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Waltzing More Than Matilda

~ Names with an Australian Bias of Democratic Temper

Waltzing More Than Matilda

Tag Archives: Twitter

Take Five For Waltzing More Than Matilda’s Fifth Birthday!

14 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by A.O. in Blog News

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Appellation Mountain, Baby Name Pondering, Bewitching Names, British Baby Names, celebrity baby names, celebrity sibsets, Facebook, For Real Baby Names, Nameberry, Swistle, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Herald Sun, Twitter, Upswing Baby Names, Wikipedia, You Can't Call It "It"!

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Yesterday marked five years since I started Waltzing More Than Matilda. Time seems to have flown while I had fun, because it feels as if I have only just started, and still have lots to learn. For my fifth blogging anniversary, here are the top five results in various categories from Waltzing More Than Matilda.

Waltzing With … Names
Waltzing With … Taiga
Waltzing With … Archibald
Waltzing With … Lawson
Waltzing With … Mary
Waltzing With … Sunniva

Famous and Requested Names
Famous Name: Barack
Famous Name: Adelaide
Famous Name: Molly
Requested Famous Name: Banjo
Requested Name: Dimity

Names from Name Lists
Girls Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin
Girls Names From Stars and Constellations
Boys Names From Stars and Constellations
Boys Names of Australian Aboriginal Origin
Names of Convicts on the First Fleet

Articles
Upper Class Baby Names
Finding Baby Names to Match Your Surname
You Can’t Call it That: What the Law Says About Naming Baby
What Happens if You Don’t Register Your Baby’s Name?
Choosing Between Two Baby Names

Celebrity Babies
Virginia Trioli and Russell Skelton
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom
Mick and Angie Molloy
Leigh Sales and Phil Willis
Livinia Nixon and Alistair Jack

Celebrity Sibsets
Brody Dalle and Josh Homme
Dave Hughes
Richard Roxburgh and Silvia Colloca
Kate Langbroek
The Daddo Brothers

Name Help
A Girl’s Name From an Aboriginal Language Meaning “Star”
Can You Suggest an Old-Fashioned Sibling Name That’s Nickname-Proof?
Can You Suggest Any Vintage Names for This Couple?
Is Margot the Next Big Thing?
Can You Suggest an Australian-Themed Name for the Third Triplet?

Interviews
Bewitching Names
Swistle
You Can’t Call It “It”!
Appellation Mountain
For Real Baby Names

Most Commented Articles
What Do You Think of These Names for Twin Girls?
Girls Names Which Rose in Popularity in 2012
Is Cressida a Girl Name or a Car Name?
Why Your Child Will Hate Their Name
Underused Names for Girls

Favourite Pictures (most often clicked on)
The Turnbull Family Wedding
The Newton Family Christening
Kangaroo at Lucky Bay
Japanese Tiger
Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom

Top Referrers (you most likely came here from ….)
Search engines
Facebook
Appellation Mountain
Nameberry
Wikipedia

Top Clicks (you most likely leave my site to go to ….)
The Herald Sun
The Australian
Nameberry
Twitter
The Sydney Morning Herald

Favourite Blogs on Blog Roll (most often clicked on)
Appellation Mountain
Baby Name Pondering
Upswing Baby Names
For Real Baby Names
British Baby Names

Top Countries (you are most likely in …)
Australia
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand

Top Search Terms
waltzing more than matilda
flynn christopher bloom
virginia trioli baby
lynette bolton
sydney

Top Names Searched For
Hazel
Ruby
Ella
Olivia
Rose

Top Commenters
Prue
Clare
Ebony
Madelyn
Nana Patricia

Thank you to all my readers, subscribers, followers, and commenters for five years of enjoyable blogging! And have a happy Valentine’s Day!

You Asked About … The Weekly Birth Announcements

19 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by A.O. in Your Questions Answered

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Baby Name Pondering, Babynameobsessed, birth notices, Bonds Baby Search, British Baby Names, Clare's Name News, Facebook, For Real Baby Names, middle names, name combinations, sibsets, The Art of Naming, twin sets, Twitter, unisex names

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I’ve been publishing the Birth Announcements category every Friday for almost three years now, and by now I’ve received quite a few questions about them. Here’s the answers to them, plus the answers to questions you haven’t asked, but you might have wondered.

Why do you publish the Birth Announcements?
I read birth notices for my own interest every week, and have done so for several years. Like any collector, I felt like sharing my finds.

What benefits do you imagine other people would receive from reading the Birth Announcements?
Australia doesn’t have much name data past the Top 100, so it’s a way to show the variety of baby names being used by real people, right now. And there’s no data on middle names at all. People might also see names, or name combinations, they admire and consider using themselves. Or they might just be interested generally.

Where do you get the names from?
The bulk of them are from birth notices in newspapers – I read 22 different newspapers for the birth notices, many of them from regional areas. Brooke from Baby Name Pondering contributes names from the Herald Sun, so that’s 23 papers. I also scan hospital announcements – many newspapers publish photographs of babies born in their local hospital that week or month. There’s also baby competitions, such as Bonds Baby Search, stories about new babies in newspapers and magazines, parenting and photography blogs, and even a few babies that readers have seen in real life.

