Australian Names: Aussie Favorites

Lutana is the Paredarerme word for moon and is occasionally seen as a girls name, especially in Tasmania, where the Paredarerme were from. A great choice for people looking for alternative to other moon names, and especially cute given the possibilities of Lulu as a nickname.

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.

In the language of the Ngurelban people, 'Yera-o' is said to mean "joyful". This Anglicization is reminiscent of other feminine nameslike Eulalia and could work well for those looking for a less familiar choice.

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.

Colbee was a warrior of the Gadigal clan in Sydney when the British First Fleet arrived in 1788. He was captured but later escaped.

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).

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.

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

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.

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.

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.