Tag Archives: royal names

Names of Convicts on the First Fleet

15 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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It is Australia Day next week, and so my name lists for January are names of convicts from the First and Second Fleets.

Convicts were the prisoners who filled overcrowded British prisons in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Because the death penalty was applied even to what we would consider minor offences, people were sent to prison for what we would consider to be misdemeanours, such as petty theft, or not crimes at all, such as being in debt.

Many convicts were disposed of by sending them to the colonies as cheap labour – nearly always North America – until the term is now understood as those prisoners sent to the colonies. The American War of Independence putting an end to America as a colony, another place had to be thought up to send convicts, and the east coast of Australia seemed a likely spot.

The First Fleet sailed from Portsmouth, Hampshire on May 13 1787, and consisted of eleven ships, led by Captain Arthur Phillips. Aboard were around 1487 people, including 778 convicts (192 women, 586 men). They travelled 24 000 km (15 000 miles) across the sea for 252 days.

On January 26 1788, the ships sailed into Port Jackson, which Phillips called “the finest harbour in the world” – an opinion many have shared since. They anchored in a sheltered place they called Sydney Cove, after British Home Secretary, Lord Sydney.

Life was very difficult in the new colony, and punishments could be extremely harsh. Convicts were basically slaves, mostly used on public works, but also assigned to individuals as a personal labour force.

The names of the convicts were those common in Britain in the 18th century, with names from the Bible being often used. Rather than cover historically famous convicts, I chose people for their names, giving a rather random selection of ordinary people and their unremarkable fates.

[All convicts’ names can be found here. Information on convicts from the First Fleet Database].

WOMEN

Deborah (Elam/Ellam/Elias)

At the age of 20, Deborah was found guilty of stealing 36 shillings worth of clothing, and sentenced by the court in Chester to seven years transportation. She sailed to Australia on the Prince of Wales. She married a fellow convict and brought a complaint against him; it was judged to be “trivial” and she received 25 lashes in punishment. The couple had seven children and have many descendants. Deborah died in 1819, “universally respected by her numerous friends and acquaintances”. The name Deborah means “bee” in Hebrew, and in the Old Testament Deborah was a prophetess, judge, advisor and warrior. The Song of Deborah, which she is said to have composed, may be the earliest Hebrew poetry we know of. Deborah didn’t rank in Australia until the 1940s, and peaked in the 1960s at #12. It left the Top 100 in the 1980s and hasn’t ranked since the 1990s.

Dorothy (Handland aka Dorothy Gray)

Dorothy made her living as a dealer in old clothes. In her early 60s, she was found guilty of perjury at the Old Bailey and sentenced to 7 years transportation. She sailed to Australia on the Lady Penrhyn. Dorothy is believed to be the oldest convict, and despite her age, she survived the voyage and returned to England when she had completed her sentence. Dorothy is the English form of Dorothea, from the Greek meaning “gift of God”. There are three saints named Dorothea, one of whom we call Saint Dorothy. A legendary virgin martyr of the 4th century, said to be of surpassing beauty, her cult spread across Europe in the Middle Ages. The name Dorothy was #2 in the 1900s and 1910s, and remained Top 100 until the 1950s. It has been unranked since the 1980s.

Flora (Lara/Larah, aka Laura Zarah)

Flora is thought to have been Jewish. She was found guilty of stealing a mahogany tea chest and money to the value of 5 shillings, and sentenced by the court in Westminster to seven years transportation. She sailed to Australia on the Prince of Wales. She was described in the court records as being of an evil disposition; she married in Australia and left the colony in 1801. Flora was the Roman goddess of spring, married to the west wind, Zephyr; her name is from the Latin for “flower”. Flora is the scientific term for all plant life. Flora was first used as a personal name in France, and it’s especially famous in Scotland, because of Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald. Flora has never been Top 100 in Australia – it peaked at #112 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1950s.

Lydia (Munro, aka Letitia Munro)

At the age of 17 Lydia was found guilty of stealing material to the value of 20 shillings. She was sentenced to death by the court in Kingston-upon-Thames, which was later commuted to 14 years transportation. She sailed to Australia on the Prince of Wales. The convict records show that she was the victim of a sexual assault and attempted rape by another convict. She married, and she and her husband went to Tasmania where they raised a family of eleven children; they have numerous descendants. She died in 1856. Lydia of Thyatira is a character in the New Testament, regarded as the first convert to Christianity in Europe. She was a successful merchant who was baptised by St Paul and became a deacon in the early church; she is considered a saint by several denominations. Her Greek name is after the place name Lydia, an area of the ancient world now part of modern Turkey. Lydia has charted almost continually without ever hitting the Top 100. It peaked in the 1900s at #137, disappeared from the rankings in the 1930s and ’40s, and is currently #322.

Rachel (Earley/Early/HurleyHarley/Arrly)

At the age of 25 Rachel was found guilty of stealing tea and silk worth 3 shillings, and sentenced by the court in Reading to seven years transportation. She sailed to Australia on The Friendship, and spent time in irons onboard, for the twin crimes of “theft and dirtyness”. As a convict, she once received 10 lashes for not obeying orders. She married twice, and had a daughter, but was left by both husbands; she has living descendants. She died in Tasmania in 1842. In the Old Testament, Rachel was one of the wives of Jacob. Her name is Hebrew for “ewe”, perhaps with connotations of purity and submissiveness, although in the Bible Rachel did literally take care of her father’s sheep. Rachel is said to have been of overwhelming beauty, and Jacob loved her best of his wives. She was plagued by infertility issues, but managed to give birth to Joseph and Benjamin, her husband’s favourite children. Unfortunately, she died in childbirth, and her tomb is still a place of pilgrimage. The name Rachel has charted almost continually since 1900, dropping from the rankings during the 1940s. It peaked in the 1970s at #19, and is currently #118.

MEN

Barnaby (Denison/Dennison/Deneson)

At the age of 28 Barnaby was found guilty of “intent to rob”, and sentenced by the court in Bristol to seven years transportation. He sailed to Australia on the Alexander. According to the convict records, he was once sentenced to 50 lashes for “singing loudly at an improper time”, and became a night watchman. He died in 1811. The name Barnaby is a medieval English form of Barnabas. In the New Testament, Barnabas was a companion of St Paul and fellow missionary. His name was Joseph, but when he converted from Judaism to Christianity he was given the name Barnabas, which is a Greek form of Aramaic, and can be translated as “son of prophecy” or “son of encouragement”. There are many literary characters named Barnaby, most notably Dickens’ eponymous Barnaby Rudge.

Cooper (Handy/Handley/Henley)

Cooper made his living as a weaver. At the age of 33 he was found guilty of assault and highway robbery to the value of 20 shillings and sentenced to death by the court in Salisbury. This was commuted to seven years transportation, and he sailed to Australia on the Friendship. Cooper was held in a hulk at Dunkirk before he left, and at one point managed to escape during an uprising, but was recaptured. His report says that he behaved “remarkably well” otherwise. Not long after his arrival in Australia, Cooper was killed by Aborigines while gathering greens. Cooper is an English surname referring to someone who makes barrels as their occupation. Apart from being a popular name, Cooper is well known in Australia as the surname of the family who owns Cooper’s Brewery in South Australia. The name Cooper first joined the charts in the 1990s and peaked in 2009 at #4. It’s currently #7.

Ferdinand (Dowland/Dowlan/Doolan)

Ferdinand was a dustman. At the age of 32 he was found guilty of stealing a horse worth 30 shillings. He was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey, commuted to seven year’s transportation, and sailed to Australia on the Scarborough. He died in 1827. The name Ferdinand is from the Spanish form of a Germanic name meaning “daring journey”. Brought to Spain by the Visigoths, it was used amongst the royal houses of Spain and Portugal, and through them became common in the Hapsburg family, rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. One of its most famous namesakes is Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer whose expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe (although Ferdinand himself did not survive the voyage). Ferdinand is also a character in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest; a prince who is shipwrecked on Propsero’s island, and falls in love with his daughter Miranda.

Ishmael (Colman)

At the age of 32 Ishmael was found guilty of stealing woollen blankets worth 14 shillings, and sentenced to seven years transportation by the court in Dorchester. Ishmael was held in a hulk at Dunkirk before sailing, where he was described as “decent and orderly”. He died after only 16 days at sea on the Charlotte; the report from the ship’s doctor says that his death was brought about through his long confinement before the trip, which had brought about “low spirits and debility”. Ishmael is a name from the Bible which is translated as “God has heard”. In the Old Testament, Ishmael was the son of Abraham and his wife’s handmaiden, Hagar; Ishmael and his mother are two Biblical characters who get a raw deal, being cast into the wilderness to fend for themselves and not receiving any inheritance from Abraham. According to tradition, he is the father of the Arabic people, and is considered such in Islam, Judaism and Christianity, although this isn’t historically accurate. The prophet Muhammad traced his bloodline from Ishmael, and he is one of the prophets of Islam. In literature, Ishmael is the brooding narrator of Herman Melville’s famous novel, Moby Dick.