How do you choose the names – do you just pick your favourite names each week?
No, I definitely don’t just pick names that I really like; that would be very boring and repetitive (not to mention a fairly short list). I try to get a good variety of names, and although there’s no set way of choosing names, I generally look out for:

* unusual, rare, and unique names (especially ones that are new to me)
* daring and darling middle names
* popular names matched with eye-catching middles
* names I have featured on the blog (especially the more unusual ones, to show people do use them)
* interesting and appealing twin sets and multiples
* sibsets that seem well-matched, or strangely-matched
* intriguing sibling names (if a name seems ho-hum, check its brother or sister …)
* names from a diversity of cultures (even if that isn’t always obvious from the name)
* unisex names for both genders
* names that aren’t popular, but are on trend
* hip and fashionable names
* names that show up again and again, as a heads-up how well-used they are
* names that are particularly Australian, especially patriotic ones
* names that somehow seem very typical of their time and place
* name combinations that I think will be crowd-pleasers and appeal to other people
* potentially controversial names that I think will get a strong reaction from other people
* and yes – my own personal favourites!

How do you choose the headline names?
I generally look for two names which seem to go together in some way, usually that are in a similar style (like Odette and Raphaelle), or have a connecting theme (like Elvis and Memphis). Names which can easily be matched with a picture are favourites of mine, hence the amount of vocabulary names like Rose, River, Robin, and Rain.

How do you choose the profile pictures?
It’s varied over time. At the moment, I try to find a picture suggested by the headline names in some way, and if that isn’t possible, I might choose one related to the season (like a snowman for winter), or look for ones of children and young people that somehow remind me of the names. For example, last Friday the names were Brinley and Saige, who I could imagine as surfers.

Is it hard to find enough interesting names each week?
No, I usually have too many names, and have to hold some over for the following week. It can be hard to find an equal number of boy and girl names – some weeks it feels as if all the boys have really cool names, and all the girls are named Charlotte Anne and Emily Louise, and then the next week it will be the girls with exciting names, and the boys all called William Thomas and Lachlan James. But I figure that helps give a chance for the more “normal” names to shine.

Any other difficulties?
It can be hard to make sure the names that week aren’t too much alike. Girls names especially seem to be very similar to each other, so that I will have a Mae, a Maeve, a Maya, a Mia, and a Mila all in one week, not to mention six names with Grace as the middle name. In these cases, I will also hold names over for another week.

Are you getting bored with doing this?
Nope.

Shouldn’t you publish all the names you see in a week, instead of filtering them for us?
Hm, interesting suggestion. To me it seems as if 100+ names will just blend in with one another, but my final Birth Announcement for the year will have all the names from  that week, so you can see what it would look like.

Do you publish any of the names so that people can make fun of them?
Definitely not, and I’d be disappointed if people used them as an opportunity to be mean: these aren’t Hollywood celebrities; they’re basically our friends and neighbours. I deliberately don’t tend to choose names that are often targets of name bullying, such as common names with outrageous spellings (apart from anything else, I don’t find them interesting). Having said that, I can never resist a name or name combination which strikes me as comical; I love them.

I don’t remember publishing my child’s name on the Internet – where did you see it?
I don’t make a note of where I see every name, but I will do my best to track it down for you.

You spelled my child’s name incorrectly!
I am but human. Let me know, and I will edit the post.

I don’t want my child’s name published on your blog
Oh dear. Are you sure? It will make me very sad, but I can remove it.

Are you stalking me, or my children?
No, really I’m not. Look at all the newspapers and blogs I have to read – I don’t have time to stalk individual families for their names. I know it looks suspicious that half the kids from your mother’s group were in one set of announcements, or your daughter’s name was in a set of announcements with your kids’s school as the profile picture for it, or your first child’s name was published 18 months ago, and now I just published your second child’s name as well. It’s just that it’s a small world, and you go to a hip mother’s group, and you live in a small town with not many photo opportunities, and you have great taste so both your kids ended up on the blog. I promise these are all by chance, and not by design.

I saw a fantastic name in the Birth Announcements and used it for my baby!
Yay!

What happens if I see a name or a sibset that I think is the bee’s knees?
Leave a comment to that effect (either on the blog itself, Twitter or Facebook), and eventually they will get voted on so we can see which names everyone likes the most.

Aren’t the name polls just a popularity contest?
Like most things in life, yes. I wouldn’t take it too seriously – we’re not voting on the Nobel Prizes here.

Don’t you think there’s too many names to vote on for most of the polls?
Yes. Next year there will be a monthly poll, which hopefully will make them more manageable. In the beginning, I worried not enough people would nominate names, but due to Sarah’s example at For Real Baby Names, I’m now confident enough to nominate names myself if nobody else bothers.

I have developed an addiction to birth notices, and your weekly round up is no longer enough for me – I need more birth announcements!
Completely understandable. Ebony at Babynameobsessed publishes birth notices from Western Australia, then there’s Elea at British Baby Names, who has weekly birth notices from the UK, plus historical birth notices from The Times. Kara at The Art of Naming has birth notices, I think from her local area, and Clare’s Name News provides links to several European blogs that have birth notices from non-English speaking countries. Then of course there’s the motherlode – For Real Baby Names, where Sarah posts names from birth notices several times a week. Plenty of places to get your fix!

Celebrity Baby News: Radio Round Up

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by A.O. in Celebrity Baby News

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

celebrity baby names, celebrity sibsets, names of imaginary friends, Twitter

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Lucy Holmes, and her husband, musical director Derek Bailey, welcomed their first child on August 23 and have named their daughter Shiloh. Lucy is originally from Britain, and is well known as a Kylie Minogue impersonator, the star of international hit tribute stage show, 100% Kylie. As well as working as a singer, actress, and model, Lucy hosts the breakfast show on 89.9 Light FM, a Christian community radio station in Melbourne. Name bonus info: According to her Twitter account, Lucy once had an imaginary friend named Sally Walker.

