Customer Reviews

Baby Names Now: From Classic to Cool--The Very Last Word on First Names

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm a three-time mom who's now looking for a name for baby number four and this book is the BEST! I've been through all the baby-naming books and I know, from living with my other children's names, that these authors really tell you the truth about how a name is received in the real world. It's the only name book out there (besides the authors' other new book, Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana, which I also love) that gives you lots of new ideas for names and how to use them -- as well as warning you away from names that might be getting overused! If you want a name book that gives you lots of solid information you will appreciate more and more over time as you live with the name you choose for your child, this one is for you.

I thought that this book was a wonderful change from the bunches of books that just list names with their origin and meaning. Those are good books to skim for an idea, but this one brought so much more to the table. I really liked the information on whether names were getting too trendy and overused, and I loved that so many entries had alternatives listed. I highly recommend it for someone who is interested in really exploring names, and not just looking at a long list of every name ever used.

I enjoyed Beyond Jennifer and Jason very much, so you can imagine my excitement at seeing another book by the same authors. I like the basic idea of this book--to inform prospective parents about the associations names have (e.g. Ariel is associated with The Little Mermaid). However, I found that some of these were not included. I looked up a few names to test the book, and the authors are apparently not very knowledgeable about children's popular culture. It was written in 1995 (I don't know if new editions have been written or not), so the authors can be forgiven for not mentioning that among children and those who work with children, the name Patrick is associated with Spongebob Squarepants's pink, dim-witted starfish friend. However, under the name Mario, though many famous people named Mario were listed, there was no mention of Super Mario. Super Mario Bros. is one of the most popular video game series in the world! I realize that the authors probably don't know this because video games are primarily a young people's pastime, but if they had done their research, they would have been able to warn parents that children named Mario (unless they live in Latino communities) are likely to be made fun of for bearing the name of a video game character, instead of just relying on their own knowledge of popular culture. Even if they had done their research, this would still be the kind of book that needs to be constantly updated.
My other complaint is that they encourage parents to give girls masculine names (e.g. Michael--I swear I am not making this up!), but discourage them from giving boys so-called "feminine names" even if many still consider them masculine or ambisexual (e.g. Robin--many people associate the name with Robin Hood or with Batman's sidekick). Don't they realize that this practice only perpetuates the double standard, rather than solving any problems?
I would like it if someone wrote a better version of this book.

This book is a good update on "Last Word on First Names", and that is ALL it is. I don't think they should have released it as a whole new book. I mean, there are a few new names but they are wild and crazy and nobody would use them. Like "Trout" is listed. I mean, come on!

I think this book is one of the best baby naming tools available. Instead of just listing meanings, it lists perceptions of different names. This is really helpful if you're trying to avoid anything too trendy, or get honest opinions on whether your chosen names is really as "out there" as other people think. I used this with Beyond Madison and Montana, but I think it stands alone on its on merits. Well worth the money if you want a different perspective.

I was dissappointed with this book. After reading the reviews I don't really know what I was expecting, but what I got was almost entirely the authors' opinions. There are few entries with containing meanings and true origins, although they all have commentary on 'coolness'. If you just need an additional name resource then it's o.k., although there really aren't that many new names in it. But if you're looking for something with reference to a name's meaning and origins beyond a popular TV character or stars baby, then this books NOT for you.

I liked most of the choices in this book. I found that there were good names that most people would probably consider, and I liked that they made it clear that certain names are just way too popular right now, and that they had positive things to say about lesser used names such as "Lisette" and "Rosamond."

I didn't like all the celebrity references or all the place-name references. I saw those entries as part of a new baby-naming trend and I'm not into trends, so those names didn't impress me.

If you're searching for a name, then this book is good, because there are reasonable suggestions in it. I would just have to say don't pay too much attention to the comments.

For years now, Rosenkrantz and Satran have been the only real baby name book *authors*. There are a ton of books that compile name lists, but these two are actually good writers and not afraid to inject opinion and analysis. I gave this volume 4 stars simply by comparison to most of the lackluster alternatives out there -- but I was honestly rather disappointed. Some reasons: - This is NOT a new book, simply a new edition! Despite the fresh title and design, "Baby Names Now" is just an updated version of "The Last Word on First Names." I find this rather deceptive; if you have the earlier book, save your money. - Where were the copy editors? This is a surprisingly sloppy book, with lots of little factual errors that should have been cleaned up along the way. Hercules was not a Greek god, as one of the entries claimed. And Jabot is not a character on "The Young and the Restless" -- it's the name of a company! That's like saying General Motors is a popular baby name in Detroit. - Prominent uses of a name in the media are highly relevant. What low-level celebrities choose to name their own children is thoroughly irrelevant. I was frustrated by the significant percentage of this book devoted to informing me that, e.g., a CNN weatherman chose such-and-such a name for his third daughter. - Again in the wasted space category: far too many entries of names nobody would ever consider, just to say "don't consider this." Was there really a risk of thousands of little girls named "Sesame"? Yes, this is a fun book to read, and if you don't have the authors' previous books it's a fine choice. But I'm looking forward to something fresher in this category.

If you're looking for a dictionary of baby names, there are about a zillion other books out there to choose from. But if you've already looked at the typical baby name lists and were left feeling uninspired, check out "Baby Names Now". The authors offer real world wisdom and advice about each name. Each entry is clever and funny. Their descriptions are often completely subjective, but that's what makes this book so much fun. It really gets you thinking about what you do or don't like and why. I recommend it to all expecting mothers and fathers!

I have all of the books by these authors, and although I found the format of the first (Beyond Jennifer and Jason) much easier to keep up with, the information, insights, and lists of names in this book is truly excellent. You will want this book for the latest trends in baby naming, a great number of names that are unique, original, and beautiful, and help in making the final choice. You will not agree with some of the classifications for names (for example Thorn was recently reported as the #4 name for two counties in my area, so obviously parents if not these authors feel that the name is appropriate for their baby boys).