Australian names differ just as much as all the different cultures and nationalities within it. Many Australians pick names either for their sounds, meanings, family heritage and nationality these days. Everything is possible here in Australia and you will find names ranging from the very common to the very unusual.
Many of the early Australian names are European in origin as this is where the many of the people who founded Australia, more than two hundred years ago came from. Many of these names include Robert, Anthony, Elizabeth, Margaret, Edward, Mathew, David, Alexander or Alex for short and Mary, but as Australia grows, so does the list of names. Names from all over the world can be found in Australia today, from Africa to Asia, Russia, North America, South America, the Middle East and everywhere else in between.
There are also names that originated in Australia such names are Lorrae, Lyndal, Nerelle and Raelene. A lot of these names originated from other names or were just newly invented. Even more Australian are aboriginal names, they are absolutely beautiful in their pronunciation and their meanings, most of their meanings have something to do with the earth, the sky and all of its elements. Some of the most popular indigenous Australian girl names are Arika, meaning water lily, Amarina meaning the rain, Talia, meaning near water, Loorea, meaning the moon and Kyeema meaning of the dawn. Some of the most popular indigenous Australian boys names are Mandu, meaning the sun, Jerara meaning falling water, Kolya meaning winter, Pindari meaning from the high ground and Odern meaning by the sea.
In recent years many Australians have even been using names from movies and television shows that have become increasingly popular such movies as the Matrix, with names like Neo and Trinity and such television shows as Home and Away, Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Charmed have made both new and old names popular with names like Blake, Irene,Sally, Willow, Piper, Paige and Xander. Inspirational and flora names have always been popular in Australia such names include Faith, Hope, Grace, Rose, Lily, Camellia and Fern.
Every year agencies like 'Birth, Death and Marriages' compile a list of the top Australian names. The twelve most popular Australian girl names in the year 2004 were Charlotte, Jessica, Chloe, Hannah, Emily, Ella, Grace, Jasmine, Sarah, Amy, Isabella and Mia. The top twelve Australian boy names for the year 2004 were Joshua, Liam, Thomas, Mathew, Daniel, Jack, William, Samuel, Dylan, Luke, Connor and James.
Some common Australian names are Bob, Samantha, Rebecca, Michelle, Michael, Brendan, David, Karen, Sarah, Tammy, Timothy, Mark, Kylie, Jane, Julia, Richard and Robyn.
Australian names are always changing as new ones are formed and heard of and old ones regain popularity again or whether there is just new influences and other such circumstances bringing names to new found light. Nothing ever really stays the same for too long, not even Australian Names.