The Penguin Classic Baby Name Book (Paperback)

by Carol Wallace (Author) "AARON (Hebrew, "raised up, elevated") Shakespeare's tragedy Titus Andronicus is a notorious bloodbath, featuring twelve murders and countless gruesome atrocities..." (more)
Key Phrases: mythology name, meaning unknown, eponymous novel, Henry James, Anthony Trollope, George Eliot (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product 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 important, literary namesakes. Throughout the book are sidebars with mini essays about literary characters and naming trends, as well as quotations from the books themselves.

From The Penguin Classic Baby Name Book:

Chloe (Greek, "young green shoot") A traditional name in pastoral poetry. The source is Longus’s fourth-century poem "Daphnis and Chloe," which concerns the romance between the offspring of a goatherd and a shepherd. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Aunt Chloe is the wife of Uncle Tom. A wonderful cook, warm and loving, she is saving money to buy his freedom. When he dies, she is heartbroken.

About the Author
Carol McD. Wallace is the author of several bestselling baby name books, as well as other books, including a guide to manners for children. She is a graduate of Princeton where she majored in comparative literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (April 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142004707
• ISBN-13: 978-0142004708
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #847,636 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting literary references but impractical names, April 29, 2006

By	Danilibs (VT) - See all my reviews

The names in this book are mainly for those searching for ones with strong literary ties. It is not good if you are looking for a "normal" name, nor if you are looking for something that is just less common.

Most of the names are simply impractical and unweildy for a child now.

I found it least helpful of all the books I purchased.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Joys, October 16, 2008

By	J. M. Childs "Sweet Tangerine" (HBG, PA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is a baby name book, but its so much more than just your generic "Aaron", "Amy", and "Ainsley" with a quick blurb about origin or meaning. Carol Wallace instead includes names that appeared in various Penguin Classics. For instance, if you open the book to the Boy names you'll find Aaron and Henry and Marcus with information about characters in literature who bore the name. You'll also find uncommon, mythological or historical references such as Ion, Atlas, Hades and Hepzibah.

Its truly fascinating, if you have any love for classic literature, and I find myself reading it almost like a novel itself, just straight through. It is not for everyone, and certainly not your average baby name book, but I can truly recommend it for those who love names, love literature, or are equally as eccentric as I am.