TV Name Quote

Soleil Moon Frye as Punky Brewster

I was feeling a bit nostalgic so watched a few episodes of 'Punky Brewster' today for a fun blast from the past.

If you were alive in the 80's then it's likely that you know the TV show I'm talking about. It's about a little girl named Punky who was homeless and squatting in a vacant apartment until she was discovered by the building manager Henry Warnimont, a somewhat crotchety elder man with no family of his own. Punky takes an instant liking to the belligerent Henry, but he takes a little longer to warm to Punky. Initially, he contacts Family Services in an attempt to find her mother, but when she can't be found he fights for custody himself rather than have Punky placed with a foster family. Fun and hi-jinks ensue as these two mis-matched loners adjust to life together.

The show wasn't a huge ratings winner, but 'Punky Brewster' was very popular with kids during its' run from 1984 to 1988, and made child star Soleil Moon Frye a household name. Yes, that's the same Soleil who now has her own children, the fabulously named Poet Sienna Rose, Jagger Joseph Blue and Lyric Sonny Roads.

But on to todays' quote. I loved this conversation between Punky and social worker Randi Mitchell in the second episode.

Randi:  Do you have a real name besides Punky?
Punky:  Punky's a real name
Randi:  Yes I know, and it's a very nice one, but don't you have another name?
Punky:  Sure - Brewster!
Randi:  No, I mean another first name
Punky:  Gee, I can't remember one....
Randi:  You know, I don't like to tell people my real name either, they always laugh
Punky:  At Randi?
Randi:  No, that's my nickname, my real name is Miranda
Punky:  Miranda! Miranda's worse than Penelope!
Randi:  A-ha! Penelope Brewster
Punky:  Boy, that was slick


I loved the show, but could not have told you that Punky was short for Penelope!

It also illustrates just how much our opinions of names can change in 30 years. When this episode aired in 1984, Penelope was way outside the U.S top 1000, as she had been for the previous 8 years and would remain for the next 16 years. You can see how Miss Brewster would have been less than impressed with her formal name, one that would have seemed uncool and "old lady-like" in the 80's. Now it's a different story though. Penelope has been shooting up the charts, entering the top 100 for the first time in 2013 (Punky however has yet to ever chart).

Miranda on the other hand has remained a top 1000 name for a long time, declining slightly in the last few years. I'm not sure why it would have seemed so laughable as a name in the 1984, when it was hovering just outside the top 100.

On a final note, wouldn't Penelope and Miranda now make for fantastic sisters? Less so Punky (which now feels dated and too tied to the one character) and Randi (which has not-so-great connotations for a little girl), although both are quite sassy, boisterous names for their classical counterparts.

In today's naming climate I have a feeling that Penelope and Miranda wouldn't feel ashamed of their beautiful names at all.

The Nature of Nature Names

If you're a regular reader here, you've probably heard me say before that I love nature names. People often talk about choosing a name with "meaning", and I feel that nature names have meaning for everyone. They can help to give us a spiritual connection to the world around us, a respect for the power and beauty that surrounds us.

I was watching a show recently about what would happen to the planet if humans just disappeared from Earth tomorrow. The thing that struck me the most was that even with the massive amounts of pollution humans have already generated, and even though the nuclear power plants would meltdown and throw tons of radiation into the atmosphere, given just decades the trees and oceans would clean the atmosphere and plant and animal life would continue. The power of nature is awe-inspiring sometimes.

Normally, when we talk of nature names people think of names like River, Willow and Lily - nature words that are also used as names. But nature names can be so much subtler and more diverse than that. So instead of breaking them down by the usual categories such as trees, flowers, animals, gemstones etc, I thought I'd look at them in a slightly different way.

1. "Straightforward" Nature Word Names
These are the types of names I mentioned above - the names you'll find on any nature names list.

It's great to see how people's opinions of these names have changed over time. Compare for example the names Rose and River. Rose is an enduring classic. Since the first SSA records of 1880 Rose has been a top 500 name in the U.S. You almost forget it's actually a flower name, it's so established as a given name. River however would have been almost unthinkable as a given name in 1880. When it first charted for boys in the 1970's it was a rarity and considered to be a "hippy" name, as many other nature names also were at that time. This opinion would be the popular one for a couple of decades. By 2012 River is far from a rare novelty, charting at #407 for boys and #686 for girls.

