Tag Archives: underused names

Girls Names from Australian Children’s Literature

17 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists, Requested Names

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This week it is Children’s Book Week, which is run by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Librarians and teachers everywhere will be thinking up exciting new ways to encourage children to read, while the CBC has awarded prizes to the best new Australian children’s books. I thought it would be fun to join in the celebrations, and many of the books chosen are classics and award winners.

Amaryllis
I know two characters with this name. One is Amaryllis “Ryl” Mereweather, from H.F. Brinsmead’s Pastures of the Blue Crane (1964), about a teenage girl who inherits an old shack in northern New South Wales. (Name nerd bonus info: H.F. Brinsmead stands for Hesba Fay – Hesba is derived from the Greek hesperus, meaning “western”). The other is in Sally Odger’s fantasy Amy Amaryllis (1992), about an ordinary Australian girl named Amy Day who switches identities with a girl named Amaryllis Loveday, from a magical world named Ankoor. Amaryllis is a Greek name meaning “to sparkle”, perhaps to suggest sparkling eyes. In Virgil’s pastoral poems, The Eclogues, Amaryllis is a beautiful shepherdess, and the poet makes a play on words to suggest that her name comes from Latin amor, “love”. The amaryllis flower is often known as “Easter lily” in Australia; it is named after the literary character, so this is not just a simple flower name. Unusual and lovely, Amaryllis comes with a host of possible nicknames, including Amy, Ryl, Rylla, Lily, Lissy, and Mary.

Beatrice
In Playing Beatie Bow (1980) by Ruth Park, Beatie Bow is a local legend, a game that children play to frighten each other. But when teenage loner Abigail watches the game, she is brought to the Sydney of one hundred years earlier by a strange girl named Beatrice “Beatie” Bow. This classic is a YA time-travel historical mystery adventure with a dash of romance, and so firmly grounded in The Rocks area of Sydney that you can follow every step of Abigail’s journey. (Name nerd bonus info: Abigail’s parents named her Lynette, but when her parents separate, she chooses Abigail for herself, because it’s an “old witch” name). Beatrice is the Italian form of Beatrix, very famous because of the beautiful muse in Dante’s Divine Comedy. The name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, including by royalty; Princess Beatrice of York was named after a daughter of Queen Victoria, but itwas used in the royal family long before. It’s also a Shakespearean name, because in the comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice is the witty heroine. Beatrice was #50 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1930s; by the 1960s it had left the charts. It made a modest comeback in the 1990s, after the birth of Princess Beatrice, and has remained around the 500-600 level. This is an elegant retro name which has long remained underused. Bea is the usual nickname, although Beatrice Prior from the Divergent series goes by Tris.

Blossom
Little Ragged Blossom is one of the main characters in May Gibbs‘ Snugglepot and Cuddlepie series (1918-40), featuring her plump “gum nut babies”. Blossom is a poor little gum-blossom girl, alone in the world until she gains the friendship and protection of gum-nut boys Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. From then on, she is part and parcel of their adventures, and not infrequently plays the role of damsel in distress, such as when she needs rescuing from the wicked Banskia Men. Even now, I cannot see a gum tree in bloom without imagining the flowers as little blossom girls … The word blossom is used for flowers that grow in masses and clusters, especially on trees, and evokes spring and freshness. Blossom has been used as a girl’s name since the 18th century, and is probably more common as a nickname, such as aviation engineer Maxine “Blossom” Miles, or a middle name, such as jazz singer (Margrethe) Blossom Dearie. On television, Blossom was one of the Powerpuff Girls, and Blossom Rosso the floppy-hatted heroine of sitcom Blossom. Ultra-feminine, quirky and cool, could Blossom be the ultimate flower name?

Celia
Feeling Sorry for Celia (2000) is Jaclyn Moriarty’s side-splittingly comic début epistolary YA novel. Private school girl Elizabeth spends most of her time fretting over her best friend Celia, whose life is one self-caused drama after another. However, a pen-pal programme with the local public school teaches Elizabeth how real friendship works. Celia is the feminine form of Caelius, a Roman family name traditionally derived from caelum, Latin for “heaven”. However, the Caelii traced their ancestry to the Etruscan hero Caeles Vibenna, so the name probably isn’t Latin in origin. It may come from Cel, the Etruscan earth goddess who is the equivalent of Gaia; her name means “honoured”, and the Etruscans named the month of Celi (September) after her. I like the idea of an earthy goddess becoming connected with heaven. Shakespeare used the name for an attractive, serious character in As You Like It, and Ben Jonson wrote the poem Song to Celia, which became Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes. These writers sparked interest in Celia as an English name in the 17th century. This literary name is both rare and traditional, and doesn’t seem out of place next to popular names like Olivia and Sienna.

Dot
Ethel C. Pedley’s posthumous novel Dot and the Kangaroo (1899) is about a five-year-old girl named Dot who wanders off into the bush and gets lost. She is befriended by a kangaroo who has lost her joey, and gives Dot some magic berries that allow her to understand the speech of animals. It has a strong conservationist message in regard to our native flora and fauna, which is still very much needed. The book was the first to show Australian animals in a genuine Australian setting, and became an immediate favourite. Dot is a short form of Dorothy which dates to medieval times, and has been used as an independent name at least since the 17th century. This adorably pert little name could honour a Dorothy, and also works well in the middle.

Esther
Ethel Turner’s Seven Little Australians (1894) is the only Australian book to be continuously in print for more than a century. Featuring a family of mischievous, lovable army brats who live in Sydney’s outer suburbs, it is surprising how little it has dated. Blended families, teen rebellion, obsession with body image, schoolgirl crushes, and discipline problems … all topics of interest more than a hundred years ago too. The seven little Australians are Meg, Pip, Judy, Nell, Bunty, Baby, and The General; their father is stern Captain Woolcot and stepmother (The General’s mother) is Esther. Esther is beautiful and sweet, but barely older than her eldest step-children, and incapable of really mothering them. Hilarious, heart-warming, and tragic, this is one of Australia’s best-loved children’s books. In the Bible, Esther was a Jewish queen of a Persian king; her story is the basis for the Jewish holiday of Purim. The meaning of Esther is much debated. It may be from a Semitic word meaning “star, morning star”, or a Median word meaning “myrtle” (the translation of her Hebrew name, Hadassah). Another theory is that it comes from the Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar (Ishtar also represents the morning star, Venus). Esther was #73 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1920s. It reached its lowest point in the 1950s and ’60s at #379, but has climbed since then, and isn’t far outside the Top 100 in Victoria. This underused classic is very much on trend at present.

Harriet
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild (2000) is a picture book written by kidlit doyenne Mem Fox, illustrated by Marla Frazee. Harriet Harris is a toddler who doesn’t mean to be naughty, but trouble follows in her wake without her even trying. Harriet’s mother is a calm woman who doesn’t like to yell, but Harriet pushes her to breaking point. The book helps explain to littlies why parents lose their cool. (Name nerd bonus info: Mem Fox’s full name is Merrion, but she has always gone by Mem). Harriet is the English form of Henriette, the feminine form of French Henri, and thus a feminine form of Harry. Harriet was #122 in the 1900s, and left the charts in the 1930s. It returned in the 1970s, and has been climbing ever since. Last year it was one of the fastest rising names of 2013, and joined the Top 100 at #89. Cute and spunky, it can be shortened to Hallie or Hattie – Hattie is a hen in Mem Fox’s Hattie and the Fox (1986).

