Australian Names: Aussie Favorites

  1. Saxon
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "people of the dagger"
    • Description:

      Saxon is unusual word name that nevertheless feels right on trend, with that sharp X in the middle and that two-syllable-ending-in-n pattern. Reminiscent of Roman but not yet so popular, Saxon is one to watch out for.
  2. Miles
    • Origin:

      English form of Milo, Latin and Old German
    • Meaning:

      "soldier; merciful"
    • Description:

      Although usually seen as a masculine name, Miles is sometimes seen as a feminine name in Australia, due to its literary association with female author Stella "Miles" Franklin. The s ending makes it especially trendy.
  3. Kylie
    • Origin:

      Noongar, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "boomerang; narrow spit of land"
    • Description:

      Popular pop name, inspired by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was at its height in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s; often cited as a Noongar name meaning "boomerang".
  4. Anika
    • Origin:

      Nordic diminutive of Anne or African, Hausa
    • Meaning:

      "sweetness of face"
    • Description:

      Anike is an attractive name with ties to several cultures, both African and Scandinavian. The African pronunciation emphasizes the second syllable while the Nordic one emphasizes the first. While there will be inevitable confusion over pronunciation, either form is "correct".
  5. Araluen
    • Origin:

      Aboriginal Australian
    • Meaning:

      "water lilies; place of the water lilies"
    • Description:

      Araluen is a beautiful Aboriginal Australian place name, used in several sites, always connected to the dainty water lily.
  6. Sydney
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Sidney, French
    • Meaning:

      "Saint Denis"
    • Description:

      The Sydney spelling most popular for girls: it's in the Top 50 on the female side. Cool for a girl, still nerdy for a guy.
  7. Indi
    • Origin:

      Variation of Indie, English
    • Meaning:

      "independent"
    • Description:

      A true maverick of a girls' name — even more so with this spelling, the least common between Indie, Indy, and Indi.
  8. Banjo
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "string instrument"
    • Description:

      When Australian actress Rachel Griffiths chose this highly unusual name for her son, many assumed it was a bizarre invention, but noted Australian poet and writer of Waltzing Matilda, Banjo Patterson, is known by this name. Sprightly and musical, it could blend in with Bruno, Benjamin and Joey.
  9. Iluka
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "by the sea"
    • Description:

      This Yaygir Aboriginal name is the name of two towns in Australia and is also occasionally spotted as a name. Meaning "by the sea" the name is perfect for beach-going families.
  10. Narelle
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "little river"
    • Description:

      The Narellan is the name of a river in New South Wales. From this name comes this quasi-French girls' name, which is quite common in Australia.
  11. Walken
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "rainbow"
    • Description:

      One of the few rainbow names that is masculine, Walken is a Noongar Aboriginal word.
  12. Mirri
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "the sun"
    • Description:

      This cute as a button name stems from the Goonayandi word for the sun and can be used as a unisex name.
  13. Jai
    • Origin:

      Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil
    • Meaning:

      "victory"
    • Description:

      Pronounced like Jay, this short name is popular in South Asia and makes for a great English-South Asian crossover choice, used regularly in the UK and Australia. It can also be an alternate spelling of the English name Jay, either short for a J name or deriving from the name of the bird.
  14. Voss
    • Origin:

      Germanic
    • Meaning:

      "fox"
    • Description:

      Voss is a German name, that is seen in Norway and Australia (in the former it is associated with a region, in the latter it is associated with the protagonist of Patrick White's novel by the same name). Voss is an interesting alternative to Fox.
  15. Rosella
    • Description:

      Rosella can be seen as a nature name (a rosella is the name of a variety of beautiful Australian cockatoos and an Australian flower) or a diminutive version of Rose.
  16. Taj
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "crown"
    • Description:

      Taj is a cool-sounding name reflecting the magnificence of the seventeenth-century Indian Taj Mahal, chosen by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler for his son.
  17. Huon
    • Origin:

      Tasmanian tree name
    • Meaning:

      "huon river pine"
    • Description:

      A name gaining recognition in Australia, based on the huon pine tree which grows in Tasmania. Boatbuilders especially love this rare wood, which floats well, is resistant to rot, and has a strong pine-y scent.
  18. Lowan
    • Origin:

      Indigenous Australian
    • Meaning:

      "malleefowl"
    • Description:

      Half-way between Logan and Rowan, Lowan could be an interesting pick for parents looking for an off-the-beaten-track nature name.
  19. Talei
    • Origin:

      Torres Strait Islander
    • Meaning:

      "precious one"
    • Description:

      This name from the Torres Strait region is a gorgeous choice for parents looking for a name that describes just how precious your little one is.
  20. Alira
    • Origin:

      Aboriginal Australian
    • Meaning:

      "quartz stone"
    • Description:

      This Australian name can have other spellings such as Allira, Alirah and Aleara. We prefer this spelling which keeps confusion and mispronunciation to a minimum.