Abby Coleman, and her husband, builder Scott Burdon, welcomed their second child last month, and have named their son Jagger James. Jagger Burdon joins big brother Finlay, aged 3; Finlay’s birth was featured on the blog. Abby is a radio host on B105 in Brisbane.

(Photo shows Abby with her son Jagger)

How to Dot Com Your Baby Name, and Other Name Stories in the News

02 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by A.O. in Names in the News

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Awesome Baby Name, domain names, Facebook, Game of Thrones names, name data, name meaning, name studies, name trends, nicknames, popular names, royal baby names, Twitter

Modern Baby Names

Mastering Your Baby’s Domain
Baby names in the digital age have become so complicated that some parents now make sure their child has their own e-mail account, Twitter handle, Facebook page, and website before they are born.

And since it gets frustrating finding the baby name you want to register has already been taken, you can do a sort of “reverse look up”, where you use a website that will tell you which names are still available. Such a website is the misleadingly-titled Awesome Baby Name, which suggests names based on domain availability.

Naturally I had to give this a try, and it’s easy enough. You type in your surname, and say you want a boy, girl, or “whatever” name, and receive a list of ten names that haven’t been taken yet. If you don’t like the ten they offer (and you probably won’t), they offer to sell you another 100 names for $3. You would be crazy to actually make this purchase, since every time you use it you get another ten names, and by simply clicking it again and again would soon find 100 names all on your own for free.

The site promises to find you the “very best matches” possible, but in fact it’s just a random list of names that may or may not sound even half decent when matched with your surname. The names have a very American bias – I was offered quite a lot of Hispanic names, and names currently trending in the US, like Jayceon. I’m not sure how the algorithm works, but I tried it with fifteen very different surnames, and each one offered the name Colton.

I was quite pleased by most of the boys names I was offered (except Colton, a name I now utterly loathe from having it thrust on me so many times): Alistair, Axel, Declan, Jude, Matthias, Maximilian, and Thaddeus seemed nice. Girls names were uniformly terrible. They were either dated, like Megan and Julie, very modern like Kyra and Brylee, or variant spellings, like Kaitlynne and Brooklynn. Maybe all the good girls’ names are already taken?

The “whatever” button is a complete waste of time: it doesn’t give you unisex options, as I thought, but just five girls names and five boys names.

Our surname is relatively uncommon, so that almost every name could be matched with it and still not be registered, and yet I wasn’t offered even one Top 100 name. Furthermore, different surnames didn’t get you a different range of names: I was offered relatively uncommon names, no matter if I said I was named Smith or Hetherington-Smitherswaithe. I wonder if the surname has been factored in at all?

The About on the page says it started as a joke, but doesn’t say whether it still is one or not, or how funny the joke turned out to be. I rate it as Mildly Amusing.

Names at Work
Could your name be holding back at work, muses Kochie’s Business Builders in Yahoo Finance? Short answer, from researchers at the University of Melbourne, is yes. They found that people with simple, easy to pronounce names had an advantage in the workplace, and would be more likely to be elected to political office.

Dr Simon Laham, from the University of Melbourne’s School of Psychology, said research findings revealed that it wasn’t the length of a name, or how “foreign” it seemed, or how unusual (or even made up) it was, but its pronounceability that made the difference.

It’s quite interesting, because we’re often told that names have to be familiar, recognisable, “non-ethnic”, or short for people to feel comfortable with them, but it seems that isn’t really that important, as long as they can intuitively guess the pronunciation. This might be something to bear in mind when choosing names.

Worried about your hard to pronounce name and how it’s ruining your career? KBB suggests using a nickname or short form of your name for easy communication, but sensibly comments that your skills and experience are far more important. An article on names which says your name is less important than who you are and what you do! Let’s hope this trend continues.

Capital, By George
There was royal baby name spotting during the royal visit in Canberra in April. The Canberra Times had a light-hearted look at a few baby Georges around town, including a George Louis, a George Middleton, and a Giorgio. The name George appears to be on the rise in the ACT, with 14 registrations in 2012 climbing to 22 in 2013. Between Prince George’s birth and his visit to Australia, 15 Georges were registered in our capital. What that means for the 2014 data is anyone’s guess.

Mothers of Dragons in the West
And those other royal names … Perth Now tells us that baby names from Game of Thrones are rising in Western Australia. Unfortunately, no actual data to support this plausible theory, but a couple of anecdotes instead. Fascinated by the mother who chose Khaleesi for her daughter in 2012, because “it had some sort of history”. I guess almost every name has some sort of history … in this case, a purely imaginary one! The meaning of “queen” was also a drawcard.

Names All Over the World
The Essential Baby website has got a little map of popular names from around the world. It doesn’t cover every country, but it does look at several regions. Africa and the Middle East are completely missing (I guess they have bigger issues than putting out birth name data). Worth a look to see how different the Top Tens are around the world.

Interview with Kara from The Art of Naming

10 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

baby name blogs, baby name books, baby name websites, Facebook, Instagram, middle names, name meaning, name popularity, Pinterest, popular names, rare names, The Art of Naming, The Sims, Tumblr, Twitter, US name popularity

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Kara is the bubbly, friendly blogger at The Art of Naming, which she has been regularly maintaining, along with a host of social media, for a year now. Kara genuinely loves helping parents find the perfect name, and as well as personal assistance, she provides name lists, birth announcements, and featured names which includes possible name combinations and sibsets. As you can tell from her photo, Kara is expecting a baby in the near future, and if you read this interview very carefully, you will find out what her name will be.

What is your name?

