Picken Out Baby Names
A couple of years ago the blog featured celebrity parents Liam Picken, an AFL footballer, and his partner Annie Nolan, who had just had twin girls, Delphi and Cheska, sisters to Malachy. Annie has her own blog called Uncanny Annie, and recently posted an interesting article on how she and Liam named their children. Just for starters, I discovered that Delphi’s name is actually Delphine, but she is only ever called Delphi. You can also read how the surname Picken helped shorten their name list: Banjo Picken was never going to happen, nor was Cherry Picken!

Claire’s Controversial Name List
Journalist Claire Harvey, who has also been featured on the blog as a celebrity mum with her son Reg, has written a piece about names that she thinks are now too closely associated with a particular person. Intriguingly, they’re all female names. (Is Claire musing over her future girl’s list?).

She does note the recent fuss over Atticus Finch, who’s gone from first-rate father to flawed figure with the publication of Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. However, Claire likes the name Atticus, and can’t see any reason to get in a flap over a fictional character who lived in a time and place where holding segregationist views and being racially bigoted was normal.

I have been waiting to see if there have been any stories in the Australian press about parents anguished over the name Atticus, but so far I haven’t found any – all the angsty Atticus stories I’ve read have been from the US. I do note that so far this year I have seen four new babies named Atticus, but none since Go Set a Watchman came out last month. It will be interesting to see how many I see in the rest of the year.

She’s Not a Rebel … No, No, No
And more celebrity names: the name Rebel was featured on the blog in 2013 because of the fame of Australian comic actress Rebel Wilson. However, a few months ago there was a big expose of Wilson when it was discovered that her name wasn’t Rebel Wilson at all, but Melanie Bownds. There’s nothing unusual about having a screen name, but apparently it’s an issue if you pretend that it’s your real name.

Plus there was a kerfuffle about her age (she shaved about seven years off it), and her background, which was much more boring and upper middle class than she claimed. For some reason, one magazine took issue with the fact that she wasn’t a class clown at school, but instead rather a high achiever who was deputy head girl, basketball captain, and on the debating team. They almost seemed to imply her comedic gifts must be spurious as well.

Oddly enough, Rebel’s siblings really are named Ryot, Liberty (Libby), and Annachi (Anna), which makes me wonder if there is some information missing here – especially as several of the key points of Rebel’s life story have been confirmed.

Stormy Weather
After Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu in March, the names Pam and Pamela became more common, especially for baby girls born during the cyclone itself. This story looks at babies named Pamela and Pam, while another baby was named Charlotte Pamela after Australian volunteer paramedic Charlotte Gillon, who helped deliver her during the cyclone. A great honour for Charlotte, and what a pretty name. Meanwhile, another story reports that nine months after Cyclone Rusty hit Port Hedland, the Pilbara town had many babies with the name Rusty.

Unregistered Baby Name Heads to Court
Sometimes it’s hard for partners to compromise on choosing a child’s name together. Two years ago Ms Reynolds and Mr Sherman had a son after a brief relationship, and ever since they’ve been arguing over what his surname should be. Ms Reynolds says it should be Reynolds, while Mr Sherman prefers Reynolds-Sherman. In the meantime, the baby’s name has not been registered.

In cases where parents can’t agree on a child’s name, the law will step in, and a judge has sided with Mr Sherman, insisting that the boy be registered as Reynolds-Sherman, and referred to as such at all times. The judge says that it would be beneficial for the child’s welfare to have an identity reflecting both sides of his family.

However, Ms Reynolds is not satisfied with this decision. Apart from worries about how she’s going to fit his surname on his lunchbox, she’s concerned that if Mr Sherman ever abandons his son, the boy will be stuck with the surname of the man who deserted him. She appealed the decision, and the appeal was upheld by the Family Court of Australia. The case will now go back to court for a re-hearing.

The relevant justices wrote in their submission: a dispute about the name by which a child will be known perhaps for his entire life is a matter of real importance. Ever thought choosing baby names was a frivolous pursuit? The law disagrees! It’s a matter of real importance.

Like a Baby Name? Swipe It!
Hopefully you and your partner won’t argue about baby names to the extent that Ms Reynolds and Mr Sherman have. But to help you reach consensus, there’s a free baby name app that works like Tinder. You and your partner both download it, and connect with each other’s profile. After that, you are sent scads of baby names, which you can each swipe to like or dislike. If you both like the same name – it’s a match, and sent to your shared favourites list. It sounds like a fun way to get a baby name list together.

