Actress Holly Valance, and her husband Nick Candy, welcomed their first child a few days ago, and have named their daughter Luka Violet Toni. The middle name Toni is in honour of Nick’s late father, who missed meeting his granddaughter by just six weeks. Luka will be known as LuLu, however they did want a long form for fear the name LuLu Candy might be seen as unprofessional in later life.
Holly was born in Australia to a Serbian father and English mother who were both models; she has dual British-Australian citizenship, and her original surname was Vukadinovic. As a teenager she was cast in soap opera Neighbours as Felicity “Flick” Scully, and left three years later to start a music career in the UK. She brought out two albums, then moved to Los Angeles to take up acting again, appearing in television series such as CSI and PrisonBreak. In 2009, she returned to the UK, where she has been a guest on StrictlyCome Dancing, and is currently a judge on Shopaholic Showdown.
Nick Candy is a billionaire property developer, one of the richest in the United Kingdom, and is CEO of Candy & Candy. Nick and Holly were married last year in Beverley Hills.
(Photo of Holly and Nick’s wedding day from The Daily Mail)
Actress and comedian Mary Coustas and her husband George Betsis welcomed their daughterJamie on November 28. In August, Mary went public about her long struggle with infertility, involving IVF treatment, multiple miscarriages, and the stillbirth of Jamie’s sister Stevie, so the arrival of a healthy baby is incredibly good news at last.
Mary is best-known for her character Effie Stephanidis, a stereotypical second-generation Greek-Australian with big hair and the catch phrase “How embarrassment”. Mary started out in the stage show Wogs Out of Work, then appeared in the television sit-com Acropolis Now as Effie. “Effie” also had an interview show, called Effie, Just Quietly, and a chat show, Greeks on the Roof, as well as a novelty single with Norman Gunston, and a book: Effie’s Guide to BeingUp Yourself. Mary has also played dramatic roles on television, and done voice-over work. Recently Mary brought out a book called All I Know: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Life.
George Betsis is an advertising executive. He has a son named Tomas “Tom” (Jamie’s brother) from a previous relationship to mezzo-soprano Priscilla Dunstan, who developed the Dunstan Baby Language system of understanding baby’s cries. Priscilla now lives in Los Angeles, and she and George have since been in a custody dispute over Tomas, with George claiming he has been denied access to his son. George and Mary were married in the Greek Orthodox Church in Rose Bay in 2005.
Rugby league legend Mal Meninga, and his wife Amanda, welcomed their sonElijah Henry Brooklyn on February 14. Mal has two adult children from his first marriage, while Amanda has a son from a previous relationship. Mal played for Souths Magpies in the Brisbane Rugby League, then for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League, where, as captain, he led them to three Grand Final victories. He was also captain of the Australian squad and of the Queensland State of Origin team. After retiring as a player, he coached the Canberra Raiders, then the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin, taking them to eight consecutive wins. He has received the Order of Australia for services to rugby league, and been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame. The main grandstand at Canberra Stadium is named in his honour.
Newcastle Knights NRL player Jeremy Smith, and his wife Jody, welcomed their daughterCali in late September [pictured]; Cali arrived on the night of the Knight’s semi-final against Melbourne – one of the biggest upset wins of the season. Cali was born 12 weeks premature, and the Smiths hope to have her home from hospital by Christmas. Jeremy withdrew from the Rugby League World Cup in order to take care of his family while Jody was in hospital. Cali Smith joins older siblings Marly, aged 8, Evie, aged 2, and Jeremy Junior “JJ“, aged 1 – JJ’s birth was announced on the blog last year.
St. Illawarra NRL player Kyle Stanley, and his fiancee Niketa Patterson, welcomed their son Koah last year. Kyle belongs to a famous family which has produced many rugby union and rugby league players. He spent all of the 2013 season in rehabilitation after a knee injury, but is ready to play in 2014. The name Koah was chosen by Niketa for its Hawaiian meaning of “brave”.
Rugby union player Sekope Kepu, who plays for the national Wallabies team, and his wife Anna, welcomed their sonIsaiah in March. Isaiah Kepu is brother to Faith-Rose, aged 4, Israel, aged 1, and Wesley, who was stillborn in 2011.
Film makers Allannah Zitserman and Stavros Kazantzidis welcomed their daughter Lula Ophelia on March 7. Lula Kazantzidis joined big sister Mila, aged 2. Allannah and Stavros are award-winning film makers and founders of the Dungog Film Festival in the Hunter Valley region.
Former Australian rules footballer Casey Tutungi, and his fiancee Bridget Ure, welcomed their first child on November 28, and have named their daughter Asta.
Casey used to play for Geelong’s VFL side, then became the coach of South Barwon in the Geelong Football League. His spine was injured during an on-field collision in the last minutes of a game against St Joseph’s in June this year, and he has been left a quadriplegic. He is receiving treatment at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew, Melbourne.
There have been several fund-raising efforts on his behalf, and a website has been set up to help pay for Casey’s medical treatment and equipment.
Supermodel and actress Gemma Ward, and her partner David Letts, recently welcomed their first child and have reportedly named their daughter Naia. Nai’a is a Hawaiian name meaning “dolphin”, and as the baby is said to have been born in Hawaii, it is tempting to wonder if she was given a name to reflect her birthplace.
