May Day - births from the month of May

A cross section of Australian births from the month of May.

Heather Ashlinn

Charli Jane

Anya

Mirabai

Annie Mary

Giselle Jennifer

Melodie Ann

Tahlia Marian

Lola Emmy Jacinta

Sophie Jane

Lacey Jade

Alexis Adriana 

Allison Leigh

Molly Grace

Charlotte Jane

Michaela Angelina

Ava Pearl

Anneliese Lydia

Phoebe Anna Iris

Lara Paige

Lyla May

Joshua William Horatio

Eden Isaac

Angus Gregory

Zac Oliver

Tyler John

Marcus Christian Lawson

Jett Noah

Lucas Christopher

Darcy Scott

Riley James

Noah James

Harvey James

Nash James and Harry Charles

Lochie Ross

Oliver Marcus

Blake Travis

Hugo Louis

My personal favourites are Anneliese Lydia and Hugo Louis.

Did you find any that you like?

Feel free to leave a comment...

London Lovelies

Having spent some time in the UK and having every intention to return there to reside and work for some time, it's no real surprise that I also often peruse the birth announcements from the London papers.

Australian naming trends are influenced not only by Australian pop culture and partially by trends in the US but a large influence can be seen coming from the UK. Our charts and trends tend to in part follow the UK's 1-2 years behind. We are also seeing plenty of 3 name combos coming from the UK at a steady rate which have perhaps influenced the rise in the trend of 3 name combos over the past 6 months.

So instead of being behind the 8 ball why not jump forward and check out some names that are being used right now in the UK.

Here are a selection of my favourite names from The London Times birth announcements over the past month:

Girls

Abigail Rosie Ann

Amelia Alice Louise

Annabella Rose

Charlotte Anne

Charlotte Catherine

Clare Sophie Allison 

Chloe Irina

Darcey Kay

Elizabeth Katherine

Elodie

Evie Alice

Flora Francesca 

Florence Rhiannon 

Isabella Jane Grace

Isla Rose

Isobel Mary

Jasmine Constance

Leonora

Lily Beatrice

Lily Eliza Mary

Lola Violet

Lottie Sophia Molly

Georgia

Georgina Lily

Grace Joanna Beatrix

Perdita

Phoebe Alexandra Rose

Rose Violet

Sacha Jane Marion

Tatiana Helena

Violet Ottoline

Willow Imogen Rosie

Boys

Alexander George

Alex William Cooper

Benjamin Samuel

Charles Joseph

Edward James

Freddy Lewis Charles

George Aiden Brooks

Harris George Finlay

Harry William

Henry James

Hugo Richard Paul

James Edward

James Robin Donald

Martin Michael

Max Noel

Oliver George

Samuel Anthony

Theodore William

Tobias James

Thomas Brendan

William Eldon

Xavier Christopher

Find any you like?

Logie winning names for futures stars

With the recent Logie awards I thought it would be an interesting idea to look back at some of the names of Gold Logie nominees and winners.

Many people are exposed to new and different names through tv and  the influence of pop culture can be seen weekly in birth announcements Australia wide. 

The Gold Logie really is a popularity contest with the award going to the most popular personality on Australian tv by way of public votes. Whilst this list contains more female names than male names it is a reflection on the gender balance of Gold Logie nominees and winners. There are significantly more females nominated then males and the male stars have been a core group of well known tv personalities dating back to the early 90's whilst the women seem to change and cycle through quicker.

Without further ado, some logie winning names for your future tv star!

Ada - Girls name of English, German and Polish origin. Can be considered a short form of Adelaide meaning 'noble kind/sort'. Ada Nicodemu , nominated in 2005 for Home and Away

Bridie - Girls name of English and Gaelic origin meaning 'exalted one'. Bridie is a form of Bridget. Bridie Carter, 2 nominations for McLeod's Daughters

Dieter - Boys name of Germanic origins meaning 'people army'. Pronounced Dee-ter. Dieter Brummer nominated 1996 for Home and Away

Georgie - Girls name of Greek origins meaning 'earth worker'. Often used as a short form of Georgia / Georgina and Georgiana. Georgie Parker has many nominations and wins for roles in A Country Practice and All Saints.

John - Boys name of Hebrew origin meaning 'God is gracious'. John Wood, 6 nominations 1 win for Blue Heelers and John Howard, 2 nominations for All Saints.

Kate - Girls name of Greek origin meaning 'pure'. Kate Ritchie. Winner 2008 for Home and Away, several nominations.

Natalie - Girls name of Italian origin meaning 'Christ's birthday'. Natalie Blair. Nominee 2008 for Neighbours

Rebecca - Girls name of Hebrew origin meaning 'to tie'. Rebecca Gibney Gold winner 2009 for Packed To The Rafters

Rove - Surname and Boys name of Swiss, Italian and Nordic origins meaning 'wolf' and 'renown'. Rove McManus. Multiple nominee, Winner 03,04,05  for Rove Live

Sigrid - Girls name of German origin meand 'Fair Vistory'. Sigrid Thornton - nominated 2001 for SeaChange 

Simmone - Girls name of Hebrew origins meaning 'listening'. Generally spelt Simone. Simmone Jade Mackinnon . Nominee 2009 for McLeod's Daughters

Fashionable names for Fashion Week

Today heralds the start to Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney. A week where we watch people parade garments we know we'll never wear and if we do we know they wont look like that on us!

