Girls' names with Anzac inspiration: photos

Mary ruled the popular baby name lists for hundreds of years. Although usually associated with purity and love, the name is thought to derive from the Hebrew for 'sea of bitterness'.

Contemporary Marys include Princess Mary of Denmark, novelist Mary Higgins Clark, country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter and Downton Abbey's Lady Mary Crawley.

Mary Hughes was Australia's first lady for much of World War I.

From the Greek meaning 'pearl', Margaret may be the perfect choice for your precious girl. And it comes with a raft of charming diminutives, including Maggie, Meg, Daisy (the French form of the name is Marguerite, which is a type of daisy), Maisie, Molly, Polly, Peggy, Greta, Rita, Madge, Marnie and Margie.

Margaret Fisher was Australia's first lady when World War I broke out.

A fitting name for a much-anticipated baby girl, Dorothy means 'gift of God'. Dorothy's popularity started to wane in the 1930s and '40s, but may stage a quiet comeback as parents unearth the classics. An alternative is the Greek original, Dorothea.

Australian war nurse Dorothy Gwendolen Cawood received a Military Medal in 1917.

Kathleen is a form of Caitlin, which is the Irish form of Katherine, Greek for 'pure'. Kathleen is the birth name of actresses Kathy Bates and Kathleen Turner and comedian Kathy Griffin, and the middle name of JK Rowling and Audrey Hepburn.

Meaning 'pure delight', old-fashioned Edna might be due for a revival. It's simple and sweet, and its nicknames – such as Ed and Eddi – work well for a modern girl.

Forever linked to the exuberant, cheerful, red-headed orphan girl, Annie is a pet form of Anna and Anne (Hebrew for 'grace'). Other Annies include sharpshooter Annie Oakley, singer Annie (Anne) Lennox, photographer Annie Leibovitz, suffragist Annie Bidwell and Hunger Games' Annie Cresta.

Lilian (or Lillian) is another 'old-timer' coming back into favour. It's an elegant alternative to the super-popular Lily, and is thought to derive from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has a lot going for it: it's regal and feminine, and lends itself to a host of lovely diminutives, such as Eliza, Betty, Bess, Elspeth, Liz, Libby, Liza, Elsie, Betsy, Beth and Bette. No wonder it's a perennial favourite (it's been in the top 50 girls' names in Australia, the US and the UK for more than 100 years straight).

This vintage Welsh name is a variant of the Latin name Claudia. Gladys comes with some soulful street cred, thanks to singer Gladys Knight.

Originally a short form of Elizabeth, Elsie seemed consigned to the scrap heap of 'old' names, but has been steadily creeping back up the charts thanks to its gentle charm.

This name started as Adalheidis in German (meaning 'noble') and went through many French and English variations before becoming Alice. A sweet yet strong name, It's enjoyed renewed popularity in the last 15 years and was the girls' name of choice for comedian Tina Fey, author John Green and former US president Theodore Roosevelt.

During World War I, Australian Alice Chisholm set up canteens in Egypt to provide facilities for soldiers on leave, while war nurse Alice Ross-King received a Military Medal in 1917 and the Florence Nightingale Medal in 1949.

In Greek mythology, Phyllis was transformed into an almond tree. The name means 'foliage' or 'leaf', which might be a good choice for the new life your daughter brings.

If you're hoping for a water-loving baby, you might want to consider this name. Doris was a goddess of the sea in Greek mythology. Or channel glamourous movie goddess Doris Day.

The origins of Eileen are unclear. It's thought to be an Anglicised form of the Irish Eibhlin or the French Aveline, and might mean 'light' or 'beautiful bird'. Strong Eileens include astronaut Eileen Collins (first female commander of a space shuttle) and modelling agency founder Eileen Ford.

Taken from the name of the evergreen vine, Ivy is climbing back up the popularity charts after a long absence. Ivy signifies faithfulness in the language of flowers, and ancient Greeks presented ivy wreaths to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity.

A hopeful name for an Anzac baby, Irene was the Greek goddess of peace. It's stood the test of time and cultures, with identical or very similar English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Finnish and German versions.

Marjorie – a Scottish variation of Margaret – is another name with Greek origins. Australian namesakes include opera singer Marjorie Lawrence, and Olympic runner and former South Australian governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson. Overseas, Robert the Bruce's daughter was Marjorie, and Marjorie Ralston was the original voice of Minnie Mouse.

Vera is from the Russian for 'faith' and, like many of its so-old-it's-cool-again cousins, is starting to make a comeback in some parts of the world. In addition to its vintage charm, it gets a style injection from namesakes such as designer Vera Wang and World War II singer Vera Lynn.

In 1915, Australian Vera Deakin established the Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau to provide information for relatives of Australian soldiers listed as wounded, missing, killed or prisoners of war.

Ethel began as a nickname for various old English names and became very popular in the early 1900s thanks to Broadway star Ethel Barrymore. You could go even older-school with one of Ethel's forebears: Ethelinda, Ethelberta or Ethelreda.

Although only just emerging as a name choice in Australia at the time of the Gallipoli landings, Rosemary signifies remembrance and would be a beautiful tribute to those who voyaged across the world to fight for their country.