What's in a Name? - Softcover

Susan Osborn is a multipulished author of nonfiction books. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and children.

This unique baby name book contains the origin and meaning of thousands of names--along with their numerological significance, astrological association, and relationship to particular herbs, colors, metals, and stones. Osborn offers an excellent discussion of each name's meaning and its popularity throughout history, placing emphasis on popularity among specific groups--African Americans, the Amish, and Jews, for example. The book's primary flaw is its peculiar organization. First, although Osborn lists boys' and girls' names separately at the front of the book, names from both genders are then interfiled and discussed alphabetically--frustrating for parents who know their baby's gender. Likewise, Osborn provides detailed coverage on "root names" only; readers looking up derivations are referred to its root--Sean to John, for example, and Nancy to Anna. This gets particularly confusing when a name from one gender refers the reader to a root of another gender, as when Lori is discussed under Laurence. Osborn's research is impressive, and some libraries may want a reference copy simply for its unique numerological and astrological information. Nevertheless, given the plethora of good baby name books--e.g., standards like Bruce Lansky's 35,000+ Baby Names (Meadowbrook, 1995) and au courant books like Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran's Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Montana & Madison (St. Martin's, 1999. 3d ed.) and The Melting Pot Book of Baby Names, edited by Connie Lockhart Ellefson (Betterway, 1995. 3d ed.)--this is recommended only for large public libraries.
-Leah Sparks, Annapolis, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.