Josie
Josephine Alibrandi, known as Josie to her friends, features in Melina Marchetta’s breakthrough YA novel, Looking for Alibrandi (1992). A coming of age story, its smart-mouth heroine is in her last year of school, dealing with boys, family, exams, mean girls, and her father, who left when she was a baby and has suddenly reappeared in her life. Looking for Alibrandi was an instant success upon publication, and has been called “the most stolen library book”. Josie is a short form of Josephine, used as an independent name since the 16th century. It has sometimes been given to boys, as a short form of Joseph or Josiah. Josie first ranked in the 1920s at #291, and left the charts in the 1940s. It returned in the 1970s, and climbed before peaking in 2009 at #175. This is an underused retro name which doesn’t sound old-fashioned, but sassy and stylish.

Liesel
Liesel Meminger is the young girl in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief (2005), set in Nazi Germany during World War II, and narrated by Death himself. Liesel is illiterate at the start of the story, but through learning to read, discovers a lifelong love of words, and finds solace in stealing books to share with others. Against a backdrop of fear and horror, the story shows that books can feed the soul even in our darkest hours. The story does end up having an Australian connection, and a specific Australian setting is used in a very unexpected way. Liesel is a German pet form of Elisabeth, pronounced LEE-zel. Although it’s never charted in Australia, this charming name is very familiar because of Liesl from The Sound of Music, and swimmer Leisel Jones.

Norah
Norah Linton is the heroine of Mary Grant Bruce’s Billabong series (1910-42). Making her début in A Little Bush Maid at the age of twelve, Norah lives at Billabong Station in northern Victoria. She’s a hardy, spirited tomboy who loves horse-riding, camping, and fishing, and is a total daddy’s girl. The books haven’t aged too well, but Norah is an ancestor of other feisty, independent Australian heroines, such as Ryl Merewether and Josie Alibrandi. Norah is a variant of Nora, a pet form of names such as Honoria and Eleanor. It’s often thought of as particularly Irish, and records show many Norahs of the 18th century were born in Ireland. Hip and arty, Norah is fast growing in popularity in both the UK and US, and already popular in Europe, but almost unknown in Australia. It deserves serious consideration by those keen to get ahead of the trends.

Thank you to Manday for suggesting the name Liesel be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda, and for recommending The Book Thief be added to this list.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Beatrice, Harriet and Norah, and their least favourite were Josie, Blossom and Dot.

(Picture shows cover of Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild, from Mem Fox’s website)

Irish Names for Boys

15 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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It was very hard to choose just ten Irish boys’ names, as there are so many commonly used Irish names for boys in Australia, especially if you include Irish surnames. It’s not surprising when you consider our strong Irish heritage, and because the Irish were here from the beginning of European settlement, they were never marginalised as happened in other countries.

Famous Australians with Irish heritage include bushranger Ned Kelly, Peter Lalor who led the Eureka Rebellion, actor Erroll Flynn, artist Sidney Nolan, rock singer Doc Neeson, philanthropist Daisy Bates, and our greatest prime minister, Ben Chifley. Those alive today include Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Minogue, surfer Mick Fanning, Socceroo Lucas Neill, author Tom Keneally, and former prime ministers Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd.

A reminder I haven’t included any names with fadas (accent marks), as they aren’t permitted in all states and territories.

Aidan
Anglicised form of Aodhán, a pet form of Aodh or Áed, meaning “fire” in Old Irish; there are many characters from Irish mythology named Aodh. St Aidan of Lindisfarne was an Irish-born monk known as the Apostle of Northumbria; he was famous for converting people by simply walking from village to village, politely chatting with people and introducing them to Christian beliefs by helping them in their daily lives. The name Aidan first ranked in the 1970s at #533, and by the 1980s was already #177. Aidan joined the Top 100 in 1993 at #92, and peaked in 2008 at #51. Currently Aidan is #99 in Victoria and #102 in the Australian Capital Territory. The Aiden spelling is more popular: this first charted in the 1980s at #368, joined the Top 100 in 1997 at #62 and peaked in 2009 at #35. Currently Aiden is #41 nationally, #45 in New South Wales, #45 in Victoria, #65 in Queensland, #47 in Western Australia, and #39 in the Australian Capital Territory. Even combining spellings, Aidan/Aiden is only #51 nationally. This doesn’t seem as if Aidan is very popular, yet it still has a reputation as an “overused” name because of the massive trend for sound-alike names, such as Hayden, Brayden, Caden, Jayden, Zayden etc. Aidan is #50 in Ireland and #43 in Northern Ireland.

Cian
In Irish mythology, Cian was a god and father of the hero Lugh of the Long Hand. According to folk tales, Cian possessed a magical cow which produced a superabundance of milk. During a quest to recover his cow after she had been stolen, he seduced a princess who had been locked up in a tower (it was the princess’ father who had stolen the cow). The tale sounds very much like the Greek myth of Danae, and the princess was imprisoned for the same reason – a prophecy said that the princess’ father would be killed by his grandson. Lugh the Longhand was born from this union, and eventually the prophecy was fulfilled when Lugh killed his grandfather in revenge for locking his mother in a tower. The name Cian means “long, enduring, far, distant” in Gaelic, and is pronounced KEE-in. It is often anglicised to Kian, which is in the 400s in Victoria. Cian is #15 in Ireland.

Connor
Variant of Conor, Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Conchobhar, meaning “lover of hounds”. There have been several real life Irish kings with this name, including a High King, and also the legendary Conchobhar mac Nessa, who was unsuccessfully married to both Queen Medb and Deirdre, but had many other wives. The name is the basis for the Irish surname O’Connor, meaning “grandson of Conchobhar”, and the Clan O’Conchubhair is a royal Irish dynasty whose lineage has provided one hundred kings of Connacht, and two High Kings of Ireland: some members of the noble O’Conor family of Ireland are the living descendants of the last High King of Ireland. Connor is a truly royal name, which must have an influence on its use. The name Connor has charted since the 1980s, debuting at #418. It joined the Top 100 in 1994 at #83, and peaked at #21 in 2003. Currently it is #43 nationally, #74 in New South Wales, #61 in Victoria, #33 in Queensland, #31 in Western Australia, #40 in Tasmania, and #69 in the Australian Capital Territory. Connor is #97 in Northern Ireland; Conor is #5 in Ireland and #17 in Northern Ireland.

Darragh
Variant of Dara, derived from from the Gaelic for “oak grove”. The oak was sacred to the Celts, and the word druid is directly related to the word for oak. The city of Derry in Northern Ireland has the same meaning. Darragh can also be an Anglicisation of the Old Irish name Dáire, meaning “fertile, fruitful, virile, sexually aroused”, but also “agitated, raging, violent, tumultuous”. It’s a very explicit meaning in regard to masculine sexuality, suggesting a sort of bestial lust. The Darini were an ancient peoples from Northern Ireland, and it would seem that Dáire was their ancestor or ancestral god. Several Irish noble families and Scottish clans claim descent from the Darini, as do the current British royal family. There are many kings and heroes from Irish legend named Dáire, but folklorists believe they are ultimately versions of the same mythological figure, who may have been a god of the battlefield. Darragh can be pronounced DAH-ruh, or DA-ra, and may seem like an updated Darren to Australians. Darragh is #20 in Ireland and #30 in Northern Ireland; Dara is #86 in Ireland, and Dáire is #88 in Northern Ireland.