Holy Names in the News
It’s rare that a person’s name becomes a major part of a news story. But last month in Sydney, Steven Jesus was accused of stabbing fellow boarding house resident Christopher Angel; luckily Mr Angel was out of the intensive care unit in less than a week. The newspaper headline read: Jesus charged with stabbing Angel in a Sydney boarding house after a brawl of biblical proportions before victim’s Lazarus-like recovery.

It seems that even Mr Angel has had a bit of a giggle about the conjunction of names. The lawyer for Mr Jesus supposedly kept trying to say his surname the Spanish way, but Mr Jesus is adamant his name is pronounced JEE-suz.

Jesus is now in gaol awaiting trial, and has had an AVO taken out against him. And that’s a sentence you don’t read every day.

Actress Emily Symons, and her partner Paul Jackson, welcomed their son Henry Richard Francis on August 3 [pictured]. Henry was conceived with the help of IVF, and was brought home from hospital on Emily’s birthday, August 10. Emily has been a favourite on soap opera Home and Away for many years, first playing the role of Marilyn Chambers in 1989. She was on British soap Emmerdale during the 2000s, but is now permanently back in Australia, and back in Summer Bay as sweet bubbly Marilyn. Paul is the program director for DMG radio Australia, and has three children from a previous relationship.

Bookmaker Tom Waterhouse, and his wife Hoda, welcomed their son William on August 28, a little brother for their daughter Rose, aged 2 (Rose’s birth was featured on the blog).

Reality TV contestant Amber Nichols, and her husband Pete, welcomed their daughter Olive Eva in early September, a little sister for their son Charlie, aged 1. Amber was a contestant on The Voice, and continued singing even while heavily pregnant. She was eliminated a few weeks ago.

Former cricketer Glenn McGrath, and his wife Sara, welcomed their daughter Madison Mary Harper on September 4. One of Australia’s greatest cricketers, Glenn was regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the world, and holds the record for the most wickets in a Cricket World Cup. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2013. Currently he is the director of the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, India, and is the President of the McGrath Foundation, a breast cancer support charity he founded with his deceased first wife, Jane McGrath. Glenn has two children named James and Holly from his first marriage. Sara is an interior designer.

Former swimmer Libby Trickett (nee Lenton), and her husband Luke, welcomed their daughter Poppy Frances on August 31. Libby has won gold at the 2004, 2008 (twice), and 2012 Olympics, silver in 2008, and bronze in 2004 and 2008. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, she won 5 gold medals and 2 silver. She remains the world record holder for the 100 metre freestyle. Luke is also a former swimmer.

Former professional surfer Koby Abberton, and his fiancee, Olya Nechiporenko, welcomed their son Makua Sunny on July 22 [pictured]. Koby took up surfing as a way to escape a difficult home environment, and he and he and his brothers Jai, Sunny, and Dakota are all members of the Bra Boys Surf Gang from Maroubra, the inspiration for the fictional Braxton brothers and the River Gang in Home and Away. Olya is a Ukrainian-born model. Makua is a Hawaiian name meaning “parent, elder, ancestor”, while the middle name is after the baby’s uncle. Other ideas that Koby had for his son’s name were Wolfgang, Classic, Legend, Kaos, Ai, Storm, and Chrome – Wolfgang was vetoed, and Olya suggested Kainoa.

AFL administrator Andrew Fagan, and his partner Alana Smith, welcomed their daughter Giselle “Gigi” on August 12 [pictured]. Andrew is the CEO of the Adelaide Crows, and Alana is a former sports reporter for Fox News.

NRL footballer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, and his partner Chelsea Cormack, welcomed their daughter Zahli Rae on August 12. Originally from New Zealand, Jared moved to Australia as a schoolboy, and began playing rugby league in 2009. He has been with the Sydney Roosters since 2010, and has also been selected for the New Zealand national squad, and for the NRL All Stars.

NRL footballer Tyrone Roberts, and his partner Brittany Doran, welcomed a daughter named Leilani Blue Tayla late last year. Tyrone is with the Newcastle Knights, and is signed with the Gold Coast Titans for next season. He was selected for the Indigenous All Stars this year.