Job (Hollister)

At the age of 21 Job was found guilty of stealing tobacco and sentenced to seven years transportation by the court in Gloucester. He sailed to Australia on the Alexander. When he completed his sentence, Job left the colony and migrated to Vancouver Island in Canada. Job is another Old Testament character who has a miserable time. A righteous man, God allows Satan to take away his wealth, his children and his health in an effort to tempt him to curse his Creator. He never does so, although he is aggrieved by the process, and spends a lot of time wondering why all these dreadful things keep happening to him. The story ends happily, with God rewarding him many times over, but with no reasonable explanation for his treatment. Although the tale bears all the hallmarks of an allegory on the human condition, Job is regarded as a prophet in Judaism and Islam, and is given a saint’s day in several Christian denominations. In line with the narrative, Job’s name is translated as “hated, persecuted”.

Image is of The First Fleet in Sydney Cove, January 27, 1788 by John Allcott (1938). Painting held by the National Library of Australia.

Baby Center Australia Releases Its Name List for 2011

10 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Name Data

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There have been several stories in the press about how babycenter.au has revealed the top names of 2011. What they don’t say is that this isn’t based on birth data from registries, but just on names chosen and made public by the members of the website.

Baby Center also combines spelling of names, which in some ways gives a more accurate impression of the most popular names; on the other hand, it won’t necessarily gel with what the official data says. So yes, take notice of these trends (especially as they are the closest thing we have to a national survey) but they are not the final word on the subject by any means.

Most Popular Girls’ Names

  1. Chloe
  2. Sophie
  3. Ruby
  4. Charlotte
  5. Olivia
  6. Lily
  7. Ava
  8. Ella
  9. Emily
  10. Mia
  11. Sienna
  12. Amelia
  13. Isabella
  14. Lucy
  15. Zoe
  16. Grace
  17. Isabelle
  18. Maddison
  19. Emma
  20. Charlie (tied with Hannah)

Most Popular Boys’ Names

  1. Oliver
  2. Noah
  3. William
  4. Lachlan
  5. Ethan
  6. Jack
  7. Lucas
  8. Charlie
  9. Joshua
  10. Thomas
  11. Max
  12. Riley
  13. Jacob
  14. Aiden
  15. Liam
  16. Jackson
  17. Cooper
  18. Alexander
  19. Xavier
  20. Benjamin

Trends in Boys Names

Jack declines in popularity, and loses his position at #1 to Oliver. Old Testament names for boys continue to increase in popularity; big risers include Jacob, Noah and Joshua. William went to #3, which they attribute to the Royal Wedding, although William has been extremely popular for many years.

Dropping from the list are James, Samuel and Ryan, to be replaced by Alexander, Xavier and Benjamin. If Ryan really does drop significantly it will be interesting, as it has remained stable for around two decades.

Trends in Girls Names

Chloe moves into the #1 spot, while Lily declines in popularity. Isabella falls further down the charts, which Baby Center assures us is due to the Twilight series coming to an end. I’m not sure how they make this tally with the fact that Isabella was popular in the 1990s, while the first Twilight novel wasn’t published until 2005. Nor does this explain the increasing popularity of Jacob, which is also a name from Twilight.

Baby Center places Charlie for girls in the Top 20, because they combine it with the spellings for Charli. Although I think Charlie will be in the Girls Top 100 for 2011, I don’t think it will be Top Twenty. Baby Center also assures us most girls named Charlotte (#4) will be called Charlie in everyday life. I’m not sure where they have gained this information from.

Matilda and Georgia have dropped off the list altogether.

Unique Names

So if these are the popular names, what about the names that were given to only one baby on the website?

Boys: Audi, Brisbane, Fonzie, Harlem, Hawk, Haze, Hendrix, Hercules, Matisse, Rocky, Rome, Spirit, Toohey, Voltaire, Westin

Girls: Breeze, Clover, Deep, Halo, Justice, Lake, Oceana, Rain, Rainbow, Sailor, Serenity, Spring, Star, Storm, Vanilla, Zen

I somehow think that more than one baby received at least some of these names this year, although I expect all of them will be rare.

Unique Girls Names from Tasmania, 2010

02 Sunday Oct 2011

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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Many parents say that they are looking for a “unique” name, but what they mean by that seems to differ from person to person. Some say it’s a name you don’t see every day; others define it as any name not in the Top 100; and still others refuse to say what it means to them, but will “know it when they see it”. According to the dictionary, “unique” means that only one person possesses it, and names of which the world holds but one example are few and far between. However, names do not have to be particularly strange or rare to be unique in a certain context. For example, the name Savannah is unique within the British royal family. Here are some names from baby girls born in Tasmania last year; in each case, only one child was given these names. For their state, and in the year they were born, these girls possess unique names. I usually do ten names per list, but this time there was so much choice I did twelve; I’ve also listed other unique names from the same state and year that are similar in some way to the main entry.

Bird

Not only referring to our feathered friends, a “bird” is English slang for a woman, although in the 19th century it was slang for a man, which makes it seem unisex. Another slang term is to “give someone the bird”, meaning to raise the middle finger in an obscene gesture; this has been a favoured way of insulting others since the time of the Ancient Greeks, at least. Being a bird-lover, I find this name simple and homely, and it does remind me of birdsong.

Other nature names: Acacia, Autumn, Clover, Fern, Honey, Maple, Misty, Opal, Pearl, Rosemary, Sage, Storm

Capri

This is the name of an island off the coast off Naples, famous for its stunning natural beauty. Inhabited since prehistoric times, it was a pleasure resort during the days of the Roman Empire, but the first modern tourist didn’t arrive until the 17th century. It was a popular place for artists and writers in the 19th century, and also a haven for gay men and women who formed a community where they could feel more open. A popular 1930s romantic song was The Isle of Capri, which was covered by The Gaylords, aptly enough. Capri pants were all in the rage in the 1950s as cool beachwear suitable for this resort island. No doubt the Ford Capri was also meant to suggest insouciant summer fun. The name of the island may mean either “wild boar” (from Greek) or “goats” (from Latin); there’s even a tiny possibility it means “rocky” (from Etruscan). But clearly it’s the history and associations of the name that are more important than the meaning. It’s a name that spells beauty, romance, art, fashion and freedom.

Other place names: Arizona, Baltimore, Bethany, Cheyenne, Florence, Ireland, Israel, Italia, London, Olympia, Petra, Sierra

Faithful

The virtue name Faith is familiar, but the adjective Faithful is one new to me as a name for a real person. Faithful is a (male) character in John Bunyan’s classic work, The Pilgrim’s Progress. He’s a friend of the protagonist who is executed as a martyr. He is meant to be represent those Christians who remain faithful to their beliefs, even should that lead to death. The Latin for “I am faithful” is Fido, traditionally given to dogs – apparently after Abraham Lincoln gave this name to his canine companion. As a child, I read the YA novel, Cinnamon and Nutmeg, by Anne de Roo, about a young girl growing up on a farm. The heroine wrote a story for school called “Old Faithful” about the touching death of her beloved dog. Unfortunately, she spelled “Faithful” as Fatful, and the teacher read her story mockingly to the class, with every “faithful” replaced by fatful, so that the children screamed with laughter at the tale of her dog dying. As a youngster, this struck me as the epitome of cruelty, and today makes me hope that nobody mis-spells little Faithful’s name.

Other adjective name: Innocent

Fritha

This is an Old Norse name often translated as “love, peace”, but more accurately it refers to the harmonious social order which leads to peace. It was a rare name during the Viking era, and only seems to have become commonly used in Scandinavia after the coming of Christianity – which suggests that it was connected to Christian ideals of peace and brotherhood. Fritha is a main character in the novella, The Snow Goose, by American author Paul Gallico; a sentimental tale of friendship blooming against the backdrop of World War II which was very popular in England. There was a British actress called Fritha Goodey who you may have caught a glimpse of in the movie About a Boy, starring Hugh Grant. Sadly, she died a few years ago in tragic circumstances while still quite young. There’s also a musician, Fritha Jenkins, who played with UK pagan heavy metal band, Skyclad. Because of these associations, Fritha seems like a very “English” name, despite its origins, and also quite artsy.

Other Scandinavian name: Inka

Halle

This is famous for being the name of gorgeous award-winning Hollywood actress, Halle Berry. Ms Berry’s birth name was Maria Halle Berry, but legally switched around to Halle Maria Berry when she was five. Her parents chose the name Halle from Halle Brother’s department store, a local landmark at that time in her home town of Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in the 19th century by Samuel and Salmon Halle, it became an upmarket emporium, but was liquidated in the 1980s. The brothers’ surname is originally Flemish, and is after the village of Halle in Belgium. Of Old Norse origin, Halle means “manorial hall”, and is the equivalent of the English surname Hall. Pronounced HAL-ee, it sounds the same as the girl’s name Hallie, a short form of Harriet.