Finn
Both the older Irish and Anglicised form of Fionn, meaning “blond, fair, white, bright”. Its most famous namesake is the mythical warrior and giant Find mac Cumail, transcribed in English as Finn McCool. Finn was a nickname – his real name was Deimne, meaning “sureness, certainty”, and gained his nickname after his hair turned prematurely white. Finn was brought up by a warrior woman who trained him in war and hunting, then he studied under a poet and druid. One day Finn was cooking a mystical salmon for his master which would give him all the knowledge in the world: he burned his thumb in the process, and instinctively put his thumb in his mouth to cool it, swallowing a piece of salmon skin. This gave Finn the wisdom of the salmon, and whenever he needed to draw on its power, he needed only to suck his thumb. Finn’s followers were called the Fianna, and it is from them the Fenian Brotherhood gained their name. According to legend, Finn is sleeping in a cave beneath Ireland, and will one day awake to defend Ireland in her hour of greatest need. Finn first charted in the 1990s at #287, and by 1997 was already in the Top 100 at #88. Currently it is #62 nationally, #68 in New South Wales, #60 in Victoria, #76 in Queensland, #40 in Western Australia, and #30 in the Australian Capital Territory. This is a handsome popular name that has helped drive the popularity of names such as Flynn and Finlay. Finn in #38 in Ireland and #56 in Northern Ireland; Fionn is #27 in Ireland and #70 in Northern Ireland.

Lorcan
Anglicised form of Lorcán, derived from the Irish Gaelic word for “fierce”. There have two been ancient Irish kings named Lorcán, and a medieval saint Lorcán Ua Tuathail whose name is Anglicised to Lawrence O’Toole. St. Lorcán was of royal blood, and became Archbishop of Dublin. He played a prominent role in the religious reform of the 12th century, spearheading a movement of spiritual renewal while bringing the church in Ireland closer to Rome. He was admired by both members of the church and the secular community for his many acts of charity to the poor – much needed at the time due to a severe famine. This is a cool Irish name which could be an alternative to names as Lachlan, Liam, or Declan. Lorcán is #67 in Northern Ireland.

Malachy
Anglicised form of Máel Sechlainn, meaning “follower of St. Seachnall”. St. Seachnall is an obscure 5th century Irish bishop who seems to have been of Italian origin; his name may be an Irish form of the Latin name Secundus, meaning “second (born)”, as he is also known as St. Secundius. The modern spelling of Malachy has been influenced by the Hebrew name Malachi, meaning “my messenger”, and therefore understood as “my angel”. However, Malachy is pronounced MAL-uh-kee, not MAL-uh-kie. There have two medieval High Kings of Ireland named Malachy, and also a St. Malachy, who was the first native-born Irish saint to be canonised. The saint’s name is an Anglicisation of Máel Máedóc, meaning “follower of St. Madoc”; Madoc was a 7th century Irish monk, and his name may come from the Welsh for “fortunate”. Malachy is an attractive name in occasional use, and AFL footballer Liam Picken has a young son named Malachy.

Oscar
Believed to mean “deer friend”. In Irish mythology, Oscar was the son of the warrior Oisin (“young deer”) and the fairy queen Niamh; he was the grandson of Finn McCool, and one of his warriors. Oscar was killed by a member of the increasingly corrupt Fianna, and upon his death, Finn wept for the first time in his life. The name Oscar was popularised in the 18th century by the poems of James McPherson; Napoleon was a great admirer of McPherson and gave his godson Oscar as one of his middle names. Later Napoleon’s godson became Oscar I of Sweden, and the name Oscar became traditional in Scandinavia. The Irish writer Oscar Wilde may have received his name because his mother collected Irish folk tales, but perhaps also because his father had travelled in Sweden, where he received honours from King Carl XV – Carl had a son named Oscar, born two years before Oscar Wilde, and sadly the little prince died just months before Oscar Wilde’s birth. Oscar was #103 for the 1900s, and sank before leaving the charts in the 1940s. It returned in the 1970s at #478, joined the Top 100 in 1998 at #98, and the Top 50 in 2004 at #47. Currently Oscar is #24 nationally, #27 in New South Wales, #20 in Victoria, #39 in Queensland, #34 in Western Australia, #19 in Tasmania, and #20 in the Australian Capital Territory. This tough, masculine yet snuggly retro name is more popular than it has ever been. Oscar is #61 in Ireland and #64 in Northern Ireland.

Ronan
Anglicised form of Rónán. Irish and Scottish legend tells of selkies, who swim in the sea as seals, but can shed their sealskin and become human on land. Male selkies were handsome and seductive; female selkies were said to make excellent wives, but could never forget their true home, and would gaze longingly out to sea – selkie tales are nearly always romantic tragedies. The children born of selkie women were called ronans, or “little seals”. The lovely film The Secret of Roan Inish, set in Ireland, is about the selkie legend, and an Irish animated movie is due to come out this year on the same topic. St. Ronan was an educated Irish bishop who sought exile in Brittany and a peaceful life as a hermit. A magical fairytale name that sounds smooth and handsome, Ronan could replace popular Ryan; it will remind many of Irish singer Ronan Keating from The X-Factor. Ronan is #52 in Ireland and #40 in Northern Ireland.

Rory
Anglicised form of the Irish Gaelic name Ruaidhrí or Ruairí. The name means “red king”, referring to fox-coloured hair. There have been many Irish kings named Ruaidhrí, including Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland before the Norman invasion. Rory has charted since the 1950s, debuting at #289; after a bumpy start (when it sank to #420 in the 1960s) it began climbing steadily, and peaked in the late 2000s at #125. Currently it’s in the mid 100s, and this is a rare example of a modern classic which has never become popular. Not only underused, Rory is cute but with a “tough boy” vibe, and could be an alternative to popular Riley, or fashionable Remy. Rory is #42 in Ireland and #44 in Northern Ireland; Ruairí is #81 in Ireland and #74 in Northern Ireland.

POLL RESULTS
The public’s favourite names were Finn, Rory and Oscar, and their least favourite were Lorcan, Cian and Darragh.

(Picture of a Harbour Seal or Common Seal from the Belfast Telegraph)

What Would You Name a Sister for Allegra?

14 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Imogen and Charles are expecting their second child later this year, and while they have had no difficulty choosing a boy’s name, they are struggling with girls’ names.

The couple already have a daughter named Allegra, and her name was always such a stand out for them that nothing else ever had a chance. Now they wish they could find that perfect name again: one that is strong, but still feminine, and not in the Top 100. It also has to be something that isn’t overshadowed by Allegra. Allegra has two family names as her middle names, one of which is Claire.