Former A-League footballer Clayton Zane, and his wife Cassie, welcomed their son Harry last year, a brother for Abbey. Zane’s playing career was from 1995 to 2005, and he played for clubs in Australia, Norway, and Belgium. He played for the Australian team, including at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He was coach at the Newcastle Jets until recently, and still coaches their youth team.

Host of Channel Ten’s Family Feud Grant Denyer, and his wife Cheryl Rogers, welcomed their second child on September 17 and have named their daughter Scout Una. Scout is a little sister for Sailor, aged 4; Sailor’s birth was featured on the blog. Sailor had her heart set on a brother named Freeda, so had a bit of adjustment at first.

(Photo of the Denyers with Scout from Sydney Morning Herald)

Famous Namesake
It was the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, and the surprise winner was New Zealand-bred bay Prince of Penzance, whose odds were 100 to 1. Only four horses have ever won the Melbourne Cup at such long odds; the other three were The Pearl in 1871, Wotan in 1936, and Old Rowley in 1940. A great race for those punters who always put a bet on the outsider.

Prince of Penzance was ridden by Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to ever win the Melbourne Cup. As the Melbourne Cup has been going for 155 years this looks a bit slack on the part of women, but Michelle is only the fourth female jockey to ever compete in the Cup, giving women riders a 25% success rate so far. Of course it would be even more encouraging to see women chosen to ride the favourites, rather than outsiders with long odds ….

Michelle’s background story is one which has gained a lot of interest, because she is from country Victoria and has nine older siblings. Michelle lost her mother when she was only six months old, and was raised as the “baby” of the family by her father and older sisters.

Seven of the Paynes have gone on to work in the racing industry, and for those interested in large sibsets, Michelle’s siblings are Andrew, Cathy, Stephen, Brigid, Margaret, Bernadette, Maree, Patrick, and Therese (Brigid passed away suddenly a few years ago). Michelle’s brother Stevie, who has Downs Syndrome and works as a strapper, has also proved a crowd favourite for his support of his sister.

A girl from the country made good, a single dad with ten children, a big close family touched by tragedy, an inspirational brother who kept believing, the race that stops a nation, a win against the odds, and a photogenic heroine who cheerfully tells everyone that didn’t think she was good enough to “get stuffed” … it’s surely only a matter of time before this becomes an Aussie battler movie evoking laughter and tears, in the style of The Castle or Red Dog.

Name Information
Michelle is a variant of Michèle, the feminine form of Michel, the French form of Michael, a Hebrew name meaning “who is like God?”. In use in medieval France, by at least the 17th century the name had been brought to England by French Protestant refugees. Michelle didn’t become common for English-speakers until the 20th century, so that although this is an old name, we tend to think of it as very modern.

Michelle first joined the charts in the 1940s, debuting at #248 – part of the post-war trend for French girls names. It rose swiftly, and was a Top 100 name by the 1950s, making #52 for that decade. By 1960 it was #18, and was in the Top 10 by 1961. Michelle reached #1 in 1967, which was the same year that the Beatles song Michelle won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. It also coincides with the period that (Holly) Michelle Phillips was in The Mamas and the Papas.

Overall, Michelle was the #2 name of the 1960s, and it made #1 again in 1974 and 1975, coinciding with Michelle Phillips’ success as a solo artist, and her foray into acting. Michelle was the overall #1 girls name of the 1970s, while Michael was the #1 boys names of the 1970s – the only time that male and female versions of the same name have been #1 at the same time. Michelle left the Top 100 in 2003, after half a century as a popular name. Currently it’s around the 200s, so it is still in reasonable use and comfortably positioned as a modern classic.

In the US, Michelle has been a Top 1000 since the late 1930s, and was in the Top 100 from the 1950s until the late 2000s. It peaked at #2 during the late 1960s and early 1970s, so that although its popularity is very similar to that in Australia, it never quite managed to make it to #1 in the US. Currently it is #187 and falling. In the UK, Michelle was a Top 100 name from the 1960s until the 1980s, and Top 10 during the 1970s; it is currently #289 and steadily falling. Michelle is still popular in Switzerland and Latin America, but considered very dated in France.

