Indie

Photo Courtesy of Work of Heart Photography

It feels like not too long ago, we were talking about how vintage flavoured nickname names ending in "ie" are making a comeback. Ellie, Sadie, Gracie and Allie were all in the U.S top 200 in 2012, while current Nameberry favourites include Maisie, Elsie, Millie, Evie, Hattie and Edie. Names such as this were so popular in the early 1900's that it might have felt like all the good "ie" names had been used. But it seems this wasn't necessarily the case. Meet Indie - one of the freshest "ie" nickname names to appear in recent years.

As the top names for the different Australian states were being released recently, I was following Anna's analysis posts at Waltzing More Than Matilda. At first, I was intrigued to note that Indigo is rising as a girls name in multiple states. But then I noticed Indie. Also quietly moving up the charts, and possibly indicative of a future trend for girls names containing "ind".

In 2013 Indie entered the Australian top 100 for the first time at #94. In the U.S it first charted in 1959, but the highest it has ever climbed there (so far) is #3017 in 2011. For girls, Indie is the most popular spelling, ahead of Indi and Indy, while for boys Indy is by far the most popular variant.

So why the higher popularity in Australia? It's likely that in 2013 Indie benefited from the 'Home and Away' effect, in much the same way that Brax and Braxton did in 2012. This time the character was Indigo "Indi" Walker, played by Samara Weaving. The character had been on the show for a few years, leaving in November 2013, so perhaps the news of her departure brought her name to the forefront of people's minds. Or maybe people admired Aussie action hero Chris Hemsworths' choice of India Rose for his daughter in 2012.

This assumes though that Indie has to be "inspired" by a different, longer name, when it's actually a perfectly spunky name in its own right. And that assumption probably isn't too far wrong. Most baby naming sources say it is a form of India, a place name likely meaning 'river' or 'from the river Indus'. Some say it's from Indigo, an Greek colour/word name meaning 'Indian dye'. Or maybe Indiana, meaning 'land of the Indians'. Or even Indira, a Sanskrit name meaning 'beauty'. The allure of simply using Indie is that it could possibly mean any - or all - of these things.

My first thoughts are of Indiana Jones and "indie" movies, songs and artists, so Indie feels like a confident, free spirited, adventurous and smart person to me. Others may think of  the colour Indigo, and think of an Indie as a spiritual, intuitive and relaxed personality. With so many different possible sources and associations, an Indie could be many things. Plus it's a great compromise if you love the sound but can't decide between two great, similar choices, or don't feel quite confident using Indigo or India.

But then again, maybe you think Indie is super cute - but suitable only as a nickname. Good news is there are plenty of options for a formal name. So as a final note, here's a list of "formal" names that all lend themselves to Indie as a nickname.

	Adelind		Corinda		Indianna		Josalind		Lucinda
	Aurinda		Delinda		Indiara		Kalindi		Marindi
	Belinda		Dorinda		Indica		Kindall		Melinda
	Brindley		Elinda		Indigo		Laurinda		Mindy
	Callinda		Florinda		Indira		Linda		Olinda
	Cherlindrea		Giacinda		Indra		Lindy		Rosalind
	Cinda		Glinda		Ingrid		Linden		Tindra
	Cindy		India		Jacinda		Lindezza		Windsor
	Clarinda		Indiana		Kaitlind		Lindsay		Yasminda

Top Australian Names for 2013

The final results for the top names in Australia for 2013 have been released this week. That makes it a perfect time for a fun little graphic, so like last year, here is a graphic representation of the top names across all of the Australian states in 2013. If you're interested in how this compares against 2012, you can see last years maps here.

Apologies for my not-quite-polished graphics!

If you're after a more detailed state by state analysis, Anna at Waltzing More Than Matilda has done a great job discussing these as each state released their data over the last few months.

Mark McCrindle Research has also released a report detailing the results of the 2013 data, and the implications for baby names in Australia in 2014. It also includes a list of the top 100 names for our neighbour New Zealand - definitely worth a look if you are naming an Australian or New Zealand baby in 2014.