Other celebrity names: Angelina, Gwyneth, Jolie, Shakira

Justice

This can either be seen as an occupational surname meaning “judge”, or an English vocabulary word. Some people see this name as a Christian virtue name, referring to God’s righteousness; others connect it with social justice; others see it as simply describing the person as fair-minded and honourable. I remember Kay at Nook of Names got rather alarmed at Australian naming laws and thought the name Justice wouldn’t be permitted here, so I wanted to reassure her that it definitely is, even though not a common name.

Other virtue names: Constance, Honor, Prudence, Temperance, Verity

Namaha

This is a Sanskrit word which is an element of sacred Vedic mantras. It means “to surrender with love”, and literally, “to bow (in a gesture of homage and respect)”. It is a negation of one’s ego, and an affirmation of the greater Self becoming one with the Cosmic Soul. It is pronounced nah-ma-hah, with unstressed syllables.

Other Asian names: Jaya, Megumi, Mika, Nilu, Palpasa, Sakura

Nerida

This Australian Aboriginal name means “waterlily”, and features in a legend from Victoria. Nerida and Berwain are two young lovers, about to marry. Wahwee, the spirit of thunder who lives in the mud pool where the couple meet to gather mussels, develops an overpowering desire for Nerida. Because she will not give herself to him, he transforms her into a waterlily, and her lover Berwain into rushes. A superstition is that if you pick a waterlily, you must also pick the rushes growing nearby so that Nerida and Berwain never be divided in death. The waterlily is used as a food source by Aborigines as a traditional bush food; the roots can be roasted, and the stem and seeds eaten raw. Nerida was used as a female name by Aborigines, and also by Europeans, who may have been charmed by the fact it is so similar to Nereida, the name of a nymph in Greek mythology (the scientific name for waterlily is Nymphaea, another pleasing coincidence). Pronounced NEHR-uh-duh, it’s a bit old-fashioned now, but clearly still in use.

Pallas

The epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, this may mean “maiden”. The original Pallas was the daughter of sea-god Triton, and foster-sister to Athena. During a friendly fight between the two goddesses, Athena received divine protection from her father Zeus, but she mortally wounded Pallas. Out of her deep sadness, she created the palladium, a statue made in the likeness of Pallas, which was given to the city of Troy to act as its protector and guardian. This sacred statue was stolen by the Greeks during the Trojan War, otherwise they could never have conquered it. Some stories say that the palladium became the property of Rome, and there are rumours that it was transferred to Constantinople. Pallas is also one of the largest asteroids, and the name of one of the Moon’s craters. Sailor Pallas is a character in the Sailor Moon manga who is named after the asteroid as well the Greek goddess, so it is an astronomical name and one from popular culture.

Other classical names: Athena, Camilla, Cassandra, Lucia, Melanie, Melissa, Octavia, Olympia, Penelope, Sylvia, Valentine, Veronica, Xanthe, Zephyr

Saoirse

This modern Irish name means “freedom”, and came into use in Northern Ireland during the 1920s as a Republican political slogan. Depending on your accent, you can pronounce it SEER-sha, SAIR-sha or SOR-sha, with SEER-sha being the Northern Irish way of saying it, and therefore (some would argue) the “correct” one. Although spelling and pronunciation may be an issue for some, the name sounds enough like names such as Sasha and Sarah to not seem out of place. Its recent use probably owes a lot to young actress Saoirse Ronan, who has impressed critics with her sensitive performances in movies such as Atonement and The Lovely Bones. Saoirse Ronan pronounces her name SUR-sha, just to confuse things further. I suspect the political and religious implications of this name have not been considered much outside Ireland.

Other Irish and British names: Arwen, Ciara, Cordelia, Fiona, Maeve, Sabrina, Shona, Sian, Una

Satanica

This is the Latinised feminine form of the word “satanic”, which can either literally mean giving veneration to Satan, or more generally, suggestive of being diabolical in nature. Satan is from the Hebrew, meaning “the adversary, the opposer, the obstructor”, and in the Hebrew portion of the Bible, Satan is an agent of God whose thankless task it is to tempt humankind and then accuse it before Heaven. In Christianity, he is seen as the Devil, the personification of all evil. Satanica is often used in black metal music as a title, and there is band with this name. There is also a manga series called La Satanica, so it can be seen as a name from popular culture. Satanica cannot help but be controversial as a baby name, and I think it is a heavy burden to place on a child; this name even made me feel depressed just thinking about it, which almost never happens.

Other Latinate names: Amanda, Clementine, Felicia, Mirabella

Tango

This is a dance which arose in the working class neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the mid-19th century. It is claimed that the tango is a mixture of South American popular dances influenced by the African community, and by European immigrants. Although the word tango could be Spanish in origin, it may very well come from Nigeria, where temgu means “to dance” in the Ibibio language. The tango arrived in Paris early in the twentieth century, and soon spread to other world capitals, where it was thought to be shockingly intimate (as nearly all new dances seem to be thought). Another tango reference is the scandalously erotic film, Last Tango in Paris, starring Marlon Brando. Even though tango, as a dance form, is dark and sensual, the name Tango isn’t – it sounds chipper and bouncy, and I’m sure has been given as a name to more animals than humans.

Other musical names: Allegra, Aria, Melody Other verb names: Cherish, Treasure Other O-enders: Indigo, Marlo

NOTE: I didn’t count variant spellings of more common names as unique, and I also disqualified double names, as well as names that had also been given to boys.

Waltzing With … Mary

07 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by in Waltzing with ...

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A050199_246x550This blog post was first published on August 7 2011, and revised and updated on August 13 2015.

Famous Namesake
Tomorrow is the solemnity of Saint Mary of the Cross, otherwise known as Saint Mary MacKillop. It’s a special day for Australian Catholics, because Mary MacKillop is the only Australian to have ever been canonised as a saint.

Born in 1842, she was a nun who founded the order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, as well as several schools and welfare organisations across South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. She had a special interest in educating the poor, especially in rural areas, but the Josephites also cared for parentless and neglected children, unmarried mothers, women escaping domestic violence, the elderly, and the dying, as well as prisoners and juvenile delinquents. The Josephites did not live in convents, but amongst the community, living as they did, and sharing their hard lives. The brown habits they wore gave them the very Australian nickname, “The Brown Joeys”.

Church politics often caused her stress, including a period of a few months when she was excommunicated for speaking out against child sex abuse within the church. During this time, she lived with a Jewish family and was sheltered by Jesuit priests. There was also an ugly smear campaign against her, including accusations that she was a drunkard. In fact, in an age where pain medication options were limited, she took alcohol on doctor’s orders for severe menstrual pain that left her bedridden for days each month.

Even during her lifetime, Mary MacKillop was regarded as a saint for her holiness and charitable works, and after she died on August 8 1909, people took earth from around her grave as a relic, until her remains were placed in a vault in a memorial chapel in Sydney, paid for by an admiring Presbyterian friend.

In 1925 the long process of having Mary MacKillop declared a saint was begun; she was beatified in 1995, and canonised on October 17 2010. She is the patron saint of Australia, and of the city of Brisbane.

Whatever your beliefs, it’s hard not to admire Mary MacKillop for her altruism and determination. She was greatly beloved by the poor, and accepted by the Aboriginal community as one of themselves. She was a fiery-tempered yet affectionate Scottish redhead with big blue eyes who believed in social justice and equality for all, and whose catchphrase was, “Never see a need without doing something about it”.

Name Information
Mary has long been a favourite for girls, due to it being the name of the mother of Jesus. In fact, there are a confusing number of women named Mary in the New Testament, because it was a name used in the royal family of Judea at the time, and extremely common. Mary is an English translation of the Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Miryam.

The original Miryam was the older sister of Moses and Aaron in the Old Testament. It was she who hid Moses in the bullrushes when he was a baby to save his life, and then watched the Pharaoh’s daughter discover and adopt him. She cleverly suggested to this adoptive mother that she hire Miryam’s mother as a nurse, so that Moses was raised within his own family.

As Miryam was born in Egypt, it’s been suggested that her name comes from the Egyptian word for “love” or “beloved”, or even possibly from the Egyptian name Meritamen, meaning “beloved of Amun” – Amun being the chief god of the Egyptians. So this name, now seen as very Christian, may have ancient pagan roots.

Although Mary is a traditional English name, it didn’t become widely used in Britain until after the Conquest, when the Normans introduced the idea of using names of saints as personal names; before that, they were seen as too holy for an ordinary person to bear. It was introduced in the Latin form Maria and the French form Marie; only as the Middle Ages came to an end did Mary became standard.