In recent years we've seen female characters named both Rose and River on the popular TV show 'Doctor Who', and no one blinks an eye. Our attitudes as to what constitutes a "name" are relaxing, and even the most exotic nature word names are now fair game.


2. Nature Words with Dual Meanings
One of my favourite examples of this is Sage. Yes, it's a herbal nature name, but it also means wise. In addition to those that have "official" second meanings, many plants and stones have a history of associated meanings. For example, Alyssum is a flower name, means 'noble', and symbolises beauty. Ruby symbolises vitality and royalty. The extra meanings and symbolism traditionally attributed to these add an extra depth of meaning to a name. Just like the people they are naming, they have many facets to their personality.


3. "Normal" Names with Nature Meanings
It's like a sneaky little surprise. While people were busy deriding "hippy" names, they were overlooking plenty of "normal" names with nature meanings, such as Daphne (meaning 'laurel'), Paloma (meaning 'dove') or Audra (meaning 'storm'). If you desire a connection to nature but aren't so keen on word names, this might be the path for you.


4. Place and Surnames Derived from Nature
Lots of surnames were taken from the towns where people lived, and many towns were given their names based on the characteristics of the surrounding land. Aren't names with meanings such as 'east meadow', 'people of the riverside forest', 'place on the riverbank' or 'where birches grow' every bit as nature oriented as Meadow, Forest, River or Birch? Then meet Astley, Dresden, Reminton and Berkeley.

This style of nature name opens a lot of possibilities. It also offers more versatility, as they usually combine two or more elements into one. It could be the solution to honouring two loved ones with nature names of their own without necessarily creating a "new"smoosh-hybrid. Plus, they tend to be a bit preppier or "proper" sounding if you want a nature name with a bit more panache.


Whether you like your nature names to be boldly forthright or subtly surprising, the world of nature names is just as rich with choice and variety as nature itself is. In our ever changing world, nature is a constant all powerful force. I can only see them growing more popular. This month I'm all about nature names, so if there's one that you would like to see profiled this February, just let me know in the comments below!

Ten Musician Stage Names: Avicii to Katy Perry

Performers often adopt a stage name – something that is memorable and conveys a particular image, their public persona. This seems to be particularly noticeable with music artists. An actor can hide behind the characters they portray, but a music artist is much more exposed. They are their music, and their public persona can help sell their music and sell tickets to concerts and gigs. And the name they choose to go by can be an important tool to build this persona.

But how do music artists choose a stage name? Here are some examples of current music artists who have chosen their public name, and what made them gravitate towards it.

Gotye

Starting with a local artist, Gotye hails from Melbourne Australia and had a huge hit with 'Somebody That I Used to Know'. A Belgian Australian, he was born Wouter De Backer and went by the English version of his name – Walter – when at school in Australia. To his friends he's known as Wally, but chose to go by Gotye when creating his first solo tracks. Pronounced GAW-tee-ay, it's a pronunciation re-spelling of Gauthier, the French equivalent of Wouter (which is Flemish) that his mother used to call him as a pet name.

P!nk

From an international cultural inspiration to a pop culture one. Born Alecia Beth Moore, P!nk (yes, with an exclamation mark) adopted her stage name in her teens, which reportedly started as mean nickname she was given. There are several versions of how she got the nickname though, which range from her bearing a resemblance to Mr Pink, a character played by Steve Buscemi in the 1992 Tarantino movie 'Reservoir Dogs', to her turning pink when she blushed, to showing her “pink parts” to a male friend. Whatever the cause, it's just like this feisty pop star to take something intended to hurt her and turn it into something empowering.

Eminem

These days rappers with a pseudonym are definitely in the majority. Like P!nk, his stage name originated in his teens. Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, as a teenager he rapped with the name M&M, which soon morphed into Eminem. Which would have helped prevent possible confusion with the candy. He's also gone by the alter ego Slim Shady, said to be a reflection of the rage and resentment that he was feeling at the time.

Jay Z

Another well recognised rapper with a memorable stage name is Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter. When younger his friends called him Jazzy, and he later changed this to Jay-Z out of respect to his mentor, rapper and producer Jaz-O. It's also a nod to the J/Z subway services that have a stop in his home neighbourhood of Brooklyn. He dropped the hyphen in July 2013.