Kara Yvonne.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

Yes! I’ve always wanted a different name but I’ve never been able to pinpoint which name would better suit me. Kara fits just fine, I’ve just never liked it or Yvonne. Sorry mom! I would consider changing it if I could find the perfect replacement.

How did you become interested in names?

I was into playing The Sims as a teen, so I began browsing naming sites to choose names for the characters. By seventeen, I was making long name lists for future children (or Sims), and it snowballed from there.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

Once I discovered that I was somewhat good at forming first and middle name combinations, (or I at least really liked doing so), I began frequenting forums to help parents find the perfect name. Then I decided to focus all of that into one place and help people on my own turf. It’s been over a year since I started the blog and I’ve helped many people, which is why I started it to begin with.

Do you have a favourite post on The Art of Naming?

The only one that comes to mind recently was about the popularity of names and I included my own little confession in there regarding my daughter’s name. I spent a few hours compiling the data for the chart there and the hard work felt worth the time when I finished. I’m a sucker for data and number crunching.

Do you have any other blogs?

I’ve got social media everywhere! Even a secondary blog where I answer questions, just don’t ask how I find the time to keep up with all of them.
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram.

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names?

I really dislike a misspelled name. I like names with standard spellings (with a few exceptions) and I like names to have some solid history behind them, and a good meaning. So I guess my pet peeve is made-up names, or those that you have to think about for a few minutes before you attempt to pronounce them.

What are some of your favourite names?

Some of my favourites that I won’t be using include girly names like Magnolia, Freya, Coraline, Esme, Lavinia, Aveline, and Amara. For boys, I like August/Augustus, Benedict, Caspian, Constantine, Dante, Jack, Rafferty, and Silas. I can’t help but love unexpected middle names like Essence, Wintress, Frost, or Marvel.

What names do you dislike?

I really can’t stand some of the more trendy names. The whole –aiden trend, for example. Any name with an unnecessary Y or H inserted in there is a no-no. I also dislike the majority of K names, except for Irish ones like Killian. I think that stems from the dislike of my own name, plus recent trends in pop-culture, like the influx of Kardashians. Don’t get me started on names like Nevaeh. I also am not a huge fan of unisex names.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

There aren’t any names that I can think of that I could never use, there are only names I was never able to use. I like to believe that in another dimension, I totally used all the names on my guilty pleasure list. The weirder the better! I think we’re stopping at two kids for now so my actual naming days are quite possibly over. Maybe I’ll get some fish.

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: A secret! But third and fourth are Emma and Caroline.
Boys: James… no, Henry.. no, Jack!

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

Girls: Juliet ….
Boys: Maximus and Vincent.

What are your favourite names that have never charted in the US?

Girls: Amabel.
Boys: Caius?

What is your son’s name?

Maximus Alexander. We chose it for a number of reasons but we also really loved the meaning: ”greatest defender of the people”. We’ve already tasked him with protecting his baby sister and he seems to like the idea, but then again he’s only two.

You’re currently expecting another child – are we allowed to know her name?

She will have a first name and two middle names. The first name is one that we mutually fell in love with and decided on when we first saw an ultrasound picture of her cute little face. The second name is Juliet. And the third name is after my husband’s sister, even though it is extremely popular. I’m sure I’ll reveal it on my page in the next week or two.

What is one thing we don’t know about you?

I am currently in the process of writing a name book. I just need to try a little harder to focus on finishing it. Writer’s block is killer when combined with pregnancy hormones, but I hope to be able to release it in the not-too-distant future! Stay tuned!

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a baby name?

I always encourage people to go with their instincts. If they really love a particular name and can’t get it out of their head, that’s the one. Do not let family or friends influence you. Do not share your names in advance if you can help it so that you can keep them safe: name theft is real! Compromise is difficult between partners but it is totally achievable. Keep your mind open to new name ideas but cling to those you love the most. Sentimental value is always most important; if you have a wonderful reason for loving your name choice, it doesn’t matter at all how popular it is or if someone else has used it. Go for it anyway!

(Picture is a recent photo of Kara, supplied by interviewee)

Gemma and Jewel

06 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by A.O. in Birth Announcements

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain, Facebook, name combinations, sibsets, twin sets, Twitter

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Twins
Luella Miette and Emmeline Maeve

Girls
Alina Dawn (Nicholas, Kiara)
Anika Josephine (Tane, Kieran)
Bonnie Lola
Camilla Elizabeth (Gus, Claudia)
Coco Zara
Doreen “Dora”
Eriana Jade
Essie Florence (Henry)
Gemma Catherine
Greta Geni
Halle Sofia (Rafael)
Isabelle Rosalie (Eva)
Ivy Meyer
Jewel Grace (Chanel)
Kora Mae
Luna Piper
Lydia Ashleigh (Kyra)
Matia Rose (Charli)
Orla McIntosh
Pia Joan (Lenny)

Boys
Ash Julian (Tori, Taj)
Axel William
Beau Francis
Billy McGuffie
Callan George (Hayden)
Chaz Isaac (Zoe, Ikaia, Levi)
Dominik Ivan (Abbey, Sammi, Luka, Hudson)
Ewan Jack (Milla)
Finnlay Karoly (Cailin, Riley)
Harry Lennox
Innes James (Leliyn, Maya)
Jack Dao (Frances)
Jase Leo (Thomas)
KC Robald
Kiah Aaron (Caitlin, Jacob, Sophia)
Kingsley Ryan
Miller Thomas (Charlotte)
Monty Carlin (Saylah, Maya, Elky)
Nash Kyle (Quinn, Archer)
Tanner Reid (Harry, Kaden, Jarran)

Note: Thank you to Abby Sandel from Appellation Mountain for contributing the twins’ names via Twitter.

