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Baby Name Books - recommendations?

13 replies

IslayBrigid · 13/02/2020 11:56

Hi all - can anyone recommend a good baby name book? Do most people just use the internet these days? I'm kind of keen to get a book but not sure whether it will have modern & classic names and what sort of names will be included, etc...

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Whatsyourflava · 13/02/2020 12:44

Books didn’t really help me but maybe I just had the wrong ones
YouTube videos on baby names I quite enjoyed
Hope someone can help re: books

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strawbmilk · 13/02/2020 12:55

I found the internet better than the book I had. The name I chose for DD wasn't in the book we were given. I actually found Pinterest quite useful if you know what style of name you like. Good luck!

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diddlediddle · 13/02/2020 12:56

The internet is a very large book.

For popularity lists/data you've got

www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2018.html

names.darkgreener.com

And there are a million sites that group names by theme.

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Omashu · 13/02/2020 13:10

Don’t waste your money on the a book when you clearly have internet access!

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Astronica · 13/02/2020 13:15

I found 'The Brilliant book of Baby Names ' by Redmond and Satran an enjoyable read - not so much lists but comments about the names. I sometimes disagreed with the comments (it has an American take on some names even though the book aims to give a British take). Still, one of the most readable that I've come across, and I have a selection!

Best website I've found, again for readablity, interest and gettting great ideas is britishbabynames.typepad.com/

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Emijen · 13/02/2020 13:18

I’d just use the internet, baby name books are a thing of the past

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IslayBrigid · 13/02/2020 16:39

Thanks all! Yes looking like the internet might be best bet. I'll also look at Pinterest, thanks @strawbmilk! I'll also check out the sites you all mentioned :)

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TatianaLarina · 13/02/2020 17:02

I bought a book in second hand book shop.

Reading lists on the internet is dull and many of the definitions are not correct anyway. You get more detail on the etymology and usage from a good book.

It’s much easier to scoot through a book in bed ticking the ones you like. Otherwise you have to print stuff off.

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AlpacaGoodnight · 13/02/2020 22:18

I picked up a couple of second hand ones in charity shops but the best one was a really old one I browsed in the maternity ward while waiting for tests for diabetes and other things! I can't remember what any were called but I would keep your eyes open for second hand ones or buy a few on ebay. I used the internet too but nothing beats a book!

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IslayBrigid · 14/02/2020 07:48

Thanks both! Yeah I like the idea of a book :)

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RhymingRabbit3 · 14/02/2020 07:50

//Www.behindthename.com has a lot of information on each name. You can filter by origin, look at popularity statistics for various countries and alternative spellings/diminutives. It really is an excellent resource.

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MikeUniformMike · 14/02/2020 18:56

Get a book. Charity shops often have them for about 20p.
You can dip in and out and not be distracted like you are online.

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jakeyboy1 · 14/02/2020 19:45

I loved the Penguin Dictionqry of First Names, great classic names I still read it now! Be careful with some of the cheap ones full of weird American names unless you like that kind of thing!

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