Miley Cyrus

Miley started life as Destiny Hope Cyrus, so named because her parents thought she would achieve great things. She was given the nickname Smiley as an infant because she smiled so much, and this was later shortened to Miley. When cast in dual roles Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart on the Disney Channel show 'Hannah Montana', the Miley character was originally meant to be Chloe Stewart, but was changed when Miley was given the job. In 2008 she officially changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus. Miley's clean cut Disney image inspired thousands of parents to use her name, and Miley leapt from position #5056 in 2005 before 'Hannah Montana' started to #128 in 2008. Miley's questionable behaviour in 2013 may have some people regretting that choice now, although the sentiment and meaning behind the name is very sweet.

Katy Perry

Katy's story is a little more straightforward. Born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, she was always known as Katy, and recorded her first album under the name Katy Hudson. It was a self titled gospel rock album, released in 2001, but wasn't very successful. While working on her songwriting in 2003, Katy dropped Hudson in favour of her mother's maiden name – Perry – to avoid being confused with popular actress Kate Hudson.

Avicii

Unlike the previous people on this list, Swedish DJ Avicii (pronounced uh-vee-chee) deliberately chose his name, rather than it evolving more naturally from a nickname or family name. Real name Tim Bergling, he needed a stage name when he was starting out as a DJ and setting up a MySpace page to expand his fan base. He remembered hearing the word Avici – a Buddhist term meaning the lowest level of hell – and thought it sounded cool. The extra “i” was added as the name Avici was already taken on MySpace.

Drake

Another cool customer is rapper Drake. Drake is actually his middle name, his full name being Aubrey Drake Graham. When acting on TV teen drama 'Degrassi: The Next Generation' he went by Aubrey Graham, but records under the mononym Drake. Already ranked at #231 on the SSA lists in 2012, this is a name to watch. Drake was one of the most Googled people of 2013, and his 2014 is off to a big start as he is currently appearing in 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues' and is hosting 'Saturday Night Live' on January 18^th. He's also a great example of why a funky unexpected middle can be an asset – it's like an inbuilt stage name.

Lady Gaga

It's easy to tell that this pseudonym was not Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta's middle name. It's thought that her name was purely marketing, in which case they invented a great back story to go with it. True or not, the tale is that Gaga was already on the search for a stage name to reinvent herself with when she was working with producer Rob Fusari. Upon hearing her done a particular song he exclaimed that her voice reminded him of Freddie Mercury, and in particular the Queen song 'Radio GaGa'. It became an in-joke that he would sing her the song when she entered the studio. Then one day a text message mistake changed Radio to Lady and something clicked. Gaga loved the combined imagery of refinery and properness with craziness, saying it perfectly captured her journey from a private school girl to her life in a “trash glitter environment”.

Lorde

And lastly, a girl who has been described as the anti-Lady Gaga. She's 17 year old New Zealand musician Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor, whose debut album 'Pure Heroine' has garnered her four Grammy nominations. Her stage name is exactly that – a character that she considers to be separate from her own persona. She has confessed that ever since she was young(er) she was fascinated by royals and aristocracy (hence the sing 'Royals'), and wanted a stage name that reflected that. She was particularly drawn to the look and sound of the title Lord, but felt it was too masculine so added the “e” to make it more feminine aesthetically.

Whether it be inspired by a middle name, nickname, pronunciation quirk, something the artist finds inspiring or simply a way to distinguish themselves, there is something that these stage names have in common. They are all recognisable as theirs. How would you create a stage name if you needed one?

How would you choose a new name - for yourself?

Mask available at Samantha Peach Masquerade Masks

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2014!

The beginning of a new year is often the time when people reflect on the year past, and ruminate on what they would like the next year to bring. For some it is a time for transformation - a new image and maybe even a new name.

It's interesting when someone chooses a new name for themselves; whether it be for career reasons, personal reasons, or or as an online alias. Everyone has their own process. Some prefer to choose a variation of their current name, a tweak that sits more comfortably with them. Some choose a completely different name, something that simply resonates better with who they are, or who they see themselves as. And others prefer to take inspiration from from something with a personal meaning to them, something or someone they feel connected to.

I wondered about this recently when I saw a couple of movies on the one weekend where characters had slightly unconventional ways of choosing their aliases.

Firstly, in 'Pacific Rim' there is a black market dealer called Hannibal Chau, played by Ron Perlman. Not really the type of person most would picture when they hear the surname Chau, so there had to be a story behind it. As the character explains in the movie, "I got the name from my favorite historical figure and my second-favorite Szechuan restaurant in Brooklyn". He is referring to Hannibal Barca, a Carthaginian who lived from 247 BC to about 182 BC and is considered to be one of the greatest military commanders of all time.

