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Named: A Story of Names and Reclaiming Who We Are
Our names are a shadow we carry around with us. They are part of who we are. Our names are a marker of our self-identity and our sense of self. Our names have the power to shock. They have the power to heal, and they have the power to trigger conversations around race, class, social mobility and belonging. But what is a name? What do our names tell us about ourselves? And why do they matter?
Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.
The author's own narrative about her estrangement from her Nigerian father, the daily battles with her Jamaican mother and her journey towards identity is woven through the chapters making it an engaging and intimate investigation of what makes us who we are.
Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.
The author's own narrative about her estrangement from her Nigerian father, the daily battles with her Jamaican mother and her journey towards identity is woven through the chapters making it an engaging and intimate investigation of what makes us who we are.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 7, 2025
I read a couple of articles by Camilla Balshaw in the Guardian so I was worried that, as sometimes happens, there wouldn't be much more to the book... but I am glad I read it because there was plenty more.
She writes very engagingly about names and how people feel about their names, and about names and race and discrimination especially, in the US but also elsewhere and how they interconnect with class. She also writes about her own name, Camilla, chosen by her Nigerian father, her Nigerian middle name (Adebisi, a beautiful name) and how she grew up being called Mandy, her Jamaican mum's preferred name for her. Estranged from her father and trying to reconnect with him, there's a lot about names and identity and how her name and its complex story affected her growing up. I found it really interesting and well-written and researched, it's a quick read but I really enjoyed it.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
She writes very engagingly about names and how people feel about their names, and about names and race and discrimination especially, in the US but also elsewhere and how they interconnect with class. She also writes about her own name, Camilla, chosen by her Nigerian father, her Nigerian middle name (Adebisi, a beautiful name) and how she grew up being called Mandy, her Jamaican mum's preferred name for her. Estranged from her father and trying to reconnect with him, there's a lot about names and identity and how her name and its complex story affected her growing up. I found it really interesting and well-written and researched, it's a quick read but I really enjoyed it.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
June 9, 2025
"If I'm gonna tell a real story, I'm gonna start with my name- Kendrick Lamar."
What does your name mean to you? Growing up as a child of immigrants your name was very important- how would your teachers say your name? Would they try to pronounce it correctly or would they give you a nickname that was easier to say? When I wanted to name my daughter, the first thing I was asked was- but won't they miss pronounce this at school? But it's 2025 and that shouldn't be the question anymore- people should make an effort to learn how to say our names properly.
"As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever- African Proverb".
This book might sound simplistic- it's just looking at names and our identity through our name? But it's so much more, I can count numerous occasions where people I know have changed their name or reclaimed their name to demonstrate who they are. Our names are so integral to who we are and this book really does get to the core of that!
A powerful read that I do hope you will give a chance to ♥️
What does your name mean to you? Growing up as a child of immigrants your name was very important- how would your teachers say your name? Would they try to pronounce it correctly or would they give you a nickname that was easier to say? When I wanted to name my daughter, the first thing I was asked was- but won't they miss pronounce this at school? But it's 2025 and that shouldn't be the question anymore- people should make an effort to learn how to say our names properly.
"As long as you speak my name, I shall live forever- African Proverb".
This book might sound simplistic- it's just looking at names and our identity through our name? But it's so much more, I can count numerous occasions where people I know have changed their name or reclaimed their name to demonstrate who they are. Our names are so integral to who we are and this book really does get to the core of that!
A powerful read that I do hope you will give a chance to ♥️
June 8, 2025
I was an early reader of this incredible book.
Part memoir part cultural commentary it will be a riveting read for those who love personal story and facts that are woven together in a tender informative way.
We all have names. We all have identities. This book will make us think harder about both of these facets and what they mean to us.
The writing is mesmerising and the debut author is definitely one to watch out for.
Tanya Frank
Part memoir part cultural commentary it will be a riveting read for those who love personal story and facts that are woven together in a tender informative way.
We all have names. We all have identities. This book will make us think harder about both of these facets and what they mean to us.
The writing is mesmerising and the debut author is definitely one to watch out for.
Tanya Frank
June 10, 2025
An excellent read, would highly recommend
June 12, 2025
When she was ten years old, Camilla Balshaw, née Sanni, found her birth certificate, and learned her “official” name was not Amanda, as everyone had always called her. Named is about her on-and-off quest to go by her registered name, Camilla; her relationship – or lack thereof – with the long-absent father who named her; and the use and meaning of names in her family and society more generally.
I absolutely flew through Named. The author shares her life story in a lively and spirited, yet intimate-feeling way that really engaged me, and her broader exploration of what names signify is interesting and thought-provoking.
