Baby Names: A New Generation

This is, by far, my favorite name book. Each entry is clear and well organized with a little summary behind each name, including origin and meaning. Unlike many other name books, nicknames and spelling variations are, for the most part, reasonable and don't venture too far out into the land of absurdity and uselessness. It's not about quantity, but quality of names.The entry pages include, among other things, a look back at naming trends over the last century and the reassurance that some names, no matter how far into the future we go, will always stand the test of time. There's also advice on selecting a middle name, and a few sensible rules for picking the perfect name.

You are sure to be appreciated by your son or daughter for selecting name from this book - "A to Z Listings of Thousands of Names : BABY NAMES a new generation" by Barbara Kay Turner. This book has thousands of names, the source of the names, how-to-spell them, famous people bearing the respective names, alternative for the name and many more. Many pages have a small box at the bottom with "Less common classics : New, Unusual Names". This makes your job still easier. The meanings of the names are very appropriate and convincing. You are sure to get appreciated by your son or daughter, i.e the new generation.

When it came time to pick a name for Junior, Junior just wasn't right. I wasn't looking forward to just going through lists of names to pick one out. Fortunately I found "Baby Names, A New Generation." I actually had fun. This book is not just a list. (Check out"Beam Me Up Pr'zylla") It made the search for just the right name a pleasure, not a chore. I recommend it highly!

As a writer of short stories, I'm always searching for names that suit my characters. Ms. Turner's guidelines for naming babies works just as well for naming characters so the reader can see and understand them more quickly. I also found "Baby Names for the 90's" worked well for me by organizing names as "tailored" or "cross-gender." Good reading and a timesaver for writers.

I really appreciate the history behind the names. It's great to find the meaning of the name, sometimes multiple meanings from different countries. I found the pronounciation guide especially helpfull.