The name has been kept in the public eye by all the now grown-up Michelles who have gone on to succeed in various fields. These include singers Michelle Branch and Michelle Featherstone, Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child, actresses Michelle Pfeiffer and Michelle Williams, Michelle Dockery from Downton Abbey, and figure skater Michelle Kwan. One of the most famous is American First Lady Michelle Obama, who was serenaded by Paul McCartney with the song Michelle after he received the 2010 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Peaking in the 1960s and ’70s, pretty French Michelle may seem like a dated name – a mum name, or even a grandma name. However this modern classic is still getting reasonable use, and could appeal to parents wanting a name that seems “normal”, with many successful namesakes. It also works very well as a middle name.

(Photo of Michelle Payne on Prince of Penzance from The Australian)

Television presenter Tom Williams, and his wife, fashion designer Rachel Gilbert, welcomed their second child on November 10 and have named their daughter Sloane Ann Napier. Sloane joins big sister Storm, who is almost 2, and had her birth featured on the blog.

Actress Melissa George, and her boyfriend, French entrepreneur Jean David Blanc, welcomed their second child on November 3 and have named their son Solal Samuel Glenn. Solal joins big brother Raphael, aged 1; Raphael had his birth featured on the blog.

Actor Dan Wyllie, and his wife, director Shannon Murphy, welcomed their first child about four months ago, and have named their daughter Dylan. Dan has worked extensively in theatre, and appeared in major Australian films such as Spotswood, Romper Stomper, Muriel’s Wedding, Cosi, Chopper, and The Water Diviner. His work in television includes Underbelly, Love My Way, Puberty Blues, Rake, and most recently, drama series The Beautiful Lie. He has also been one of the bananas in Bananas in Pyjamas! Shannon has directed several short films.

Chief Minister of the Northern Territory Adam Giles, and his partner Phoebe Stewart, welcomed their first child on September 24 and have named their son Robert James Stewart [pictured]. Robert is named after two grandfathers, as both Adam and Phoebe’s dads are named Robert, and Adam’s stepfather is named James Robert. Adam has been Chief Minister and Leader of the Country Liberal Party since 2013, becoming the first head of government with Indigenous Australian heritage. Phoebe is a journalist at the ABC.

Indie pop singer Sarah Blasko and her partner Dave Miller, welcomed their son Jerry on July 1. Sarah began her singing career while still at school, and became a successful solo artist in 2002. She has released five albums, three of which went platinum, and her most recent album is Eternal Return, which came out a few days ago. She has won an ARIA Award for Best Female Artist and a Jack Award for Best Female Live Performer; her album What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have won an ARIA Award, and As Day Follows Night won a J Award. Dave is a musician, and Eternal Return is dedicated to him.

Reality TV contestants Bec and George Douros welcomed their son Archie Nicholas on October 30. Bec and George took part in Channel Nine’s The Block Sky High in 2013 and were named the audience’s Favourite Couple. They returned in 2015 for an All Stars series of The Block, and now develop properties, while Bec has her own interior design business.

Artist and designer Prudence Olivieri and her husband Damian welcomed a son named Teddy a year ago. Prudence also found popularity after appearing on The Block in 2013, and has recently released her own brand, Myne by Prudence Caroline. Damian owns a construction company, and built the house the family have just moved into.

Golf champion Jason Day, and his wife Ellie, welcomed a daughter named Lucy Adenil on November 12, a sister for their son Dash, aged 3. Lucy’s middle name is in honour of her grandmother, Jason’s mother. This year Jason won his first major tournament at the PGA Championships, scoring a record 20 strokes under par. In September he reached Number 1 in the World Golf Ranking.

Hockey player Glenn Turner and his wife welcomed their son Harlen on September 17. Glenn is a member of the national men’s squad The Kookaburras, and has won bronze at the London Olympics, gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and gold at the World Cup last year. Glenn has played for the Mumbai Magicians since 2012.

Former Olympian swimmer Brooke Hanson, and her husband Jared Clarke, welcomed their daughter Matilda Brooke in August [pictured]. Matilda has three brothers – Cooper, aged 5, Billy, aged 1, and Jack, who passed away in 2012.

Channel Nine newsreader Wendy Kingston, and her husband David Thompson, welcomed their daughter Mia Rose on December 2. Mia joins big brothers Joshua, aged 3, and Sam, aged 19 months; Sam’s birth was covered on the blog.

