55,000 plus Baby Names: A great selection of popular and unusual names from around the world

Book Description

This book replaces 45,000+ Baby Names. We've added 10,000 more names. It now includes 4,000+ Hispanic names. It includes icons to identify names used for both boys and girls. And it now includes the top 100 boys and girls names according to the latest Social Security data. Amazingly, we've kept the price at $6.95. That's a bargain.

Customer Reviews:

Didn't care for this book.......2007-08-09

If your looking for a typical name this book is has way to many different names. We just used the top 100 names in the front of the book.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.......2007-04-07

This book repeats names through out the entire book many times. Not really that good of a book. There definitely isn't 55,000 names in this book.

Not useful :(.......2006-12-28

In my opinion there were too many names in this book. Most of them were the same names but were just spelled differently. And there were a lot of girl names in the boy section and vice versa. I thought it was poorly organized and edited. I did like the front section with the name lists and categories. But overall I was really disappointed in this book. Not a good buy.

Very thorough.......2006-01-24

I looked through many baby name books and this one seemed to be very comprehensive. It has old and new, popular and old-fashioned names. Not only the familiar American names but other common names from around the world. If you're looking for definitions this book doesn't elaborate but gives a few words plus the origin and alternate spelling. There are also lists of the most popular names from different decades and different countries. This book will keep me busy for a while. I am very happy with my purchase.

Very Best Baby Name Book In The Whole Wide World: Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

We found a name
The Very Best? Well, Maybe Not.... (Review Number 250!!!)
This was our favorite
Frustrating
OK, but many others better

Very Best Baby Name Book In The Whole Wide World: Revised Edition
Bruce Lansky
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671561138

Book Description

MORE COMPLETE, MORE HELPFUL, AND MORE FUN THAN ANY OTHER BABY NAME BOOK!

* over 30,001 boys' and girls' names complete with origins, meanings, variations, and famous namesakes * the latest baby name popularity poll rankings, including the most popular names for African-American and Hispanic-American children * survey results on stereotypes of commonly used names * 15 steps to selecting the best name for your baby * advice on changing names, plus famous people who did * fascinating facts about names * advice from "Dear Abby" about using "Jr."

It really is the very best name book you can buy!

Customer Reviews:

We found a name.......2007-09-23

We found a name for our son in this book, when no book seemed to do it for us.

The Very Best? Well, Maybe Not.... (Review Number 250!!!).......2006-02-24

This name book isn't necessarily top of the line, but it's not a bad book either. I found several names that I thought would suit my tastes. As a first time parent, I'm exploring all options and approaching it very carefully so that when it's time to deliver (11/03/06 is the due date) I'll have a name ready and I think this book is more than helpful in the process.

There are sections in the book that cover gender neutral names, 100 most popular boy and 100 most popular girl names in the U.S., popular names worldwide, legal issues (like filing birth certificates if your child is born outside of a hospital), birthstones & flowers, fascinating facts about names, and what some celebrities are naming their kids in addition to the listing, origins, and definitions for over 30,000 names. The definitions aren't totally accurate, but a little research will probably take care of that. I guess for $8.00 you can only ask for so much. To get more depth and insight, you'll probably have to pony up more cash, but The Very Best Baby Name Book In The Whole Wide World is quite capable of fufilling its purpose. It's definitely worth looking into.

This was our favorite.......2005-03-15

Picking a baby name is a very personal process and everyone approaches it differently. We were given four or five baby name books, and this was the one we found most complete and helpful.

I suggest getting several books, including this one, and just enjoy looking through them and getting ideas. Don't worry too much about what a name "means", it varies from book to book and country to country, and no one will know it anyway.

And don't worry if your name is or isn't on a "Top 10" list. The only list that matters is your baby's!