The second movie was a little older and a lot more silly - 'Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay'. This one comes in the form of a bordello employee named Tits Hemingway "Because I have huge tits, and my favorite book is 'A Moveable Feast'" (charming, I know). The book she's referring to is a memoir written by Ernest Hemingway about his years spent in Paris in the 1920's.

So it seems that both have chosen an inspiring figure, paired with something a little less lofty. This is probably in part for their comedy value - they are characters in movies after all. Although I have to admit to my own screen name Blue Juniper being somewhat along these lines.

Juniper is a name I fell in love with as a teenager reading a book called 'The Juniper Game' by Sherryl Jordan. The main character Juniper was described as beautiful and magical, and I thought it was so exotic and lovely that I couldn't get it out of my head. It was my online user name for many things. Until I joined one site and it was already taken. So, put on the spot, I added my favourite colour and became Blue Juniper. Long before Blue Ivy Carter was born, might I add ☺

There are tons of other reasons why someone would chose to adopt an alias, or legally change their name. For a couple of examples, my mother changed her middle name to honour a beloved grandma, and a friend of mine once changed her surname to feel more connected to her biological father. And of course, many of us change our name when we get married. Are you looking at a name change (legal or less officially) in 2014? If you're in control of choosing that new name, how will you be making your decision?

This month I'll be looking at some current day screen names and invented names, so let me know if there are any that you're interested in finding out more about and I'll see what I can do. I hope you are looking forward to a great 2014!

Teen Crushes: Cinnamon, Kitana & Savannah

Kitana with her deadly fans from the video game 'Mortal Kombat'

For many people (especially girls it seems) an interest in names usually starts early. For some it's as simple as an "I like your name" to a new friend when you're at school. For others it means long lists of names they hope to one day use, and still others just know early when they've found "the one" - the name they will use no matter what.

When naming is a hypothetical dream you can be as outlandish as you like, and sometimes we are. This is never more so than when we are teenagers - we're establishing our own identity, and our tastes in names can be an extension of this. Are we the type of person who likes classic names, quirky names or modern names?

Sometimes the names we love at this stage will stick with us, sometimes not. After all, tastes change. But regardless of whether we still love a name with the same fervour, chances are that you look back on those names with fondness.

At least, I know I certainly do. So here are three of the names that enchanted me the most as a teen in the nineties.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon was a fanciful "what if" name for me. I was reading a novel - I have no idea which one now - where the main characters were sisters named Sage and Thyme. I really loved this theme, and while Sage "made sense" as a name, I had never really thought or heard of Thyme as a name before. This got me to thinking what other herbs and spices would make great names, and Cinnamon was the one that gave me a light bulb moment. I absolutely loved the sound of it, it felt so earthy yet exotic. But I remember sharing this thought with other people and being told that Cinnamon is not a name. So it became a guilty pleasure name for me - one I loved but could never use.

When I first discovered Nameberry and the SSA charts, I just had to look this one up. The description at Nameberry pretty much confirmed what I'd already been told - that Cinnamon as a name is a bad idea - but I was tickled pink to discover that Cinnamon actually charted in the US from 1967 to 2010! These days my heart lies with Sage, but I'll always have a soft spot for under-appreciated Cinnamon.

Kitana
This is the name that inspired todays' post. Last night as I was heading to bed, the movie 'Mortal Kombat' was just starting on TV. It's a bad, bad movie. But it brings back fond memories of playing the video game with my brothers and sister. And one of the things I especially loved about the game franchise (apart from the super cool fatalities and the legendary phrase "Finish Him!") was that it introduced me to the name Kitana.

Kitana was created for the game by combining the Japanese words Kitsune and Katana to come up with a name that creator John Tobias thought would sound "generically Asian enough". It therefore doesn't have a defined meaning. In Japanese Kitsune means 'fox' and a Katana is a type of Samurai sword known for it's sharpness and strength though, so you could probably draw some meaning from a combination of these elements. Possibilities could include "sharp as a fox", "strong fox" or maybe even "fighting fox", which seems the most fitting considering the character it was coined for.