(Photo of little girls having a tea party from Tiger Tribe toy company, from their Facebook page)

Interview with Nancy from Nancy’s Baby Names

01 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

choosing baby names, classic names, famous namesakes, honouring, names found in cemeteries, names from songs, names of businesses, Nancy's Baby Names, Pinterest, popular names, rare names, Twitter, US name data, US name popularity, US Social Security Administration

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Nancy is the anthroponomastic maven at Nancy’s Baby Names, a rich repository of name information delivered with a wry sense of humour. Nancy has been blogging indefatigably since 2006, making Nancy’s Baby Names one of the oldest baby name blogs out there. She has thousands of blog posts on all manner of names, but especially loves hunting down rare and unusual names, and discovering the stories behind them. Nancy also adores name data – there’s popular names from around the world, and tons of US data from well beyond the Top 1000. At Nancy’s blog you will find names that are bizarre, puzzling, curious … and they are all real.

What is your name?

Nancy Man.

Have you ever wished you had a different name?

I didn’t like the name Nancy when I was young, and I remember asking my parents for permission to legally change it. They laughed at me. These days I don’t mind my name as much, so I no longer think about changing it.

How did you first become interested in names?

The graveyards are what got me hooked, though I don’t think I would have been so fascinated by the names on the headstones had I not been so dissatisfied with my own name.

I was unhappy with my own name because I’d been named for the wrong grandmother (or so I believed throughout childhood). I got the name of the distant grandmother we hardly knew, not the awesome grandmother (Helen) we saw all the time. This was a problem.

The upside, though, was that it made me very curious about names in general. So when I began using a local graveyard as a short cut through town (around age twelve) I couldn’t help but check out all the names. I was especially attracted to the unfamiliar and bizarre names I’d never seen before – Peleg, Huldah, Zenas, Experience, etc.

After exploring that first graveyard thoroughly, I began visiting other graveyards, where I discovered even more curious names, and … that’s how the name obsession began.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

I had an interest in names and a writing habit, so I started a blog in early 2006 to put the two together. My first posts were mostly tongue-in-cheek, but I began to take things more seriously once I started getting traffic and comments.

You seem to have a special fascination with unusual names of real people – how did that come about, and what is the most unusual name you have ever found on a real person?

It must have been the graveyards. In a sea of Sarahs and Johns, you can’t help but wonder about the one random Flavilla or Micajah.

The most unusual name? Wow, that’s tough. I’ll go with one I blogged about recently: Laxative Bromo Quinine. He was born in rural Texas in the early 1900s and named after the medicine that his mother credited with saving his life.

Do you have a favourite post on Nancy’s Baby Names?

I really like the Kasara/Casara post. That name had me stumped for a long time until it finally dawned on me that Kasara was a mondegreen. My extensive knowledge of long-forgotten ’80s pop hits finally comes in handy!

Are there are any other ways to follow you online?

Twitter is probably the best way. Pinterest is another option.

Do you have a pet peeve in regard to names?

My only pet peeve is that the U.S. Social Security Administration doesn’t release all its name data. Other countries do it, SSA, why not us? Come on! Privacy, shmivacy.

What are your favourite names?

I have two types of favourites.

One type, of course, would be the bizarre names: Zeppelina, Captivity, Oleomargarine, Emancipation Proclamation and the like. I especially love the ones that come with cool stories and explanations.

The other would be short, simple classics like Jane, John, Adam, Emma, Paul, and Rose. They’re familiar, unpretentious, and easy to live with. These are the names I’m always recommending to people in real life.

What names do you dislike?

I don’t care for names that are easy to make fun of. Not a fan of Abcde, for example.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

Duncan. I’ve always loved the name, but I can’t say it without mentally adding “Donuts.” (Dunkin’ Donuts is a coffee/donut chain very popular in the North-eastern U.S., where I grew up.)

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: Elizabeth (#10). Runners-up: Hannah (#23) and Sarah (#48).

Boys: Thomas (#61). Runners-up: James (#13) and Sebastian (#45).

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

Girls: Jane (#355). Runners-up: Daphne (#397) and Catherine (#172).

Boys: Duncan (#821). Runners-up: Paul (#198) and Theodore (#170).

What are your favourite names that have never charted in the US?

Girls: Mehitable. It’s a variant of the biblical Mehetabel, though I actually prefer the Mehitable spelling because that’s the way I always see it written on the headstones back home. (I kinda prefer Phebe to Phoebe for the same reason.) I’m slightly surprised that the belle/bella trend hasn’t brought Mehetabel back, even just a little. I wonder if spelling it Mehetabelle or Mehetabella would help…?

Boys: Chucknorris. I was so happy when I discovered this name in the wild, years after wondering aloud (via the blog) if it could possibly exist. It’s like that Walt Disney quote, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” except my version is “If you can dream it, you can find it on a birth certificate.”

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

I like classic names, but my husband prefers trendy names, so finding a name that suits both his tastes and mine would be the goal. I know Chloe would be a contender – it’s been a favourite of his for a while, and it happens to fit my criteria pretty well.

What is something we don’t know about you?

I cannot drink soda, beer, champagne, or anything carbonated. It’s like swallowing shards of glass to me. I’m amazed that so many people find bubbly beverages refreshing.

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a baby name?

This one is tricky to answer without a specific person in mind. For instance, the advice I’d give to the person deciding between Emma and Claire would be completely different from the advice I’d give the person seriously considering Kardashianette.

(Photo shows Nancy at the Grand Canyon, from her blog)

Interview with Kelli from NameFreak!