The name gained royal credentials, with Mary I the first woman to successfully claim the throne of England, and rule as a king as well as queen – she was known as Bloody Mary for her brutal persecution of Protestants. Several kings had queens named Mary, and Mary, Queen of Scots, was an attractive and romantic figure who earns admiration for the brave manner she faced imprisonment and execution. Queen Mary II, of William and Mary fame, was named after her. Australia has its own royal Mary – Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, born Mary Donaldson in Hobart.

Mary was the #1 name of the 1900s and 1910s, and remained in the Top 10 until the 1940s. It left the Top 50 in 1971, and the Top 100 in 1995. Since then, it has remained relatively stable, and is apparently not far out of the Top 100. That makes Mary a very safe choice – a classic name still in common and regular use without being popular.

Mary was even more popular in the US, remaining at #1 from the late 19th century to the early 1960s – a really staggering run of hypersuccess. It left the Top 10 in the 1970s, and the Top 50 in the early 2000s, dropping off the Top 100 in 2009. It is currently #120 and stable, a similar popularity to here.

In the UK, Mary was the #1 name from the middle of the 19th century to the 1920s, and remained in the Top 10 until the 1960s. It left the Top 50 during the 1970s, and was out of the Top 100 by the middle of the 1990s. Mary has fallen slightly faster in the UK than here or in the US, and is now #244, although still relatively stable. The only country where Mary is still popular is Ireland, where it is #81 and falling steadily.

Mary is gracious enough to be at ease in every level of society, as suitable for a saint or a princess as it is for a scientist or a politician, a soprano or a photographer, a sportswoman or a pilot. While it’s unlikely that your daughter will ever be a saint or a princess, it’s nice to think that if she does, her name will sound just fine with either title in front of it.

This is a timeless classic which sounds wonderful whatever your age, from wee baby Mary to great-grandma Mary. It’s short and simple without seeming cutesy or insubstantial, and is strong, wholesome, dignified, and completely unpretentious. As Australian author P.L. Travers taught us in Mary Poppins, it’s a name that carries just a hint of magic and mystery, and is practically perfect in every way!

POLL RESULT
Mary received an excellent approval rating of 85%, making it one of the highest-rated names of 2011. 34% of people loved the name Mary, and only 5% hated it.

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1930s

26 Sunday Jun 2011

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This post was first published on June 26 2011, and substantially revised and updated on June 25 2015.

Alfred
Anglo-Saxon name meaning “elf counsel”. The name became famous due to Alfred the Great, 9th century king of Wessex, who defended England against the Vikings, and was the first to call himself King of the Anglo-Saxons. Renowned for his love of learning, he encouraged education and reformed the legal system. Although not officially a saint, he is regarded as a Christian hero, and has a feast day in the Anglican Church. The name Alfred continued to be used even after the Norman Conquest, when many Anglo-Saxon names were discarded. It dwindled after the Middle Ages, but had a revival in the 19th century, and was chosen as the name of one of Queen Victoria’s sons – an earlier Prince Alfred was the son of King George III, and the current British family trace their ancestry back to Alfred the Great. Alfred is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #14 in the 1900s, and #50 by the 1930s. Alfred left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and is currently around the 300s, its position apparently fairly stable. Popular in Scandinavia, Alfie, Fred, and Freddie give this venerable classic several cute nickname options.

Brian
Irish name, possibly from the Celtic bre, meaning “hill”, to suggest “high, great, exalted”. In Irish mythology, Brian is one of three brothers who are sent on a worldwide magical quest. In some versions, Brian is the clever one of the three, while his brothers are bumbling and easily pushed around. A famous namesake is Brian Boru, the first High King of Ireland, and founder of the O’Brien dynasty; he made the name common in Ireland. The name Brian was also used in Brittany, and became quite popular in East Anglia, where it was spread by Breton immigrants, and in the north of England, brought over by Scandinavian settlers who had lived in Ireland. It experienced a revival in the early 20th century. Brian is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #169 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1920s. Peaking in the 1930s and ’40s at #7, Brian didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1980s – Monty Python’s Life of Brian having turned it into a “joke name” didn’t help its fortunes. However, it’s been reasonably stable for about a decade, and is around the 300s. Brian remains a popular name in Ireland. This is a strong-sounding Irish classic still getting reasonable use.

Colin
Anglicised form of the Scottish name Cailean, meaning “whelp, pup, young dog” in Gaelic. It is also a medieval pet form of Col, short for Nicholas, so it’s an English name as well. Cuilén mac Ildulb was a 10th century King of the Scots, while Sir Colin Campbell (“Colin the Great”) was a 13th century cousin of Robert the Bruce, and one of the earliest known members of the Clan Campbell, ancestor of the Earls of Argyll. The name became traditional in the Campbell family because of him. Colin was #51 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #14. It left the Top 100 in the 1980s, and although it stayed in use for many years afterwards, now seems to be quite rare. Colin is a traditional name which has a gentle and slightly poetic feel, and works well in the middle.

Edwin
Modern form of the Anglo-Saxon name Eadwine, meaning “rich friend”. The name was traditional amongst Anglo-Saxon royalty and nobility, with the most famous Edwin being a 7th century king of Northumbria who converted to Christianity; it was said that during his reign, the land was so peaceful that a woman with a new baby could walk across the country without being harmed (it tells you something that this was considered remarkable). He was canonised as a saint after his death. The name Edwin sunk in popularity after the Norman Conquest, but was revived in the 19th century during the Victorian enthusiasm for early English names. Edwin is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #52 in the 1900s, and #88 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and is currently around the 400s. A good alternative to popular Edward, while still having Eddie, Ed, Ned, and Ted as nicknames.

Frederick
English form of the Germanic name Friduric, translated as “peaceful ruler”; the modern German version is Friedrich. A favourite amongst European royalty, the name was traditional amongst the Holy Roman Emperors, with Frederick I also known as Frederick Barbarossa, meaning “red bearded” in Italian. Descended from two of Germany’s leading royal houses, he is regarded as the greatest of the medieval Holy Roman Emperors. Handsome, charismatic, and courtly, he was ambitious and skilful, greatly increasing Germany’s power base, and bringing back the Roman rule of law. According to medieval legend, he is not dead, but sleeps in a cave, waiting to return Germany to its former greatness. There are also a couple of medieval German saints named Frederick. The name was brought to England by the Normans after the Conquest, but it didn’t catch on. It was revived in the 18th century when the German House of Hanover inherited the British throne; Prince Frederick was the eldest son of King George II. Frederick is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #8 in the 1900s, and #26 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and sunk to its lowest level in the 1990s, at #459. Since then it has gradually increased in popularity, and is now around the low 200s. A distinguished name with friendly nicknames like Fred and Freddie, Frederick is already popular in the UK.

Ivan
Slavic form of John. A traditional Slavic name, there have been many famous Ivans in history, including six tsars of Russia, and many Croatian and Ukrainian leaders. St Ivan is a legendary hermit from Bohemia, while St Ivan of Rila is the patron saint of Bulgaria. Ivan continues to be a popular name in Eastern Europe, while the Spanish form Iván is popular in Spain and Latin America. Its long-term use in the English-speaking world may come from its similarity to the Welsh form of John, Ifan, so it can be seen as an Anglicised form of the Welsh name. Ivan is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #117 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #97, and was #100 in the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s and is currently around the low 300s, having been reasonably stable since the 1990s. That makes it a great cross-cultural choice which has remained both familiar and underused.

Lawrence
Variant of Laurence, and the usual surname form of the name. St Lawrence of Rome was a 3rd century Spanish saint who was archdeacon of Rome during a time of Christian persecution. There are many stories and legends about him. One is that he spirited the Holy Grail to Spain, where it remains in Valencia. Another is that the Emperor demanded that Lawrence hand over all the church’s goods. Lawrence hastily distributed everything the poor, then presented the city’s suffering, saying that these were the true treasures of the church. For this act of defiance, he was supposedly martyred by being roasted over a gridiron; after hours of pain, he remarked cheerfully: I’m well done. Turn me over! He is one of the most widely venerated saints, and his tomb a favourite pilgrimage site since the 4th century. Lawrence is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #67 in the 1900s, peaked at #55 in the 1910s and ’20s, and was #61 in the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and reached its lowest point in 2010 at #466. Since then it has risen again, and is now in the 200s, outstripping Laurence in popularity. This rugged-sounding classic comes with the nicknames Lawrie and Larry.

Lionel
Medieval pet form of Leon, a Greek name meaning “lion”; it could also be directly from Lion, which was used as a nickname in the Middle Ages. According to Arthurian legend, Sir Lionel was a Breton king, and knight of the Round Table. He features in the Grail Quest, where he is shown to be unworthy of the Grail, and more interested in fighting than the spiritual life. Lionel of Antwerp was a son of King Edward III, and reputedly a giant of a man, almost seven feet tall and of athletic build. It is through him that the House of York claimed the throne of England, and the name was a common one amongst the aristocracy. Lionel was #68 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #66, and was #73 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and hasn’t charted since the 1980s. The name is rising in both the the UK and US, fitting in well with both popular Leo, and the trend for animal names. Definitely a worthy choice that has too often been overlooked!