Gemma became a model at the age of 14 when she was scouted at a modelling competition that she attended as a spectator, and ended up signed with New York modelling agency IMG. At 16 she became the youngest model to appear on American Vogue magazine, and her fragile appearance inspired the “baby doll look”. At 17, she replaced Kate Moss as the face of Calvin Klein’s Obsession Night perfume campaign, appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine‘s Style & Design issue, and on the cover of Vogue China. At 18, she became the first model ever to appear on the cover of Teen Vogue, and at 19, appeared on the first ever cover of Vogue India. Gemma has been on a break from modelling since 2008 – a decision she explained was precipitated by the death of her boyfriend, actor Heath Ledger. She has since appeared in a few films, including Pirates of theCaribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Great Gatsby. Recently, Gemma signed with IMG Australia, leading to speculation she may be about to return to modelling.
David is a professional photographer and model who once played rugby. His brothers Michael and Jake play for the national rugby team of the Philippines.
The name of Gemma and David’s daughter hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, so I will add updates if there are further developments.
NRL star Clint Newton, and his partner Carly Shelmerdine, welcomed their first child seven weeks ago, and have named their daughter Hope. Although Clint and Carly had chosen the name in advance, it turned out to be meaningful, because Carly had a very difficult labour, and for a while it was uncertain whether either she or the baby would survive. Baby Hope made a full recovery, and is now thriving.
Clint started his rugby league career at the Newcastle Knights in 2000, and since then has played for the Melbourne Storm, the Penrith Panthers, and for Hull Kingston Rovers in the English Super League. He is signed with his original club, the Newcastle Knights, for the 2014 season, and is an ambassador for the White Ribbon campaign against violence towards women. Clint is the son of former professional golfer Jack Newton, and was born in South Carolina while his dad competed in the 1981 US Open. At the height of his professional career, Jack walked into the spinning propeller of an aeroplane he was preparing to board, and lost his right arm and eye, as well as suffering severe internal injuries. Jack made a full recovery, and later survived a bout of meningococcal meningitis, so Hope seems to be continuing a family tradition. Clint’s sister Kristie is also a professional golfer.
Carly is originally from Britain, and she and Clint met in Manchester in 2008. She moved to Australia with Clint in 2011.
Comedian Adam Hills, and his wife Ali McGregor, welcomed their daughterMaisieGrace at the end of November. Maisie Hills joins big sister Beatrice “Bebe“, aged 3.
Adam has been working in stand-up comedy since the late 1980s, and has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and the Montreal Just for Laughs festival. He is best known for hosting ABC music trivia show Spicks and Specks, and has appeared as a guest on many Australian and British shows, including British music trivia show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He had his own weekly ABC chat show, Adam Hills Tonight, which has just come to an end. Adam was born without a right foot and wears a prosthesis, which has sometimes been used as a source of comedy during his stand-up routines; he regularly has a sign-language interpreter at his shows for the hearing impaired. Adam co-hosted the ABC coverage of the 2008 Summer Paralympics, was part of the UK Channel 4 commentary team for the London Paralympics, and co-hosted a review of each day’s events called The Last Leg. He has also written for the BBC’s disability website, Ouch!
Ali is a soprano opera singer, actress and cabaret performer. She studied music at the Australian National University, and completed her Bachelor degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on a scholarship. After working in Britain, she joined Opera Australia, and was principal soprano there for several years. Her cabaret shows have been performed at festivals in Australia, Britain and Ireland, her variety show has become a fixture at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and she has acted on stage in Australia and Britain. She was a regular guest panellist on Spicks and Specks. Adam and Ali were married in 2009.
Laura Wattenberg is the author of The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby, first published in 2005. If you recall, this is Swistle’s favourite baby naming book, which is a very high recommendation. The Baby Name Wizard is described as a “field guide to American baby names”, in that it doesn’t give definitions or histories of names, but provides lists of names by style, has a popularity graph, and also makes sibset suggestions.
The Baby Name Wizard website was started in 2004 – I guess to promote the book, and create a place where its readers could discuss names.
There is a weekly blog entry from Laura, where she discusses name trends and often does some interesting things with name data and statistics. For example, last month she looked at the name Cressida, and concluded that it already seemed dated, because of the SS sound in the middle, shared with Vanessa and Melissa. Earlier she examined which were the most American and most British names of 2012, noting that the British Alfie and Archie were cuter than the American Landon and Gavin, while American girls Harper and Addison were more androgynous than the British Imogen and Florence.
This seems like a good moment to mention that The Baby Name Wizard is very much about American name trends, and American perceptions of names. For example, she categorises Jenson (a fast-rising name in Britain thanks to Jenson Button), as a “semi-androgynous name”. Yep, Jenson is apparently half-ready to hand over to the girls. Or maybe all-ready to hand over to half of the girls? Or maybe just the Jen half of it is androgynous? (I confess to not really knowing what a semi-androgynous name is).
Another rather glaring example that I hope will suitably rile up my Australian readers is one of Laura’s early blog entries, where she very sensibly defended the celebrity baby nameApple, and pointed out that other celebrities had much sillier baby names … among them, Rachel Griffiths, who had chosen the name Banjo for her child. Pause for patriotic display of righteous indignation.
The entries on statistics are probably my favourites, but I also love her name myth examination and debunking, such as looking at the massive popularity of celebrity name Shirley in the 1930s, how Biblical names are in steep decline, where the name Breecame from, and how there aren’t really twins named Lemonjello and Orangejello.
The Baby Name Wizard is essential for anyone even slightly interested in name trends – and most of these are international trends. Learn about trends such as the “Biblical-sounding” names, the “raindrop names“, and the “huggable names“. But also listen to Laura’s sage baby naming advice not to be a slave to trends. This might sound slightly contradictory, but you have to identify trends in order to not follow them.
The Baby Name Wizard got a forum last year so you can ask questions about baby names, including taking part in baby name games and asking about character names. You will get helpful advice for your naming dilemmas, given with candour but not meanness. In my opinion, the forum was very much needed, as people were using the blog comments to ask for baby name help. (Some still haven’t got the memo).
There are other cool tools as well. The Name Voyager is an excellent popularity graph of names in the United States, which has been copied by England/Wales and New South Wales. There is also a Namipedia to look for more information on a particular name, and a Name Finder to help you find names that suit your requirements. I’ve had a go using this, and found it brings up quite a few names that didn’t fit my requirements.
For example, I asked it to exclude anything very unusual, and it suggested Lovely – a name which has never ranked in the US. It was also quite insistent about me using Hispanic boys’ names, for some reason. However, it did offer some good names too, although I felt that if it was up to the Name Finder, my next child’s name would be either Vorgell or Lorenzo. Lots of fun if you don’t take it too seriously.
You can also sign up and pay for the Expert Name Tools, which are reasonably priced. As these are based on American popularity rankings and perceptions, I really don’t think these are worth it for Australians, except for interest, or if you are doing name research (or moving to America).
The Baby Name Wizard and Nameberry are both websites set up by the authors of baby name books, and I’m guessing most name enthusiasts would belong to both sites, even if they prefer one over the other. It would be insulting to compare them, except to say that they are different enough that you can follow and enjoy both of them, and never feel that you are covering the same ground.
AFL footballer Hayden Ballantyne, and his partner Alyssa Hennessy, welcomed their daughter Avery on December 8. Alyssa has a young daughter named Avarna from a previous relationship.
Hayden started his career in the WAFL, playing for Peel Thunder, and has played for the Fremantle Dockers in the AFL since 2009. He is chiefly known for his ability to pester and annoy his opponents. Hayden dad Graeme is a horse trainer, and the winner of the 2013 Perth Cup, Talent Show, was trained by Graeme and part-owned by Hayden.
Alyssa and Hayden have known each other since primary school, and began dating three years ago.
(Photo shows Hayden, Alyssa and Avarna, from Perth Now)
Here are ten names for girls which have been often searched for to reach my blog. I chose names that aren’t in the Top 100, and come from a range of origins.
Anouk
Dutch and French short form of Anna. A famous namesake is celebrated French actress Anouk Aimée; she was born Françoise Dreyfus, and took the name Anouk from the first character she portrayed on film. The name became better known in the English-speaking world after the publication of the award-winning 1999 novel Chocolat, by British author Joanne Harris, in which there is a little girl named Anouk. The character of Anouk is based on the author’s daughter Anouchka, whose name is another pet form of Anna. The book was made into a movie in 2000. Actor and author Andrew Daddo has a daughter named Anouk, born a year after the film was released. Pronounced a-NOOK or an-ook, this exotic name doesn’t have an obviously “French” sound to it, and seems quite sophisticated.
Blythe
Variant of Blithe, an English virtue name meaning “cheerful, merry” which is first found in 16th century Norfolk, stronghold of the Puritans. Although the name began as a girls name, it has been given to boys as well, particularly in the United States, and overall is fairly evenly divided between the sexes, although more common for girls. In the case of boys, the name probably comes from the surname, which is derived from any of the places called Bligh, Blyth or Blythe; they get their name from the River Blyth in Northumberland, the River Blythe in Warwickshire, or the River Blithe in Staffordsire. The names of the rivers simply come from the word blithe, so in either case the name has the same pleasant meaning. A famous namesake is American actress Blythe Danner, mother of Gwyneth Paltrow; her name is a middle name of Gwyneth’s daughter, Apple. This is a fresh, sprightly name which has a modern feel despite its long history.
Cordelia
Cordelia is a princess in William Shakespeare’s King Lear, a loyal daughter who is disowned by her father because she will not make flattering speeches to him, with tragic results. The character is based on Queen Cordeilla, a legendary queen of the Britons who appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of Britain. According to Geoffrey, Cordelia ruled Britain as queen, but came to grief because the rule of a woman was deemed unacceptable. Cordelia is also mentioned in Edmund Spenser’s epic poem, The Fairie Queene, where her role as heroic British queen was probably a compliment to Queen Elizabeth I. The first Cordelias were born around the time The Faerie Queene was published, and were from upper-class families. There is a popular but unsubstantiated theory that Geoffrey of Monmouth based the name Cordeilla on that of Creiddylad (said cree-THIL-ahd), a character in Welsh Arthurian legends who was the daughter of the god Lud, and considered the most beautiful girl in Britain. Another idea is that Geoffrey may have based the name on that of Saint Cordula, a legendary companion of Saint Ursula whose name is from the Latin for “heart” (Cordeilla is also found spelled Cordoyla, which offers this some support). Still another is that it may be derived from the Roman name Cordus, meaning “late born”, with the implication that as Cordelia was King Lear’s youngest daughter, he had her late in life. Although all these suggestions are attractive, the last one may appeal most to older parents. If you are a fan of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne books, you will remember that the heroine wished her name was Cordelia – because it is “perfectly elegant”. This literary name still seems refined, and can be pronounced cor-DEE-lee-uh, or cor-DEEL-yuh.
Giselle
Derived from the Germanic name Gisela, meaning “pledge, hostage”. Although the word hostage has rather alarming associations today, in the past it was common for political treaties to be accompanied by the exchange of political hostages, as a guarantee of good faith and to maintain peace. Often the children of the ruling classes, even princes and princesses, would be handed over to be raised and educated by a foreign court, with hopes of greater cultural understanding between nations. Gisela and Gisèle (the French form) were popular names amongst medieval nobility and royalty. The name received a huge boost in the 19th century, because of the romantic ballet, Giselle. It tells of an innocent village girl named Giselle who dies of a broken heart after being betrayed by her lover. However, as a sign of her forgiving nature, after her death she protects the man she loves from the spirits of vengeance, and saves his life. Another fictional Giselle is the sweet peasant girl who makes a happy-ever-after transition from cartoon fantasy land to gritty real world in the Disney film, Enchanted. Graceful and fairytale, Giselle is usually pronounced ji-ZEL in Australia, and is #161 in Victoria.
Ingrid
Derived from the Old Norse name Ingríðr, meaning something like “beloved of Ing, beauty of Ing, delight of Ing”. Ing is an older name for the Norse god Freyr – perhaps his true name, because Freyr means “lord” and is his title. Freyr was a phallic fertility god who brought peace and pleasure, and was associated with sacred kingship, male sexuality, prosperity, and sunshine. In Norse legend, Ing is the god followed by the Germanic peoples of the area which is now Denmark and its surrounds, and he is claimed as the first king of Sweden, as well as the progenitor of the Anglian kings. Ingrid is a traditional name amongst Scandinavian royalty and nobility, and there is a young Princess Ingrid of Norway, who is expected to one day be queen. A famous namesake is beautiful Swedish-born movie star Ingrid Bergman, who starred in many Hollywood movies, including Casablanca. Ingrid has a strong and chiselled beauty, and is #481 in Victoria.
Piata
Maori name meaning “shine, glisten”. It isn’t unusual in New Zealand, and is still given to girls today; it can also be found as a surname. It’s not common in Australia, but I think it would work well here, and has a pleasingly cross-cultural feel, since it is similar to Italian Pia and Pieta. I believe it is pronounced pee-AH-ta.
Soraya
Persian form of the Arabic name Thurayya, meaning “the Pleiades”. The Pleiades is the familiar group of stars in the constellation Taurus, sometimes known as The Seven Sisters. The name became better known in the west because of two royal Sorayas. Soraya Tarzi was a liberal Muslim and feminist who married into the monarchy of Afghanistan and became queen; she appeared in public alongside her husband as an equal and together they tried to modernise their country. Afghanistan wasn’t quite ready for it, and the couple went into exile in Rome in 1929. Even more influential was Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari, who was Queen of Iran as the second wife of the last Shah. Very attractive and western-educated, Soraya and her husband were forced to divorce in 1958 because she was apparently infertile. She also went into exile, under the name Princess Soraya, and lived in France, where her story evoked much sympathy. Her divorce inspired a song, I Want to Cry Like Soraya, and a variety of sunflower was named in her honour. A beautiful star name, Soraya is similar to familiar names like Sarah and Zara, and in Australia is usually pronounced soh-RAY-uh.
Tallulah
A place name of Native American origin, this probably means “town” in the Creek language. Tallulah Falls is a small town in Georgia, in the United States, which has attracted tourists since the late 19th century. Parts of the film Deliverance were filmed there, so you may even have seen it on screen. Tallulah has been used as a girls name since the 19th century, and records show that the name originated in the southern states, with most Tallulahs born in Georgia. The most famous namesake is flamboyant actress and party girl Tallulah Bankhead, who was from Alabama, and named after her grandmother. Despite being a name of American origin, Tallulah has never charted in the US, and is far more popular in the UK. Tallulah Bankhead was a huge celebrity in 1920s London, and her name is very fashionable in England, chosen as a baby name by the upper classes and minor royals. Spunky, sexy and fun to say, this fits in with familiar names such as Tully and Tahlia, and comes with cute nicknames like Lula and Lulu.
Uma
This Indian name is one of the epithets of the benevolent mother goddess Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Its original meaning is “mother (goddess, wife of) Shiva”. Because Parvati is a goddess of light, the name Uma also came to be understood as meaning “light, radiance”. In a previous incarnation, the goddess (then called Sati) committed suicide by throwing herself on a sacrificial fire, and her ashes became the sacred spice turmeric; because of this the name Uma came to be understood as meaning “turmeric”. The meaning of Uma is also glossed as “O child, do not (practice austerities)!”, because as a young girl Parvati’s mother chided her for the extreme ascetisim she practicised in order to please her future husband, Shiva. By coincidence, uma is literally translated as “flax” in Sanskrit, although this doesn’t seem to have any connection to the goddess. The most famous namesake is American actress Uma Thurman, whose name is said to have a different origin. Uma’s father was the first westerner to become a Buddhist monk, and the term uma chenpo means “Great Middle Way” in Tibetan – one of the guiding principles of Buddhism. In modern Hebrew, uma means “nation”, and in Israel Uma is a patriotic unisex name. In the Tiv language of West Africa, the name Uma means “life”, and can be used for both sexes. Simple yet multi-layered, this is a fascinating cross-cultural name which isn’t common in any country of the world.
Xanthe
Ancient Greek name meaning “yellow, yellow-brown”, often translated as “blonde, fair-haired”. There are several figures from Greek mythology with the name. Xanthe was one of the Oceanides, the three thousand daughters of the Titan sea gods Oceanus and Tethys. The Oceanides were nymph-like goddesses who were responsible for the world’s fresh water, and were often pictured married to river gods. In some sources, Xanthe is imagined as presiding over the yellow clouds that can be sometimes be seen at sunrise or sunset. Xanthe is also given as the name of one of the Amazon warriors, and Hesiod mentions Xanthe as being the mortal wife of Asclepius, the god of medicine. Actress Madeleine West welcomed a daughter named Xanthe last year. This quirky, stylish name is usually pronounced ZAN-thee in Australia, and comes with the cool nickname Xan or Zan. The name is #469 in Victoria.
(Photo shows a scene from the ballet Giselle, performed by the Queensland Ballet)
Labor MP for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan, and her husband, union official Yorick Piper, welcomed their sonCormac Kevin on December 17. Cormac weighed 4.2 kg (just over 9lb), and is a little brother for Peggy, nearly 2. Peggy’s birth was announced on the blog last year.
Former AFL footballer Brenton Sanderson, and his wife Veronika, recently welcomed their daughterKristina Eva. Brenton is currently senior coach at the Adelaide Crows.
Basketball player Matt Knight, and his wife Sherelle, welcomed their daughterMiaRose on December 1. Matt plays for the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League.
Town Councillor Rebecca Paterson, and her husband Tom, welcomed their sonJosiah on November 1, their second child. Rebecca is the Councillor for the City of Monash in Victoria, and was elected in June this year as an Independent. Tom is a plumber.
Racehorse trainer Sam Kavanagh, and his partner Kelly, welcomed their daughterSienna about three months ago. Sam left the family business to become a trainer in his own right last March, and has already been so successful that he has moved his business from Adelaide to Sydney.
News photographer John Gass, and his wife Louise Bezzina, welcomed their sonConnor about three months ago [pictured]. John is an award-winning photographer for My Daily News, and Louise is artistic director of the Bleach arts festival on the Gold Coast.
Former Paralympian Katrina Webb, and her husband Eddie Denis, welcomed their third child, William Zachary, on August 7. William has a brother named Sebastian. Katrina has won seven medals in athletics at three Paralympic Games, and Eddie is a former Olympian water polo player.
Veteran triathlete Steven Schofield welcomed his sonFraser about six months ago. Steven recently came third in the Hervey Bay 100.
Comedian and television host Rove McManus, and his wife, actress Tasma Walton, welcomed their first child on December 16, and have named their daughter RubyAurelia. Ruby McManus weighed 2.74 kg (5lb 4oz) at birth.
John, nicknamed “Rove”, has been a stand-up comedian and television presenter since the 1990s. He gained his own variety show, Rove, in 1999, which changed its name to Rove Live and switched from Channel Nine to Ten the following year. The show featured weekly celebrity guests, local and international comedians, and live bands, and proved extremely popular. After Rove’s wife, actress and singer Belinda Emmett, died from breast cancer in 2006, he took a break show, but returned in 2007, with the show revamped, and the name changed back to Rove. He also became host of the Australian version of the game show, Are You SmarterThan a Fifth Grader? Rove several times appeared as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and now has a regular spot on the show. In 2008 he made his debut as host on American television, by hosting an American Broadcasting Special called The List. In 2011, he relocated to Los Angeles to host Australian programme Rove LA, broadcast on Fox8, which is also seen in the UK, New Zealand and the US. His production company, Roving Enterprises, produces current affairs show, The Project, and the AFL comedy panel programme, Before the Game. Rove has won 16 Logie Awards, including three Gold Logies and seven Silver Logies.
Tasma began in theatre, and has had regular roles on Home and Away, Blue Heelers and City Homicide. She has also appeared in Water Rats, Sea Patrol, BeastMaster, The Secret Life of Us, White Collar Blue, McLeod’s Daughters and Stupid, Stupid Man. She has had roles in several films, most recently Mystery Road, which was released this year. In 2009 she brought out her first novel, Heartless. Tasma and Rove were married in a beach ceremony in Broome in 2009, and are based in Los Angeles.
A selection of boys names that have been searched for several times to reach the blog. I chose names from different backgrounds that aren’t on the Top 100.
Ari
This little name has several origins. It is a Hebrew name meaning “lion”, an Armenian name meaning “brave”, a Scandinavian name from Old Norse, meaning “eagle”, an Albanian name meaning “bear”, a Maori name meaning “clear, visible”, or an Indian name meaning either “sun-like” or “free from sin”. It is also a Finnish form of Aaron and Adrian, a Kurdish short form of the name Arian, meaning “Aryan”, and is commonly used as a short form of any name begining with Ari-, such as Aristotle. There have been quite a few characters named Ari in popular culture, starting way back in the 1950s, with Ari Ben Canaan as the hero of Leon Uris’ novel Exodus, about the founding of the state of Israel; based on Israeli military leader Moshe Dayan, in the movie he was played by Paul Newman. This simple multicultural name is rising like other Ar- names such as Archer, Arlo and Arthur, and is #135 in Victoria.
Balthazar
Variant of Belshazzar, the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name Bel-sarra-usur, meaning “Ba’al protect the king”. Ba’al is a Semitic title for any god, meaning “lord, master”, and in the Old Testament, the early Hebrews used the term to apply to the God of Israel. Later the term became seen as a heretical one, with a clear divide drawn between the Hebrew Yahweh and the Phoenician Ba’al. In Christian legend, Balthazar is the name given to one of the Magi – the three wise men who followed a mysterious star to visit the baby Jesus, bringing him gifts. The story appears in the New Testament, but no name (or even number) is ascribed to the Magi in the Bible. According to some traditions, Balthazar was an Arabian or Ethiopian scholar who brought the gift of frankincense to symbolise Christ’s role as a high priest. He is usually depicted as middle-aged and dark-skinned. One story is that Balthazar later converted to Christianity and was ordained a bishop; like the other Magi, he is regarded as a saint. Usually pronounced BAL-ta-zar in Australia, this is a seriously cool Christmas name.
Dragan
Slavic name meaning “precious, dear one”. It is usually pronounced DRAH-gahn, although I have heard people give it the same pronunciation as the word dragon. This reminds me that there is a sympathetic character named Dragan in the novel, Girl With a Dragon Tattoo; in the American film version, he is played by Croatian actor Goran Višnjić. Dragan Roganović is the real name of award-winning Serbian-Australian DJ Dirty South, and unfortunately the name has had a bit of bad publicity in Australia due to accused Serbian-Australian war criminal Dragan Vasiljković “Captain Dragan”, currently imprisoned in Australia awaiting extradition to Croatia. Despite this, Dragan is an attractive heritage choice with a very sweet meaning.
Kalani
Unisex Hawaiian name meaning “the sky, the heavens”. It’s a name often connected with surfing, because of Hawaiian surfers Kalani Robb, Kalani Chapman, Kalani Vierra and Kalani David, and young Australian surfer Kalani Ball. Mark Gasnier, former NRL player for the St George Illawarra Dragons, welcomed a son named Kalani two years ago. These are all guys, but surfer Kalani Miller, girlfriend of Kelly Slater, is a reminder that it’s a girl’s name as well – in fact, Kalani seems more common as a girl’s name in Australia, making #570 for girls in Victoria and not ranking as a boy’s name. Then again, Victoria is not famous for its surf culture – in northern New South Wales or Queensland, boys named Kalani may be more common. It’s a great name for either sex.
Leander
Greek name meaning “lion man”, featured in the tragic tale of Hero and Leander. Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower in Sestos, on the European side of the Dardanelles, while her lover Leander was from Abydos, on the other side of the strait. Leander swam across the Hellespont every night to be with Hero, while she lit a lantern at the top of her tower to guide his way. Their love affair lasted all through the summer nights, but winter weather proved an obstacle to swimming. Desperate to be with his sweetheart, Leander braved the icy waters and was drowned during a storm, while the savage winds blew out Hero’s lantern. The distraught Hero plunged from her tower into the waves to join him in his watery grave. The story has inspired many writers, including Ovid, John Donne, Christopher Marlowe, and John Keats. Lord Byron recreated the swim by crossing from Sestos to Abydos, a distance of just over 1 km, which he turned into a poem; although he did it in May, according to his poem it was still difficult and he ended up with a chill. Leander was obviously made of sterner stuff. This is a handsome and romantic name with a very masculine meaning.
Mandela
The surname of inspirational world leader Nelson Mandela, his surname the name of his grandfather, the son of a king. Mandela was a lawyer and prominent campaigner against the apartheid government when he was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against the state. He served more than 27 years, released in 1990 after an international campaign had lobbied the South African government on his behalf. He joined negotiations to abolish apartheid and establish multiracial elections, becoming South Africa’s first black president. Deeply loved in his own country, where he was called Tata, or “father”", he was a respected figure on the world stage. He received more than 250 awards and honours during his lifetime, including the Nobel Peace Prize; he was appointed Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia in 1999. His passing this month at the age of 95 after a long illness has only highlighted the global reverence he attained. This is a worthy namesake whose name I have seen given to a boy – a name that Africa has given to the world.