(Photo shows Wendy and David with Josh and Sam)

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, and his wife Hayley Ross, welcomed their daughter Charlotte Maree Irene on December 16. Charlotte joins big sister Isabelle. Mathias was born in German-speaking eastern Belgium, and served on his local council as a member of the Christian Social Party. He migrated to Perth during the 1990s, where he joined the Liberal Party and was a political adviser in both state and federal politics. He was elected senator in 2007, and re-elected in 2011. He was made Minister for Finance under the Abbot government in 2013, and in the current government was promoted to Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. Hayley is a lawyer.

Former beach volleyball champion Natalie Cook, and her wife Sarah Maxwell, welcomed their daughter Jordan in October. Natalie gave up a medical degree to become a professional volleyballer in 1994, and is the first Australian woman to take part in five Olympic Games, first taking part in Atlanta in 1996, and retiring after the London Olympics in 2012. She won bronze in 1996, and gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2000. Sarah is a former Canadian beach volleyballer; she and Natalie were married in 2008 in New Zealand.

(Photo shows Mathias and Hayley with their eldest daughter Isabelle)

Celebrity personal trainers Michelle Bridges and Steve Willis [pictured] welcomed their first child together on December 19 and have named their son Axel. Steve has children named Brianna, Ella, and Jack from previous relationships, who are Axel’s siblings. Michelle and Steve are well known as personal trainers on weight loss reality show The Biggest Loser, and both run successful fitness businesses. Steve’s screen title of “The Commando” came about because he was in the army before becoming a fitness instructor. Michelle and Steve have been dating for two years.

Ironman champion Shannon Eckstein and his wife Belinda welcomed their second child on December 11 and have named their son Blake, who joins big sister Ellie, aged 3. Like Steve, Shannon also has a moniker – “The Professor”, to indicate how few errors he makes. Shannon has won three Ironman titles just this year, with a record ninth series win in Newcastle last weekend. Shannon dedicated his latest win to Blake by sticking his thumb in his mouth and holding up two fingers – the same gesture he made after winning a title in Kirra Beach three weeks after Ellie’s birth.

Meteorologist and weather presenter Magdalena Roze, and her fiance, chef and restaurateur Darren Robertson, welcomed their first child on December 11 and have named their son Archie Bob. Magdalena is an award-winning meteorologist who has worked for both the Weather and Channel and Channel Ten. Currently she runs her own climate and lifestyle blog, and writes food reviews for publications such as Delicious and Sunday Style. Darren is head chef and co-owner of the Three Blue Ducks cafe in Byron Bay.

Author Jessica Rudd, and her husband, investment baker Albert Tse [pictured], welcomed their second child on December 21 and have named their son McLean George. McLean joins big sister Josephine, aged 3; Josie’s birth was featured on the blog. Jessica is the daughter of former prime minister Kevin Rudd. She and Albert have recently relocated from Beijing to Brisbane, from where Jessica launched her online business Jessica’s Suitcase, which sells Australian mother and baby products to China. She is also a mummy blogger on popular Chinese social media platform WeChat.

Ryan James and his wife Ana welcomed their son Carter in October. Ryan plays for the Gold Coast Titans, and has also been selected for the Indigenous All Stars and the New South Wales Country Origin side.

David Mead and his wife Taneal welcomed their son Paxton in September. David is originally from Papua New Guinea, and came to Australia as a high school student. He plays for the Gold Coast Titans, and has been selected for the PNG national team, and the New South Wales Country Origin side.

James Tamou and his partner Brittney McGlone welcomed their son Barclay in June, joining big brother Brooklyn, aged 2 [pictured]. James plays for the North Queensland Cowboys, and has been selected for the Australian national team, the New South Wales state team, and the New Zealand Maori team. Brittney is a track athlete who currently has her sights set on the next Olympic Games in Rio.

Marika Koroibete and his wife Emma welcomed their son Iliesa Joshua in June. Marika is from Fiji, and plays for the Melbourne Storm, having also been selected for the Fijian national squad.

Josh Hoffman and his wife Emma welcomed their daughter Evie-May in May, joining big sister Leilani, aged 2. Josh plays for the Gold Coast Titans, and has been chosen to represent New Zealand, and for the Indigenous All-Stars.

Daly Cherry-Evans and his partner Vessa Rockliff welcomed their daughter Harvie late last year, joining big sister Navi. Daly plays for the Manly Sea Eagles, and has been chosen for the Queensland state team, and the national team. Daly and Vessa had problems explaining Navi’s name (a variant spelling of Navy), and this time I have seen their little girl Harvie described in the press as their son Harvey.

