baby

The research is in. Australia's trendiest baby girl name has been announced.

 

Recently, Mamamia brought you news that Linda had been declared the trendiest baby name of all time.

Lindas nationwide did fist pumps. But, as our article explained, that was American research. Australian parents have different tastes. Over here, Linda was never as big.

So what name is Australia’s Linda – officially, our trendiest girls’ name?

We’re not talking most popular of all time. We’re talking about a name that came into fashion rapidly, reached dizzying heights, and then fell out of fashion just as rapidly.

Mamamia dug into the births archives for NSW and Victoria, dating back to the 1930s, and did some number crunching.

There was one name that stood out as being our trendiest, by a long way. That name? Drum roll…

Our very own Kylie. Congrats, Kyles!

Image: Giphy.
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If you are an Australian Kylie, you are almost certain to have born between 1965 and 1989. You are most likely to have been born in 1973, when the name was number one for baby girls in NSW. The state’s population was boosted by 1119 tiny Kylies that year, while there were 666 Kylies born over the border in Victoria.

Kylie Minogue – the original Kylie, as far as most of the world is concerned – was born in 1968. Meanwhile, chef Kylie Kwong was born in 1969, and TV presenter Kylie Gillies was born in 1967.

Kylie, believed to come from a Noongar word meaning “boomerang”, had 24 glorious years of popularity before Aussie parents suddenly went right off it in the late 1980s.

That could have had something to do with Kylie Minogue doing the Locomotion on every radio station, but more likely was due to bogan schoolgirl Kylie Mole on The Comedy Company making us cringe.

So what other names came close to being Australia’s trendiest name for girls? Here’s a brief rundown.

LISTEN: There’s no one under 60 with the name ‘Nigel’ anymore. We discuss why, on our podcast for imperfect parents (post continues after audio...)

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Tori

In the top 100 1993-1995, peaked at number 48 in 1994.

Quirky “Cornflake Girl” singer Tori Amos inspired parents for exactly three years.

Deborah

In the top 100 1951-1981, peaked at number 3 in 1957-1958.

Deborah was already on the way out when porno Debbie Does Dallas came along in 1978. It didn’t help.

Alyce

In the top 100 1986-1988, peaked at number 63 in 1987.

Pronounced “a-LEESE”, this name took off briefly when Alyce Platt was on Sale Of The Century.

Shania

In the top 100 1997-1999, peaked at number 68 in 1998-1999.

Country-pop singer Shania Twain obviously had a lot of fans in the late 1990s.

Jenna

In the top 100 1984-1991, peaked at number 33 in 1987.

We can thank Priscilla Presley in ‘80s mega-soap Dallas for giving us Jenna.

Lisa

In the top 100 1959-1997, peaked at number 2 in 1968.

A pet form of Elizabeth, Lisa was the Betty of the second half of last century.

Donna

In the top 100, 1953-1982, peaked at number 3 in 1965.

Italian for “lady”, Australian for “girl born in the 1960s”.

Nicole

In the top 100 1964-2002, peaked at number 2 in 1975.

As Nicole went out for girls, Nicholas came in for boys.

Karen

In the top 100 1945-1986, peaked at number 1 in 1963-1966 and 1968.

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Massively popular for a lot longer than you might have thought.

Sharon

In the top 100 1949-1982, peaked at number 2 in 1964-1965.

The mid-1960s was all about Karen and Sharon (not to mention Darren) 

Michelle

In the top 100 1952-2002, peaked at number 1 in 1967, 1969-1972 and 1974-1975.

No wonder we all know so many Michelles.

Rebecca

In the top 100 1966-2007, peaked at number 1 in 1976-1982.

And so many Rebeccas.

Susan

In the top 100 1939-1987, peaked at number 1 in 1954-55.

Big among baby boomers.

Brittany

In the top 100 1989-2001, peaked at number 13 in 1993.

Oops… Britney Spears might have helped kill off this name.

Ashleigh

In the top 100 1986-2005, peaked at number 12 in 1993.

Ashley was hot for boys, then Ashleigh was hot for girls – now it’s just not.

Leanne

In the top 100 1957-1984, peaked at number 6 in 1968.

Don’t hear of many baby Leannes nowadays, do you?

Belinda

In the top 100 1957-1992, peaked at number 6 in 1974 and 1976.

Belinda, Melinda, Melissa, Vanessa – all big at the same time.

Vicki

In the top 100 1949-1974, peaked at number 11 in 1959.

As the pet form Vicki went out, the formal version Victoria came in.

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Note: popularity rankings are based on NSW births.

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