Oisin
Anglicised form of Oisín, an Irish name translated as”young deer”. In Irish mythology, Oisín was a warrior and the greatest poet in Ireland. He was the son of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, and a woman named Sadbh, who had been turned into a deer by a malevolant druid. Fionn caught Sadbh as a deer, and she turned back into a human; all was well until the druid caught up with her and made her a deer while she was still pregnant. Sadhbh returned to the wild, and gave birth to Oisín while in deer form – hence his name. Eventually Fionn got to meet his son, and Oisín joined dad’s band of warriors. Oisín’s most famous adventure is when he fell in love with a fairy queen named Niamh, who took him to live in the Land of Youth. Although he thought he only lived with her for three years, three centuries passed in Ireland during his absence. Acording to some tales, Oisín lived long enough to meet Saint Patrick and tell him of his exploits. Oisín, or Ossian, is the narrator of the famous poem series by Scottish author James Macpherson, who made the Gaelic myths so popular in the 18th century. Pronounced OSH-een or USH-een, this a popular name in Ireland and would be well-received in Australia.
Remy
Anglicised form of Rémy, French form of the Latin name Remigius, meaning “oarsmen”. Saint Remigius was a 5th century Gallo-Roman bishop, a highly-educated man of noble blood. According to tradition, he converted and baptised Clovis, the King of the Franks. Clovis was baptised on Christmas Eve; such was his status that 3000 Franks were baptised that day with him. Because of this story, Saint Remigius is credited with France becoming a Christian country, and there are numerous places named Saint-Rémy his honour, as well as Saint-Rémy being a French surname. The name can also be spelled Rémi, and in France the second one is more popular. In Australia, both Remy and Remi are unisex, and roughly even for both sexes (Remy – 19 girls and 14 boys in Victoria; Remi – 11 boys and 7 girls). Although some get upset about Remy and Remi being used for girls, the names could just as easily be short forms of Remigia – the feminine form of Remigius. In Australia, they are usually pronounced RAY-mee or REH-mee.
Wyatt
English surname derived from the personal name Wyot, the medieval form of the Old English name Wigheard, meaning “brave in battle”. The Wyatt family were a prominent one in Britain; the Tudor poet Thomas Wyatt was one of their number. Sir Francis Wyatt was another, and he became Governor of Virginia, so the surname became well known in the United States as well. As a first name, Wyatt is famous because of Western lawman Wyatt Earp, who was Deputy Marshal of Tombstone in Arizona, and is known for the Gunfight at the O.K. Corall, in which three outlaw cowboys were killed. Wyatt was never injured in a gunfight, adding to his mystique, and after his death he gained legendary status as the toughest and deadliest gunman in the West. The name had a boost from popular culture through the television series Charmed, where Wyatt Halliwell was the son born to Piper and her White-Lighter husband Leo; the baby was named from his father’s earthly surname, and seems like a play on the word white, in the sense of “good, angelic”. Wyatt is #252 in Victoria.
Zayd
Arabic name meaning “abundance, growth, increase”. This name is important in Islam, because Zayd ibn Harithah was from an Arabian tribe, and after being abducted, sold into slavery while only a young boy. He was eventually sold to one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, and when she married, she gave Zayd to Muhammad as a wedding present. The Prophet became very fond of Zayd, even calling him “the beloved”. One day Zayd’s grieving family managed to track him down, and Muhammad asked him to choose his fate; Zayd told his family he did not want to leave his owner. Zayd’s family accepted his choice, and Muhammad legally adopted him as a son, making him a free man. After Muhammad received his divine revelations from the angel Gabriel, Zayd was one of the first converts to Islam, the only one of Muhammad’s companions who are mentioned by name in the Qur’an, and the first Muslim to be killed fighting for Islam on foreign soil. The name can also be spelled Zaid, and elaborated as Zayden or Zaiden – which fits right in with the -ayden trend. Zayd is #650 in Victoria, while Zaid is #648.
(Picture shows the Magi travelling to see the infant Jesus)
Billionaire MP Clive Palmer, and his wife Anna, welcomed their second daughter together on December 18 and named her Lucy Diamond Stelina Mary Anna Nancy. Lucy Palmer joins big sister Mary, aged 5. Clive has two adult children named Michael and Emily from his first wife, Susan, to whom he was married for 22 years.
Clive was raised on Queensland’s Gold Coast, and holds many interests in mining, including Mineralogy, which has 160 billion tonnes of iron ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Waratah Coal, Queensland Nickel and the Palmer Nickel and Cobalt Refinery. He has also owned a football team, Gold Coast United, and is Adjunct Professor of Management at Bond University on the Gold Coast. He is secretary-general of the World Leadership Alliance, which promotes democracy and includes members such as Bill Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi; Clive is also president of the alliance’s business chapter, the World Economic Council. He recently opened the Palmersaurus dinosaur park, and has plans to launch a modern-day replica of the RMS Titanic, to be named Titanic II. Clive has been active in conservative politics since the 1970s, and this year won the seat of Fairfax on the Gold Coast for his Palmer United Party. In 2012 he was named a National Living Treasure by the New South Wales branch of the National Trust of Australia.