Fashion heralds some interesting names, not just the names of the designers and labels themselves but also the names of the models. The most common designer baby names out there include Chanel and Dior followed by Louis. Paris, being the fashion capital of the world could also be thought of as a fashionable name, however one person who has made the name famous has removed most of the class from the name.

Feast yourselves on this selection of fashionable names, but not too much or you wont fit that size 6! (on a side note, is anyone actually a size 6?!)

Anna (AN uh) Girls name of Hebrew and Latin origin meaning 'grace and favour'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Anna and Boy

Aurelio (aw Rey lee oh) Boys name of Latin, Italian, Spanish and Portugese origins meaning 'golden'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Aurelio Costarella

Camilla (Kah mi lah) Girls name of Latin origin meaning 'Altar Server'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Camilla and Marc

Christopher (Kris tof ur) Boys name of Greek origin meaning 'Bearer of Christ'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Christopher Esber

Dion (dee ON) Boys name of French and Greek origins meaning 'of Zeus'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Dion Lee

Ellery (ELL eh ree) Boys and Girls name of Latin origin meaning 'cheerful'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Ellery

Fernando (fehr NAN do) Boys name of Spanish origin meaning 'intelligent and brave'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Fernando Frisoni

Gail (gayl) Girls name of Hebrew origin meaning 'Father in rejoicing'. Gail is a form of Abigail. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Gail Sorronda

Ginger (JIN jer) Girls name of Latin origin meaning 'spring-like and flourishing' and also of English origin simply referring to the spice. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Ginger and Smart

Jayson (JAY sun) Boys name of Greek origin meaning 'healer'. Jayson is a form of Jason. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Jayson Brundson

Karla (KAR lah) Girls name of German origin meaning 'free man'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Karla Spetic

Marnie (MAR nee) Girls name of English origin meaning 'pet form of Marna'. Fashion Week Connection: Designer: Marnie Skillings

Nicola (NIK oe la) Girls name of Greek origin meaning 'victory of the people'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Nicola Finetti

Sara (Sah Rah) Girls name of Hebrew origin meaning 'princess'. Fashion Week Connection: Designer: Sara Phillips

Therese (Tey rehz) Girls name of French and Greek origin meaning 'harvester'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Therese Rawsthorne

Wayne (wane) Boys name of English origin meaning 'cartwright'. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Wayne Cooper

Willow (wil o) Boys and girls name of English origin meaning simply 'willow' from the willow tree. Fashion Week connection: Designer: Willow

Clothing by Camilla and Marc (2009)

Wrapping up April

Before a look at the last batch of births for April an apology goes out from April - Round 1. The child from New Zealand with 4 given names actually has 5, this has been amended to include Avril, which ironically is the French form of April, a name I rather like.

On to the last of April...

Yet again more three name combos have appeared than usual and mostly on boys. A selection of these include twins Griffen Raymond Cahill  and  Lucas Kevin Reilly, Tiannah 
Isaiah Darius, Harry 
Douglas Robert, Patrick James Murray Emily Victoria Rose and Estella Jaclyn Maria.

As the Rudd Government stimulus package hit people not only went crazy with their money but they must have been lulled into a sense of financial security as this is the first time in months there have been many out there choices. With the country officially in recession it was predicted people would move towards strong, simple and classic names to secure a stable future for their child. Whilst this generally has been proving true with many many rather boring and repetitive choices there still have been some standouts which are names that aren't out-there weird but are beautiful classy names that are often in need of revival and definitely  not hugely common names. Keep an eye out for a future post on lovely uncommon names.

Personal Favourites

Lara Lucia

Poppy Harriet

Iris Claire

Amelia Estelle

Ariana

Ava Kate

Bridie Rose

William David

Other Interesting Choices

Tabitha Willow

Oscar Jed

Jasmine Skye

Remi Elizabeth

Abigail May

Micah Jude

Luke Joshua

Alicia Jane

Tyson Jack

Ryder Bryce

Tanner Jack

Dylan Leigh

Gus Adrian

Harrison Charles

Aiden Xander

Georgia Rose

Abigail May

Ashleigh Blair

Most Repeated Name

Lachlan - no surprises here. Lachlan has lurked around the top 20 for many years

Hmmm Names

Tiannah Isaiah Darius

Kobe Jane - I assume it's a girl

Joya Rose

Ruby Jewel - yes, we know a ruby is a jewel

Roxy Jean - add an S and Roxy Jeans is denim surf wear

Phoenix Lee

Shayana Sapphire

Storm Oliver

Axel Luther

Jerard - brother to Jeiden

Lotte Peggy

Sydney Leueen

Bailee Dakota - There was no indication if this child was a girl or a boy, I vote boy.

Bizarre names to be banned!