It's fun to be a Shirley

Shirley - a fun name for a fun little girl

For many name nerds there are two things that are usually pretty high on their want list when choosing names. One is that the name isn't too "trendy" - that it won't seem too dated in yeas to come and instantly mark someone as a child of a particular decade. Another is that it's not "too" popular.

Around the 1930's, one name that completely broke both of these rules was Shirley, largely thanks to child mega-star Shirley Temple. The name was already very well recognised, positioned at #9 in America when Shirley Temple's first films were made. The attention this young girl brought to the name gave it such a boost that Nancy points out that Shirley had the second biggest jump (in numbers of girls given the name) ever from 1934 to 1935, which saw it go from #4 to #2 when 42,353 American girls were given the name. That's a lot of Shirley's.

In many other countries Shirley followed a similar pattern. Fast forward to 1996 in Western Australia. A woman named Shirley, inspired by some lunches with a couple of other Shirleys, thought it might be fun to meet more Shirleys and so put the word out via local media. 62 Shirleys showed up to the first gathering and the Shirley Club was born. The club has grown to include branches all over Australia, in New Zealand and even America, and this weekend they held their 2013 convention in our nations capital, Canberra.

This is a group of ladies whose name has given them a special bond, a common ground from which to form lasting friendships. The groups founding Shirley Brown (otherwise known as S1) says that "Shirleys everywhere have such a good time together, it seemed a logical idea to all of us that we should get together" and that Shirleys are "friendly, outgoing and fun people". They even wrote a Shirley song, which they sing at their conventions.

It's a great argument for not being afraid to choose a currently popular name if you love it. Maybe your child won't feel quite as "special" in a world where four other children at school has the same name. Or maybe it will give them a sense of belonging - a special connection with other children who share the same name, or a confidence to more easily form friendships with others.

Shirleys aren't the only ones who have formed a group to meet like-named friends. In America you will also find Betty Clubs, The Bob Club, The LINDA Club, The Jim Smith Society, and even The Phil Campbells, who meet in the town of Phil Campbell, Alabama.

Many of these names seem to be ones that were once very popular, but are now seen as antiquated and not-so-cool. American member Shirley Rose openly admits that their members have encouraged their children and grandchildren to pass on the name Shirley, but that "It seems the younger generation finds the name very old-fashioned sounding". It's fair to say that I don't think we'll see an upsurge in the name any time soon, although I love its meaning of 'bright meadow'.

For now though, The Shirley Club are definitely teaching us all a lesson about how to love and appreciate our name, and share that joy with the people who understand it the best.

Baby Name Pondering and the 2012 SSA Lists

Photo courtesy of Teri Yover Photography

We name nerds are going crazy at the moment, because the SSA 2012 name data has just been released! Even though I'm from Australia, I have to admit to a real fascination with the SSA data. IT's much more comprehensive, not to mention the sheer variety of names to discover. Here's a couple of fast facts to show what I mean:

• For newbies, the SSA lists include all names that were given to five or more children of one gender that year.
• In 2012 the girl's list covers 1,743,626 baby girls and includes 19,380 different names. This is 166 fewer names than the 2011 list, despite covering 1216 more children. Is this the start of a shrinking of the almost fantastical variety of girls names? Probably not.
• The boys 2012 list has 14,162 names, covering 1877705 baby boys. This is also fewer than the 2011 list by 
• 96 names - but then again, there were 2928 fewer births included in the 2012 list.

Now, you'll see much talk about what names in the top 1000 were the biggest movers (Arya for girls, Major for boys), but it's outside the top 1000 that we really see some big mover and shakers. Maybe because (for girls) to go from position 1000 to 1 is a difference between a name being given to 250 girls or given to 21,695 girls, whereas the 2000th name would only have to be given to 152 more girls to get to position 1001. Which shows just how popular a name has to be to get to the top 10.

So, since a lot of the names I've featured on here fall outside the top 1000, I thought it would be a bit of fun to look at how the names I profiled in 2012 fared in 2012.