Frustrating.......2003-07-18

I find this book to be a waste of time. My husband and I have searched this book probably a hundred times trying to find a name that has a good meaning for our son. Almost all names with a decent meaning are unusable, while others are generic and boring. We are frustrated looking up 3 or 4 names to find the meaning of the one we are considering. Why cant the author just insert the meaning again instead of writing only "variation of ...."? Also, the meanings of names in this book differ from other sources. Which source is correct? Our son is 16 days old and we are back to the book store trying to find something more helpful. Ridiculous

OK, but many others better.......2003-04-02

I bought Lansky's 15,000+ Baby Names book 2 1/2 years ago before my daughter was born and found it to be less than helpful. I didn't like the way the narrative was handled for each name, plus too many names I specifically went to look up were not in the book. Now we are waiting for our baby boy to be born in June. I checked out this book in the store, and found it to be a rehash of the previous book with more alternate spellings. Once again, some names I looked up were not in here in any spelling. I bought Carol McD Wallace's "The Greatest Baby Name Book Ever" instead, and am much happier with it, although it has shortcomings of it's own. A few inaccuracies, and places where better research would have yielded a better history and origin of certain names. Never-the-less, I recommend Wallace's book along with "The New Age Baby Name Book" for a more complete list of available names.

Average customer rating:

Lots of Info
Easy to read!
Entertaining, but poorly researched.
Best Used Before Naming Your Baybee!
Beyond Rosenkrantz and Satran

Best Baby Name Book In The Whole World
Bruce Lansky
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671544632

Book Description

More Names, More Up-To-Date, More Helpful And More Fun Than Any Other Baby Name Book!

* over 13,001 boys' and girls' names, nicknames and variations * origins, meanings, and famous namesakes * the most popular names In the US. and around the world * advice from "Dear Abby" * 15 steps to selecting the right name for your baby * psychological stereotypes of popular names * how to change names and famous people who did * current baby naming trends * fascinating facts about names * how to make the best final decision on your baby's name!

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Info.......2007-01-26

My husband and I really enjoyed this book. It gave a lot of information and things to consider when chosing a name. Mr. Lansky chose fairly common names from recent popularity. So if your looking for a book that will give you an idea for that unusual or elusive name this isn't the book for you, but you might still enjoy it for it's other apects. There is an interesting segment on celebrity names.

Easy to read!.......2007-01-18

I really enjoyed this baby name book because it was easier to read and didn't have 10,000+ names in it. If you are looking for more traditional names and variations, this is the book for you!

Entertaining, but poorly researched........2006-12-03

I have a huge collection of baby name books, and consider this one to be one of the most poorly researched. It contains a few articles at the beginning which are entertaining (but fairly standard, as baby name books go), but the meat-and-bones of this book is the list of names themselves. The origins and meanings of names in here are inaccurate more often than not. For example, it lists the name "Gladys" as being Celtic for "princess." In all my 20+ years of researching names, I can't even begin to fathom where that origin came from.

In order to make the claim of being the "very best" - it relies upon the number of names it has. However, that number is largely made up of coming up with bizarre spellings and strange nicknames for already existing names (like Kore for Kora, Imojean for Imogen...).

So, if you're simply looking for a list of names to choose from, this book is OK. If you're looking for actual factual information about name origins and meaning, stay far, far away from this one!

Best Used Before Naming Your Baybee!.......2006-02-04

One of the oafish ladies in my wife's Big Readers Book Club recently had twins (one boy, one girl) and she could've really used this book before naming the screaming mutants "Cooleena" and "Rupappy". I suppose that's better than what her equally idiotic husband named their blue heeler ("Muttplug"). Lansky's book really could help a lot of people. Provided they receive it in time...

Beyond Rosenkrantz and Satran.......2005-11-23

Nowadays, of course, the first question one asks upon hearing that friends are "expecting" is no longer, "Have you picked out a name?" but rather "Do you know whether it's a boy or a girl?" But then that makes the now second question all the more in need of a precise answer.