Balshaw has an uncommon combination of backgrounds: her Jamaican mother and Nigerian father met in London in the 1960s. It was unusual for the two ethnic groups to mix socially, let alone marry and have children, and after her parents divorced and her father went back to Nigeria when she was a young child, Balshaw and her two siblings’ loyalties lay firmly with their mother. For this reason, they favoured their Jamaican roots and were discouraged from taking any interest in their Nigerian heritage, with their estranged father being referred to as Sanni (his – and their – surname), or even The Nigerian.
Named switches between illustrative episodes from throughout Balshaw’s life, and 2015-17, when an out-of-the-blue phone call from a cousin led to her first contact with her father in 40+ years, and opportunities to get to know other members of her Nigerian family.
Naturally, you go through an emotional wringer with Balshaw, as she deals with indecision and feelings of disloyalty, disappointment, and loss, but also some degree of resolution. In the narratives from earlier in her life, we additionally learn that Balshaw’s mother had a traumatic childhood she doesn’t like to talk about, and that Balshaw couldn’t have children due to severe endometriosis.
While, therefore, a fair bit of her material is dark, Balshaw is adept at surfacing the humour in almost any situation, from the reason she came across her birth certificate in the first place; to her awkwardness when she first met her cousin in person; to her mother’s literal answers to questions, deflective non-sequiturs, and blatant hypocrisy. I literally snorted at Balshaw’s comments on a yoga workshop she once attended (as well as a writer, she is a yoga teacher).
What’s more, some of the scenes from Balshaw’s childhood are really entertaining and relateable (the absolute dreariness of Sunday afternoons when everywhere was shut! Playing at being popstars with your best friend and deciding what you’d call all the babies you were going to have when you grew up!), and I found it exciting to read about the years she spent living and working in Japan.
As Balshaw herself quickly discovered when she started telling people she was writing this book, names are a subject that piques everyone’s interest, because our names, and the stories of how they came to be, are attached to us so soon after, or even before birth, and therefore define us for better or for worse.
Our names are so integral to our lives, having one you hate can feel like having a wound reopened several times every day, while changing your name to one you prefer can help bring your inner and outer selves into alignment. Just hearing or seeing the name of someone we’re yet to meet sparks ideas of who they are and what they might look like, however hard we try to keep an open mind.
Accordingly, I felt a particular swell of recognition when I read about families altering their surnames to assimilate in a new country (hi), and parents being inspired by the names of actors/characters on TV around the time they had their children (hi, again) – and who among us hasn’t come across a child whose name has unfortunate connotations, or an unprecedented spelling?
There were a couple of areas where I’d have liked to have seen a little more depth. While Balshaw herself wearily accepts that certain relatives will always call her Amanda/Mandy no matter how often she corrects them, it’s important to point out that, for trans people and abuse survivors especially, deadnaming signals a lack of respect and acceptance, and can be triggering. It would also have been interesting to find out whether children named after certain relatives/characteristics feel pressured (externally or internally) to embody the qualities their name represents.
Named is an entertaining, fascinating, and stirring blend of memoir and social sciences.
I absolutely flew through Named. The author shares her life story in a lively and spirited, yet intimate-feeling way that really engaged me, and her broader exploration of what names signify is interesting and thought-provoking.
Balshaw has an uncommon combination of backgrounds: her Jamaican mother and Nigerian father met in London in the 1960s. It was unusual for the two ethnic groups to mix socially, let alone marry and have children, and after her parents divorced and her father went back to Nigeria when she was a young child, Balshaw and her two siblings’ loyalties lay firmly with their mother. For this reason, they favoured their Jamaican roots and were discouraged from taking any interest in their Nigerian heritage, with their estranged father being referred to as Sanni (his – and their – surname), or even The Nigerian.
Named switches between illustrative episodes from throughout Balshaw’s life, and 2015-17, when an out-of-the-blue phone call from a cousin led to her first contact with her father in 40+ years, and opportunities to get to know other members of her Nigerian family.
Naturally, you go through an emotional wringer with Balshaw, as she deals with indecision and feelings of disloyalty, disappointment, and loss, but also some degree of resolution. In the narratives from earlier in her life, we additionally learn that Balshaw’s mother had a traumatic childhood she doesn’t like to talk about, and that Balshaw couldn’t have children due to severe endometriosis.
While, therefore, a fair bit of her material is dark, Balshaw is adept at surfacing the humour in almost any situation, from the reason she came across her birth certificate in the first place; to her awkwardness when she first met her cousin in person; to her mother’s literal answers to questions, deflective non-sequiturs, and blatant hypocrisy. I literally snorted at Balshaw’s comments on a yoga workshop she once attended (as well as a writer, she is a yoga teacher).