I'm not the only one to be attracted to this name - Kitana first charted in the U.S. in 1994, around the time MKII ('Mortal Kombat 2') was released. It has charted every year since then, ranked #3045 in 2012 when it was given to 55 girls. While I still love the sound of Kitana, it's similarity to Katana when spoken puts it in the "do I really want to use weapon-like names for a person?" category for me. And of course since it was created for the game there would always be that association. I can't deny it isn't tempting though.

Savannah
In 1996 Aaron Spelling shows were instant hits, and one of my absolute favourites was 'Savannah'. It was set in the town of Savannah, Georgia, and centred around three female friends named Lane, Peyton and Reese. It was full of scandal, intrigue and southern accents, and I loved it. And as much as I liked the names of the three main characters, it was Savannah that captured my imagination the most. To me, it felt classy, soft, fresh and different - just the type of unique, slightly exotic sounding name that I was into at the time.

I laugh now when I remember thinking it was "exotic" sounding, because to many people it's not. But at the time - and in Australia - I hadn't really heard it on a person before. It's still not exactly a popular name here, although in the US it's been a top 1000 name since 1983, and a top 100 name since 1993. Savannah is a Spanish name meaning 'flat tropical grassland' and has gained popularity due to it's prettily feminine sound and slightly spunky feel.


I find it interesting now, looking back on these as a set rather than individual names that I liked at separate times. It strikes me that they could possibly pass for sisters. They all feel slightly exotic to me, have three syllables, and a "nah" sound in them. And each still holds a special charm for me. Maybe they're more indicative of what I like in a name than I first thought.

What were (or currently are) your teen crushes? When you look at them do you think they help you understand your style better? Or are they just memories that you look at fondly, knowing you'll never feel the desire to re-visit them?

Enid Blyton Characters

After writing about Enid and her famous namesake author Enid Blyton, I thought it might be fun to look at some of the names that she used in her stories.

Keeping in mind that Enid Blyton was writing (approximately) from 1922 to 1967, her stories are reflective of a different time and society, often containing views that are now unacceptably racist and sexist. This has led to some of her books being banned at times, and heavily edited and revised in other cases. But the names remain something of a time capsule, a glimpse into a time when the given names Dick and Fanny or nicknames Fats and Podge wouldn't automatically lead to bullying by your peers.

Here's a list of as many of them as I could dig up, although I'm sure there's plenty more. I've tried to stick to just children's names - the names of the pets alone would be enough for another post! Nicknames or the name the character most often went by are in brackets, although there are a few that are quite probably nicknames that I couldn't see a full name for. At least, not without trying to re-read every Enid Blyton book! With that in mind, here is a list of some of the gorgeous vintage gems that can be found within the pages of her well-loved stories.

The Boys

Andy Barnabas (Barney)     Benjy Bill Bob Bobby Bonaparte (Bony) Brock Claude (Podge) Colin Cyril

Dan David x2 Dick Edgar Ernest (Ern) Francis Fred Frederick (Fatty) Fric Gareth George Henry (Harry)

Jack Jeffery Jimmy Jocko John Jo Julian Ken Kenneth Kit Lawrence (Larry) Len

Leonard Michael Mickey Mike Nick Nicky Richard Robert Robin Roderick (Roddy) Roger Rory

Patrick (Pat) Paul Percy (Perce) Peter (Snubby) Peter Philip Philip (Pip) Sam Sidney (Sid) Tom Tony William

The Girls

Alicia Alison Alma Amanda Amelia Jane Amy Angela Anna Anne Anne-Marie Annette Antoinette April Arabella Barbara Belinda Bessie Betty Biddy Bonnie Bridget Carlotta Catherine Christine Clare

Clarissa Claudine Connie Daphne Darrell Deirdre Delia Diana Dimity (Dimmy) Dinah Dora Doris Edith Eileen Ellen Elsie Elizabeth (Bets) Elizabeth (Lizzie) Elizabeth Emily Erica Esme Eunice Fanny Fay

Felicity Fenella Georgina (George) Gillian Gladys Gwendoline (Gwen) Gwyneth Hannah Harriet (Harry) Henrietta (Henry) Hilary Hilda Irene Isobel Ivy Jane Janet Jean Jennifer Jill Joan Josephine (Jo) Joy June Katherine

Kathleen Katie Laura Lotta Louella Lucy Lucy-Ann Margaret (Daisy) Margery Marilyn Mary Mary-Lou Maureen Mavis Melisande Millicent Mirabel Moira Mollie Molly Nora Olive Pam Pamela Patricia (Pat)

