel, The Shiralee, by D’arcy Niland, Buster is a little girl.

Chester

Chester is a city in Cheshire, England, founded by the Romans as a fortress in 79; its size has led some historians to speculate that the Romans intended it to be the capital, rather than London. Its current name comes from the Old English Ceaster, meaning “Roman fort”, and its early history was very military, with wars seemingly constant. Even King Arthur is supposed to have won a major battle here, and it was the last city to fall to the Normans during the Conquest. Today it’s a thriving modern city which still tries to preserve its historic buildings. Chester has been used as a personal name since the 16th century, probably after the surname, although early births in Cheshire suggest they may have been named directly for the city itself. Although it’s been a popular name in the US in its time, and only left the Top 1000 in the mid-1990s, for some reason it never caught on in a big way here. I was surprised to see it on a baby in the Bonds Baby Search Competition this year. For some reason, this baby name is often Googled, although the slang term chester is an impediment to its use.

Digby

An English surname from a place name meaning “settlement by the ditch”, derived from a combination of Old English and Old Norse. The name seems to have been first given in honour of the aristocratic Digby family, Anglo-Irish peers whose family seat in Coleshill, Warwickshire was granted to them by Henry VII. It is from the town of Coleshill that the personal name originates in the 17th century. One of the most famous of this clan was Sir Kenelm Digby, a Catholic philosopher considered a great eccentric for his exuberant personality and fascination with science, which extended to studying alchemy, astrology and magic (not considered incompatible with science then); he was the first person to note the importance of oxygen to plants. A man of action as well as thought, he became a privateer, and killed a man in a duel; he also wrote several cookbooks, invented the modern wine bottle and managed to fit in a secret romance to a famous beauty which led to their marriage. A true all-rounder. This name regularly appears in birth notices here, especially from Victoria, and may be encouraged by comedienne Cal Wilson, who welcomed a son named Digby a few years ago. People seem to either loathe this name or find it irresistibly cute; I must confess to being in the second category.

Elfyn

This is the Welsh form of the Old English name Ælfwine, meaning “elf friend”; it went out of use after the Norman Conquest. J.R.R. Tolkien liked to think of the name as meaning “friend of the elves”, and invented two fictional characters with this name who formed close bonds with elves. Modern forms include Alvin and Elvin, both taken from the surname form of the name. There are several famous people in Wales with Elfyn as either their first name or surname, including young rally driver Elfyn Evans and poet Menna Elfyn. For reasons I cannot explain, it is Googled several times a week.

Jharal

Jharal Yow Yeh is an NRL star who plays for the Brisbane Broncos. An Aboriginal Australian from the Margany people of Queensland, he also has Torres Straits Islander, Vanuatuan and Chinese heritage. Now aged 22, he has been playing for the Broncos since 2009, for the Indigenous All-Stars since 2010, and for both the Queensland state team, the Maroons, and the Australian national side, the Kangaroos, since last year. Early this season he sustained a serious leg injury, and is still recovering. People Google Jharal’s name all the time, asking for its meaning, and often querying whether it’s of Indigenous origin. In fact, his name was created for him by his grandmother. His mother couldn’t decide what to call him, so she asked nana Iris to name him. Iris cleverly arranged the letters of all the strongest men in her family into a name, and came up with Jharal. It is taken from the initials of James, Harold, Anthony, Reece, Arthur and Linc. The name is pronounced JHUH-rahl, and Iris says that most people think it is an Indian name. In fact, by coincidence, a jharal is a mountain goat from India. Names created for celebrities often seem too unique for others to use, but I have seen Jharal a few times in birth notices recently. Looking for a nickname? Jharal is known to his family as Joe.

Koa

This unisex name has several different origins. There is a Hawaiian male name Koa meaning “strong, brave, fearless”, and it’s also the name of a Hawaiian tree, the Acacia koa. The wood was traditionally used to make dug-out canoes and certain types of surfboards. In Maori, the word koa means “happiness”. In the Kaurna language of South Australia, the word koa means “crow”, and the Koa people come from south-east Queensland, so it’s also a tribal name. There has been a sudden proliferation of this name in Australian birth notices, and that might be because Tom Dumont from No Doubt welcomed a son named Koa last year. However, I am beginning to see far more girls named Koa in birth notices than boys. This may be because of model and actress Koa Whelan, a contestant on this year’s dating show, Please Marry My Boy. I think this works equally well for boys and girls, although the first meaning is male only.

Neo

This is from an Ancient Greek prefix meaning “new, young, fresh”. It turns up in words such as neonatal, meaning “pertaining to the newborn”, or neologism, meaning “a freshly coined word”. The name has become well-known since 1999 because Neo is the protagonist of the cyberpunk Matrix film series. In the films, the character’s name is Thomas Anderson, and Neo is his computer hacker identity (Anderson does have the letters N, E and O in it). Neo is also an anagram of One, and the films seek to discover whether Neo is “The One”, a Messiah-like figure who will be able to rescue humanity. The films have become cult classics, and intermingle a range of philosophical and spiritual ideals from the East and the West – it’s even spawned its own religion, Matrixism. From the amount of times that people have Googled neo baby name or neo for a boy, there are quite a few parents considering using this name. Neo fits right in with current trends, and doesn’t sound any stranger than Leo. It is very strongly associated with the film character though. However, Australians have a solid history of gaining name inspiration from the movies, and most of The Matrix series was filmed in Sydney, giving it an Australian connection.

Rune

A Scandinavian name derived from Old Norse meaning “secret”. The runes are the letters of the runic alphabets, which were used to write different Germanic languages, dating from at least the first or second century AD. Runic inscriptions seem to have been for magical and divinatory use, and perhaps their knowledge was restricted to an elite in early times. According to Norse mythology, the runes were originally stolen from the god Odin. They are part of English history, because the Anglo-Saxons had their own runic alphabet. If you have read The Hobbit, you will have seen Anglo-Saxon runes used on a dwarven map; Tolkien later invented his own runic alphabet which appears in The Lord of the Rings. Rune stones are  used for divination today, often in a similar way to tarot cards. The name isn’t unusual in Scandinavia, and you may know the name from the Polish speedway rider Rune Holta, born in Norway. I think this is a simple, attractive name with layers of history and meaning.

Zephyr

A zephyr is a light, warm wind. It comes from the name Zephyrus, who was the Greek god of the west wind – the gentlest of breezes, which served as a harbinger of spring. He married both Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, and Chloris, the goddess of flowers – who is also seen as a deity of spring (and named Flora by the Romans). Children may know the name as that of a bat in the Silverwing book series, and, in the form Zephir, as the monkey in the Babar the Elephant stories. Grown ups may be reminded of The Zephyr Song by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. If you take the name as derived directly from the god, then it is male, but if you accept it as a nature name and vocabulary name, it is unisex. It only seems to be Googled to my blog as a male name however. Pronounced ZEF-uhr, this name is unsual but not outrageous; it seems like a breezy alternative to popular Z names like Zachary, Zeke or Zane. The obvious nickname is Zeff or Zeffy.

(Picture shows actor Keanu Reeves in his role of Neo from The Matrix; Sydney skyline in background)