What’s more, some of the scenes from Balshaw’s childhood are really entertaining and relateable (the absolute dreariness of Sunday afternoons when everywhere was shut! Playing at being popstars with your best friend and deciding what you’d call all the babies you were going to have when you grew up!), and I found it exciting to read about the years she spent living and working in Japan.
As Balshaw herself quickly discovered when she started telling people she was writing this book, names are a subject that piques everyone’s interest, because our names, and the stories of how they came to be, are attached to us so soon after, or even before birth, and therefore define us for better or for worse.
Our names are so integral to our lives, having one you hate can feel like having a wound reopened several times every day, while changing your name to one you prefer can help bring your inner and outer selves into alignment. Just hearing or seeing the name of someone we’re yet to meet sparks ideas of who they are and what they might look like, however hard we try to keep an open mind.
Accordingly, I felt a particular swell of recognition when I read about families altering their surnames to assimilate in a new country (hi), and parents being inspired by the names of actors/characters on TV around the time they had their children (hi, again) – and who among us hasn’t come across a child whose name has unfortunate connotations, or an unprecedented spelling?
There were a couple of areas where I’d have liked to have seen a little more depth. While Balshaw herself wearily accepts that certain relatives will always call her Amanda/Mandy no matter how often she corrects them, it’s important to point out that, for trans people and abuse survivors especially, deadnaming signals a lack of respect and acceptance, and can be triggering. It would also have been interesting to find out whether children named after certain relatives/characteristics feel pressured (externally or internally) to embody the qualities their name represents.
Named is an entertaining, fascinating, and stirring blend of memoir and social sciences.
July 1, 2025
A wonderful book that was difficult to put down! A fascinating account of reclaiming a name assigned at birth, along with interesting research from the author. The book has made me recall the love/hate relationship with my middle name. It's also made me think deeply about international students I teach and how I address them; I really don't wish to offend them and Camilla's research has certainly informed future interactions I will have. The blend of memoir and facts flowed seamlessly in and out throughout the book and added to its originality. I can not wait until this author writes another book!
June 18, 2025
This memoir intrigued me. Your name is your identity, you may not like it, but you may love it. You may have the same name as someone famous, and that's not necessarily a good thing. This book explores so much more than what your name means, and how our names are our identity. I love how the author has taken us on her journey but integrated historical and cultural experiences all relating to our names.
This book sounds ordinary, however, it's far from it, for a memoir. I was moved by this and urge people to pick this one up!
This book sounds ordinary, however, it's far from it, for a memoir. I was moved by this and urge people to pick this one up!
June 12, 2025
Named is an interesting, personal memoir, but it's also an intuitive, insightful exploration of self, of identity, and how identity deeply influences our lives.
It's poignant, very humerous in parts, and quite clearly, incredibly well researched.
It's an study of names and naming traditions, combined with the author’s personal life experiences.
It's a moving, quite profound read, that I'm sure will hold your attention right to the final page.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
It's poignant, very humerous in parts, and quite clearly, incredibly well researched.
It's an study of names and naming traditions, combined with the author’s personal life experiences.
It's a moving, quite profound read, that I'm sure will hold your attention right to the final page.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
June 8, 2025
This book got me thinking about my own name. I was known by a different name growing up, and it had a profound impact on me. I really enjoyed her writing style. It's unpretentious and accessible. It's one of the best memoirs I've read this year. I like memoirs that are informative and have a narrative thread running through them.
July 3, 2025
Identity starts with a name but it is also a mixture of what you are at certain stage in life. It changes and evolves throughout your life though there are constants when one will always be identified with. The story is being told in a candid, authentic manner and in parts humorous. It was an enjoyable and intriguing read.
July 6, 2025
Named takes you on a biographical journey that is interspersed with a look at the importance of names and their connection with our own identities. Camilla is a great storyteller and this is a compelling read that encourages questions about our own names, where they come from and our emotional attachment to them. An enjoyable book you will want to share with your friends.
June 13, 2025
I would highly recommend this book which describes the personal story of the book’s author. The book intersperses Camilla’s story with research on names and naming, adding to the richness of her story.
July 27, 2025
A fascinating book about names centering around the author's life story. Camilla Balshaw compellingly weaves together a journey of self discovery with the social and cultural significance of names and they mean to us.
June 8, 2025
I loved this book. Written in an engaging and accessible style that draws you into the story. It’s funny and poignant. I like the way facts are introduced to her own personal story.
June 12, 2025
Fascinating exploration of identity, family and the events that shape our lives. Loved every word❤️
June 25, 2025
This is a very entertaining and interesting memoir and I highly recommend it.
Read
July 2, 2025Such an interesting blend of personal and factual, a real insight into the many and complex reasons why names are important. Highly recommend!
October 26, 2025
Powerful, humorous, emotional, informative and just an excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews