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Baby Name Books
Please submit your own
opinions!
- Connie Lackhart Ellefson: The Melting Pot of Baby Names [sources incl.amazon]
- --a marvelous list of names from many cultures around the world.
Each section also offers a blurb on the cultural norms on
naming the child. --Deantha
- Cleveland Evans: Unusual and Most Common Baby Names. Paperback. 1992.
isbn 0-45117069-5. Publications International, Lincolnwood, Illinois 60646
[sources for the 1998 edition incl.amazon]
- A good standard. Cleveland Evans has frequently added a very
interesting and helpful perspective while participating in
name discussions on the misc.kids.pregnancy newsgroup.
Lists popularity of top 500 names as of 1990 (most books give
the numbers only for the top 100). Includes 'translations' of
names. --Paula Burch
- Sue Browder: The New Age Baby Name Book. 1987. ISBN 0-89480-309-3.
$6.96. [sources incl.amazon]
- This has been around since the late 70's. Of course there are
updated versions. It has an eclectic list of unusual names
that combine cultures and values. [...] It is available
almost anywhere you can find Beyond Jennifer and Jason and
What to Name Your Baby.
--Deantha
- Patrick Hanks & Flavia Hodges: A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford
University Press. 1993. ISBN 0-19-211651-7 [sources incl.amazon]
- In some ways, the best! The introductory chapter gives the
history of various trends in given names--exceedingly useful.
The dictionary entries will lay to rest all sorts of
misinformation, and give additional info that no other source
includes. However, the alphabetical layout, with male and
female names mixed, is not at all good for browsing. Use this
in combination with a more popular style of book. Includes
'translations' of names. --Paula Burch
- Teresa Norman: A World of Baby Names. 1996. Perigee books.
[sources incl.amazon]
- "I have a great book called the World of Baby Names that has
sections on each major country, including Scotland, Wales,
England, Sweden, Norway, etc....We found this book at Barnes
and Noble, so maybe you can peruse it there. The name-thing
is definitely a hard one, but enjoyable." --Carolyn White
- Yvonne Navarro: First Name Reverse Dictionary: Given Names Listed
By Meaning. 1993. $30. [sources incl.amazon]
- [no review]
- Meenal Atul Pandya and Rashmee Pandya-Bhanot: Pick a Pretty Indian
Name for Your Baby. MeeRa Publishing. [sources incl. authors' website and amazon]
- An extensive list of names used in India by the various
cultures in India, including Hindu, Muslim and Christian.
There are some absolutely GORGEOUS names in this book.
--Deantha
- Daniel Avram Richman: From Aaron to Zoe. 1993. ISBN 0-316-74444-1.
Little, Brown & Co. US $10.95. [sources incl.amazon]
- A huge ("trade") paperback. There are a few obvious mistakes,
such as the claim that the old Latin/Irish name Una is Native
American--even if it is, the story needs more info than that.
Best feature: cross-referencing lists of names by meaning.
Includes 'translations' of names. Popularities through
1990. This book is also available as the "Baby-namer!" program
for dos & mac.--Paula Burch
- Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran: Beyond Jennifer & Jason.
[sources incl.amazon]
- Widely acclaimed as a classic, and often described as the
best. I haven't read it myself. Be sure to get the most recent
edition (1995 as of this writing). --Paula Burch
- Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran: Beyond Shannon and Sean
- (Irish) [sources incl.amazon]
- Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran: Beyond Sarah and Sam
- (Jewish) [sources incl.amazon]
- Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran: Beyond Charles and Diana
- (English, of course) [sources incl.amazon]
- [No reviews of these yet, but the mere fact that they exist is
worth mentioning.]
--Deantha
- Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran: The Last Word on First
Names. ISBN 0-312-11748-5 pbk $9.95 US St Martin's Press, New York. 1995.
[sources incl.amazon]
- By the authors of Beyond Jennifer & Jason. Instead of
translating the archaic meanings, this book gives the author's
opinions on the names. Provides a useful overview of trends in
naming, which is useful whether you want a trendy name, or want to
avoid one. --Paula Burch
- Lareina Rule: Name Your Baby.1986. [sources incl.amazon]
- This is the favorite of all MY name books. It simply lists
European language based names and their derivitives in other
languages. Nothing fancy or unusual; just a good simple book
on baby names. --Deantha
- Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen: The Perfect Name for the Perfect Baby. 1997.
[sources incl.amazon]
- A lovely list of names; also addresses various cultures;
lists names by meaning, culture and character; also lists
names of saints, angels and movie stars, etc. Very nice name
book. --Deantha
- Julia Stewart: African Names. 1993, Citadel Press, ISBN 0-8065-1386-1.
pbk, $9.95. [sources incl.amazon]
- This looks excellent, thorough, & imaginative. Meanings &
pronunciations.
--Paula Burch
- George R. Stewart.American Given Names: Their Origin and History in
the Context of the English Language. Oxford University Press, New
York. 1979. ISBN 0-19-502465-6. [sources for 1986 ed. incl.amazon]
- Extremely interesting commentary on names, but limited by the
publication date. Some of the names it dismisses as
'practically dead' have made a surprising comeback since this
book's publication. --Paula Burch
- Bruce & Vicki Lansky: The Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World.
1982, Meadowbrook Press. ISBN 0-915668-17-8. [sources incl.amazon]
- Not a bad book, but it doesn't live up to its name
anymore--better books have been introduced since its
publication date. The cover claims "over 10,000 girls' and
boys' names (more than any other book)"--but now there are
books with many more. Maybe it's not fair to hold it to the
promises on the cover, though, and it really isn't all that
bad. --Paula Burch
- Bruce & Vicki Lansky: The Very Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide
World. 1996. [sources incl.amazon]
- [no review]
- Janet Schwegel: The Baby Name Countdown. ISBN 1-55778-290-3. $9.95
pbk. 1990. [sources for 1997 ed. incl.amazon]
- 50,000+ names. Best feature: lists of 100 most popular
names by region--including 8 regions of the US and Canada.
--Paula Burch
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