27 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Blog Reviews

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

baby name blogs, Biblical names, British Baby Names, choosing baby names, classic names, Facebook, fictional namesakes, guilty pleasure names, Instagram, Kelli Brady, name combinations, NameFreak!, Pinterest, popular names, sibsets, Twilight names, Twitter, UK birth notices, US name popularity

namefreak

Kelli Brady is the analytical blogger at NameFreak!, which is a true name nerd’s blog – and of course I mean that in the most complimentary sense possible! There is tons of analysis of American name trends on the blog; I can tell Kelli loves sleuthing through the US data, and is a dedicated list-maker. Kelli has had several name polls on her blog, and for the past couple of years has run Name Madness play offs, where she chooses a wide variety of names on a particular theme, and gets the public to choose their favourite by vote. If you are fascinated by names, but also like to have fun with them, you will love NameFreak!

What is your name?

Kelli Joyce Brady (Brady is a pen name).

How did you become interested in names?

It started when I was maybe seven or eight years old. I remember being obsessed with the names of my friends and my Cabbage Patch Kids, as well as constantly making name lists. The name Samantha was a favourite of mine when I was young because I thought Samantha Joyce (Sammy Jo) would make an awesome name for my future daughter. It’s so fun to know that while her first name changed many times over the years, my daughter’s middle name was never under debate.

What inspired you to begin a name blog?

I started NameFreak! back in 2008 when I was pregnant with my son. I wanted a way to express my passion for names without the limitations of short Facebook status messages. I really only shared the blog with my immediate friends, so it stayed small, and once my son was born, the blog unfortunately fell by the wayside. After I moved to Thailand in 2012, I found myself with a lot of free time. The calling to blog again hit me strongly and I’m so glad it did! I discovered the name blogging community and am now able to share my name passion with a lot more readers!

Do you have a favourite post on NameFreak!?

I love to combine my passions. Being a baseball fan, I love my baseball-inspired name posts. Another passion of mine is Jane Austen, and so the analyses of her novels’ heroes and heroines names are also a favourite. Most of my posts require quite a bit of research, which is another love of mine. My favourite research-oriented post is the study I did on the names of Little Women.

Are there are any other ways to follow you online? 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I do not post on Instagram very often, but I love that the naming community has joined the picture universe. I see so much potential there.

What are some of your favourite names?

I love the classics and am so excited when I hear of a baby Edith or George. I drool over the baby name announcements from Britain. I love biblical names as well. I think it’s safe to I say have favourites in almost every category.

What names do you dislike?

I’m not a huge fan of alternative spellings. There are exceptions however … I mean, my name is Kelli and I think it fits me a lot better than Kelly.

Are there any names you love, but could never use?

My guilty pleasure names come from my love of books/movies/baseball. Eowyn is one of my all time favourites. I also love Esme, but would probably avoid it due to the Twilight craze. And how cute would a little girl named Austen be? For boys, I am smitten with Catcher and Brooks.

What are your favourite names in the US Top 100?

Girls: Anna (#35) and Molly (#90)

Boys: Sebastian (#64) and Oliver (#73)

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

Girls: Paige (#105) and Jane (#340)

Boys: Simon (#255) and Asa (#562)

What are your favourite names that have never charted in the US?

Tamsin (never charted), Elinor (hasn’t charted since 1953), and Linus (hasn’t charted since 1940).

What are your children’s names?

Rachel Joyce and Simon Brent. I explain how we chose their names here.

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

I would fight for Tamsin, but would probably lose. I have brought up Jane early on with both of my pregnancies, but have been shot down by my husband each time. Other names would be Josephine, Paige and Anna for girls, and Linus, Asa, James, and Oliver for boys.

What is something we don’t know about you? 

I have not been able to blog as much lately because I am working on a book! It’s basically my biggest research project ever and taking a lot of time to finish, but I hope to have it out as an e-book this summer. Here is something not name-related as well … After growing up without a desire to ever leave the United States, my current count of countries visited is 26. I’ve definitely caught the travel bug!

What advice would you give someone who was choosing a baby name? 

My naming philosophy is simple. Go with what you love, no matter what other people think. Your child will “make” the name. But there definitely needs to be some regard on the part of the parent. Consider this … after the gift of life, your child’s name is the first gift you give them, and one that they carry forever. What a huge, but fun, responsibility! Embrace it!

How Names Express Themselves in Numbers: Using Numerology to Unlock Hidden Information in Your Name

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Guest Bloggers

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Etsy, Instagram, Madelyn, numerology, Pythagoras, Twitter

Colourful numbers scattered on white

By Madelyn

Madelyn is a long-time follower of Waltzing More Than Matilda, and today she has a guest post on Numerology. This is a method of examining names through spiritual mathematics, and Madelyn shows you how to calculate and interpret the Expression Number in any name using Numerology. 

Numerology is a vast, ancient subject found in numerous cultures, and is full of mysticism and spirituality. But since this is a name blog, I am going to focus on one aspect that could be useful for expectant parents and name enthusiasts – the Expression Number.

Using modern Numerology, based on the assertion by Pythagoras that all things can be expressed numerically, the Expression Number is obtained by adding your first, middle, and last name (as written on your birth certificate), and reveals your strengths and weaknesses. Each Expression Number describes a specific personality type, and can possibly give you reassurance that you have picked the name, or might be useful in narrowing down your ever-growing name list. Who doesn’t want to know if their child will be a leader, or the brains behind the operation?