 Looking at the girls list, I'm excited by how many increased in popularity. I'm pretty sure that if Sutton continues its current path, she'll be a new entry to the top 1000 in the 2013 list. I am however a bit surprised to see Lawson climbing so much for girls, admittedly because I most often think of it as a boys name. Maybe the tide is changing for this name? It's definitely catching up to the boys.

Easily the most exciting thing about this list is that 'Hunger Games' name Finnick has burst into the charts for the first time. As a character that first appears in the second book, we are yet to see this character on the big screen. But with hype already building for the next movie 'Catching Fire', which is due out this November, Finnick stands to gain a fresh wave of fans. Katniss also entered the charts for the first time in 2012 at position 9,329. In real numbers, Katniss was given to 12 girls and Finnick to 9 boys, so it'll be interesting to see if they manage to gain more ground over 2013.

I didn't do a table for them, but several names appeared on both the boys and girls lists above. Of these, Matisse was easily the biggest mover for both boys and girls. Dresden, Sutton, Lawson and Hunter also increased in popularity for both genders. Cameo was a big mover for girls, but dropped off the boys list altogether. And Mitchell fell for both, dropping off the girls list.

Finally, for the truly rare names - those I've featured but didn't make it onto either the boys or the girls list in 2012. Admittedly, I have had some real flights of fancy at times so some aren't all that surprising.

The ones that have appeared at least once in the past are Florinda, McKaley and Yarrow. The rest are:

• Alcide (Although Alcides is ranked 10,751 for boys )
• Boo
• Fillion
• Mockingbird
• Musidora
• Obsidian
• Raviva (I'm sure this one will appear in the 2013 list though!)
• Six (but Sixto appears at #6,215 on the boys list)
• Thackery
• Titanium

Well I guess that just about covers it! Have you had a look at the 2012 data yet? How did your personal favourites fare? And what surprises did you find? If you're expecting a 2013 baby, will the results influence your naming choice?

2013 Bonds Babies

Cielo - One of this Years Gorgeous Baby Bonds Winners

The 2013 Bonds Baby Search competition has ended, and 17 gorgeous babies and children have been picked to be the new faces of Bonds. Winners were chosen for their bright personalities, cheeky smiles or "a touch of spark". And of course, with 17 winners we have 17 gorgeous names to mull over, so here they are (in alphabetical order):

Annabelle - This is one name whose star is currently on the rise. Thought to be either a combination of Ann/Anna (which is a Hebrew name meaning 'He (God) has favoured me' or a variant of French name Amabel meaning 'lovable', either way this is a lovely name. It's understandable why it's currently gaining in popularity.

Ashton - This is a great unisex option, although it has been far more popular for boys in the last 10 years thanks to Ashton Kutcher. An English name meaning 'ash tree place', this English name has a slightly preppy  but friendly feel to it.

Austin - One of the more popular place names, Austin reached top 10 status in the US in the late 90's but didn't stay there long. Of French and Latin origin, it means 'great, magnificent, venerated'. If you like a more literary spin, change the "i" for "e" and you have one of the most beloved females writers - Jane Austen - but the Austin spelling for now remains far more popular.

Azriel - A Hebrew name meaning 'God is my help', I love the sound of Azriel. Great for either gender, it has a long history of use. However it is also a commonly recognised name for the Angel of Death (also spelled Azrael), and is often depicted in fiction in this role. If this isn't a problem in your eyes, it's a great sounding name.

Bella - As most know, Bella literally means 'beautiful' in Italian/Latin. A pretty, friendly name, and extremely popular when you take into account girls with -belle or -bella names that go by Bella as a nickname. And of course there's that small franchise known as 'Twilight', which helped put Isabella and Bella at the top of everyone's lists. Whether it was your use or avoid list depends on how much it's popularity bothers you.

Charlize - A nice surprise, as this is not a name you see very often. It first appeared on the US charts in 1998 thanks to the popularity of actress Charlize Theron, but peaked in 2004 at #624 and has slowly been dropping off again. It's a feminisation of the Old German name Charles, meaning 'free man'. A lovely, slightly more exotic sounding name than Charlotte if you're looking to honour a Charles in your family tree.