I came across this interesting article regarding the Dominican Republic and their possible move towards banning bad names. Would you ever call your child Mazda?

I get lots of people visiting this site after searching for 'nasty names for girls and boys', some of the names here would probably fit that category!

You can visit the short article here

ANZAC Names

ANZAC day is a special day to most Australians and to New Zealanders. It is also a special day to me as many members of my family including my husband have represented our country in global conflicts. When I was younger a friend of mine had a dog named Anzac because it had been born on ANZAC day. ANZAC day is now more than just remembering that fateful morning in Gallipoli but is about remembering the contribution of Australian soldiers in all conflicts from WW1 through to Iraq and Afghanistan. If you want to honour members of your family or even happen to have your child on ANZAC day here are some ANZAC inspired names for you to think about.

Dawn [dorn] Girls name of English origin meaning daybreak or sunrise. Traditionally ANZAC services are held at dawn and this is for several reasons. The Gallipoli attack was staged at dawn and also among all troops dawn was often the quietest moment in the trenches when you were surrounded by your mates and had time to reflect before the fighting commenced.

Jack [JAK] Boys name of Hebrew origin meaning God is gracious. Jack Simpson, whose real name was John, is best known for his work with a donkey in Gallipoli. Jack would retrieve injured men from the front line with his donkey often coming under enemy fire himself. His bravery soon became a symbol of courage for other Australians and he has been immortalized in states in both Melbourne and at the National War Memorial in Canberra



Laurel [LOR ell] Girls name of Latin origin meaning laurel. Laurel is a form of the name Laura. The laurel wreath is traditionally laid at memorials during ANZAC services. The tradition dates back to ancient Rome and Greece where laurel crown shapes were awarded to heroes and victors.

Poppy [POP ee] Girls name of English origin simply giving reference to the poppy flower. The poppy flower was traditionally used as a symbol of remembrance during Rembrance Day celebrations but has since been more common at ANZAC day services. The poppy I used as it was the first flower to grow in the war torn fields of Northern France and Belgium. The poppies were a vibrant red colour which is said to represent the blood of those who lost their lives.

Rosemary [ROZE mayr ee] Girls name of English origin meaning Rose and Mary and also of Latin origin meaning sea dew. Rosemary is an ancient symbol of remembrance and sprigs of the herb have been worn on ANZAC day for several decades. Rosemary has particular relevance for Australians as it grows in abundance around the area of Gallipoli.

Happy Birthday Princess Isabella

In honour of the second birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, here is a selection of names belonging to princesses from around Europe.

Alexia [ah Lek see uh] Greek origin meaning defender. This name is held by Princess Alexia of The Netherlands who is third in line to the throne.

Amalia [ah MAHL ee ah] Germanic and Hebrew origins meaning work and work of the Lord. This name belongs to Princess Amalia of The Netherlands who was named after her ancestor Amalia of Solm-Braunfels, whose grandson became William III of England.

Ariane [ah ree AHN] Greek origin meaning very holy one. This name is held by Princess Ariane of The Netherlands, sister to Amalia and Alexia.

Astrid [AH strid] Norse origin meaning fair and beautiful. This name is held by Princess Astrid of Belgium

Beatrice [BEET riss] Latin origin meaning voyager through life. Beatrice is a form on Beatrix and is held by Princess Beatrice, daughter of Prince Andrew Duke of York.

Eleanor [EL leh nor] Greek and Arabic origins meaning either pity or God is my light. The name is bore by Princess Eleanor of Belgium. The name has seen a revival in recent years when it entered the top 50 in England and Wales.

Eugenie [uh zhay NEE] Greek and French origin meaning well born. The name is bore by Eugenie, Princess of York, sister to Princess Beatrice.

Henrietta [hen ree EH tah] Germanic in origin meaning home ruler. The name was held by the late Princess Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans and also by Henrietta Marie, wife of King Charles 1 of England.

Isabella [iz ah BELL ah] Hebrew origin meaning my God is a vow. Held by Princess Isabella of Denmark, daughter of Princess Mary, formerly Mary Donaldson of Australia. Since the naming of Princess Isabella the name received a large level of popularity in Australia that has since passed.

Kalina [kah LEE nah] Russian origin meaning Rowan tree. The name is held by Princess Kalina of Bulgaria.

Louise [loo EEZ] Germanic and French origins meaning fame and war. Louise is the feminine form of Louis and is common amongst royalty. The name is held by The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor who is the oldest child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Madeleine [MAD eh lin] or [Mad eh line] French and Hebrew origins meaning from Magdala. The name is a form of Magdalene. The name is held by Princess Madeleine of Sweden.

Mathilde [ mah TILD] Germanic origins meaning powerful battler. Mathilde is a form of Matilda and is held by Princess Mathilde of Belgium

Maxima [MAHK see mah] Latin origins meaning the greatest. Maxima is a form of Maximus and is held by Princess Maxima of The Netherlands

Victoria [vik TOR ee ah] Latin origin meaning conqueror and victory. Victoria is a form of the name Victorius and has been held by many royals. Currently the name is held by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.



Princess Isabella's birthday is on April 21