Imogen and Charles’ Short List

  • Iris
  • Clara
  • Margot
  • Greta
  • Greer

Other names they like (as an idea of their tastes):

  • Celine
  • Viola
  • Virginie
  • Sloane
  • Inneka

Charles favours the name Margot, while Imogen prefers Clara, Greta, and Greer. However, they have recently come up with Iris together, and at the moment this is their front runner.

Claire is a middle name which all the women in Imogen’s family carry, and they will use it again, unless they choose Clara as the first name. Their surname begins with H and ends with an -ee sound eg Hillary, Hardesty.

Imogen would love to know what people think of their name list, and if they have suggestions for other names they might like.

* * * * * * * * * *

This is such a common problem with a second baby – the name you chose for your first child was so utterly perfect it didn’t need to be thought about, but the name for the second doesn’t come as easily. Of course you want your second daughter to have a name as equally beautiful, distinctive and loved as her elder sister, and it will happen, even if it takes a bit more work to get there.

Iris
I went for a walk this morning, and saw a garden where there were some winter-blooming blue irises; I thought what beautiful flowers irises are, and what a lovely name Iris makes. I know Iris is your front-runner at the moment , and it’s probably my favourite on your list too. It does seem both strong and feminine, and I don’t believe it’s overshadowed by Allegra – it has its own style, and a beauty all it own. I also like that it’s a name you both chose together.

Clara
This is one of my favourite names, but I’m not sure about it with Allegra. You probably know that Allegra was the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, and her name was actually Clara Allegra – she went by her middle name. To me the two names seem a bit too much as sisters, especially as poor little Clara Allegra didn’t have a long life.

Margot
This is interesting, because just a few weeks ago a couple wrote in to the blog considering the name Margot for their second daughter. Margot suddenly feels like a name of the moment! No wonder, as it’s such a beautiful, stylish choice, and a great favourite with the public too, if the poll attached to the earlier post is anything to go by. I do like the way Margot sounds with your surname, and Allegra and Margot are gorgeous together.

Greta
Greta is definitely a strong name, and isn’t overshadowed by Allegra. Somehow when I say the two names together, they sound rather alike to me … They both have a strong GR and short e sound in them, and end with an -a sound. Some people really like similar-sounding sibling names like this, but I must admit to preferring them to sound more distinctive.

Greer
You seem to really like the GR sound in names! In theory, Greer should be the best match with Allegra as neither of them have ever charted, but to me this has the same issue as Greta, but even more so. Allegra and Greer almost seem to run into each other, as if Greer is the final syllable in Allegra given a little twist.

Other names you might like

  • Beatrice or Beatrix
  • Celia or Cecilia
  • Cora (a little like Clara)
  • Cosima (another Italian name, like Allegra)
  • Dahlia (another flower name like Iris)
  • Genevieve
  • Ingrid or Sigrid (other GR names)
  • Isadora
  • Marguerite (as you seem to like “Margaret” names)
  • Miriam
  • Pearl (literal meaning of Margaret)
  • Saskia
  • Seraphina or Sapphira
  • Theodora or Thea
  • Vivian or Vivienne

To me, all these names are very feminine, but still have strength to them, and they don’t seem mis-matched as sisters to Allegra. None of them are any more popular than the 200s; most are lower than that, and many don’t chart at all or have never charted.

However, I wonder if you have already picked out the perfect name? Good luck with your name search, and do let us know what name you eventually choose.

Readers, what do you think of the names Imogen and Charles are considering, and do you have any suggestions of names they might like?

UPDATE
The baby was a boy, and his name is Fitzpatrick!

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite choice for a girl’s name to go with Allegra was Iris, with 39% of the vote, and Margot was close behind at 35% of the vote.

(Painting shown is Irises by Vincent Van Gogh, 1889)

Is Margot the Next Big Thing?

24 Saturday May 2014

Posted by in Naming Assistance

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Margot-Robbie-Wallpapers-14-624x630Melissa and Luke have a little girl named Audrey, and are expecting their second child in a few months. Audrey doesn’t have a middle name, since they have a hyphenated surname, and this will be the case for the new baby as well, whether it’s a boy or a girl.

Mel and Luke have quite compatible naming styles, with both preferring traditional or slightly retro names. Mel likes the idea of older names which are familiar, but not overly common; however, a popular name isn’t an issue unless it seems “trendy”.

Mel and Luke’s Name List
Girls – Genevieve, Margot, Eliza (not in order)
Boys – Elliot is the front runner, but Mel can’t seem to let go of Theo, Sonny, and Remy. These last three names were possibilities for Audrey’s name if she had been a boy, and went on and off the list during the last pregnancy too. Mel thinks that the reason she feels uncertain about them is because they feel too “nicknamey”.

Luke’s preference for a girl’s name is Genevieve, but Mel worries it’s slightly too clunky, and doesn’t much like the nickname Jenny/Genny. Mel’s preference is for Margot, which she thinks is quite spunky, but every time Luke sees actress Margot Robbie in a magazine, he says that he’s concerned that Margot is going to be the next celebrity-inspired trendy name. Mel thinks that it’s celebrity baby names which are more likely to become trendy, not the names of celebrities themselves.

Mel wants to know whether a celebrity name like Margot might really become too trendy as a baby name, and would be especially interested to know what we think of their boys names? In particular, what about Sonny? Is it a “proper” name?

* * * * * * * * * *

I love all the girls names you are considering. I must say, I never thought of Genevieve as clunky before – it’s so elegant, but with real substance. Jenny was the usual nickname for Genevieve during the loooong period that Jennifer was popular, but these days I think Evie is the more obvious short form.

Margot is simply gorgeous, and so stylish. I think one thing Margot Robbie has done for the name is give it more oomph, because I didn’t really think of it as a “sexy” name before (in fact it seemed quite cool and intellectual to me).

That’s an interesting question about whether celebrities or their children are more likely to influence popular names. I had a look at the Top 50 girls names, and I noticed that a few names do seem to have been influenced by celebrities.

Mia first charted in the 1960s, at the same time as Mia Farrow became known from soap opera Peyton Place, but didn’t reach the Top 100 until the 1990s. Olivia first ranked after Olivia Newton-John’s career started, and appeared in the Top 100 in the late 1970s. Sienna has ranked since the 1990s, but suddenly took off in the 2000s when Sienna Miller began her career, and reached the Top 100 almost instantly. The name Isla only began charting in the 1990s, when Isla Fisher joined the cast of Home and Away, and it became a Top 100 name in the late 2000s.

So I can see where Luke’s concerns come from – he’s thinking, “Sienna Miller and Isla Fisher were pretty young women in the magazines a decade or so ago, and now there’s thousands of Siennas and Islas. What if the same thing happens with Margot?”

Well, for a start, there can be quite a wait before the name becomes popular – Mia took thirty years! And even if it happens relatively quickly, as with Olivia, Sienna and Isla, there might still be 10-15 years between the names beginning to be known, and becoming popular. To me it feels as if celebrity baby names have a more immediate effect on name popularity.

And there’s another thing to consider: Mia, Olivia, Sienna, and Isla were “new” names, in that they had never been in the charts before. Margot has already been in the charts – which in my view, saves it from being a “trendy name”. It charted from the 1930s to the 1970s, coinciding with the career of ballerina Margot Fonteyn, and it never became popular – the highest it got was #218.