This once timely book has a breezy, easy-to-read and sprightly quality. It does not, unlike the more recent tomes by Rosenkrantz and Satran, claim to be the "last word on first names" ("Oh, wait, we take that back: the NEXT book will truly be the last word on first names, unless of course, it isn't and we have more to blab on about.") Bruce Lansky's book merely (somewhat self-mockingly) claims to be the BEST BABY NAME BOOK IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.

I have the 1991 edition, which by rights should be already passe, for as Lansky himself writes, "...every decade a new group of names rises in popularity, as names associated with a previous generation of babies decline." So just how dated is the information on naming trends here? Well, 15 years is certainly a long enough time to see trends come and go. So the Top 100 Girls' and Boys' Names listed here have doubtless seen many comings and goings. Is "Jessica" still at the top of the heap? Have the "Ashleys" come and gone? Has the spate of "J" names so prevalent in the 70s and 80s finally sputtered. (Aside from the aforementioned "Jessica," there was, of course, "Jennifer," "Jason," "Joshua," and "Jared"--but not really "John," which by that point had morphed to its Irish form "Sean," but could be due for a comeback any time now.)

Lansky's approach is streamlined and eminently practical. Whereas Rosenkrantz and Satran become downright "prescriptive" at times, he prefers to offer points to consider: should you name a child "after" a parent or other relative; what about unisex names; the issue of popularity vs. uniqueness; stereotypes attached to certain names; the etymological meaning of a name (a less important concern for him than in many older books): and several other considerations.

Many prospective parents will find the sections on stereotypes and popularity of interest. Many of the stereotypical associations listed are no surprise: Adam and Brooke are attractive; Brian and Chris are athletic, etc. And did Madonna realize that daughter Lola might be stereotyped as "sleazy" at some point in her life. (Well, hey, it IS Madonna, after all--but then Lola's real name is "Lourdes," which is actually very Catholic and traditional, and ironically also very Madonna, verdad?)

Speaking of celebrity (and in keeping with the "image" question), there is section on celebrity name changes, which is worth perusing, but not all that surprising. Many of these, you are likely to have heard before (that Roy Rogers was born "Leonard Slye," for instance). Some "changes" are pretty obvious and not at all dramatic. Benjamin Antonio Gazzara became "Ben Gazzara"? Newsflash: he would have likely shortened it like that even if he had become a used car salesman. And I doubt very many people would think that Orenthal James Simpson's decision to go by "O.J." was a significant name change per se. (Although I'm sure there are many who nowadays might prefer that he be officially known as "California Prisoner #300810" or something on that order).

Certainly, no one will be surprised that the Marx brothers' real given names were NOT "Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo"--even if they can't tell you exactly what they were. And there are some actual errors here (I'm pretty sure). Lee Remick was born "Lee Ann Remick" not merely the simpler "Ann Remick" listed here. The equally unisex named Dale Evans was born "Frances Octavia Smith," not the unisex homonym "Francis" listed here.

But those are pretty minor mistakes. It's still a fun listing to peruse. And some of the other tid-bits of naming lore thrown in are hysterical. The "Truth Stranger Than Fiction" roster is a hoot and a half, including such monikers as: Dillon C. Quattlebaum, Lieselotte Pook, Peenie Fase and Lolita Beanblossom.

The actual roster of baby names for your condideration, with notes and definitions, is where things get a little loosey-goosey. Most of the definitions are accurate--and we've already seen that definitions are but one of many considerations. It's understandable that Lansky would not dwell on the etymologies as such. But if you're going to do it at all, be consistent and accurate. There are many names whose origins are disputed, true. In that case, it's best to list the various possible sources and suggest the most likely. Is "Alice" from the Greek "truth" or the Old High German "noble"?
And once you've established that, is "Allison" a variant of that name, as listed here OR (as listed under a separate entry) a name that is either from the Irish Gaelic for "truthful" (is Gaelic related that closely to Greek??) or Old German for "famous among the gods" (even better than being noble).

