More babies born in Orange in 2016

Central Western Daily photographers Jude Keogh and Phil Blatch visited Orange Health Service each week last year to capture the first moments of life for more than 255 newborns.

There were some traditional names among the babies including Madison, Emma, William and Liam as well as some unique names including Arlo, Serenity, Patience and Emealia. 

Orange’s most popular baby names for girls included Charlotte, Olivia, Harper and Charlie.

There were several top baby names for boys including Edward, Mason, Harrison, Jack and Theodore.

Jordan and Erica Sims were one of the couples who opted for a popular name.

Mr and Mrs Sims named their firstborn after Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.

“My wife’s family follows the royal family. That’s where we got the idea from,” Mr Sims said. 

“We liked the little Princess Charlotte.”

Mr Sims said his daughter was almost named something else.

“My wife liked the name Charlie but I like full names,” he said. 

“I said I wanted Charlotte then we decided on it together. We do call her Charlie sometimes.

“We definitely feel like we chose the right name.”

Mr and Mrs Sims were surprised to hear Charlotte was one of the most popular baby names for girls.

“I thought it was an older name but I didn’t realise it was going to be a popular name,” Mrs Sims said.

“When we were in the hospital, there was actually another Charlotte in there and next to me there was a Charlie.

Mrs Sims said her daughter had grown into her name.

“She’s our little princess,” she said.

In 2015, Orange Health Service had the second busiest maternity unit in the Western NSW Local Health District.

There were 836 babies born in Orange that year, which represented 22.7 per cent of the 3688 births in the health district.

The number of babies born in Orange was up in 2016 with more than 1070 babies born.

Dubbo Hospital topped Orange Health Service with 943 babies born in 2015, which represented 25.6 per cent of births in the health district.