However of those babies born here, the most popular names are usefully divided by decade, facilitating comparisons over the century since Australia became an independent, federated nation (1/1/1901). Below I have given the top ten names, for boys and for girls, for selected decades.
Girls 1900s
Ethel Amy Ida Mary Myrtle Charlotte Elsie Eva Florence Grace
1940s (I was born and named Helen, along with half my class at school). Margaret Judith Helen Patricia Lynette Barbara Pamela Lorraine Beverley Jennifer
1970s (my children went to school, filled with Lisas and Melissas). Michelle Nicole Lisa Melissa Kylie Rebecca Sarah Amanda Joanne Belinda
2000s (my grandchildren started school, with heaps of Chloes and Mias. Soft endings with vowels seem de rigueur, for girls). Olivia Emily Chloe Ella Jessica Isabella Charlotte Mia Grace Sarah
**
The boys names were more predictable and somewhat less changing. Anglo-Saxon names were more popular for the first 50 years, then much loved Biblical names remained popular for the next 60 years. Almost every male name ends in a consonant.
Boys 1900
George Ernest Alan Arthur Harold Jack James John William Alfred
1950s
Peter John Robert David Michael Stephen Ian Gregory Paul Gary
1990s
Matthew James Daniel Joshua Michael Thomas Nicholas Jack Benjamin Luke
**
I think we can classify 110 years of baby names into three groups. Firstly some names like Charlotte, Amy, Grace, William and James never lost their popularity, decade after decade. Secondly some names were very popular 100 years ago and have re-emerged only recently eg Ruby, Sarah. And thirdly some names were extremely popular at the turn of last century but have faded away. These days very few babies seem to be called Arthur, Horace, Florence, Mabel or Ethel.
Environmentally-specific names, eg Moonbeam or Tigerlily for the children of flower power parents, did not seem to catch on. This was probably true, even in the wild 1960s. Film and sports stars' names did not gain popularity either - there won't be very many children in Australian primary schools in 2020 called Phoenix, Ashton, Javier or Cruz. Finally I had expected to find girls being given names that represented Christian virtues, at least in the early days of Australian Federation. But the names Prudence, Charity, Constance and Mercy did not become extremely popular with parents of newborns. Grace was the exception.
The Australian Jewish News recorded the most popular names for Jewish babies in 2010 as well. Although there were no New Testament names (Luke, Matthew or James), Old Testament names were the most likely to be chosen for newborn boys. Jacob, Benjamin, Asher and Zachary were clear winners. For newborn girls, parents felt totally free to give non-Biblical names. Mia, Ashley, Tali, Zoe and Romy were the runaway favourites.
How predictable parents are. I feel a PhD thesis coming on :)
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19 comments:
The interesting thing Hels is that the most popular kid's names in the UK seem to mirror those in Australia even though we are thousands of miles apart.
The thing that gets my goat at the moment is the trend here to spell traditional names in a new way as the parents seem to think it makes it look more sophisticated.
Isn't that interesting. Never thought about it. Excuse me if I have some time out until I feel better.
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Glen,
An amazing comparison, yes!
The Guardian gave 1 Olivia, 2 Ruby, 3 Chloe, 4 Emily, 5 Sophie, 6 Jessica, 7 Grace, 8 Lily, 9 Amelia and 10 Evie as the top UK names for British baby girls born in 2010.
British baby boys were called 1 Oliver, 2 Jack, 3 Harry, 4 Alfie, 5 Joshua, 6 Thomas, 7 Charlie, 8 William, 9 James and 10 Daniel (Mohammed was counted separately for each spelling variation, but would have come in at 5th place).
You are correct that these are very very similar to the names given to Australian babies in the same year. I wonder if it was perhaps true in other Anglo Saxon countries as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/27/oliver-olivia-popular-baby-names
Hermes
I had never thought about it much either, at least not in any systematic way. Each parent thinks they make totally individual choices for their baby, uninfluenced by fashion. Yet baby names are just as subject to fashion as are clothes, cars or architectural styles.
Get well quickly!
Show your talents,
welcome on board. Hope you continue to participate in the discussions.
We thought we were being quite modern. Our three 1970s daughters all have names from your list Nicole, Lisa, Belinda.
I think at least for the last generation it's pivotal what came from Hollywood. All that Kevins...
And not to forget the music industry with its Shakiras...
So despite all the great heroes its very, very anti individualistic, people are so predictable.
ahhh Deb,
we all thought we were sooo modern, so different from our parents and grandparents :) I love the girls' names, by the way. A lot of Nicoles will be celebrating their 40th birthdays this year.
Xenophon
people ARE predictable *nod*. And relatively conservative. They may want to call their precious newborn some exotic one-off name. But they realise that the child will be teased unmercifully at school and will live at home for the rest of his life because he cannot find a spouse.
I don't know how naming in Canada compares, but do know that I have taught so many Jason's and Ryan's that I have completely lost count. The girls' names compare, though, with your list - the Melissa's, Amanda's and Nicole's were abundant when I first began to teach in the early nineties.
Chris
there must be some universal choices being made and some more localised choices as well. In my year at high school there were 8 Helens!! But not a single Myrtle or Florence.
I always remember the oddities: a student whose second name was "Original" - a family tradition since the original original; another whose second name was "St John" - a family name I asked? no. "my dad was a Liverpool supporter"; then recently a cinema attendant of Pakistani origin wearing a badge on which was inscribed the name "Danish" - and sure enough he was actually born in Denmark; I also came across an Elvis in India; then I have a friend called "Robin" - he chose it himself about 80 years ago because he did not like the name his parens had given him: Oliver.
cheers
John (how boring is that, although it is not my first name)
Apologies for going on at such length
John
we used to hear of baby boys being given their mothers' maiden names as a way of not losing those names from history. Thus you might find surnames, like Sullivan or Wilson, being used as first names.
However parents usually give babies a first name and a middle name, so that if he/she doesn't like one of them later on, he/she can use the other one - as you noted. It is interesting that the name your friend did NOT like was Oliver, the #1 name for British baby boys in 2010.
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Bank,
do you mean Kevin Peterson the cricketer? Nah.. I don't think so :)
Every family has its own traditions. In my family, the next newborn baby is named after the last close relative who died. That way the same names are retained, generation after generation.
I still remember when my aunt had her first baby girl in the mid 1980s and named her 'Emily.' The whole family was perplexed. Emily? Who would name their kid that? Well, apparentl a TON of parents fifteen years later! It's funny how cyclical names can be.
Janene,
This is a great topic :)
Some names NEVER fade in popularity
Some names are hugely popular in some eras, but then fade away.
Some names are indeed cyclical.
How many thousands of Emilys, Olivias and Chloes there must be in primary school now! Millions, if you examine The Guardian's list of favourite names as well.
Edwardian Promenade has discussed the craze for Edwardian names which currently (2013) showing no signs of abating.
See http://edwardianpromenade.com/people/baby-names-in-the-edwardian-era/
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