Unique names part of our region
AMONG Northern Rivers residents there has long been a sense of pride in not being like the rest of the state's population.
And nothing encapsulates that difference more than when we decide what to call our children.
While the rest of the state may stick to the more conservative William for boys and Chloe for girls, parents of children born in the Northern Rivers last year opted for something a bit unique.
Of the 1305 births at Lismore Base Hospital last year the most popular names were Riley for a boy and Mia for a girl.
When Goonellabah couple Mel and Luke Parker gave birth to their fourth child, they decided upon the name Mia because they loved the sound of it and also its meaning.
"It's a beautiful name but it also means 'dearly wanted' and she is our dearly wanted - she completes our family," Mrs Parker said.
"I didn't realise Mia was so popular, it doesn't really matter and I suppose you want to be a bit more original but our Mia has an unusual middle name with Autumn. I wouldn't change her name for the world, she is such a Mia, she's our little Mia."
Alstonville couple Jodi and Simon Morris had a bit more trouble settling on the name of their son, Riley.
"We decided on Riley when I was around four months pregnant. We changed our mind a few times but Riley was always the right name," Mrs Morris said.
BABY NAMES
Top 5 baby boy names in Northern NSW: 1.Riley, 2.Cooper, 3.Noah, 4.Thomas and 5.William. For baby girls: 1.Mia, 2.Charlotte, 3.Ella ,4.Grace and 5.Sophie