And when masculine names are feminized, does it make the feminine form all the more feminine? Names like "Carl/Charles" and "Andrew" have roots that mean "manly." They also gave rise to numerous feminine variants (the ones from "Charles" alone include: "Carol(e)," "Caroline," "Carolyn," "Carla," "Carlene,"
"Carlotta," "Charlotte," "Charlene" ad infinitum or nearly). But do these names mean "womanly"? No, they are feminine forms of a name that means "man" or "manly." That's the etymology, anbd you can't change it. That does not make them less feminine names. Many will consider them quite feminine, beautiful and almost regal. But that doesn't change the linguistic roots.

But in the last analysis, as Lansky suggests--and as other such as Rosenkrantz and Satran lay on with a trowel--it's really the sound and the image of a given name that counts. That's why "Cameron" is now popular for both sexes, even though its meaning (as cited here and elsewhere) is "crooked nose." Could be worse, though, Lansky gives the etymology of "Brendan," another popular name, as being Irish Gaelic for "little raven." I've seen it elsewhere as meaning "stinking hair." So much for that one--"Would Stinking Hair O'Rourke report to the main office please?" Yikes!

Overall a fun read, and a practical guide for parents.

What Is God's Name? (Early Childhood Sprituality)

Average customer rating:

Lovely Illustrations
Cute, Necessary Book
Great Bridal Shower Present
Beautifully illustrated and written

What Is God's Name? (Early Childhood Sprituality)
Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
Manufacturer: Skylight Paths Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 1893361101

Book Description

Every child develops an image of God by age 5, say spiritual experts. This simple, beautiful book will help you and your child explore spirituality together for the first time.

For people of all faiths, all backgrounds. Based on the award-winning picture book In God's Name.

Much has been written about the importance of reading simple, beautiful books to babies and preschoolers to stimulate brain development. But perhaps even more important, what you read begins to shape your child's world, and creates the images that will remain with him or her throughout life.

We read books to our children about letters, numbers, shapes, colors and safety, but do we give their minds the early food they need to think about life's bigger questions? As spiritual development experts now tell us, each child develops an image of God by age 5, with or without religious instruction. What is God's Name? takes you and your child on an imaginative journey designed to help you open not only your child's mind, but your child's heart and soul as well.

Customer Reviews:

Lovely Illustrations.......2006-12-19

My baby loves this book, especially the pages with the mother and father. It manages to be diverse and inclusive without seeming stilted or preachy. Lovely little book.

Cute, Necessary Book.......2003-02-07

I was amazed to learn that most kids have an image of GOD by the age of five, whether or not they're taught spirituality/religion by their parents. That being said, a book like this is a great way to 'jumpstart' spirituality in your child's life. It also teaches tolerance of others, being that the book shows people of different backgrounds.

Overall, this book wasn't overly dramatic at all and the illustrations were rather pretty.

Great Bridal Shower Present.......2000-12-31

This little gem of a book is the perfect bridal shower present. Every baby should have it read to them over and over again. As the little one learns to turn pages (that's what the thick pages of a board book are for), he/she will also begin to hear and see that the world is a spiritual place with a lot of different spiritual expressions in it. That's a lot of value for about eight bucks.

Beautifully illustrated and written.......2000-03-27

I have enjoyed this book with my five year old and 20 month old. The illustrations are bright and bold and the book describes the origins of God's name. It is clear, understandable and inspirational for young and old alike. I highly recommend this as a godparent gift in board book for younger children and hardback for older children.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful book!
world of baby names
a good baby name book,but not the best
Best baby name book
too many off the wall names

World of Baby Names, A (Revised)
Teresa Norman
Manufacturer: Perigee Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0399528946
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Book Description

One of the most comprehensive baby name reference guides available, featuring more than 30,000 baby names, has been revised and expanded. Each chapter focuses on names from specific countries, regions, and ethnicities, including details about traditional naming customs. Each entry contains various spellings and pronunciations, as well as the name's meaning, history, etymology, and derivations.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book!.......2007-09-15

While pregnant with my daughter (now almost one) I looked at every baby name book at Barnes & Noble, and finally bought this one because it was so complete and thorough, and just extremely satisfying to browse and read. I really wanted a baby names book with lots of international names, as well as detailed information about what the names mean, their origins, alternate spellings, etc., and this book has all of that. In fact, I plan to purchase it again for my next pregnancy because someone with a pregnant daughter "borrowed" it -- permanently... -- from me. It's that good! :)

world of baby names.......2006-08-13

I was so happy to see this book listed. We have babies on the way in the family, plus animals and dolls to name. I love the fact that it lets you know the meanings and derivation of the multi-cultural names that we hear everyday.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to name someone, something, or just would like to know what a name really means. I love the book personally and was very happy with the price of it also.

a good baby name book,but not the best.......2006-06-28

I like this book.It is a good collection of names(although not the 30,000 promised)from various areas of the world,from South East Asia to Wales,and from Ireland to the Usa.It certinly will be useful in naming your child if youre after a multi cultural name.
However there are downsides to this book-some of the names are in the wrong section or in 2 or 3 different sections of the book(probably to make up the 30,000 names promised)and with alot of entries(especially those mentioned above)a proper name description and meaning are not given.An example of this is in the American section the name Madeline is described as "French cognate of Magdalene".If it is French,what is it doing in the American Section?Yes it may be popular in America but its still French,so whats it doing in the American section?and also,the exact translation is not given.It is actually Greek and means "tower of Strength"(i learnt this from another book)
Also,depending on where you live in the world some names may not be appropriate for your child(due to cultures,lifestyles etc)
for example a boy or girl from California may not appreciate being called the Hawaiian names of Kapalekanaka or Leolakupaianaha.Just the same as an Irish boy or girl may not like being called the vietnamese names Dieu Hien or Ngocmykhanh.
It doent mean that these are "bad names"(many of them do indeed have beautiful meanings)they certinly are not bad names.Its just that they do not fit in with our cultures and lifestyles etc.
However the book certinly does deliver what is promises-to deliver lots of names from around the world,even if its not the 30,000 that is promised.

Best baby name book.......2005-10-01

This is the best baby name book I have ever seen. We love the Italian section--very accurate, and nice. We also enjoy looking through the others. There are 31 chapters. They include: African names, African-American names, American, Biblical, Chinese, Czech and Slovak, English, French, German, Greek, Hawaiian, Hindu/Indian, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Jewish/Hebrew, Korean, Muslim/Arabic, Mythology, North American Indian, Polish, Polynesian, Portuguese, Rumanian, Russian, Scandinavian, Scottish, Southeast Asian, Spanish, and Welsh.

too many off the wall names.......2005-07-03

if you are looking for an irish name spelled in gaelic, this is your book. if you are hard-up for a romanian name for your little one, this is your book. if you are looking for a "normal," pronouceable name, you'd do better looking elsewhere.

yes, this book has a billion names in it, but well over half are utterly unusable--seriously. either you cannot pronounce them (see above referenced gaelic names) or they are just plain off the charts weird.

we have this book and while i flipped through it a few times, mostly we made fun of the names in it.

Average customer rating:

African Names
Samaki
Manufacturer: Struik Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1868726851

Book Description

Would you like to feel closer to Africa? African American slaves were alienated from the connection to their ancestors and the mysticism of Africa. Credo Mutwa, the acclaimed African mystic and scholar explains, "A name is not simply a sound made into the empty air. A name is a thing so precious among our people that we believe very strongly that it possesses magical properties which are bestowed upon you."

In "African Names" you will find a name for your child, or yourself, that you truly believe will reflect both heritage and personality. Inside you will discover names from all corners of Africa, complete with their meanings and origins.

The Best Baby Names in the World, from Around the World: From Around the World

Average customer rating:

A Library Assistant's View
Not a reliable source of information...
Top of The Top 20
love it!!

The Best Baby Names in the World, from Around the World: From Around the World

Manufacturer: Checkmark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816041326

Book Description

The Best Baby Names in the World is the ultimate resource for historically accurate and culturally diverse names. Easy to use and more than just a listing of names, it offers the reader the history and background of their selected favorite. Focusing on names that have originated or been proven popular in 126 countries around the world, it traces the etymological or literary origins, meanings, lore, pronunciations, and variants of these names. A must-have resource for all parents-to-be!

Customer Reviews:

A Library Assistant's View.......2006-02-07

I'm from the Caribbean island of Trinidad and I work in the Information Industry. One of my duties involve previewing new books for shelf worthiness in the library. That means picking books that patrons will find easy to use and comprehensive. This book by Congemi (out of all the books of names and meanings that we have) tops the list. It was so popular that we had to keep it as a reference item. I say 'was' because, as happens to many of the better items in a library, it has gone missing. The last user gave bogus contact information. If you want to know how good a book is look at its usage in the library and find out how many times it had to be replaced. Right now we are anxiously awaiting our replacement copy. The best feature was the name index, with the choice of fonts and the friendly 'easy on the eyes' presentation of the material running a close second and third.

NVB-Trinidad.

Not a reliable source of information..........2005-10-23

This book is interesting if you are just looking for name that sound different, but don't believe in what the author wrote.
As a French person, I had to have a look at the french section. I was really surprise to find names that were either not french at all or don't exist at all (like "beau", which is the french term for pretty or nice, but is not a name... please don't call your child "beau", it would make any French or french speaking person laugh!)
I have no way to know whether the rest of the book was writen the same way, but how could I trust it now?

Top of The Top 20.......2005-08-09

10,000 name from around the world with the meaning and Ethnicity and national origin. This is a great book of names a little confusing but alot of cool names to look through.

love it!!.......2004-05-16

i love this book, it has great names from all over the world, including native american names. i recommend this book for anyone who is interested in names or needs a name for their baby!!

Average customer rating:

Very insightful
useless..
One of *only* 3 books needed for choosing a name for baby!
Misinformation abounds
Baby Name Survey Book Fills Important Niche

The Baby Name Survey Book
Bruce Lansky , and Barry Sinrod
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook Press,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0881663115

Book Description

What will people thing about your baby's name?

The Baby Name Survey Book, previously titled The Baby Name Personality Survey, is not just a baby name book -- it is a reflection of how popular culture affects the perception of popular names. This is the fist name book to provide information on what people think about names. With the information in this book, parents can pick a name for their child with positive connotations, and avoid names that might subject their child to teasing.

A total of over 100,000 parents were surveyed to determine the most common images people hold about the most popular names for babies. For this new edition, over 300 new names were added to the original 1,400 names, and many of the names were updated to reflect the most up-to-date information about the names you're considering for your baby, including:

The new image of names associated with celebrities, such as Newt, Colin, Denzel, Selena, Winona, and Mariah;
The image of trendy names such as Taylor, Cody, Sierra, Dakota, Caitlin, and Jasmine;
The image of newly popular ethnic and international names, such as Keisha, Latanya, Jamila, Asia, Rasheed, Alejandro, and Andre.

Customer Reviews:

Very insightful.......2007-04-05

My husband and I had two other baby name books but when we got this one we found it quite helpful to find out what surveys had said what their impressions of the name were. We are using this book as a guideline now for choosing our baby's name. I would recommend it.

useless.........2006-08-09

Three years when I was pregnant with my daughter, I bought this book at our local book store. I had always loved the name Sophia so, that was where I turned to forst. When I scanned through the meaning I got down to when negative conotations might be associated with oy I was apalled!! It said that the name could make people think of a black maid!? WHAT??? I returned the book the next day. I still named her Sofia. My thought is if you like a name...who cares what other people will think (as long as it'a not a name like Pilot Inspecktor or something crazy like that!!).

One of *only* 3 books needed for choosing a name for baby!.......2005-04-11

There are only 3 books needed for choosing the perfect baby name and this is one of them.

This book is based upon one of the largest studies ever done on people's opinion of names. I've noticed that some say that this book is outdated, but I would beg to differ. Even now [2005] opinions seem to be very similar as they were in 1998 when I first used this book.

My suggestion to any parent looking for the best name for their baby is this book, a baby name definition book, and a name popularity book. By having the three so-named books, any parent can make an informed decision for naming their baby.

My suggestions are as follows:
1) The Baby Name Survey Book
2) The Baby Name Wizard
3) 75,000+ Baby Names for the 21st Century

Good luck choosing your baby's name!
(...)

Misinformation abounds.......2005-03-03

I have not read the actual book - there is a website - www.americanbaby.com - that says is using the book as a source for meanings of names. I can tell you that many of the names of Slavic origin are either partially or completely wrong. I got p.o.-ed enough to look up the book on Amazon and post this. I can't vouch for the rest of the names, but have these people done any research?

Baby Name Survey Book Fills Important Niche.......2004-04-26

This book isn't a total baby name sourcebook, nor is it intended to be. With so many baby name lists online (by popularity, meaning, ethnicity, etc.,) this turned out to be the only name book I bought. The Survey Book gave me a reliable "outside" perspective as we considered names during my pregnancy, when I didn't trust my own judgement during the raging hormone storms or even suspected family members of having an agenda! It also gave me a diplomatic way to eliminate some the less appealing suggestions. ("I really LIKE the name Humperdink, but the book says that it suggests 'smelly' and 'effete'.") The list is not complete and some of the names are outdated, but if another expanded edition is published, I will definately purchase it before naming a second child.

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The Hero Lansky one of his best
a fun guide, but I would recommend additional research
Winner: the worst book of baby names I found!
I think I'll name my kids from this book.
Incorrect information in Baby Names around the World

Baby Names Around the World
Bruce Lansky
Manufacturer: Meadowbrook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 0671316583

Book Description

This book contains more names from around this world than any other leading book -- over 50,000 names in all.

Bruce Lansky, the #1 author of baby name books in North America, has now created Baby Names around the World. Here are over 50,000 baby name choices for prospective parents, presented in an easy-to-use format with informative and interesting features, including

An index listing names by country or language;
Popular names from the 1880s through the of origin;
A list of things to consider when choosing a name;
The 100 most popular names for the 1990s;
Advice on how to create a unique name;
Lists of gender-neutral names.

Customer Reviews:

The Hero Lansky one of his best.......2005-08-04

This is a worldly challange for mister Lansky. I loved this book all the way to number 9 on my top of the top book list. the only problem was not enough different spellings for names. but our hero fixed that in Mother of All Baby Names wow.

a fun guide, but I would recommend additional research.......2003-10-03

The best part of this book is the adorable illustration on the cover -- If you're looking for an unusual, foreign name for your child, particularly from a country or culture that is not in the mainstream (Tamile, Twi, Zulu, Zuni, Kakwa, Kukuyu -- you get the idea) this book would provide a good starting point, but I would certainly do additional research to confirm that the definitions and spellings are accurate. One section of the book lists names by country of origin. The largest section of the book provides a dictionary-style listing of names, definitions, and variations for boys and girls. I get a sense that the lists of international names are sometimes little more than lists of international words, some of which may not be well-suited for a name. There's also very little (make that no) information on how parents in different cultures choose to name their babies, so a name that makes sense in a foreign culture may make no sense in American culture. One of the reviewers below comments that when he saw the name "Starbuck", he put this book down. I've found that all of the baby name books contain names I wouldn't dream of imposing on a child (names like Eleven) and the trend in naming books is toward the unique -- I don't know that this book is any different. In any event, naming a child is a very personal decision and this book could provide a fun, useful starting point.