Lachlan Coote and his partner Laura welcomed their son Bailey in September last year. Lachlan plays for the North Queensland Cowboys and has also been selected for the City Origin side and the Prime Minister’s XIII.

MLC Amber-Jade Sanderson and her husband Steed Elliot welcomed their son Hugo around September [pictured]. The Sandserson-Elliots also have a daughter named Chloe, and Steed has two children called Michael and Sophie from a previous marriage. Amber-Jade was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council as a Labor Party member for the East Metropolitan region in the 2013 state elections.

Former ironwoman Hayley Bateup, and her long-time partner April Zekulich welcomed their son Baxter Frankie in July. Hayley has won the Coolangatta Gold three times, and was on the 2008 series of Gladiators as “Nitro”. She is also a surf lifesaver and a model.

Winemaker and television host Eddie McDougall and his wife Frederica (nicknamed “Freddie”) welcomed their son Hugo in January. Eddie was born in Hong-Kong to an Australian dad and Chinese mum, and grew up in Australia. He became a winemaker at the first winery in Hong Kong before opening his own winery, The Flying Winemaker. He now runs wineries in both Australia and Hong Kong, marketing to Asia, and hosts his own show on the Discovery Channel – The Flying Winemaker.

NRL footballer Tim Lafai and his wife Jacqui welcomed their daughter Zylah Jay in March. Tim is originally from Samoa and came to Australia while in primary school. He has been with the Canterbury Bulldogs for several years, but is signed with the St George-Illawarra Dragons for next season. He has also played for the Samoan national team.

Cricketer David Warner, and his wife, Ironwoman Candice Falzon, welcomed their second child on January 14 and have named their daughter Indie Rae [pictured]. Indie is a little sister for Ivy Mae, aged 16 months, whose birth was featured on the blog.

Paralympian Kelly Cartwright, and her partner Ryan Miller, welcomed their first child on January 4 and have named their son Max William. Kelly is an athlete with a carbon fibre prosthetic leg, and won both gold and silver medals in London 2012, as well as setting a world record in the 100 metres. She was awarded the Order of Australia in 2014, and is an ambassador for the Australian Paralympic Committee. She was a contestant on Dancing With the Stars last year, and is planning to take part in the Rio Paralympics. Ryan is a firefighter.

Former netball champion Natalie Bode, and her husband Jace, welcomed their first child on January 3 and have named their daughter Maddison Anne. Natalie played netball for the Adelaide Thunderbirds, where she was captain from 2010 to 2013, and for the Australian national team, the Diamonds. She has two gold medals from the Netball World Championships of 2007 and 2011, silver medals from the Commonwealth Games of 2006 and 2010, and a bronze medal from the 2009 World Netball Series. She has won numerous awards and is in Who’s Who. Jace is an Australian rules footballer in the SAFL.

Former rugby league star Nathan Hindmarsh, and his wife Bonnie, welcomed their fourth child on January 1 and have named their son Dodge Billy. Dodge has three older brothers named Archie, Buster, and Rowdie. Nathan played for the Parramatta Eels from 1998 to 2012, making Rookie of the Year in his first season, and eventually becoming team captain and playing more games for the team than any other player at 330. He was also selected for the national team, the New South Wales state team, Country Origin, NRL All Stars, and the Prime Minister’s XIII. He set a world record for the most number of tackles in a game at 75 tackles, was the first player to make over 12 000 tackles in the NRL, and has won numerous awards.

Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor welcomed their second child on January 16 and have named their daughter Isabella Alexandra May. Isabella is a little sister for Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina, aged 2; Maud’s birth was featured on the blog.

Although the Windsors live in the United States, they returned to Britain for Isabella’s birth, and she was born at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, weighing 6.75 lb (3 kg). The baby is 48th in line to the throne.

Lord Frederick is the only son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and is first-cousin once removed to Queen Elizabeth II. Lady Frederick Windsor is an English actress known professionally as Sophie Winkleman.

Maud has the queen’s name, Elizabeth, as one of her middle names, while Isabella has one of the queen’s middle names, Alexandra, as one of her middle names.

