The south-west has bucked national baby name trends with its top picks for 2017.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
For boys, Lenny was the most popular name in the region, according to a survey of birth notices in The Standard classifieds.
For girls, Warrnambool parents kept it classic, with Georgia, Grace, Evelyn and Elsie tying for most popular name.
Nationally, Lenny did not even make it into the top 100, but Grace was number nine and Evelyn (19) and Georgia (28) were popular among parents across Australia.
Warrnambool parents Jane and Scott Kelly say they settled on the name Lenny for their boy, born in June, because it was a little bit different.
“We want them to be traditional but not common,” Mrs Kelly said of their baby name choices.
Lenny is the family’s third child, with big sisters Rosie and April.
“Lenny is the probably the least traditional of the three,” Mr Kelly said.
“We wanted something that wasn’t outlandish but wasn’t what everyone else had.”
Other fashionable choices among parents in the south-west include Charlie (15th most popular nationally), James (fifth most popular) and Hudson for boys, while Isla, Ella and Mia featured on the girls’ list.
Some of the more unusual choices for south-west babies in 2017 were Scout, Biko and Theodora.
Nationally, Charlotte topped the list of Australia’s most popular name for girls for the second year running. It’s a similar story for boys, where Oliver has maintained its position at the top for three years in a row.
A botanical theme has emerged within popular girls names, with Lily, Ivy, Violet, Poppy and Rose all making it into the top 100.
For the boys, a royal influence can be seen in name choices for 2017 with George, William, Henry and Charles gaining in popularity.
