Aboriginal people are native to Australia as part of their Indigenous population. They’ve been inhabiting the continent for at least 50,000 years, though some scientists claim that their habitation extends past that! Their culture has a deep connection with the land and, they have multiple ceremonies based on Dreamtime stories. Today, their rich background has lived on through the current Aboriginal community.
Many names are based on nature due to the significance that they place on land. For example, the Adelaide-based tribes use Tahnee as a popular name, which means “sound of the surf”. Alinta is another girl’s name, derived from the Aboriginal word for “fire”. Medika is popular as well and means “blossom or flower”.
A few names are tied to personality traits and values as well if you’re not looking for a nature-based name. Kalina means “love and affection”, a soft name for a sweet girl. Maya is a name that means “home or house” if you’d like your daughter to hold the importance of family close to her heart.
When Europeans first arrived in Australia, there were over 700 Aboriginal dialects and languages. Now, there’s as little as 150, with around 20 on the verge of going extinct. One part of keeping the culture alive is through names. This means that by giving your baby girl a unique name from this culture, you can help them keep deeper ties and connections with their heritage while helping it live on.
Alinta
Meaning: Fire
Origin: Aboriginal
Alira
Meaning: Stone
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Allora
Meaning: The Lord is my light
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Angoona
Meaning: Unknown. Mother of the famous Aboriginal painter Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarri
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Bindi
Meaning: Butterfly
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Brindabella
Meaning: Brindabella mountain range on the border of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Cardinia
Meaning: Look to the sunrise
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Darana
Meaning: This mythological witch created grubs, put it in the bag and then hung it from the tree
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Elanora
Meaning: Home by the water or home by the sea
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Ellin
Meaning: Wish
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Inala
Meaning: Night time or rest time
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Jannali
Meaning: Moon
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Jedda
Meaning: Little wild goose
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Kalina
Meaning: To love
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Kalinda
Meaning: See
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Kareela
Meaning: Grass around a waterhole
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Keira
Meaning: Large lagoon or high mountain
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Killara
Meaning: Permanent
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Kirra
Meaning: To the Yugambeh people, it is said to mean leaf or dancing leaf. Other meanings from surrounding nations include ‘Beautiful woman’, ‘to live’ and even boomerang
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Kylie
Meaning: From the Aboriginal word for boomerang
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Lenah
Meaning: Kangaroo
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Lowanna
Meaning: Woman
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Maali
Meaning: The Noongar word Maali means black swan
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Maroochy
Meaning: Black swan
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Maya
Meaning: Home or house
Origin: Aboriginal
Medika
Meaning: Blossom or flower
Origin: Aboriginal
Melba
Meaning: Derived from the Australian city of Melbourne
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Merri
Meaning: Very rocky
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Mia
Meaning: Mmonth and moon
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Myaree
Meaning: Foliage
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Raelene
Meaning: Blend of Rae (short form of Rachel: ewe) and the name element -ene
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Rianna
Meaning: Caterpillar
Origin: Palawa
Tahnee
Meaning: Sound of the surf
Origin: Aboriginal
Talia
Meaning: Near waters
Origin: Australian aboriginal
Yindi
Meaning: Sun
Origin: Australian aboriginal