Rex
The Latin word for “king”, and the title of the ancient kings of Rome (“Rex Romae“) – according to legend, the first king of Rome was Romulus. The Roman monarchs did not inherit kingship, but were elected to the role, and held absolute power. The word rex is ultimately from an ancient root meaning “to rule”, and it is related to the Sanskrit term Raja, the German word reich, and the English words rich, right, regal, royal, reign, and realm. Rex has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, but only came into common use in the 19th century. Rex was #138 in the 1900s, and entered the Top 100 in the 1920s. Peaking in the 1930s at #74, Rex left the Top 100 in the 1950s. It left the charts in the 1980s, but returned the following decade at #635. It has continued climbing, and is now around the 300s. No wonder Rex is making a comeback – it’s short and snappy, ends in the fashionable X (like Max), and sounds very masculine and confident.

Walter
English form of the ancient Germanic name Walthari, meaning “ruler of the army”. It was brought to England by the Normans and soon replaced its Old English version, Wealdhere. Mythologist Jacob Grimm theorised that the name may have originally been an epithet of one of the Germanic war gods, and be linked to the Norse god Tyr. The name was especially famous in the Middle Ages because of Walter of Aquitaine, a legendary king of the Visigoths; medieval poems tell of his military exploits, fighting one-handed against his foes. He may be based on a 5th century king of Aquitaine, Wallia – his name is probably from the Old Norse for “slaughter”. There is a 12th century English saint called Walter. Walter was #15 in the 1900s, and #46 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and dropped off the charts in the 1990s. However, it made a comeback in 2011 after the hit TV show Breaking Bad aired in Australia, with ailing chemistry teacher turned criminal Walter White played by Bryan Cranston. His name was inspired by the American poet, Walt Whitman, and he is also often known as Walt. His teenage son is Walter White Jr, giving the name a younger image to match Walter Snr’s villainous smarts. Walter is currently around the 500s, and it is yet to be seen whether it continues rising now the show has finished. I hope so, because this retro name now seems fresh and unconventional.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Walter, Frederick and Alfred, and their least favourites were Lionel, Ivan and Brian.

(Photo of men doing relief work during the Great Depression in 1933 from the National Library of Australia)

Girls Names from the Top 100 of the 1930s

19 Sunday Jun 2011

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This blog post was first published on June 19 2011, and revised and updated on June 12 2015.

Alma
May be derived from the Latin almus, meaning “nourishing” – an epithet given to several Roman goddesses, including Ceres. Alma mater, meaning “nurturing mother”, is a Latin term often used to refer to one’s college or university: it was originally a title given to mother goddesses, and later to the Virgin Mary. The obscure 4th century Romano-British saint Alma Pompea, married to the semi-legendary King Hoel of Brittany, is an early example of the name. The name was given a boost after being used in Sir Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem, The Faerie Queen; he seems to have been influenced by the Renaissance Italian word alma, meaning “soul”. The name became popular in the 19th century, after the Crimean War began with the Battle of Alma, when Anglo-French forces defeated the Russians near the River Alma – the river’s name is from a Tatar word meaning “wild apple”. After this date, babies of both sexes (but mostly girls) were named Alma in honour of the military victory. Alma was #24 in the 1900s, and #97 in the 1930s, leaving the Top 100 the following decade, and the charts in the 1960s. Alma made a mild comeback in 2011, and seems very contemporary, as it has been used in Brokeback Mountain and The Hunger Games. Already popular in Europe, Alma would make an interesting alternative to names such as Amelia, Anna, or Emma.

Audrey
Pet form of the Anglo-Saxon name Etheldreda, meaning “noble strength”; it was the name of a 7th century English princess and saint whose feast day is June 23. It became less common after the Middle Ages, because St Audrey Day Fairs sold low-quality necklaces that were disparagingly called tawdries – which is where we get the word for something cheap and tacky from. Audrey was revived in the 19th century when the Victorians rediscovered many Anglo-Saxon names. The name was already familiar, as Audrey is the simple but honest country girl in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The Victorians were also in the middle of a Shakespeare revival, so Audrey was a dead cert for a comeback. Audrey was #156 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #32. The name was #36 in the 1930s, but plummeted so that it was off the Top 100 by the following decade. It fell to a low of 0 in the 1980s, but climbed after the death of Audrey Hepburn until it reached the Top 100 again in 2008. Once tawdry Audrey now seems charming and stylish, and is currently #44 and climbing.

Elsie
Often said to be a pet form of Elizabeth, but technically a pet form of Elspeth, the Scottish form of the name, and was originally Elspie. The name Elsie can be found in songs and poems dating to the 17th century, and became a 19th century favourite. Elsie was #7 in the 1900s, #59 in the 1930s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. Elsie left the charts in the 1970s, but returned in the early 2000s at #731. It joined the Top 100 in 2013 at #91, and last year rose 26 places to #65 – an impressive performance. Sweet and unpretentious, Elsie is very much back in the game.

Hazel
Named for the hedgerow tree or shrub which produces edible nuts; the Celts equated hazelnuts with wisdom and poetic inspiration, and the Druids made staffs from hazel branches. It was considered to be one of the trees belonging to the fairies, and folk tales tell of its ability to protect from evil. Hazel has been used as a personal name since the 17th century, mostly for girls, and became popular in the 19th century when plant names were fashionable. Hazel was #45 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1910s at #18; by the 1930s it was #55. Hazel left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and the charts by the 1970s, making a return in the late 2000s at #477, after Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel. Last year Hazel had an outstanding debut as the fastest-rising name of 2014, rising #63 places to #88. One factor must surely be the romantic film The Fault in Our Stars, with its heartbreaking heroine Hazel Lancaster, although there have also been Hazels in the Heroes of Olympus series, and Gossip Girl.

Iris
Greek personification of the rainbow who served as messenger to the gods, and linked them to humanity. The name literally means “rainbow”, which is where the colourful iris flower got its name from – and the colourful irises in our eyes. Irises were used in the Middle Ages as a symbol of monarchy, as the fleur-de-lis pattern depicts. Religious pictures from the medieval period show the Virgin Mary holding an iris to symbolise purity and chastity. Filled with meaning and associations, the name was used by the 19th century British aristocracy for both females and males (because the Greeks called the iris flower a “hyacinth”, and Hyacinth was a male name), but quickly became used by all classes, and nearly always for girls. Iris was #62 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1910s at #31; it was #72 by the 1930s. Iris left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and left the charts in the 1970s, although it returned in the 1980s at #748. Off the charts in the 1990s, Iris came back in the early 2000s at #551, and is now around the mid-200s and apparently stable. Almost always on the charts, Iris manages to be a “normal” name that is still underused. Hip and artistic, it has slightly dark or even punk undertones. It’s a floral name with a bit of bite.

Josephine
Anglicised form of Joséphine, a pet form of Joséphe, a French feminine form of Joseph; by the 19th century Joséphine had become the standard form of the name. It has been used by several of the royal houses of Europe, and is famous as the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Joséphine was born Marie Joséphe, so it was the pet form of her middle name. Classic Josephine has always been on the charts. It was #86 in the 1900s, peaked in the 1910s at #76, and by the 1930s was #78. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and sunk to its lowest level in 2011 at #199, so it has never been out of the 200s. In 2012 it made an appearance again in the Top 100 at #93 after the birth of Princess Josephine, the daughter of Australian-born Princess Mary of Denmark, but has since stabilised into its usual place around the mid-100s. Josephine is a solid stayer with royal blood whose nicknames range from the sensible Jo to the cute Josie to the tomboy Joey to the froufrou Fifi to the cool Joss.

Joy
Refers to the emotion of extreme happiness and gladness. It was originally a Puritan virtue name dating from the 16th century, referring to rejoicing for the salvation of God – perhaps most famous from the hymn, Joy to the World, now often used as a Christmas carol. In fact, joy and Christmas have become so entwined that you could even see Joy as a name suitable for a baby born around late December. However, the name Joy has become secularised, and often linked to the joyful experience of welcoming a child into the world: babies have even been called “bundles of joy”. Joy entered the charts in the 1910s at #205, and was in the Top 100 by the following decade. It peaked in the 1930s and ’40s at #60, and left the Top 100 in the 1960s. Joy reached its lowest point in the 1990s at #802, but then increased slightly in popularity, and was stable in the 500s for some time. Its current position is not known for sure, but is in at least occasional use. Quite common in the middle position, Joy is a strong, simple name with a beautiful meaning, and the current trend for virtue names mean that it would be refreshing to see it up front.