Cielo - This is perhaps my favourite on this list. In Spanish it's pronounced see-EL-oh and means 'heaven', in Italian it's chee-EL-oh meaning 'sky'. It's usually used on girls, and is a pretty but rare choice if you love the sound of an "o" ending, but aren't keen on other favourites such as Cleo, Arlo or Sparrow.

Cohen - A cool sounding name, this is one that comes with a bit of controversy. It is a royal name in the Jewish faith, meaning 'priest', and is therefore felt to be off limits as a given name. Nonetheless, its sound is what has attracted many who are largely unaware of the association, and Cohen is a name on the rise.

Declan - I love Declan, it's such a strong, warm, and masculine name. Declan is a Gaelic name meaning 'full of goodness' or 'man of prayer'. It's also an Irish Saint name. Declan has been getting a lot of exposure as a character name in recent years, appearing on shows such as 'Revenge' and movies such as 'P.S. I Love You', which may have helped to boost its popularity.

Franklin - A surname and presidential name in America, Franklin is an English name meaning 'free land holder' or 'free man'. It is distinguished sounding, but the "frank" in it also makes it feel honest and down-to-earth.

Isabelle - There's something so pretty about this particular spelling. Yes, it's currently super popular, but that's because so many people love the sound of Isabelle. Derived from the name Elizabeth, Isabelle means 'pledged to God'.

Jaydan - Jaydan (or Jayden) is a name that in unpopular with many name aficionado's, mainly because they feel it is too popular (people say they are "over it"), sounds like several other currently popular names (mainly Aiden and Hayden) and sounds made up. Jadon however is a biblical name, meaning 'thankful', while Jaden (chosen by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith to honour Jada)  is a Hebrew name meaning 'God has heard', so technically it's an alternative spelling rather than a made up name. Jaydan has been likened to the Jason of this generation - a familiar, friendly and slightly funky name.

Jaydan - Another 2013 Bonds Baby Winner

Lyla - Lyla contains the double "L" sound which is also contained in popular favourite Lily. Lyla however feels a little less delicate than Lily, while retaining a lovely musical, feminine quality. In Persian it means 'dark haired beauty, night' and in Sanskrit it means 'divine play'.

Mia - I'm assuming this one is pronounced ME-ah, as that is the most common in Australia. Mia has been a top 10 name is Australia, Germany, Norway and America in recent years. It's soft but spunky, pretty, and easily understood in many languages, giving it universal appeal. It's often thought to be a pet form of Maria (meaning 'star of the sea'), but is also Italian for 'my' or 'mine'.

Mya - And I'm assuming this is pronounced MY-ah. Mya is a variant of Greek name Maia, meaning 'great, mother'. It's less popular than Mia, which is to say you'll see it at the top end of the top 100, rather than the top end of the top 10. It has a slightly stronger look to it than Mia, and for me feels like it would be right at home in a sci-fi tale.

Ramsey - In Australia, Ramsey Street is synonymous with 'Neighbours', one of our longest running television soaps. Beyond 'Neighbours', Ramsey is an Old English name meaning 'low lying land' or 'wild garlic island', but is better recognised as a Scottish surname. It feels like a happy, warm name, despite any associations you might have with irritable chef Gordon Ramsay. It's quite an adorable, off the beaten track choice.

Zac - It doesn't get much simpler than Zac. Many Zac's may be Zachary, Zachariah or Issac, or even Zack or Zach, but I love the sleeker look of Zac. This particular spelling has recently been made popular by famous Zacs Efron (actor) and Posen (fashion designer). Zac and its' variants continue to be some of the most popular Z names for boys, and means 'the Lord has remembered'.


So that's the round up for this year. I few themes I've noticed are:

• a lot of these names have meanings involving God, which indicates a trend for not just biblical names, but also names with a spiritual meaning
• a few have the letter "z" - which always seems to make a name feel a little spunkier and cutting edge for some reason
• Belle/Bella names make a few appearances, so it's likely we will see a few more of these types of names rise in popularity before the Belle/Bella trend dies down.

A pretty bunch of names for a group of beautiful children - which names are your favourites?