Pauline Peggy Penelope Penny Prudence Rachel Rita Roberta (Bobby) Ruth Sadie Sally Sheila Sophie Susan Susie Suzanne Sylvia Tessa (Tessie) Vera Veronica Violet Wilhelmina (Bill) Winnie Yolande Zerelda

There are so many interesting things about the names here, but here are a few fast facts for you:

• Peter and Jack were the boys names Enid Blyton used the most
• And Pam/Pamela was the most popular girls name, closely followed by Susan and Rita 
• In case you're wondering, the girls list is much longer mainly due to the number of books Enid Blyton wrote that were based in girl's boarding schools. But it seems a lot of them preferred to go by quite boyish nicknames, such as George, Bill, Henry and Bobby.
• Enid also named a few sets of twins in her stories. A couple of notables were David and Delia (I love this combination!) and "The Harry's" - twins Henry who went by Harry and Harriet who also went by Harry.

What are your favourite Enid Blyton names? Are any of these names on your list because of an Enid Blyton character? Or have you perhaps used one already?

TV Name Quote

Richard Dean Anderson as McGyver

Most people know instantly who 'MacGyver' is. The title character of this 80's TV show (played by Richard Dean Anderson) was so famous for his ability to use whatever ordinary items he had at hand - plus some duct tape and a keen practical mind - to find a solution to any problem that his name has actually become a verb. Some of the user submitted examples given in the Urban Dictionary are "one who performs great feats of ingenuity on a moments notice" (agreed); "someone who can jump-start a truck with a cactus" (hmm, I guess it's plausible he did this one episode); and my favourite "the ability to use a dorito, some duct tape, and a paper clip to create a time machine." Really paints a picture, doesn't it?

Amazing abilities aside, another running theme throughout the show was the mystery surrounding MacGyver's given name. His mates called him Mac, his dad called him Bud or Buddy, and when questioned on the show he was always rather tight lipped about it. Which is the basis for today's quotes, straight from a season five episode called 'The Lost Amadeus', guest starring Tamsin Kelsey as Lulu:



Lulu: What's your name?
MacGyver: MacGyver
Lulu: What's your first name?
MacGyver: My friends call me MacGyver
Lulu: That bad hey? That's OK, my real name is Alice

And later, when Lulu manages to get her hands on MacGyver's wallet:

Lulu: I wanna see your first name
MacGyver: I told you it's MacGyver
Lulu: Yeah, but you gotta have one, it's not like you're Sting or Prince or something!
Lulu looks in his wallet
Lulu: That's your first name? I think I'll stick with MacGyver.

Lulu and MacGyver at a 1920's party

So what is this mysterious first name that is apparently too bad to speak of? In the last season it is revealed that his full name is Angus MacGyver.

Hardly a bad name - Angus rose in popularity in 2012, most likely helped by a current love of boys names ending in "US", such as Atticus and Magnus. Maybe at the time it was too entrenched in people's minds as an old Scottish man's name, hardly fitting with the young, rugged and clever MacGyver. And why the dislike of Alice? Alice was at it's lowest in the 80's and 90's, but never fell out of the top 500 in America. Again, maybe the funky LuLu just didn't feel that Alice was spunky for her at the time. There is however something intriguing about the idea of Lulu as a nickname for Alice though. What do you think of Angus and Alice?

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?

Khaleesi

Emilia Clarke plays the Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen on HBO's 'Game of Thrones'

As a name lover and fan of the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' books, I was pretty excited when I first heard that the books were being adapted to a TV show. And like many others, I couldn't help but wonder how the show - titled 'Game of Thrones' for the small screen - would affect the baby naming landscape.

I think occasionally people would name a child after their favourite character from the books, but of course there are some that a few years ago would seem much more wearable than others. You could easily use Jon, Rob, Ned or Catelyn. Arya, Bran, Sansa, Theon and possibly Tyrion would get some questions, seen as more "out of the box" than outlandish. And then others such as Daenerys, Viserys or Targaryen would seem completely unusable.

But the good thing about being part of a hit TV show is that such names now have a wide audience, and the once "out of the box" names become less questionable, the "unusable" a possibility. Suddenly a wide range of people would know how to pronounce a name that before would have only been recognised by loyal readers.