At the moment there’s not really any sign of an imminent Margot revival, although in 2012 six babies were named Margot in Victoria (where Margot Robbie began her career); just enough to show up in official data. So, while anything is possible (and Margot is rising in both the UK and US), it still seems a safe choice, as far as trendiness goes.

I rather hope one of you will convince the other to choose either of these names, as they are both so lovely. Otherwise, there’s always Eliza, which both of you like, and which makes a wonderful match with Audrey.

Elliot is a great choice for a boy, and I think it’s brilliant as a brother to Audrey, although I suppose it does make having an Eliza later a bit less likely. However, there’s those three names you just can’t quit …. I’ve had that experience too, of those names you just can’t give up, even though you keep tossing them off the list, and I know family and friends who have been through the same thing.

In my experience, two things might cause this issue:

  • The name you keep being drawn to is the right name, and your head just keeps over-ruling your heart by coming up with excuses like, “Too nicknamey”.
  • The name is one that you genuinely love, but a more sensible part of you knows that no matter how desirable the name is, it’s not really right for you. (This is the part of your brain that stops you from buying a stunning evening gown that you know you will only wear once, or from going trekking in Nepal with five children under the age of six).

I can see that part of the reason you can’t really say Yes or No to the names is that you originally picked them for your first child. If you had had a boy first, you could have taken these names with you to the hospital, and one might have been a perfect fit and you would have called your son Sonny (or Remy, or Theo). Or you might have realised they weren’t for you after all, and your son would have been Elliot (or Leon or Hugh or something else). But instead you had Audrey, so you never got a chance to try them out for size in the real world.

I think you should stop throwing them off your list, and grant them amnesty. Wait until the baby is born, because you might be bringing Audrey home a sister rather than a brother anyway, and once again the names could end up in the Maybe One Day category of baby names.

But if you do have a son, this will be your chance to try the names out on a real live little boy. Maybe Remy (or Theo or Sonny) will be so completely his name that you will finally understand why your heart could never let that name go. Or maybe you’ll think they are lovely names, but not quite right after all.

They don’t really seem to be traditional or retro, which you said was your style, but then again, neither is Elliot, exactly. I wonder if your style is actually traditional or retro for girls, and something more modern for boys? I’ve noticed that we Australians often seem to like girls to have fairly conservative names, but will choose contemporary names for our boys. Theo, Remy and Sonny are cute and modern-sounding, although Remy is not a “nickname” name – it’s French for the Latin name Remigius. I think they’re all adorable, and very cool.

As to whether Sonny is a “proper” name: to me if you are allowed to put a name on the birth certificate, it’s a “proper” name. Yes, its origins are definitely nicknamey and affectionate, like Buddy and Buster, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a real name. It’s been in use since the 16th century, so it has a surprisingly long history, and it’s actually in the Top 100 and rising in the UK, while in the US it has charted consistently since the 1920s. So not only is it a “proper” name, it isn’t even very new or very uncommon.

What do you think, readers? Will Margot Robbie make the name Margot trendy? Is Sonny a proper name? And what do you think of the names Mel and Luke have chosen?

UPDATE: The baby was a girl, and her name is Margot!

POLL RESULTS: A majority of people felt that Margot was a safe choice, with 34% thinking it probably wasn’t coming to become trendy, and 22% saying that it couldn’t become trendy, as it was already an established name. However, there were still plenty of people who weren’t convinced of this, with 27% believing it probably would become trendy, and 8% absolutely sure it would become trendy. A cautious 9% weren’t sure what the future held for Margot.

A majority also thought that Sonny was a proper name, with 40% saying it wasn’t exactly a traditional name, but still acceptable, and 16% deciding that it definitely was a proper name. A tolerant 4% believed that all names were “proper names”. However 32% thought Sonny was more of a nickname, and 8% were adamant that Sonny wasn’t a real name at all.

Margot was the clear favourite for a girl’s name, with 50% of the vote going to Margot, 28% to Eliza, and 22% to Genevieve.

Elliot was the favourite for a boy’s name, with 39% of the vote going to Elliot, 33% to Theo, 18% to Remy, and 10% to Sonny.

(Photo is of Margot Robbie)

Waltzing with … Anastasia

24 Sunday Nov 2013

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southern cross

On November 29, it will be the 159th anniversary of the first flying of the Eureka Flag at Bakery Hill, in the goldfields town of Ballarat in Victoria. This flag was that of the Ballarat Reform League, formed to protest the regulation of the gold diggings, with the goal of having miner’s licenses abolished. It was necessary to pay 8 pounds a year to dig for gold, and the license had to be paid whether the miners found any gold or not.

The Reform League tried to negotiate with the authorities, but they were treated as a rabble, and police reinforcements were brought in to quell them. On November 29 1854, a meeting was called, and the Reform League announced their peaceful tactics had not worked. The miners decided on open resistance, and burned their mining licenses in protest. The next day, they constructed a stockade, a makeshift wooden barricade, and prepared to defend it.

On December 1, the Eureka Flag was consecrated, and the miners swore a solemn oath upon it to stand by each other and defend their rights. Two days later came the Eureka Stockade, Australia’s first, and only, violent act of civil disobedience. A hopelessly one-sided battle, the rebels were swiftly and brutally overcome by the military, with more than twenty of the diggers killed. However, there was such public support for the captured rebels in Melbourne that the hated mining licenses were abolished, and there was a complete overhaul of the goldfields administration.

The Eureka Flag is thought to have been designed by a Canadian miner called Henry Ross, showing five eight-pointed stars of the Southern Cross on a dark blue background, joined together with a cross representing unity. The background was probably inspired by the blue work shirts worn by the miners. According to local legend, the flag was handstitched by three women of the Ballarat goldfields – Anastasia Withers, Anne Duke, and Anastasia “Annie” Hayes.

Anastasia Hayes was a fiery-tempered redhead who had survived the potato famine in Ireland, and was tough enough to cope with life on the goldfields. Her husband was one of the leaders of the Eureka Rebellion, and Anastasia had attended the political meetings with him. Still breast-feeding her last baby at the time, she gave medical aid to miners injured during the rebellion, including assisting with surgery. Later deserted by her husband, Anastasia brought up their six children alone, supporting herself as a teacher.

Anastasia Withers is said to have sacrificed her white lawn petticoat to make the stars for the Eureka Flag. Anne Duke is believed to have been one of the women who sewed the stars for the flag, and was inside the Eureka Stockade during the battle, hiding while she listened to bullets hit the cooking utensils in her tent. Heavily pregnant at the time, she gave birth just a few days later under a cart on the road to Bendigo. Henry Ross was killed during the Eureka Stockade, but the flag he designed has gone on to become a potent symbol of rebellion against oppressive authority.

Anastasia is the feminine form of Anastasios, meaning “resurrection” in Greek; the name was chosen by early Christians in honour of the resurrection of Christ. Saint Anastasia of Sirmium was a 4th century martyr, and the only saint who has their feast on Christmas Day. Because of the meaning, the name Anastasia is sometimes chosen for baby girls born during the Easter season.