Winner: the worst book of baby names I found!.......2003-05-10

Before becoming a dad (well, I will be one in October), if you paid to me I would have never guessed I'd be reading a book on this topic today, but you see: here I am, browsing through a handful of books off of the shelves looking for ideas. Here's our case: my wife and I wanted to name our baby with a beautiful name (how original, huh?) that is not repeated anywhere near (family and close friends) and that plays well both ways, in English AND Spanish without anyone needing to twist their mouths to pronounce it.

I had a chance to check out this book and found it to be a waste of anyone's time and one with a misleading title. After a few lists of top 10 and top 100 names under different criteria (which you can get off the Internet without much effort) it goes into a list of names supposedly from different countries that, more than names sound like figments from the author's imagination. Here goes the worst example of what I don't want to see anyone named: for a boy, "STARBUCK". This is an actual suggestion from the author!! I am NOT kidding. When I saw this, I closed the book. It officially topped the list of worst baby name books I reviewed today. I recommend "A World of Baby Names" or "From Aaron to Zoe".

I think I'll name my kids from this book........2001-05-14

Having seen so much of the world, I have become very interested in giving my future kids very meaningful names. It is nice to see the inclusion of names from countries other than Europe and North America.

Incorrect information in Baby Names around the World.......2000-08-07

In the lists of names from Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland about halv of the names are not first names. Many "names" are unknown as names and words at all. There are a lot of surnames. Ola is not a girl's name, but a boy's, and Bodil, Inger, Mette and Valborg is not a boy's name. Kari is not a typical Danish name,but a Norwegian. Also some misspellings.

For other languages I find that Charles is German, that Che is Spanish for José, Ivar is a variant of Ivor og Ivo, Yves is a French form of Ivar. Van (p. 381) and Von (p. 383) are short forms of first names. Mac is a Scottish first names for boys. All this do no correspond to my information from other sources. In the lists of German, French and Spanish first names there are a lot of surnames. But may be all the surnames in the English-list also is used at first names for boys?

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Top of the Top 25

More for literature buffs than parents to be

The Penguin Classic Baby Name Book: 2,000 Names from the World's Great Literature
Grace Hamlin
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Baby Names | Pregnancy & Childbirth | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Cool Names: for Babies

ASIN: 0141001526
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Book Description

Expectant parents poring over baby name books-usually tomes as large and as interesting as phone books-are looking for that special name with special meaning. A name with a legacy, a name for the ages. What better place for book-loving parents to look for the right name than in literature?

Elegantly written, easy to use, and delightful to read, The Penguin Classic Baby Name Book is divided into sections of boys' and girls' names. Entries include information on origin, meaning, variations, and most importantly, literary namesakes. Throughout the book are sidebars with mini essays about literary characters and naming trends, as well as pointed quotations from the books themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Top of the Top 25.......2005-08-09

Great literature names , Great stories behind names But need more names. This book is really by CArol MCD Wallace. She has another book out The Penguin Classic Baby name book. Be careful that is a reprint of this book don't buy 2.

More for literature buffs than parents to be.......2003-11-19

This book is not a conventional baby name book - it lists names that are included in the Penguin Classics series of books. It does not include 20th Century classics though, which is a big let down. It is not a book you would probably use solely if you were trying to find a name for your child-to-be - many, if not the majority, of names are not really those you would consider - Minnehaha perhaps? And certain books seem to be mentioned a little too much - `Orlando Furioso' must have a cast of thousands if the number of times it is mentioned in this book is anything to go by.

However, it is interesting, and it gives an insight into the importance of names as indicators in different periods of literature. It also refuses to concentrate on English language books - there are references to Ancient Greek, Scandinavian, Spanish, French, Russian and other non-English literature. If you are a scholar or fan of classic literature, you will probably find something of interest in this book. But if you are searching for an appropriate name for a baby, while it might throw up some you hadn't considered before, you should probably try somewhere else...

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