Values of Each Letter

1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I

J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R

S    T    U    V    W   X    Y    Z

Let’s do a few examples using the leaders of Australia, England, and the United States: Prime Minister Anthony John Abbott, Prime Minister David William Donald Cameron, and President Barack Hussein Obama II. Remember to always reduce the values of each name to a single digit and to use every name that was recorded on the birth certificate.

ANTHONY   JOHN   ABBOTT

1528657    1685   122622

34=3+4=7  20=2+0=2 15=1+5=6

7 + 2 + 6= 15= 1 + 5=6

DAVID  WILLIAM  DONALD  CAMERON

41494  5933914  465134   3145965

22 34=7 23=5 33=6

22 + 7 + 5 + 6=40=4

BARACK  HUSSEIN  OBAMA  II

219132  8311595  62141   1 1

18=9 32=5 14=5 1 1

9 + 5 + 5 + 1 + 1=21=3

You probably noticed in David Cameron’s name I did not reduce David, a 22, to a 4. If you ever encounter an 11 or 22, do not reduce it, because they have their own meanings separate from 2 and 4, and are often called “Master Numbers.” They are no more special than any other number, but in Numerology’s spiritual philosophy, they are considered elevated. There is a lot of power associated with these numbers, but, as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility.

Now, what does each number mean? Below you will find general associations for each number, but for a better understanding of each personality type, I suggest reading this Numerology website.

  • 1 – leader, independent, original, courageous, stubborn, controlling, self-centered, critical
  • 2 – mediator, diplomatic, cooperative, open-minded, intuitive, pushover, vulnerable
  • 3 – communicator, optimistic, inspiring, creative, unfocused, undisciplined
  • 4 – doer/worker, organized, dedicated, methodical, narrow-minded, workaholic, stubborn
  • 5 – free spirit, visionary, charming, adaptable, critical, haughty, disorganised, undisciplined
  • 6 – teacher/social worker, community-oriented, nurturing/loving, artistic, creative, argumentative, self-righteous
  • 7 – philosopher/genius, analytical, studious, rebellious, moody, non-communicative, fearful, reclusive
  • 8 – manager/executive, commanding, efficient, organized, domineering, oppressive, stubborn
  • 9 – humanitarian, polite, charming, idealistic, arrogant, egotistical, hot-tempered
  • 11 – counsellor/prophet, intuitive, sensitive, empathetic, unrealistic, self-effacing, nervous
  • 22 – dreamer, spiritual, high-minded, powerful, nervous, high strung, dominating

Do the politicians’ expression numbers accurately describe them? Let me know in the comments section if you agree or disagree.

* * * * * * * * * *

To further explore the accuracy of the Expression Number, I like to calculate Expression Numbers for writers or physicists or actors. Just for fun, here is a short list of famous people and their expression numbers. And yes, I put Miley Cyrus in a list with Carl Sagan and Leonardo da Vinci. Probably the only time you’ll ever see that!

Alicia Christian Foster (Jodie Foster) – 3

Carl Edward Sagan – 5

Destiny Hope Cyrus – 1

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson – 7

Guillermo del Toro Gómez – 6

James Marshall Hendrix – 1

Jane Austen – 11

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci – 3

Stephen William Hawking – 5

Vincent Willem van Gogh – 1

* * * * * * * * * *

Since every number is considered significant in Numerology, your first name’s numeric value is important. It is a part of you and the equation, after all. Choosing Jack over Jackson or Sophie over Sophia will make a difference. Take a look at the list of popular names from Australia, England, and the United States with their respective numeric values.

Ava

Abigail

Amelia

Charlotte

Chloe

Elizabeth

Ella

Emily

Emma

Evie

Grace

Isabella

Isla

Jessica

Lily

Madison

Mia

Olivia

Poppy

Ruby

Sofia

Sophia

Sophie

6

5

5

3

7

7

3

1

5

5

7

7

5

3

22

3

5

5

7

3

5

5

9

Aiden

Alexander

Alfie

Charlie

Cooper

Ethan

Harry

Jack

Jackson

Jacob

James

Jaxon

Jayden

Lachlan

Liam

Lucas

Mason

Michael

Noah

Oliver

Riley

Thomas

William

6

3

6

11

9

3

7

7

1

4

3

1

5

6

8

11

8

6

2

9

6

22

7

It is interesting that the boys have three Master Numbers listed above, while the girls have one. I think it would be fun to start looking for more 11’s and 22’s for girls and boys. So far I have found Aatos, April, Byron, Caspar, Catherine, Colorado, David, Evelyn, Florin, Forest, Forrest, Garnet, Jesus, Jordan, Lake, Madelyn, Paloma, Rafaella, Shepherd, and Willem, but I’m sure there are many more. Share if you find any!

* * * * * * * * * *

Whether you believe in Numerology’s mystical aspects or not, I do hope this is at least a fun, new way of looking at names. I love unlocking secret codes to find hidden meanings, so calculating Expression Numbers has become a hobby. I use it to narrow down my lists and find preferred spellings of names. I am by no means an expert on the subject; I’m just a name enthusiast.

Please, if you have any questions or if you think this is a bunch of crazy talk, feel free to comment. Also, if I have made a mathematical error, please point it out. Those numbers are important.

Madelyn was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She lives in North Bay and has two shops on etsy called Eustace Eucalyptus and Bertram Bergamot. She loves alliteration and has been fascinated by words since early childhood. If you would like to see pictures of her life – mostly pinback buttons/badges, her dogs and her cats – you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter. 

