What's in a Name?--Everything You Wanted to Know (Hardcover)

by Leonard R. N. Ashley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A scholar in the field of names, Ashley investigates naming practices worldwide, revealing how and why businesses, streets and people acquire their titles. Middle names, nicknames, trends and the psychology of naming are discussed. (Oct.)was there a PW review?/no/pk
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Not the usual what-to-name-your-baby book, Ashley's volume takes readers "on a lively introductory ramble through the entire field of name studies, succeeding in his stated purpose of entertaining as well as informing the general reader"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 265 pages
• Publisher: Genealogical Publishing Company; Revised edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806312610
• ISBN-13: 978-0806312613
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,461,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will be read with enthusiasm from cover to cover, February 13, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Leonard Ashley's What's In A Name?: Everything You Wanted To Know continues to be a unique contribution and resource for aspiring genealogists and the non-specialist general reader with an interest for anyone who has ever wondered about the origin and meaning of their name. Ashley divides his informative presentation to sections devoted to Persons (forenames, surnames, nicknames, titles, name changes, aliases and pseudonyms, married names, etc.); Places (American placenames, Amerindian names, local, regional, and global placenames); Things (naming patterns, business names); Names, Language, And Literature (word play, name inflation, names into words, names in literature); Names And The Occult (names in magic, fortunetelling with names); What To Name The Baby (tips for giving a child a good name, the subjective factor in naming). Superbly written and presented, What's In A Name? will be read with enthusiasm from cover to cover, and would serve as an ideal text on onomastics and the nature of names.

5.0 out of 5 stars Ten Stars Would not be Good Enough!, May 22, 2008

By	S. Henkels (Devon, Pa United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This extremely interesting, entertaining, informative, and amusing book should at be browsed thru by anyone interested in the beginnings and development of just about all the names and title you can think of, and they are not simply English ones either. From the originations of Colonial names, first and last, even middle, to towns and cities, streets, parks. Boys and girls names, including a critique of ones not in vogue or in vogue. Funny mismatched names, some invented by the author, others supposedly real. Literary and magic names, names of saints and Biblical names..Even names of music groups.Palindromes, puzzles..the list and fun practically never end!..So do yourself a great favor, and order a brand new copy of this totally unique and timeless book right now!