Actress Sibylla Budd, and her husband, film-maker Peter Carstairs, welcomed their son Freddy ten months ago; Freddy has a big brother named Albie. Sibylla is best known from her role on drama series The Secret Life of Us. Peter is the director of September, which won at Tropfest in 2006. Peter is a finalist in the Crash the Super Bowl competition, which gives film-makers the chance to create commercials to be played during the Super Bowl; he beat more than 4000 entries, and is the only top-three entrant from outside the United States. Freddy features in the commercial – sort of. An ultrasound shown in the commercial is an animated version of Freddy’s ultrasound from before he was born.

Designer Alisa Fraser and her husband welcomed their son Dash Edward on January 18, a brother for Nate, aged 4. Alisa and her twin sister Lysandra won The Block: Sky High in 2013, and returned in 2014 for The Block: Fans vs Faves. Since then the sisters, former police officers, have started their own interior design service.

Leichardt mayor Darcy Byrne, and his wife Raelene, welcomed their daughter Cara Sophia on January 19, a sister for Sinead [sisters pictured with RPA nurse]. Cara arrived so speedily that Darcy had to deliver the baby at home before ambulance officers arrived. Darcy is a member of the Australian Labor Party (insert joke here).

Corey Parker and his wife Margaux welcomed their daughter River Monroe a few days ago, joining big sister Memphis and brothers Wylei and Jagger; Jagger’s birth was covered on the blog. Veteran Corey has been with the Brisbane Broncos since 2001, and is the team’s highest points scorer. He has also been selected for the national squad, the Queensland state team, The NRL All Stars, and the Prime Minister’s XIII.

Anthony Watmough and his wife Elle welcomed their daughter Jagger Rose on January 24. Anthony and Elle had quite a few struggles with fertility, and were told that their baby might be stillborn, so they are very relieved she has arrived safely, albeit several weks early. Anthony has children named Claudia and Jake from his previous marriage, who are Jagger’s siblings. Anthony was with the Manly Sea Eagles for many years, but joined the Parramatta Eels last season. He has also been chosen to play for the national squad, the New South Wales state team, City Origin, and the NRL All Stars.

Alex Glenn and his fiancee Jemma Morgan welcomed their son Miller Alexander on January 21, the middle name perhaps honouring the baby’s father. Alex is originally from New Zealand and came to Australia as a teenager. He has played for the Brisbane Broncos since 2009, and has also been chosen to play for New Zealand and the Cook islands.

Jack Reed and his wife Karen welcomed their daughter Quinn Ivy on January 19 [pictured]. Jack was born in England and grew up in Queensland; he has played for the Brisbane Broncos since 2011. He has also been selected for the English national team, and for the NRL All Stars.

Actress Rose Byrne, and her partner, actor Bobby Cannavale, welcomed their first child together on February 1 and have named their son Rocco. Bobby’s other son, and Rocco’s brother, is the actor Jake Cannavale, from his marriage to actress Jenny Lumet.

Rose began her career as a teenager, with a part in the film Dallas Doll. She appeared in television series such as Heartbreak High, Echo Point, and Murder Call, and continued working in films and on stage. Her Hollywood debut was in 2003 in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, and she went on to appear in films such as I Capture the Castle, The Night We Called It a Day, Troy, Wicker Park, Sunshine, 28 Days Later, Get Him to the Greek, Bridesmaids, X-Men: First Class, I Give It a Year, and Neighbors. She had a starring role in the American legal drama series, Damages, has won several acting awards, and is the face of Oroton.

Bobby is an American actor who began his career in theatre. He has had roles in television series such as Third Watch, Ally McBeal, Law and Order, Six Feet Under, Will & Grace, Cold Case, Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, and Nurse Jackie. He has also appeared in numerous films, including The Station Agent, Snakes on a Plane, Win Win, Blue Jasmine, and Danny Collins. He and Rose have been dating since 2012.

Television presenter Deborah Knight, and her husband Lindsay Dunbar, welcomed their third child on January 30 and have named her Audrey Olive Joan. Audrey joins big brother Darcy, aged 7, and big sister Elsa, aged 5. She is a “surprise baby”, because both her siblings were conceived with the assistance of IVF, and they weren’t expecting to have another child.

Deborah began her journalism career on radio before joining Channel Ten as a news reporter and presenter. In 2011 she moved to Channel Nine, and is currently the co-host of Weekend Today, as well as a news presenter. Lindsay is a graphic artist and broadcast designer with the ABC.

(Photo of Deborah with Darcy and Elsa from The Australian)