Name News Round-Up

16 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by A.O. in Names in the News

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

aristocratic titles, Australian Aboriginal names, banned names, birth notices, Births Deaths and Marriages, celebrity baby names, celebrity sibsets, choosing baby names, colour names, locational names, name popularity, name trends, names of mountains, nicknames, royal titles, trademarks, triplet sets, Twitter

news

Banned Baby Names

It was reported in The Age last month that the state of Victoria is banning baby names under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act. This isn’t actually news in the sense of new information – that’s been the situation everywhere in Australia since the mid-1990s, with all states following more or less the same guidelines. It is a reminder that Births Deaths and Marriages has the discretion to reject names that are deemed unsuitable – however, the newspaper report failed to mention that parents can appeal the decision, and appeals have been successful in the past. Names rejected in Victoria included Lord, Princess, Princess Di and Prince (titles), Fireman Sam (trademark), Tit (offensive), and also Glory Hallelujah, New Covernant, Wonderful Beautiful, Anarchy, and Honest Mary, which seem to be Victoria’s idea of unsuitable. Pepper, Jazz, Reef, and Texan Gamble all made the cut however.

The Sunshine Coast Daily reported that “quirky” names were being banned in Victoria. The article said rather smugly that parents were free to choose any name they want in Queensland, whether it be pop culture Khaleesi or traditional Francis Xavier. That seems idiotic, as Khaleesi is allowed in Victoria too – it’s a title, but a fictional one, and not in English – although it’s not as popular as in Queensland. Queensland has the same naming regulations as the rest of Australia, but while the article was smug and silly, there was a grain of truth behind it, because names seem to be very rarely disallowed in Queensland, and it does have a more relaxed naming culture. Moral of the story: if you yearn for a kookier baby name, you are better off moving to Queensland than Victoria.

Radio Audience Help Choose Baby Name

Melbourne’s first baby of 2014 was born at 12.34 am on January 1 at the Royal Women’s Hospital to professional dancers Bessie and George Awad. The Awads couldn’t decide between their three favourite names of Indiana, Marley, and Summer, so they threw it open to listeners of radio station 3AW and its Twitter followers. Indiana was by far the most popular choice of the public, and this was the name they went with. Indiana was also the choice of dad George, who chose it because he thought his baby daughter “looked like a little Pocahontas” (not the most politically correct name story!). Bessie says the name suits Indiana. By the way, don’t you love mum and dad’s names – Bessie and George, adorable.

Baby Name Trends of 2014

Practical Parenting magazine had a slideshow of baby name trends to watch for in 2014, including old fashioned names, boys names for girls, surnames-as-first-names, and literary names. They also gave their predictions of which names would rise this year, and with so many guesses that at least a few of them will be correct.

When Rafael Became Rafferty

Comedian Dave Hughes has been on the blog a couple of times because of his delightfully named children Rafferty, Sadie and Tess – Tess Clementine was even voted the public’s favourite celebrity baby name last year. In an interview this year [story expired] Dave revealed that the first choice for his son’s name was Rafael. Even though this isn’t uncommon in Australia, Dave felt that they weren’t Spanish enough to pull off having a Rafael, so went with Rafferty instead. It’s interesting to wonder what would have happened if they’d gone with Rafael – would they have had two girls named Sadie and Tess? My guess is no: it’s interesting to see how the choice of the first child’s name can influence your other children’s’ names.

An Australian Name in America

A rare set of identical triplets were born in California, named Abby, Laurel and Brindabella – who made their way into the Birth Announcements here. The triplets’ dad is originally from Canberra in the ACT, where the Brindabellas form a mountain range to the west. He spent a lot of time exploring the mountains, and discovering a love of nature – he and his wife were married in the mountains in 2007, when they wed on top of Mount Franklin. Brindabella was named after the mountains of her dad’s home town, and although it sounds unusual next to her sisters, Brin or Bella will excite little excitement. Brindabella either means “two kangaroo rats” in the local language or “water running over rocks” with a European -bella added to mean “beautiful”.

True Blue 

Business Insider reported on websites which allow people to connect for the purposes of co-parenting. They aren’t dating websites, but provide an opportunity for single people who want children to match up so they can start a family together. The story featured Australian man Fabian Blue, who has moved to Nebraska in the United States to be with his co-parent, Dawn Pieke, and they have a one-year-old daughter together named Indigo. While Indigo is a common name in Australia, Indigo Blue has a nice ring to it.

Name Inspired By Royal Visit

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have just arrived in Australia, and 60 years ago Queen Elizabeth made her own royal tour. Dorothy Williams remembers the day that the queen came to Bendigo in regional Victoria, because she was in hospital after having given birth to a baby girl. The hospital beds were placed close to the window so that patients could see the queen being driven through the hospital gates. Dorothy named her daughter Pamela after Pamela Mountbatten, the queen’s lady-in-waiting. Lady Pamela is a first cousin of Prince Philip, and was a bridesmaid at his wedding to Queen Elizabeth. In 1954, Pamela was the #12 girls name in Victoria, just one place behind Elizabeth. I wonder how many of the 426 Pamelas were named after Lady Pamela, and how many of the 429 Elizabeths were named for the queen?

They First Met in the Local Birth Notices

I read a lot of birth notices, including from the Port Lincoln Times, so was interested to see this story about Olivia Fairclough. She and her twin sister Belinda were born on October 8 1975, and while researching softball history in the local paper, Olivia happened to come across their original birth notice, published October 16 1975. To her amazement, she saw that her husband’s birth notice was published below it – Martin Sheridan was born on October 9 1975 in Western Australia, but his grandparents in Port Lincoln announced the birth in their home town. He later moved to Port Lincoln, and he and Olivia have been married for five years. Keep a copy of the birth notices for the day your baby’s birth is announced: their future spouse may be in it.

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