Lillian
Most likely a pet form of Elizabeth dating to the Middle Ages: there is a medieval Scottish ballad about a lady named Lillian. The name became greatly more popular in the 19th century, to the point where it could be seen as another Victorian revival of a medieval name, and may have been understood as an elaboration of Lily, which also became fashionable in the 19th century as a flower name. Lillian is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #35 in the 1900s, reached #86 by the 1930s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. It reached its lowest point in the 1970s at #562, and then climbed steeply, following in the footsteps of Lily, until it reached the Top 100 again in 2008 at #81. It is currently #86, so its position is stable. However, the high number of Lilys and Lillys (not to mention the Laylas and Lolas) mean that lovely Lillian may feel almost too on trend for some.

Marie
French form of Maria: in France it has sometimes used for males, especially as a middle name, but in English-speaking countries is almost always feminine. The name often reminds people of Queen Marie Antoinette, whose first two baptismal names were Maria Antonia – she was Austrian by birth. In the Middle Ages, Marie was commonly used in England, and predates the use of Mary. The medieval poet Marie de France lived and worked in England, possibly at the court of King Henry II – it is even thought that she may have been Henry’s own half-sister. The traditional English pronunciation of the name was MAH-ree (still used in the 20th century), but it is now usually said muh-REE. A name never out of common use for centuries, Marie was #71 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #11 – perhaps Irving Berling’s hit song Marie, sung by Rudy Vallee, was an influence on its success at this time. Marie left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and fell off the charts in 2011. It is now only in occasional use, although a common middle name. Marie is still popular in Europe, and this is a pretty, traditional name that still seems very wearable.

Olive
English form of the Roman name Oliva, which refers to both the olive tree and its fruit. There is a legendary Italian martyr called Saint Oliva, known as Blessed Olive. The Crusaders introduced the name Olive to England in the 12th century; returning from the Holy Land, they often gave their children names of Biblical import in honour of their religious duty. Olives play a major role in the Bible, from the dove bringing an olive branch to Noah after the Flood, to Christ ascending to Heaven from the Mount of Olives. It was a name used for both males and females, and in fact I have seen a baby boy named Olive in the past few years – but overall Olive has been more common for girls. Olive became popular in the 19th century, along with other plant names. Olive was #26 in the 1900s, and was #73 by the 1930s. It left the Top 100 in the 1940s, and was off the charts by the 1960s. It returned in the late 2000s, after Australian actress Isla Fisher chose the name Olive for her eldest daughter. After a smooth rise, Olive joined the Top 100 in 2012, debuting at #94. It is currently #76, so rising sedately rather than steeply. Buoyed by the success of Olivia and Oliver, and with a V in the middle like other popular names, Olive should continue to do well.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Hazel, Iris and Josephine, and their least favourites were Joy, Marie and Alma.

(Painting is Moira Madden, later Moira Hallenstein by Arthur Challen (1937); from the State Library of Victoria.

Waltzing With … Autumn

20 Sunday Mar 2011

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This post was originally published on March 20 2011, and almost entirely rewritten on March 26 2015.

Tomorrow is the Autumn Equinox, ushering in my favourite season of the year. The searing heat of summer finally retreats, leaving us with a long stretch of sunny days with blue skies, white fluffy clouds, and invigorating fresh breezes, coupled with cool nights where we can finally turn off the fan and pull the covers over us for a deep, refreshing sleep at last.

After a blazing heatwave or a devastating cyclone season, the cool air of autumn comes as a relief. Following a dry summer, autumn rain can be a blessing. I love watching the leaves of the deciduous trees turn red and gold, the clear blue skies and mellow warm days followed by crisp doona-snuggling nights. And then later, the thick grey mists, sparkling frosts, and drifts of brown leaves brought down by the cold wind.

Not all of Australia experiences autumn, with the tropics having just a Wet Season and a Dry, and only a small portion of south-eastern Australia having the classic picture postcard four seasons, crisply demarcated from each other.

Indigenous Australians had their own seasons, which differed from region to region, and which began and ended, not with a particular date on the calendar, but according to observations of the natural world. In the area which is now the Greater Sydney Basin, the Illawarra, and the Southern Highlands, the D’harawal people (who had seven seasons in all) marked the beginning of Marrai’gang around this time of year when the marrai’gang (quoll) began mating and the lilly-pilly fruit started to ripen on the trees.

Other countries may have more spectacular autumns than Australia, with more brilliant colours, but so often there is a melancholy that goes with it, a feeling that the natural world is winding down for the year, and corresponding brooding thoughts of our own mortality.

Here there is no tinge of sadness, and far from the woods bearing “bare ruined choirs”, our native trees almost never lose their leaves. Many native plants begin flowering in the autumn, so that the bush is filled with the bright colours of banksia, grevillea, and correa, as well as the purple lilly-pilly. Some species of bird migrate from the mountains to the coast during autumn, with flocks of thousands making an amazing sight. The loveliness of an Australian autumn is quiet and subtle.

While other seasons have their own beauty, they also seem to have their drawbacks. Winter – too cold! Summer – too hot! Spring – too changeable! Only autumn seems perfectly balanced, with the right amount of warm days and cool days, delightfully dry days and welcome wet days, each marching smoothly and evenly from the blues and golds of March, through the browns and yellows of April, to the greys and greens of May.

Name Information
The word autumn is from the French automne, taken from the Latin autumnus. This is derived from the Etruscan, relating to the passing of the year, ultimately from an ancient root meaning “cold”.

North Americans have two words for the season – autumn and fall. The reason is because the words autumn and fall both came into common use in the 16th and 17th centuries, and as English people began successfully migrating to North America in the early 17th century, they took both words with them. While the word fall for the season aptly fell out of use in Britain, it became the dominant word in the United States.

While autumn is from French, fall is from Old English, and refers to the falling of leaves, as well as the year falling away. It’s a word that makes a lot of linguistic sense, because it’s the exact opposite of spring in meaning (thus North Americans get the handy little mnemonic for the start and end of daylight saving time – spring forward and fall back an hour).

North Americans use autumn and fall interchangeably, and can do so even within the same sentence. However, although personal preference plays a part, in general they seem to use fall in a more practical way, while autumn is literary and formal. So children go back to school in the fall, but fashions come in autumn tones; TV networks bring out their fall schedules, but beloved grandfathers enter their autumn years. In other words, autumn is not just the word for the season, but a poetic or elegant description of the season.

The interesting thing is why there are two words for autumn anyway – it’s not as if winter and summer have other names. The truth is, autumn is a modern concept. In the medieval period, the year was divided into just two seasons, winter and summer. The time of year closest to what we call autumn was known as harvest, and it seems to have corresponded with late summer/early autumn.

By the 16th century, people had begun moving away from a rural way of life, and harvest was no longer an appropriate name for the time of year. I guess people felt awkward clattering up the cobbled streets of London, dodging carriages and chamber pots, telling each other that they would catch up next harvest. Both autumn and fall were tried out as descriptions of the transition from the heat of summer to the cold of winter, and by the 18th century they had both superseded the rustic word harvest. However, by the 19th, fall was no longer used in Britain, and it became seen as American usage only.

(This explains why fall never became part of the Australian vocabulary – as we weren’t settled by the British until the late 18th century, autumn was already the accepted word for the season. It would have been a very inappropriate name on this continent anyway, as there are few native trees here whose leaves fall in the autumn, or ever.)

So even though we might think of the season of autumn as ancient, timeless, and natural, it is in fact not just a modern construct, but a specifically urban one.

Knowing the history of the word autumn, it will not come as any surprise that use of Autumn as a personal name for girls is quite recent, dating back only to the 19th century. Nor will it seem at all strange that its use was in the beginning almost entirely North American, because on that continent autumn was not the standard word for the season, but one imbued with a certain archaic charm.

This trend continues, because in the US, Autumn has been in the Top 1000 since 1969, giving it a “hippie name” vibe. Currently it is in the Top 100 and gently rising, being #69 in 2011 and #65 in 2013. It is also a Top 100 name in some Canadian provinces.

In England/Wales, Autumn was in the 500s until Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips began dating a Canadian named Autumn Kelly in 2002, upon which the name Autumn began climbing in the UK, with a steeper ascent after Autumn and Peter’s wedding in 2008. After peaking at #179 in 2011, just after Autumn Phillips had given birth to her first child Savannah, the name has since levelled off and is now #197.

In Australia, the name Autumn is rarely found in historical records, and it has never charted here. In 2013, 3 baby girls were named Autumn in South Australia, in 2012, 9 baby girls were given the name Autumn in Victoria, and in Tasmania in 2010 there was only one baby called Autumn. The royal connection does not seem to have helped it here, as it has in the UK, and I only see it occasionally in Australian birth notices.

Autumn is a modern nature name for girls that is pretty without being frilly, and may appeal to some Australian parents by dint of being underused here. It celebrates a beautiful time of year, and could suit a child born in autumn, or with autumn-toned colouring. With Autumn, you get that attractive combination of a name that is completely “normal” and familiar, while not being at all common. That alone makes Autumn seem like a pretty awesome choice!

