An Australian of sorts...

For many Australians, especially those living overseas, when it comes time to name their child they often want to give them a name that reflects Australian history or culture and remains as an ever standing link between them, their child and Australia. This has always been a common occurrence however an increase in names that reflect upon Australia was most recently sparked by the birth of the late Heath Ledger’s daughter, Matilda. Whilst German in origin, Matilda has been adopted as an Australian name through its mention in the ballad Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Paterson. Some Australian’s will strongly argue that this ballad should in fact be the Australian national anthem. Since the birth of Matilda Ledger (?) there has been a rise in the popularity of the name Matilda, which is generally seen after any sensible or even not so sensible celebrity baby name choice. Take the Affleks choice of Violet as a solid example. Even Nicole’s Sunday Rose is a tribute to prominent Australian Art Patron Sunday Reed. Although some say it pays tribute to the Whitsunday Islands where Nicole spend her 40th birthday.
If you want to pay homage to this great country of Australia, yes I am a little biased, there are plenty of other fantastic names for you to choose from. Following is a list I have compiled that contains names for both boys and girls from Australian history and culture. It is certainly not a complete and total list but more of a guide to show people there is more to Australian-esque baby names than Matilda and Jack.

Happy reading!


Adelaide : The Capital of South Australia, named after Queen Adelaide. Adelaide was Australia’s only site of free settlers, not convicts. Adelaide is increasing in popularity as a girls name as people look back to traditional names.
Acacia : Acacia Pycnantha is the scientific name of Golden Wattle, Australia's floral emblem. It is used and recognized as a girls name but is nowhere as common as Violet or Rose.
Alexander : The Alexander was one of the convict transport ships that travelled with the First Fleet delivering 195 male convicts to Sydney Cove in 1788.
Azaria : Made famous as the name of the baby who was claimed to have been stolen by a dingo at Ayers Rock. Her Mother was later convicted of her murder.
Banjo : Banjo Patterson is an Australian poet best known for his ballads and poems; Waltzing Matilda, The Man From Snowy River and Clancy of the Overflow. Australian actress Rachel Griffiths has a son named Banjo.
Charlotte : The Charlotte was one of the convict transport ships that travelled with the First Fleet delivering 128 male and female convicts to Sydney Cove in 1788. Charlotte carried the famous convict escapee Mary Bryant.
Eddie : Eddie Mabo was a Torres Straight Islander who became famous as a campaigner for Indigenous land rights. His involvement in a High Court case that overturned the premise of Terra Nullius in regards to land and title is his most famous achievement. Eddie passed away in 1992.
Edmund : Sir Edmund Barton was Australia's first Prime Minister upon federation in 1901. Edmund is no longer a popular choice for boys, most people prefer Edward. It would be nice to see more Australians using the name Edmund.
Elizabeth : Queen Elizabeth is the Queen of Australia and the name Elizabeth was also born by Elizabeth Thackery, said to be the first member of the First Fleet on shore at Botany Bay. She is also noted as the last female survivor of that fleet.
Henry : Many important Australians have held this name, including captains of the first fleet also Sir Henry Parkes. Parkes was most notable for his role in the federation of Australia gaining himself the title, ‘Father of Federation’. The town of Parkes in New South Wales is named in his honour.
Jack : From a diminutive of John meaning ‘man’, Jack can be seen as a shortening of the title Jackaroo. A Jackaroo is a young man who works on a cattle station in outback Australia, a profession romanticized by many early Australian authors.
Matilda : Is a popular choice in Australia due to its links to the unofficial national anthem 'Waltzing Matilda'. The name was shot even more into the spotlight after the birth of Matilda Ledger. Australian TV presenter David Koch also has a granddaughter named Matilda who he frequently talk about during morning show, Sunrise.
Matthew : Matthew Flinders was a well known explorer who navigated Australia. He has an Australian university named in his honour, Flinders University in South Australia. Matthew is a popular choice for boys.
Ned : Ned Kelly was a famous Australian bush ranger and head of the Kelly gang. Although technically a criminal Ned is somewhat of an Australian bush legend.
Opal : An opal is a precious stone commonly found in outback Australia. Whilst popular many years ago Opal waivered but with the resurgence of other stone names like Ruby, Opal has started to appear again.
Sydney : Sydney is Australia’s most well known capital city, despite it not being the country’s capital. Sydney was aptly named after the British Home Secretary Lord Sydney in 1788. Whilst Sydney used to be a popular male name over the last decade it has become a popular choice for girls.
Talia : Talia is a common name in Australia and comes from several origins. The one origin that does link the name to Australia is that it is reported to be an Aboriginal word meaning 'near water'. Talia is also the name of well known TV presenter Melissa Doyle’s daughter.
Victoria : Victoria pays homage to the Australian state of Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne. The state in turn is named after Queen Victoria. Whilst the name was very popular several years ago it has remained a well loved choice for Australian parents.