Anastasia has been used in England since the Middle Ages, but was more common in Eastern Europe, where it has been used amongst royalty and nobility. The most famous of these is the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, youngest daughter of Nicholas II, the last emperor of Imperial Russia. Reportedly a lively and even mischievous teenager, she was executed by the Bolshevik secret police with the rest of her family in 1917.

However, there were persistent rumours she had managed to escape and gone into exile, and several women claimed to be Anastasia. It became one of the great urban legends of the twentieth century, the subject of many books and several films. Recent DNA testing has conclusively proven these rumours false, and the supposed Anastasias either imposters, or suffering from delusion. Anastasia, and all her family, have been canonised as martyrs by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Anastasia was #226 in the 1900s, but left the charts the following decade – perhaps the death of the Grand Duchess in 1917 made the name seem an unfortunate choice. Anastasia began ranking again in the 1950s at #484 – my guess is because of the 1956 film Anastasia, starring Ingrid Bergman, which hinted that Anastasia could still be alive. That slender hope was enough to resurrect the name Anastasia in the Australian charts.

The name Anastasia peaked in the early 2000s at #140, not long after the release of an animated movie called Anastasia in the late 1990s, loosely based on the 1956 film. It suffered a sharp drop in popularity in 2010, the year after it was confirmed that Anastasia had been killed during the Russian Revolution. Since then it has recovered somewhat, and is now #176 in New South Wales and #150 in Victoria.

Anastasia is a retro name, but doesn’t sound old-fashioned in the least, and has remained in constant use since the 1950s without ever becoming popular. For many years its fortunes have been tied to a mysterious member of the Russian Imperial family, but with her sad riddle finally solved, it can hopefully move on and be judged on its own merits.

Anastasia is a vital part of Australian history, and a very patriotic name. It is beautiful and elaborate, although too strong and meaningful to be “frilly”. But don’t let anyone tell you it’s a princessy name, or suggest that an Anastasia sounds fragile and dainty. Anastasia is a rebellious heroine; a woman tough enough to survive a battle, but still have the heart to care for the wounded. She isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, or too prissy to tear up her own petticoat for the cause.

If you have a little Anastasia, she is part of a proud tradition, and you will be reminded of her name every time you see the shining stars of the Southern Cross.

Name Combinations for Anastasia

Anastasia Chloe, Anastasia Juliet, Anastasia Lucy, Anastasia Mathilde, Anastasia Paige, Anastasia Sophie

Sisters for Anastasia

Genevieve, Hermione, Isabelle, Madeleine, Seraphina, Temperance

Brothers for Anastasia

Calvin, Joseph, Kai, Lucas, Sebastian, Xander

POLL RESULT: Anastasia received an approval rating of 85%. 41% of people thought it was a good name, while 33% loved it.

Requested Name: Susannah

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

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Susanna_merleSusannah is a variant of Susanna, which is from the Greek form of the Hebrew name Shoshannah, meaning “lily”. It may be related to the Egyptian word for “lotus”, and in modern Hebrew it is also understood as “rose”. There is a lot of debate as to which lily the Old Testament means when it says shoshannah – most likely it is the water lily, but others believe it is the flower we call the Madonna lily.

The story of Susanna appears in the Old Testament. According to the story, Susanna was a beautiful Hebrew wife of Babylon, married to a rich man. One day she was secretly watched while bathing in her garden by two lecherous old men. The peeping toms then confronted her, and told her that unless she gave herself to them, they would tell everyone that she has been meeting a young man in her garden.

Despite the two men being elders and judges, Susanna refused to give in to their blackmail, and was soon arrested, to be executed for adultery. At that point, a youth named Daniel sprang forward, and demanded that Susanna receive a fair trial. Intuitively aware the men were lying, Daniel cross-examined the two men separately and found a flaw in their witness testimony – one man claimed that Susanna was meeting her lover under a small tree, while the other said it was a large oak.

Susanna was acquitted, and the two old men put to death in her place for bearing false witness. Although it was a happy result for Susanna, the point of the story is to extol the intelligence and justice of Daniel, the future prophet, who from that moment forth is seen as something out of the ordinary.

In the Bible used by Catholics, Susanna’s story is one of the chapters in The Book of Daniel, but Protestants give it its own (very short) book. They don’t accept it as genuine Bible history, because it doesn’t appear in any Hebrew texts – it was originally written in Greek. However, they leave it in because it’s a nice story; Martin Luther described it as “beautiful religious fiction”. You could even see it as Biblical fan fiction.

There is a Susanna in the New Testament as well, who is mentioned in Luke. She was one of a group of women who were disciples of Jesus, and supported his ministry from their own funds, remaining faithful through his arrest and execution. These women were called The Myrrhbearers, because it was they who prepared Jesus’ body for burial and who bore witness of his empty tomb; they are regarded as apostles to the Apostles.

The name Susanna or Susannah has been used since medieval times, in honour of the Susanna from the Old Testament, but only became common after the Protestant Reformation, probably with the New Testament Susanna in mind. It has many variants, including Susan, Susana, Susanne, Suzanne and Suzette, and is used in many countries in different forms.

Susannah has appeared only sporadically in the charts in Australia, and has never been popular. The highest it’s ever been is #218 in the 1900s, and it also had a resurgence in the 1970s at #389, and in 2009 at #521. Currently it doesn’t chart at all.

Compare that to Susan, which has been almost continually on the charts, and was the #1 name of the 1950s. The 1950s was also the peak for Suzanne, while Susanne peaked in the Top 100 of the 1940s, and Susanna in the 1960s at #376. The other Su- names can all be dated to a particular decade, while Susannah isn’t tied to one specific era.

Susannah commemorates a beautiful Biblical heroine who preferred death to sullying her virtue, and whose story had a happy ending. Despite its pure lily-like meaning, to me it seems a cheerful, sunshiney name – it makes me think of bright yellow daisies more than pale lilies. Susannah is one of those names which seems bright and bubbly for a little girl, but smart and professional for a grown woman.

The fact that it is so familiar (and even similar to popular Savannah), yet so underused, must make it an attractive prospect for parents who are searching for a name which is different, but not too different; a name which has a history, but doesn’t sound dated. It could honour a Susan or a Suzanne, and its nicknames include Sue, Susie, Sukie, Sanna, Sunny, Annie, Zannah and Zuzu.

Thank you to Jamie for suggesting the name Susannah to be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda

POLL RESULT: Susannah received a highly creditable approval rating of 79%. People saw the name Susannah as sweet and wholesome (21%), familiar yet underused (21%), beautiful or pretty (18%), and a happy, sunshiney name (14%). However, 6% thought it was plain and boring. Only one person thought the name would get confused with Savannah.

(Painting shown is Susanna at Her Bath by Hugues Merle, 19th century)

Diminutive Names for Girls

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Name Themes and Lists

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6729_1302317773These short days of winter seem like the perfect time to cover names which are diminutives, nicknames, pet names, and short forms of names, but can also be used as full names.