POLL RESULT
Autumn received an extraordinary approval rating of 92%, making it one of the highest rated names of the year. 38% of people loved the name Autumn, while not a single person hated it.

(Photo shows an autumn leaf in the Aurora Valley of Bangalow, New South Wales)

Boys Names From Songs

13 Sunday Mar 2011

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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This blog post was first published on March 13 2011, and heavily edited and updated on March 20 2015. Not being psychic, I did not know then of the vile crimes that Rolf Harris would be imprisoned for, otherwise he would not have been included.

Duncan
Slim Dusty’s country song Duncan is one of his two hits which went to #1.The song describes the great enjoyment experienced drinking at the atmospheric Town and Country pub with his mate Duncan. Although the narrator also drinks with Colin, Kevin, Patrick, and Robert to obtain similar effects, it is Duncan who will always be remembered as the mate Slim would “love to have a beer with”. Duncan is the Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Donnchadh; it may mean either “brown-haired warrior”, or “brown-haired chieftain”. A traditional name amongst Scottish nobility and royalty, there have two medieval Scottish kings named Duncan, with Duncan I the original of William Shakespeare’s King Duncan in Macbeth. Unlike in the play, Duncan was a young king, and not assassinated by his war leader Macbeth, but killed in battle against him. Saint Duncan was of royal blood too, and an abbot of Iona. Duncan was #134 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1970s at #122. It doesn’t seem to have charted since 2009, so this is a handsome underused Scottish choice.

Erasmus
Erasmus is a 2006 song by alternative rock band You Am I, a nostalgic remembrance of the 1990s. Erasmus is derived from the Greek for “beloved”. Saint Erasmus of Formia was a bishop who, according to tradition, was martyred for his faith in the 4th century. He is more commonly known as Saint Elmo, the old Italian form of his name, and St Elmo’s Fire is named after him – the glowing electrical discharge that can appear around tall, pointed structures during thunderstorms. As it was known for appearing around the masts of ships in the days of sail, Saint Erasmus is a patron of sailors. A famous namesake is Erasmus of Rotterdam, a Catholic priest, theologian, and classical scholar of the Renaissance who is known as “The Prince of Humanists”. Charles Darwin‘s grandfather was Erasmus, named after an ancestor, and Charles’ brother also had the same name. This rare name has geek chic, with history, strength, bags of brain power, and of course, a beautiful meaning. Rasmus and Raz could be used as nicknames.

Harry
Lazy Harry’s, or, The Road to Gundagai is a traditional folk song with a connection to Banjo Paterson, as he was the first to have it published, in 1905. The song tells of two shearers from a Riverina station who set out for Sydney to spend their pay cheques, but get no further than Lazy Harry’s pub between Wagga Wagga and Gundagai before they’ve spent the lot. Harry is a medieval English form of Henry which has never gone out of use. It has also been used as a pet form of Henry and Harold, and more recently, of Harrison. Harry is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #32 in the 1900s, left the Top 100 in the 1950s, and reached its lowest point in the 1970s at #234. It began rising in the 1980s after the birth of Prince Henry, always known by his nickname Harry, and joined the Top 100 in the early 1990s. It continued rising through the 2000s, along with the popularity of boy wizard Harry Potter, and peaked in 2010 at #27, although by 2013 it had only dropped one place, to #26. Classic Harry is royal and magical, yet also friendly and casual.

Henry
Henry Lee is Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’s 1996 version of an English folk song called Young Hunting, which in the United States is usually titled Love Henry or Henry Lee. It is a macabre tale of sexual jealousy; a man tells his mistress that he is leaving her for another woman, and while offering him a farewell kiss, she stabs him and throws his body in a well. P.J. Harvey sings the woman’s part of this eerie duet. Henry is from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning “home ruler”. It has been commonly used amongst European royalty, and there are many rulers of Germany, France, Spain and Portugal named Henry, or one of its equivalents. There have also been six Holy Roman Emperors named Henry, one of them a saint. Henry is a traditional name in the British royal family, and there have been eight English kings named Henry. Henry is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #11 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1950s, hitting its lowest point in the 1970s at #265. It was back on the Top 100 by the 1990s, and had reached #23 by 2013. Henry is a handsome classic which is slowly rising in popularity.

Jack
Adam Harvey’s 2001 country song The House That Jack Built went to #1. It’s inspired by the nursery rhymes The House That Jack Built and Jack and Jill, while giving them a modern twist. Jack is a short form of Jackin, which began as Jankin, a medieval pet form of John. It has been used as an independent name since the Middle Ages, and was so popular in that era that it became a slang word to mean “man, male”. Jack is a fairytale hero, such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant Killer, and a trickster figure, like a jack-in-the-box and the knave in a deck of cards. Jack has a particularly British association, because of the Union Jack which is on our flag. Suffice to say I could talk about Jack until you were completely jack of it! Jack is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #24 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1940s. It hit its lowest point in the 1960s at #277, and was Top 100 again by the 1980s. It hit its peak in the 2000s at #1 name, when there were many heroes on film and TV named Jack. By 2013 it had only fallen two places, to #3, so it has been extremely stable as well as extremely popular. Jack the lad is an everyman name, and a nickname with its own rich history.

Jake
Jake the Peg is a 1965 novelty song by Rolf Harris, based on the Dutch-Canadian song Ben van der Steen. It’s a simple tale of an unfortunate man born with three legs, and Harris performed it onstage with a theatrical prop which left the audience guessing as to which of the three legs was fake. It has been voted one of the best Australian singles of all time. Jake is a medieval variant of Jack, but today is often used as a short form of popular Jacob. Jake first joined the charts in the 1970s at #392, the same decade as Jacob, and just after the song’s release. It joined the Top 100 in the 1980s and peaked in the 1990s at #6. In 2013 it was #43. More boyish than Jacob, more rakish than Jack, this name lets you know that everything is “jake”.

Jessie
Rick Springfield’s pop song Jessie Girl was an instant hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 of 1981, and winning a Grammy. According to Springfield, Jessie’s Girl was inspired by a real-life admiration he had for his friend Gary’s girlfriend. He considered using Gary’s real name, until he saw a girl wearing a softball jersey with the name Jessie on it. The song has been featured in movies and TV shows, and named one of the best songs of the 1980s. As a boy’s name, Jessie is a variant of the Hebrew name Jesse, which may mean “gift”. It’s also a girl’s name which was originally a Scottish pet form of Jean, but also used as a pet form of Jane, and more recently, of Jessica. In Australia, Jessie charted as a unisex name until the 1950s, but since the 1970s and the rise of Jessica, has only charted for girls. It made the Top 100 in the 1990s, when Jessica was the #1 name, and is currently in the 300s. Still usable for boys, although the popular Jessica has given it a pink vibe.

Johnny
Men at Work’s 1982 rock song Be Good Johnny is an obvious reference to Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode. The song is about a young boy, a seemingly troubled daydreamer who can’t relate to or listen to adult authority. It could be the anthem for ADHD kids, and in fact a cover version of the song is the theme tune to the reality TV series Supernanny. Johnny is a pet form of John, long used as an independent name. There’s been heaps of famous Johnnys in Australia – Johnny Diesel, Johnny O’Keefe, Johnny Young, Johnny Lewis and Johnny Warren, to name a few. Johnny has charted since the 1950s, when it debuted at #265. It has not yet become popular, and is currently in the 200s. Modern classic Johnny seems like it has a lot of potential to go further.

Normie
Rak Off Normie was written as a sequel to comedian Bob Hudson’s satirical narrative, The Newcastle Song, which was at #1 for four weeks in 1975. The Newcastle Song is about a young man called Normie looking for a date, and pokes fun at the working class youth culture in the city of Newcastle. Eager for further success, Bob Hudson rapidly penned Rak Off Normie from the point of view of the girl Normie is attracted to, and Maureen Elkner was chosen to sing it. The song reached #6 on the charts. Normie is a pet form of Norman, used as an independent name since the 19th century. It is well known in Australia from 1960s pop star Normie Rowe, and will probably only make a comeback if Norman does.

Sam
Olivia Newton-John’s Sam reached #1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart of 1977. It’s a song about two people who have been (apparently deservedly) dumped by their respective lovers and are now lonely; the song implies that the two of them may get together in order to comfort each other. Sam can be used as a short form of names such as Samuel or Samson, and as short for the female name Samantha. It is also a Persian name meaning “very dark”, and is familiar from Frodo’s companion in The Lord of the Rings, whose name is short for Samwise (samwise is the Old English for “half-wise, half-wit”). Sam has long been used as an independent name, overwhelmingly given to boys. Sam first joined the charts in the 1950s at #301, and was Top 100 by 1986. It peaked at #62 in 1991, left the Top 100 in 2011, and is still only just outside the Top 100. Well known from Welsh children’s TV show Fireman Sam, which has an Australian rescue pilot in it, this is a modern classic with boyish charm.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Jack, Harry, and Duncan, and their least favourite were Johnny, Jake, and Normie.

