The Last Word on First Names: The Definitive A-Z Guide to the Best and Worst in Baby Names by America's Leading Experts [Mass Market Paperback]

Linda Rosenkrantz (Author), Pamela Redmond Satran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1997

The authors of Beyond Jennifer & Jason, the bestseller that revolutionized baby naming, offer the last word on the perfect first name.

Hope is hot, Hortense is not-- at last, here's what parents really need to know before naming a baby.

For years you knew what to expect from a baby-name book: a long, dull list of names with their dictionary definitions. All that changed with Beyond Jennifer & Jason-- the groundbreaking book on styles and trends in baby names that has been called "the best baby-naming book ever written" (The News Journal).

Now Rosenkrantz and Satran return with an all-new baby-name guide that is destined to become a classic. Like other books, it's packed with entries on girls' and boys' names from A to Z, but no one else gives you the inside story on names: why the world has all the Ashleys it needs, why everyone loves Emily, and why you should or should not call your son Ishmael. Drawing on sources as diverse as ancient myths, current TV series, the Bible, and world literature, The Last Word on First Names is a readable, witty, and illuminating guide to the real-world meaning of Miranda, Max, and thousands of other names from Abigail to Zelig. No one should name a baby without this book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Baby name experts Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran's The Last Word on First Names attempts to capture the best baby names of the '90s, with an emphasis on defining what's hip in baby names at this moment and why. While maintaining a focus on the up-to-the-minute popularity of particular names--Dolly is too cutesy for the postfeminist age, for example--the book doesn't skimp on the historical background of each name presented. For parents looking to find out how Richard has changed through the ages--once favored by kings, the name peaked in popularity in the '50s and now returns to favor--The Last Word on First Names is the baby name book to buy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The baby's due and you still can't agree on names? To the rescue: The Last Word on First Names."-- Scripps Howard News Service

Authors of the best-selling Beyond Jennifer & Jason, "the arbiter of hip baby names."-- The Wall Street Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312961065
• ISBN-13: 978-0312961060
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,503,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I found this one first!!!, January 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Word on First Names: The Definitive A-Z Guide to the Best and Worst in Baby Names by America's Leading Experts (Mass Market Paperback)

I can't tell you how many baby name books I read before I found this. I didn't just want a list of names, I wanted help chosing, and this was the only book that was useful. It helped us avoid names about to be too popular and gave us interesting alternatives. Really, don't waste your money, buy this one first.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous choice if you find long lists of names boring!, January 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Word on First Names: The Definitive A-Z Guide to the Best and Worst in Baby Names by America's Leading Experts (Mass Market Paperback)

A very opinionated, very fun to read book. Does not give many meanings of names, rather the authors concentrate on how the names are perceived today. Has a lot of unusual choices - not for you if you love very popular names. Could stand to be updated now, but still my favorite baby name book ever!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best out of 7, December 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Word on First Names: The Definitive A-Z Guide to the Best and Worst in Baby Names by America's Leading Experts (Paperback)

I own 7 baby name books, and this is by far my favourite. If you're interested in baby naming trends (and want to avoid a trendy name), this is the book for you. No doubt about it: this book is very judgemental (but people are judged by their names whether we like it or not). However, the writers seem to be well-rounded and intelligent so I often agree with their comments. The best thing about this book is how the writers discuss the names in current cultural context. I find this much more useful than a list of names with their obscure definition (who cares that Calvin means bald?). This book is useful especially for first time parents who may not realize that Brittany, Emma and Tyler are not original. I'd like to see an updated version of this book (even though I probably won't have any more children, I just find this book so fun to read)