Australian Baby Names: Digging Up Names From Down Under

Even though Australian baby names are a lot like British names, they do also have their own distinctive flavor.  The blend of cultures Down Under and the strong presence of several enduring indigenous languages and groups have a powerful influence on Australian baby names (the complex Aboriginal naming traditions definitely deserve a future blog of their own).  Last year, for example, though Australia’s most popular list included Jack and Ella, Joshua, Ethan, Emily, Chloe and Mia, also high up on their list were Matilda, Isla, Lachlan (the name of Oz newspaper mogol Rupert Murdoch’s high-profile son), the Scottish-influenced Angus, and the nickname-name Archie.

Aussie heroes–from outlaws like Ned Kelly to poets like Banjo Paterson to politicians such as Prime Minister Geogh Whitlam–provide some interesting and adoptable namesakes.

Here are some from the world of sports:

EVONNE GoolagongKARRIE WebbKEL NagleKIEREN PerkinsLIESEL JonesLIONEL RoseLLEYTON HewittLUC Longley

And nameworthy names from the show biz arena:

ANGUS YoungBON ScottBAZ LuhrmannCATE BlanchettELLE MacphersonGUY PearceHEATH LedgerHUGH JackmanISLA FisherJACINDA BarrettKAHAHLKYLIE MinogueLOUISA BrammallNAOMI WattsNATALIE ImbrogliaNELLIE MelbaNICOLE KidmanOLIVIA Newton-JohnPORTIA De RossiROLF HarrisRUSSELL CroweTONI Collette

And what names do these Aussie celebs choose for their own their kids? Austarbabies include:

ADELAIDE — Rachel GriffithsALEXANDER — Naomi WattsANGELICA — Geoffrey RushAVA — Hugh JackmanBANJO — Rachel GriffithsBINDI — Steve IrwinCHARLOTTE — Judy DavisCHLOE — Olivia Newton-JohnCHRISTIAN — Mel GibsonDASHIELL — Cate BlanchettFLYNN — Elle MacphersonIGNATIUS — Cate BlanchettKLAUS — Eric BanaLILLIAN — Baz LuhrmannLOUIS — Mel GibsonMATILDA — Bryan Brown, Heath LedgerMILO — Mel GibsonOLIVE — Isla FisherOSCAR — Hugh JackmanROMAN — Cate BlanchettROSIE — Bryan BrownSAGE — Toni ColletteSAMUEL — Naomi WattsSATINE — Jacinda BarrettSOPHIA — Eric BanaSUNDAY — Nicole KidmanTENNYSON — Russell Crowe

And there’s a whole lot more to Australian place names than South Australia capital city Adelaide. Here’s a selection:

ALBANYALLORAARARATAUGUSTABENALLABENDIGOBOTANYBURNIEDARWINELANORAESPERANCEGALLAHGRAFTONGRIFFITHHOBARTISAJANNALIKALLIKARRATHAKILLARALINCOLNLOGANMACKAYMACQUARIEMAITLANDMILDURAORANGEPERTHRYDEVICTORIA