Annika

Annika is a Swedish diminutive of the name Anna, so it’s one of those cases where the pet form of the name is longer than the name itself. The name became well known in the English-speaking world through Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking books, because Annika is the little girl who lives next door to Pippi and is one of her friends. There are several variants of the name, such as Anneka and Anika, although while Anneka is said exactly the same way as Annika (AN-ih-ka), Anika is pronounced a-NEE-ka, and is also an Indian name. Annika has charted since the 1970s, and peaked in 2010 at #165; it’s now #196. Although in regular use, it’s never become popular. I think it’s pretty; in fact I wish this had been used as my own nickname!

Elsa

Elsa is a short form of the name Elisabeth. This name reminds me of the 1930s, as there were several prominent Elsas active during those years. One was stylish Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who was Coco Chanel’s greatest rival in pre-war Paris. Another was bohemian actress Elsa Lanchester, who studied under Isadora Duncan and played the “Bride of Frankenstein” on film. American hostess Elsa Maxwell threw lavish parties for the rich, including a scavenger hunt in Paris which disrupted the entire city. In fiction, Elsa is the heroine of Wagner’s opera, Lohengrin, and the pretty and fashionable young mistress in Françoise Sagan’s Bonjour Tristesse. The name may also remind you of Elsa the lioness, from the non-fiction books and movies, Born Free and Living Free. Similar to fashionable Elsie, but with a sophisticated European twist, this name has gained more attention since Chris Hemsworth married lovely Spanish actress Elsa Pataky. Elsa is #297 in Victoria.

Heidi

Heidi is a short form of the name Adelheid, the German form of Adelaide. This name became well known in the English-speaking world due to the best-selling children’s book, Heidi, by Johanna Spyri; the story of a curly-haired young orphan girl growing up in the Swiss Alps with a gruff, hermit-like grandfather. Although it was translated into English in the late 19th century, the name Heidi only became famous after the 1937 movie was released, starring Shirley Temple. Heidi first charts in Australia in the 1940s, and ranks in the 1950s, debuting at #527. The name skyrocketed to peak in the 1970s at #74. Heidi dropped out of the Top 100 in the 1980s and sunk to #213 in the 1990s – the band Killing Heidi probably didn’t help. It climbed again, and was Top 100 in 2010, then fell the next year. Last year it was one of the fastest-rising names for girls, rising to #76 nationally. It is currently #87 in New South Wales, #85 in Victoria, #72 in Queensland, #57 in Tasmania and #55 in the Australian Capital Territory. This is a spunky little name which just won’t give up – it keeps climbing up and down the charts as if they’re the Alps, but like little orphan Heidi, our hearts can’t let it go.

Jinty

Jinty is a Scottish pet form of Janet, a variation of French Jeanette. One prominent person with this name is British historian Dame Janet “Jinty” Nelson. You may also have heard of the Scottish-born Australian artist and designer, Jinty Stockings. There used to be a British girl’s comic called Jinty, much loved by readers for its bizarre storylines which dealt with dystopian futures, school bullies with mind control, mermaid mothers and the like. There is also a steam locomotive named Jinty in The Railway Series on which the kid’s TV show Thomas and Friends is based;  small tank engines were once nicknamed “jinties” by railwaymen. I saw this name in a birth notice a while ago, and was charmed by its jauntiness. Although it’s not a common name in Australia (I found only one woman named Jinty in Australian historical records and that may have been a nickname), there’s something vaguely Australian-sounding about it. Perhaps it’s partly because it sounds like Jindy, the affectionate name for the town of Jindabyne, which comes from an Aboriginal word for “valley”.

Lola

Lola is a short form of the name Dolores, taken from a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Maria de los Dolores, meaning “Mary of Sorrows”. The title refers to the Catholic devotion, the Seven Sorrows of Mary, reflecting on sad events during Mary’s life as the mother of Jesus. Despite this serious meaning, Lola is usually thought of a fun and even sexy name, and this can be attributed to Lola Montez. Born Eliza Gilbert in Ireland, she was beautiful and exotic-looking, and billed herself as a “Spanish” dancer. Her routines were considered salacious, and she was even more famous as a courtesan, being the mistress of Ludwig I of Bavaria. Lola toured Australia in 1855 where she enraptured audiences but attracted controversy; her beauty manual is illustrated by Australian cartoonist Kaz Cooke. After Ms Montez, Lola was a bad girl name, inspiring songs about showgirls, girls from bars in SoHo, and girls who get what they want. Lola was #203 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1930s at #74, leaving the Top 100 the following decade. It was off the charts between the 1960s and 1990s, returning in the 2000s at #393, coinciding with the publication of the Charlie and Lola book/TV series, where the name got a new image as that of a lively little girl. Lola has been Top 100 since 2010, when it debuted at #97. It is currently #75 nationally, #86 in New South Wales, #59 in Victoria, #61 in Tasmania, #92 in Queensland, and #62 in the Australian Capital Territory. Cute yet alluring, it’s hard to resist the charms of this retro name.

Mimi

Mimi is a short form of all the Mary names – Mary, Marie, Maria, Miriam, and so on, although in practice it is used as a nickname for almost any name with an M sound in it. Some famous Mimis include Miriam “Mimi” Macpherson, actress Miriam “Mimi” Rogers, singer Mei “Mimi” Choo, and children’s author Mimi King. Mariah Carey is called Mimi by her family and close friends. Sometimes it is used as a pet form of certain male names; an example of this is Mislav “Mimi” Saric, who plays soccer for the Adelaide Raiders. The most famous fictional person of this name is Mimi from Puccini’s opera, La bohème; Mimi’s real name is Lucia, so Mimi can be used as a generic “cute” nickname. Mimi has an Australian connection, because in the Indigenous folklore of Arnhem Land, the Mimi are a race of spiritual beings who are often referred to as “Australian fairies”. Mimis are extraordinarily long and thin, and live in rock crevices. They taught humans how to hunt, cook and paint, and are usually harmless, but can be mischievous. The name Mimi is pronounced mee-mee, and seems to be rarely chosen as the name on the birth certificate. That seems unfair, when many brief, and perhaps insubstantial, names are highly popular for girls.

Nellie

Nellie is a pet form of Nell, a medieval short form of names such as Helen, Ellen and Eleanor. Australia has had two famous performers with this name. One of them is Dame Helen “Nellie” Melba, the charismatic operatic prima donna who reigned at London’s Covent Garden during its golden age. During her career, she was invited to sing for many of the royal heads of Europe, and was mobbed by fans, just like pop singers are today. The other is Eleanor “Nellie” Stewart, a beautiful singer and actress who made her name playing Nell Gwynn in Sweet Nell of Old Drury; after that she was always known as “Sweet Nell”. She starred in Sweet Nell, one of Australia’s earliest films. Nellie was #31 in the 1900s, and left the Top 100 in the 1930s. It hasn’t charted since the 1950s – coincidentally or not, that was the decade the enduring children’s song Nellie the Elephant was released. This vintage name is now a very hip choice, and I’m sure we will see more of it. It is currently #494 in Victoria.