Anna is originally from Bulgaria, and came here in the early 1990s. She was married to Clive’s friend Andrew Topalov; Clive walked Anna down the aisle at her first wedding when her parents were unable to attend. Many years later, Clive lost his wife Sue to cancer in 2005, and Anna’s husband passed away from melanoma the following year. Shared grief brought Clive and Anna together, and they were married in 2007.
Before his second daughter’s birth, Clive said that if the baby was a boy, he would like to name him Charlie, after Charlie Brown in the Peanuts strip – apparently a favourite comic of his. I wonder if Lucy‘s name is after Lucy Van Pelt from Peanuts?
The Diamond seems like a reference to the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, although it also reminds me of the famous blue diamond in the movie Titanic!
Mary and Anna are the baby’s sister and mother, Nancy is the name of Clive’s mother, and I wonder if Stelina could be Anna’s mother’s name? With this many middle names, I suspect the Palmers are not planning on having more children.
Nina wrote in to the blog because she and her husband Hamish had a six-week-old baby daughter who still didn’t have a name, and the date for registration was growing closer each day.
Nina had her heart set on Annie, but at the last minute Hamish said he wanted the baby to be named Sarah, after his mother. The longer it took them to resolve their differences, the more other people felt they could offer their own opinions on the matter, which made the decision seem even more complicated.
After the couple compromised by agreeing on the name Anne, Nina wrote in again to ask for help on choosing a middle name.
Just before Christmas, Nina posted off the registration forms for their child’s name, so they got in before the deadline with about a week to spare, and their daughter’s name is
ANNE ELIZABETH KATE “ANNIE”,
baby sister to Edie and Alistair“Mac”.
Anne is the middle name of Hamish’s mum, so they found a way to honour his mother and still get to the nickname Annie. Nina is pleased, because she loved the Anne of Green Gables books as a child (as well as the musical Annie).
Nina chose the middle name Elizabeth because so many people suggested that they name the baby “what she looks like”, and Nina thinks her youngest daughter looks most like an Elizabeth – a name they had also considered. If Anne ends up going by her middle name and being a Betsy, Nina won’t mind that at all.
Kate is a family name that had also been on their list, and was the middle name she favoured for a baby Annie.
They have had mixed reactions from family and friends, with most people saying they should have just gone with Annie as the official name. However, Nina loves her baby’s name and thinks it is perfect for her.
At the moment, it is not entirely sure whether Anne will be called Annie or not. Mac hasn’t been able to pronounce the name Annie yet, and sometimes calls his little sister Peg. Nina still just calls her Baby. However, Nina recently discovered that Annie was the middle name of her great-grandmother, so maybe it is fate that she be an Annie in the future!
Congratulations to Nina and Hamish on their new daughter! I think Anne Elizabeth Kate is a lovely simple, unpretentious classic name that is perfectly familiar, but these days, not common at all.
Remember that you have sixty days to name a baby, so don’t be afraid to take longer to find the perfect name if you need to. You will get there in the end, even if it doesn’t feel like it at times.
Actress Zoe Tuckwell-Smith, and her partner, actor Damon Gameau, welcomed their first child last November, and have named their daughter Velvet. Velvet Gameau’s birth and name were announced on Instagram.
Zoe is a NIDA graduate, and has been appearing in films and on television since 2004. She is best known for starring as Rebecca “Bec” Gilbert on the popular drama series Winners and Losers, which has made her a household name.
Damon is also a NIDA graduate who appeared in the award-winning drama series Love My Way, and the true crime mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities. He has had a small part on US sit-com How I Met Your Mother, and was a regular on Irish drama series RAW. He has appeared in films The Tracker, Balibo and Thunderstruck, and received a Best Actor Award at the Sydney Underground Film Festival for his role in Vermin. Damon is also a film director, and his films One and Animal Beatbox have been shown at Tropfest, with Animal Beatbox taking the top prize.
Velvet is a luxurious baby name I covered this year (around the time of Velvet Gameau’s birth), and I’m interested to see whether more people might be tempted to choose this name now. It’s certainly a great way to start off the baby naming year!
Kieran Foran, and his partner Rebecca Pope, welcomed their first child today, and have named their daughter Emerson Jane. Kieran has played his entire career with Manly, and also plays for the New Zealand national team.
Jamie Buhrer, and his partner Grace Adler, welcomed their first child last November, and have named their daughter Isla. Jamie made his NRL debut in 2010 for the Sea Eagles. Last year he was chosen for both City Origin, and for New South Wales in the State of Origin series.
These are the celebrity baby names of 2013 which were deemed to be “perfect” by the voting public. However, only one girl and boy can win, so you must judge the best of the perfect.
It seemed to be a lot easier for girls names to be thought perfect, but now it will be harder for any one girls name to win against so much competition. Good luck!
And these polls are for the celebrity babies who won in the Round-Up Lists:
Image may be NSFW.