I had to wonder which 'Game of Thrones' names would capture peoples attention and start appearing in the birth notices. So far Arya has perhaps had the most success. And then a few months ago one popped up in an Australian birth notice that I had not expected to see - Khaleesi.

If you have any knowledge of the books or the show, you'll know that Khaleesi isn't actually a given name, it's a title. It's the closest thing the Dothraki people have to a queen, and Daenerys receives this title when she weds Khal Drogo in the first episode, and is almost always referred to as Khaleesi rather than Daenerys in the show from that point on.

Now, a Khaleesi isn't always a prestigious position. Basically they are a possession of the Khal, and could be treated like dirt if he so wishes. However Daenerys' determination and ability to become respected by her husband and therefore his people is a pivotal plot point, the first proof we see that this young, sometimes frail looking girl is actually a strong, powerful force to be reckoned with. This is further reinforced when she survives fire to hatch her dragons. Although her storyline is set far, far away from the land of Westeros, we see that she has the determination to possibly take Westeros and be a worthy contender for the Iron Throne.

Emilia Clarke enjoys a lighter moment
with Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow

I can see why Khaleesi has been picked up as a given name for a child. It's a word that is associated with inner and mental strength, resilience, assertiveness, determination and power. And sound wise, it's quite similar to Kamari, Kymani or Kalani, all of which are listed among the top 100 American unisex names in Nancy's Baby Names book titled 'The Most Popular Unisex Baby Names of 2011'. It has a sound that people find appealing for both boys and girls.

Due to it's connection with the 'Game of Thrones', it has so far been primarily (possibly only) used for girls. In the US it appeared on the charts in 2011 at position #5094, given to 27 girls. Considering the first season of the TV version started that year, I'm interested to see how it fared in 2012 when those results are released next month.

I have to admit I wouldn't have picked it, but so far it seems that Khaleesi is the surprise breakthrough name from the show. What else do you think might race up the charts for 2012 thanks to 'Game of Thrones'?

Survivor Season 25 Names

The Cast for Season 25 of 'Survivor'

I got very excited today when I found out that the cast of the upcoming season of 'Survivor' has now been announced. Mainly because this means that the new season of 'Survivor' starts just next week!! I always love watching the different personalities each season brings, and seeing how they interact with each other. And I love discovering the new batch of names every season. This is the show that introduced me to the exotic Parvati, Cirie and Yau-Man. And where else would you see a Troyzan and a Tarzan in the same place?

The other thing intriguing thing with 'Survivor' names is the chance that the show will change how you think about the names you already know. As we have all experienced, our impression of a name can be influenced greatly by other people. How many times have you fallen out of love with a name because you knew a bully in school with that name, or your partner has an ex with that name, or that horrible woman you work with has that name?  For me, 'Survivor' has made Colby more than just a type of cheese; Sugar seem like an acceptable nickname for an adult; and Colton a bitchy diva name rather than a strong manly name. With so many big personalities on Survivor every season, there is always a chance that a name will suddenly take on a different light.

So with that said, the cast of the upcoming season 25 of Survivor will give us the following crop of names to fall in (or out) of love with.

The Girls
Abi-Maria - wouldn't work quite the same if it were Abby-Maria or Abbi-Maria. Abi is just the right amount of cute to balance out the tried-and-true grown up Maria.
Angie
Dana
Dawson (Sarah Dawson) - I'm intrigued that she goes by her last name. Quite like this on a girl even though I've only seen it on a boy before.
Denise
Katie - interesting that both Angie and Katie are ex-pageant girls. Does the fact that they both have nickname names mean they seem more outgoing and approachable, and therefore more attractive maybe?
Lisa
RC (Roberta) - no mention of her middle name, which I'm guessing starts with a C because her last name doesn't.
Roxy (Roxanne) - The name Roxanne plummeted just a decade ago. I'm not sure why when it has such a spunky nickname.

The Boys
Artis - this one I hadn't heard before! Apparently it's a form the name Arthur, which means Bear. Of course, also sounds just short of the occupation Artist, which could cause some confusion.
Carter - Do you think of Carter as a preppy type or laid back surfer dude?
Jeff
Jonathan
Malcolm - haven't often given this name much thought, but I quite like it. Especially when associated with Captain Mal Reynolds from the show 'Firefly'.
Michael
Pete (Peter)
Russell
Zane - I have to admit to having a thing for the 'ane' names - Dane, Kane, Lane, Zane....

Happy viewing everyone!