The New American Dictionary of Baby Names [Paperback]

Leslie Dunkling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1991

What's in a name? This newly updated guide, which lists practically every first name current in the English language, will help you find out. Here are more than 10,000 boys' and girls' names, including the top fifty from 1925 to the present. Listings are complete with information on origins, meanings, social significance, and much more. Whether you are looking up your own name, researching to make one of the most important choices for an expected child, or simply browsing for pleasure, you'll find a wealth of enlightening information in this invaluable and fun book.

"The best first-name dictionary for the English-speaking world."--Choice

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Signet (December 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451171071
• ISBN-13: 978-0451171078
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,682,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great tool and about that title...., January 6, 2000

By 

Debra Mullins (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New American Dictionary of Baby Names (Paperback)

As an author of historical fiction, I consider this book the "bible" of names. For me, the value is in the fact that it gives the time periods during which each name was popular, which is extremely helpful in my line of work. Also, there have been other reviews panning the name being "New American", but perhaps this is due more to the fact that the book was published by New American Library than any effort to advertise it as a dictionary of American names. Love it, had to buy a new one because my old one fell apart. The best name book I have ever come across.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You don't need a baby to profit from this onomastic classic, December 18, 1999

By 

Ronald R. Kyser (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New American Dictionary of Baby Names (Paperback)

This is the only name book with "baby" in the title that is worth reading. (It was originally titled "The Facts on File Dictionary of First Names".) The only real competitor this has is George Rippey Stewart's "American Given Names", which will cost you over six times as much.

Dunkling, who founded Britain's Names Society, and Gosling don't just tell you the meaning of the name, but its derivation, when it entered the language, when it became popular (and fell off, and rebounded), why people used it when they did, literary examples, and lots of other juicy bits.

One drawback is that it hasn't been revised since its appearance in 1983, and has missed some of the recent fads. The no. 1 girl's name of 1990 isn't in here at all. (You'll find it on a map of France.) But then, no one predicted the Pet Rock either.

Every literate person should have a name book next to his dictionary and thesaurus. This book costs less than a movie ticket, is more fun, and lasts a lot longer. Never mind the new parents, get it for yourself!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book!, October 12, 2001

By 

cathy-ann m. (hamilton, ontario, canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New American Dictionary of Baby Names (Paperback)

This book originally had the title "Everyman's Guide of First Names" published in 1983 by Dent. I read it twice and I agree that there should be a revised edition for the new millenium.
If you like books on names, get this one!