Pippa

Pippa is a short form of the name Phillipa. It gained fame in 1841 when Robert Browning published his play-poem, Pippa Passes, which has the famous lines, God’s in His heaven/All’s right with the world! The Pippa of the poem is an innocent young silk-winder named Felippa, nicknamed Pippa. Pippa seems to be more readily accepted as a full name in Britain and Australia than elsewhere, and I used to think of it as a “soap opera” name, because there were two Pippas in Home and Away, and actress Pippa Black had a leading role on Neighbours. However, since 2011 we’ve all connected the name to Phillipa “Pippa” Middleton, who became an immediate sensation after appearing at her sister Catherine’s wedding to Prince William. The name is already Top 100 in Victoria, where it is #73, Queensland, where it is #84, and Tasmania, where it is #93. Other states to follow? Probably.

Romy

Romy is a German short form of Rosemarie, although it can also be used as a male name, possibly short for Romeo or Roman. The most famous person with this name is probably German-Austrian actress Rosemarie “Romy” Schneider, who gained fame in France during the 1960s and ’70s. In the 1990s, the name got some publicity with the release of ditzy gal-pal comedy, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, with the role of Romy played by Mira Sorvino. The name has been picked up by several celebrities, including cricketer Ed Cowan and his wife Virginia Lette, who welcomed their daughter Romy last year. Suzi Catchpole from Australian website Babyology lists Romy as a name with “swagger and sass” – it’s certainly very hip at the moment, a cool twist on popular Ruby and Rose. The name is pronounced RO-mee, like the first two words in the sentence, Row me to the shore.

Willa

Although Willa can be used as a short form of Wilhelmina and other names, it is actually a full name in its own right (so it’s slightly cheating to include it). It is the English form of the medieval French name Guilla, a feminine form of Guillaume – the French form of William. Famous people named Willa include novelist Wilella “Willa” Cather, New Zealand actress Willa O’Neill, and singer Willa Ford, whose real name is Amanda Modana – her stage name comes from her original surname, Williford. Another Willa is young actress Willa Holland, who has starred in The OC and Gossip Girl TV series. The Alternative Guide to Baby Names lists Willa as an Aboriginal name meaning “wife”, but the author doesn’t say which language it is from; in a language from the Melbourne region, willa means “possum”. There are so many place names here that begin with or contain Willa-, such as Willa-Willa Ridge near Adelaide, and Willa Willyong Creek near Broken Hill, that the name does have a rather Australian feel to it. Willa has been gaining in popularity, not only riding the success of its brother name, William, but providing a hip alternative to popular Willow. It is #468 in Victoria.

POLL RESULT: People’s favourite names were Elsa, Pippa, and Willa, and their least favourite were Heidi, Mimi, and Jinty.

(Picture of silver coin in commemoration of Dame Melba from Perth Mint)

Requested Name: Genevieve

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

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T6070702123509

The name Genevieve is in common use because of one woman – Saint Genevieve, one of the patron saints of Paris. Genevieve was born in the 5th century, and embarked on a holy life at an early age, because she was only a little girl when she was consecrated to God. She became a nun while still a teenager, and after the death of her parents, went to live in Paris in a religious community. Genevieve lived an austere and pious life, with frequent visions of heavenly saints and angels, and works of charity.

In 451 Attila and his Huns were sweeping over Gaul, and the inhabitants of Paris prepared to flee in terror. Genevieve encouraged them to trust in God, and urged them to pray, telling them that if they did so, Paris would be spared. Apart from anything else, this was sensible advice, because it restored calm to the city, and of course Paris would have been taken at once if its citizens had evacuated. Attila turned his hordes towards Orléans, leaving Paris untouched. (Fortunately Orléans didn’t come to any major harm, and the Huns were eventually defeated).

Some years later, Paris was taken by the Frankish leader Childeric. During the siege, Genevieve distinguished herself through many acts of self-sacrifice, and because of her diplomatic efforts, Childeric, and his successor, Clovis I, showed unusual clemency towards the citizens of Paris. Clovis I made the city his capital, which was the start of Paris becoming one of the great capital cities of the world.

A hill on the city’s Left Bank where Saint Genevieve prayed is still known as the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, and on top of it is the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, the main reference library for students from the nearby Sorbonne, which inherited the writings and collections of a medieval abbey where St Genevieve is said to have been buried. It has been at the heart of French culture and education from the beginning. One of the library’s directors in the 20th century was Geneviève Boisard, so the saint’s name lived on in many ways.

Another famous French namesake is the legendary Genevieve de Brabant, a noblewoman falsely accused of infidelity who lived in a cave with her young son, fed by a helpful deer, until her husband found her after discovering her accuser’s treachery. The story is based on the true story of Marie de Brabant, wife of the Duke of Bavaria, who was suspected of adultery due to a mix-up in the mail, tried, and beheaded in 1256. When it was proved that the verdict had been invalid, the duke had to do penance. The change of name from Marie to Genevieve is almost certainly due to the cult of Saint Genevieve (the deer seems to be borrowed from the legend of Saint Giles).

The meaning of the name Genevieve is obscure. In medieval times the saint’s name was recorded as Genovefa (Latinised as Genoveva), a Gaulish name which may come from the ancient word for “tribe, family”, related to the word for “born”, and thus a distant relative of the word Genesis (which comes from Latin, but from the same ancient roots). Suggestions that Genevieve is a Gaulish form of Guinevere or Jennifer are persistent but most likely fanciful (for a start, Guinevere is already a French form of a name – it doesn’t make much sense a name would two different French forms).

The French spelling of the name is Geneviève, and in English, we remove the accent mark over the name, which also changes the pronunciation to JEN-uh-veev. I won’t attempt to reproduce the French pronunciations, which differ  depending on someone’s accent – a Parisian will say Geneviève differently to a French-speaker from Brussels or Montreal.

Genevieve has charted in Australia since the 1930s, entering the charts at the same time as Jennifer. I suspect that Genevieve was seen as a slightly more exotic version of Jennifer, but while Jennifer went straight into the Top 100 from nowhere, Genevieve debuted at the more modest #306. I think in some ways Genevieve has had the advantage, because while Jennifer peaked in the 1950s and enjoyed a lengthy afterglow of popularity lasting many decades, Genevieve has never been higher than #214. Currently Genevieve is #279 in New South Wales, where it is still out-performed by Jennifer at #260. In Victoria, Genevieve is #179, and Jennifer #206.

Genevieve is an elegant French name, which has remained in constant use here for many decades, without ever becoming popular. It’s pretty and feminine, but not in the least frilly – in fact, it sounds quite intellectual because of its importance to French culture. Its saintly namesake was a woman of brains and courage, and its legendary namesake part of a romantic fairytale which corrects the cruel injustice of real life.

In the past, the most common nicknames for Genevieve were Gen, Genna or Genny (still influenced by Jennifer), but you could also use Ginny, Genie, Gigi, Neve, Eva, Eve, Evie, Viv, Viva or Vivi.

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

POLL RESULT: Genevieve received an approval rating of 83%, making it one of the most admired names of the year. People saw Genevieve as intelligent and sophisticated (21%), beautiful and romantic (20%), pretty and elegant (18%), and not overused (10%). However, 9% preferred the French spelling and pronunciation of the name. Nobody thought that Genevieve was “too French”.

(The photo shows a view of the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, which is
in one of the oldest parts of the city. In the distance you can see the dome of the Panthéon,which was built over a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve, and according to legend, where her relics were kept)