Australian Names: Aussie Favorites

Karri is a beautiful Australian native tree famous for its richly-colored strong wood. It's a name that travels well - and one of the few tree names that lends itself more to girls than boys.

Love the name wren but need something not quite so trendy? Consider Jedda. Jedda is derived from the word 'djida' meaning "wren" in the language of the Noongar people of Western Australia. Jedda was also the name of the eponymous heroine of the film "Jedda", which was one of the first Australian films to be shot in color and was the first to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival (it was nominated for the Palme d'Or). The perfect name for nature enthusiasts and film buffs alike.

Traditionally pronounced "ming-iz" and thus the relationship to the jazzy Mingus, Menzies is an old Scottish surname related to the more common Manners.

Corymbia is the botanical name of many species of beautiful flowering gum trees. It is a rare, but attested, girls name in Australia.

Although the name Jabiru is indelibly associated with Australia (it is the name of a town in Northern Territory, Australia and also a type of stork), it is not an Aboriginal name, as is often thought.

Maroochy Barambah, an Australian singer, brought this name into prominence in Australia.

To most Australians and New Zealanders, using the name Anzac might feel sacrilegious now, as the ANZAC story has become interwoven with national identity. But Anzac was used as a name for both boys and girls on both sides of the Tasman Sea in the aftermath of the First World War. It was often used in combination with other names associated with battles or military leaders - for example Dardanella Anzac and Verdun Anzac (both girls) and Winston Anzac and Anzac Kitchener (boys).

This name is connected to Ambelin Kwaymullina, an Indigenous Australian teen fiction author. Ambelin could be a nice alternative to Amber or Ember, if you can get past the fact it sounds very similar to Anne Boleyn.

Similar in sound to Meredith, this could be an interesting choice for parents looking for a unique name. Merri is an obvious and appealing nickname.

Most closely associated with Australia's iconic progressive Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, this name is a great choice for politicos or parents wanting to honor their Welsh heritage in naming a red-haried son.

When Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman became one of the first Europeans to find Australia, he gave his name to a sea and to an island. in turn some parents have chosen to honor their homeland by choosing this name for their child. Tasma is the feminine version of his surname. A famous bearer of this name is Australian actress Tasma Walton.

Famous Indigenous lawyer Lowitja O'Donoghue brought this name into prominence in Australia. She now has a research institute named for her. We think this fresh take on Lois has wide appeal.