Girls Names from Songs

06 Sunday Mar 2011

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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This list was first published on March 6 2011, and substantially revised and updated on March 12 2015.

Astrid
Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye) was a 1979 single for popular rock band Cold Chisel, written as an energetic set finisher. Songwriter Don Walker didn’t know anyone named Astrid, and thinks he probably heard of the name because of Bill Wyman’s partner, Astrid Lundstrom. Astrid is the modern form of Ástríðr, an Old Norse name which can be translated as “beloved of God”, or more freely as “divine beauty”. A traditional name amongst Scandinavian royalty since medieval times, it was the name of Canute the Great’s sister, giving it a slender English connection. It became well known in the English-speaking world because of popular Swedish children’s novelist Astrid Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking books, and has received fresh attention from Astrid Hofferson in the film How to Train Your Dragon. The name is often understood as being related to the word “star”, because it sounds like the Greek aster, which was exploited in a Dr Who special where Kylie Minogue played star-loving Astrid Peth. This attractive name is currently around the 500s.

Ayla
Ayla was a 1987 single for New Wave duo Flash and the Pan, comprised of music industry powerhouses and ex-Easybeats, Harry Vanda and George Young. The name Ayla has several possible origins. It can be a variant of the Hebrew name Elah, meaning “terebinth tree”, pronounced eh-LAH, or a Turkish name meaning “halo of light around the moon”, and often translated as “moonlight”. In Turkey, it is pronounced to sound like the name Isla. The name Ayla was also used for a beautiful, inventive, and spiritually gifted palaeolithic superwoman in the popular Earth Children  novel series by Jean M. Auel. In the books, Ayla is a Neanderthal attempt at the character’s real name, which isn’t given, but much longer; it is said like Kayla without the K. The name Ayla first joined the US Top 1000 in 1987, a year after Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear was made into a film, starring Daryl Hannah. Despite being a flop, it seems to have catapulted Ayla to #593, and to have helped inspire the Flash and the Pan song. In Australia, Ayla joined the Top 100 in 2013, fitting in with popular names like Layla and Ava.

Clementine
Col Joye’s 1959 #1 hit single (Rockin’ Rollin’) Clementine is a hip retelling of the folk ballad, My Darling Clementine. In this version, the miner’s daughter Clementine is a jeep-driving “real down chick” who meets up with a “cat from the city” in a jumping joint where she hops, bops, and “digs that crazy rhythm”. Clementine is a French form of Clementina, the feminine form of Clement, from the Latin name Clemens, meaning “merciful, gentle”. Clement is a saint’s name, so Clementine would originally have been given with this in mind, and the name dates to the Middle Ages. It has a rather aristocratic image, with several French princesses named Clémentine, and Sir Winston Churchill’s wife was also called Clementine. A clementine is a small citrus fruit, but that isn’t an issue in Australia, where they are nearly always sold as mandarins. Clementine was quite a popular name in Australia in the 19th century, but has never been in the charts since Federation. There has been renewed interest in the name recently, with the quirky Clementine children’s book series by Sara Pennypacker, Clementine the moral compass in The Walking Dead video game, and free spirit Clementine in the film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Expect to see more of this elegant vintage name in the future.

Evie
Stevie Wright is the former lead singer of legendary 1960s rock band The Easybeats. Australia’s first international pop star, he was the first forced to deal with the pressures of being famous and beautiful at a very young age, and the first to blaze, burn out, and come crashing down in spectacular fashion. Evie is his 1974 rock ballad of young love and new life blossoming, blooming, and then going appallingly wrong, and is the only 11-minute song to become a #1 hit. Evie is a pet form of Eve, or a short form of names like Evelyn. It’s been used as an independent name since the 18th century in America, and may have a Dutch influence. Evie first joined the charts in the early 2000s, after the song was covered by one-off supergroup The Wrights in 2004. It climbed so steeply that it was in the Top 100 by the late 2000s, and was #22 in 2013. It’s even more popular in the UK, so you can see this as part of the British nicknamey trend, as much as a tribute to an Australian classic.

Georgy
The Seekers were a folk group, and the first Australian band to achieve major success in the UK and US. Georgy Girl was the title song to the 1966 British movie of the same name, a Swinging Sixties coming-of-age tale about a naïve, frumpy young girl and her unconventional love affairs. The song went to #1 in Australia, and was The Seekers’ highest-charting single in the US, where it got to #2 and was used to advertise mineral water. Georgy can be used as a pet form of either the male name George, or the female names Georgia, Georgette, or Georgiana – the “Georgy Girl”in the song is named Georgina. Although Georgy has a long history of use for both sexes, it is far less common that the variant Georgie, which has charted for girls since the 1990s and is rising steeply in the 200s.

Leilani
Leilani, released 1982, was the début single by quirky rock group Le Hoodoo Gurus (later Hoodoo Gurus). The song’s narrative is loosely based on the plot of 1951 B-grade movie Bird of Paradise, and combines an exotic South Pacific setting with an oddly suburban mindset, and a fun faux-Polynesian chorus filled with Australian place names. Leilani is a Hawaiian name meaning “heavenly garland of flowers”, but often understood as “heavenly child”, pronounced lay-LAH-nee. It fits in with the trend for L-l names, such as Lillian, and is currently around the 300s. A very pretty Polynesian heritage choice which has the fashionable nickname Lani.

Matilda
Waltzing Matilda was written by Banjo Paterson in 1895. The Matilda in the song isn’t a dancing girl, but is what swagmen called the bundle that they carried; to “waltz Matilda” is to walk while carrying a bundle. It is said that the swagman in the song was a real person called Samuel Hoffmeister who was involved in the Shearer’s Strike of that year, so it’s a political protest song (unintentionally). Waltzing Matilda is our unofficial national song and the lyrics are written on every Australian passport. Matilda is a Germanic name meaning “mighty in battle”. A traditional name amongst European royalty, it was literally brought over with the Conqueror to England, as it was the name of William I’s wife, the mother of William II and Henry I. Her grand-daughter was named after her, and she was married to a Holy Roman Emperor, so was the Empress Matilda. She tried to claim the throne of England as her father’s heir, but was never crowned queen, being named Lady of the English – her son instead became King Henry II. Saint Matilda was a medieval German queen whose son became a Holy Roman Emperor; she is the patron saint of large families. Matilda was #144 in the 1900s, and disappeared from the charts in the 1930s. It made a comeback in the 1980s, after Matilda the Kangaroo was chosen as the mascot for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, held in Brisbane and won by Australia. Matilda joined the Top 100 in the early 2000s, peaked in 2009 at #16, and by 2013 had only fallen to #18. A patriotic retro name choice that is extremely stable in the charts.

Rosie
Founded by the brothers of one of the Easybeats, AC/DC is Australia’s most successful rock band, and one of the most successful world-wide. Whole Lotta Rosie is their cheeky 1978 single, allegedly based on Bon Scott’s real life encounter with an obese Tasmanian woman. Rosie is a pet form of Rose which has a long history as an independent name; it can be used as a short form of any Rose- name, such as Rosalie, Rosamund, Rosetta, or Rosemary. Rosie was #229 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1930s. It made a come-back in the 1980s, reaching #749 and climbing steeply. It was in the mid-100s in Victoria in 2012. A sweet, fresh-faced retro name that is already Top 100 in Britain.

Ruby
Ruby Wednesday is an early song by rock band Eskimo Joe, released in 1999. A whimsical re-take on the Rolling Stones’ Ruby Tuesday, it made the Triple J Hottest 100 the year it came out. Ruby is a precious gemstone, whose name comes from the Latin for “red”. It’s been used as a girl’s name since the 17th century, but became popular in the 19th, when gemstone names became fashionable. Ruby was #21 in the 1900s, and had left the Top 100 by the 1930s. It disappeared from the charts in the 1950s, but came back in the 1980s at #548. It reached the Top 100 in 1996, peaked at #1 in 2012, and and by 2013 was #2. A spunky retro choice which has already reached maximum popularity, and is therefore expected to gradually fall.

Sadie
Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) was a 1967 novelty song and the first solo single for pop idol Johnny Farnham; it hit #1 and was the biggest-selling single by an Australian artist in the 1960s. Sadie is a pet form of Sarah, which seems to have originated in 18th century America. The name gained an especially Jewish image in 19th century England, where in Yiddish slang, a Sadie was a low status Jewish girl, sometimes with connotations of prostitution. It’s interesting how often Sadie is linked with that profession, such as Sadie Thompson in the W. Somerset Maughan’s Rain, while The Beatles’ Sadie adds another “sexy” image to the name. Sadie was #145 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1940s. It returned in the late 2000s at #566, and in Victoria is in the mid-100s, a similar popularity to that in the UK, while it is already a Top 100 name in the US. This sassy retro name looks set to go places.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Evie, Matilda, and Clementine, and their least favourite were Ayla, Leilani, and Georgy.