Celebrities inspire our top baby names

Celebrities inspire our top baby names

3.07.2009
Celebrities inspire our top baby names
Come from nowhere ... Mia, the name of Bec and Lleyton Hewitt`s daughter, is our most popular girls` name.
MIA has come from nowhere to be Australia`s most popular girls` name, possibly thanks to tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt and his wife Bec.

Experts predict a surge in Michaels since the death of Michael Jackson.

A McCrindle Research survey found traditional names dominated, but some parents chose the unusual, such as Mickayla, Jaedyn, Me-a, Thai-son, Ty`Ana and Al`Bert, the Herald Sun reports.

McCrindle looked at birth records nationally and found Jack, William and Lachlan were the most popular boys` names registered last year. Mia, Chloe and Isabella topped the girls.

Some star-struck parents added a celebrity angle. They included: Sienna (Miller), Lily (Allen), Ruby (Rose), Imogen (Bailey), Eva (Mendes/Longoria Parker), Scarlett (Johansson), Isla (Fisher), Charli (Delaney), Keira (Knightley), Isabel (Lucas), Angelina (Jolie), Jack (Black), (Prince) William, Harrison (Ford), (Prince) Harry, Seth (Green) Ashton (Kutcher) and (Prince) Charles.

Social researcher Mark McCrindle said Michael Jackson`s death would result in more Michaels.

Mr McCrindle said Mia had "come from nowhere" in 2000 to top the list, possibly due to Mia Hewitt.

He said Generation X parents were conservative with names, and few opted for the unusual or gender neutral like Robyn and Peta.

His poll of parents found the most important considerations were sound, spelling and possible teasing. But one in four dared to be different.

Victorian parents have recently named their children Kyashia, Nivek, Shaneen, Cameo, Aliyana, Nykiyah Lezley, Tyallah, Bodelle, Teyanah, Zahn, Desten (girl), Zaclan, Aiyahna (boy), Abileine, Jyda Mark, Nikaylah, Bekam, Zaaran, Bae (boy), Rad Ryko, J.J. and Jynia.

After strongly considering the name Xavier, Amy and Stuart Brent instead decided to call their son Xander Charlie when he was born on June 18, hoping his name would give him the X-factor and separate him from the crowd.

"We wanted something that was a little bit different and more modern," Mr Brent said.

"We didn`t think there would be too many people in his class with the same name."

Shayella Grace Tennick was born on June 24 - her mum Allison made up the name: "A person`s personality has a lot to do with their name and I figured that if she has something different then she will be free to be her own personality as she grows up."

Mr McCrindle said odd names could make life difficult in the internet age.

"I`ve got reservations about it because now your name ends up being your ... social networking brand for life. It just gets very confusing.

"We found that parents who gave their children a creative first name tend to give a more normal or traditional middle name. It does give an option to the child to change."

Jack has been the most popular boys` name in seven of the past nine years, beaten only by Joshua in 2000 and `03.

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A nightmare build-up was bad enough, but nothing compared to the suffering that awaited New South Wales at Suncorp Stadium.

When the dust settled on a spiteful clash, Queensland had staked their claim as Origin`s greatest by sealing a record fifth straight Origin series with a 34-6 victory.

But more pain is expected for fiery NSW backrower Luke O`Donnell.

The Maroons faithful in the 52,452-strong crowd went into party mode as Queensland continued their golden run - a 10-4 win-loss record since their winning streak began in 2006.

Only Queensland`s 13-3 record from 1922-26 is better.

It was going to take something special to take the focus away from the Andrew Johns racial row that had marred NSW`s shocking countdown to Origin II - but it became a subplot after O`Donnell`s brain explosion.

The Cowboys enforcer was considered lucky not to be sent off in the 26th minute when the match erupted following his ugly spear tackle on Maroons winger Darius Boyd.

He was placed on report - but that may be the least of his worries.

After O`Donnell`s shocking tackle sparked an all-in, the fired-up North Queensland forward could be seen headbutting David Taylor as the Queenslander was restrained by NSW`s Joel Monaghan.

While O`Donnell appeared to come off second best in the end after Sam Thaiday had finished with him, the Cowboys backrower looks set to have an even bigger headache when he appears before the judiciary considering his NRL rap sheet.

Not much had gone right for NSW in the countdown to arguably their most important clash in Origin`s 30-year history.

And the trend certainly continued from the kick-off.

Days after Johns` now infamous racial slurs rocked the countdown to Origin II, the question remained: ``How would the Maroons` indigenous stars respond?``

The fired-up Suncorp Stadium crowd didn`t have to wait long for the answer.

In the third minute a pumped Greg Inglis - the focus of Johns` rant that cost him his NSW assistant-coaching gig - had dragged two defenders over to score.

By the 12th, Israel Folau - another reportedly in Johns` sights on last week`s Blues bonding night - had latched onto a floating Willie Tonga pass and crossed with one of his first touches of the game to make it 10-0.

Asked how the Johns saga had affected him, Inglis told Channel Nine: ``It showed in my game tonight.

"I was pretty upset about it, and it`s pretty disappointing."

Cameron Smith gave NSW a sniff when he inexplicably kicked the ball out on the full not once but twice.

Yet by halftime Queensland had crossed again through Darius Boyd (35th minute) to make it 16-0.

It could have been worse. Billy Slater`s 31st minute effort was called back due to a dubious forward pass ruling.

It was more of the same in the second half as Queensland kept scoring, and players kept biffing.

The niggling act between Inglis and NSW centre Beau Scott boiled over in the 57th minute when the pair went toe to toe.

But there was no stopping the Maroons juggernaut as they blew out to a 34-0 lead through Tonga (44th), Folau (48th) and Cooper Cronk (62nd).

After Brett Morris was called back in the 74th minute for off-side, NSW finally got on the board through prop Brett White in the final minute, ensuring Queensland did not seal a record-breaking victory over the Blues.

It was the only solace for a badly beaten Blues outfit on Wednesday night.

In another headache for NSW, Paul Gallen was placed on report for a 23rd minute high shot on Nate Myles.

"I told you I was going to get him back," Gallen could be heard saying on the referee`s microphone.

AAP

Maroons embarrass woeful Blues   06/16/2010
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