The New American Dictionary of First Names

by Leslie Dunkling, William Gosling

An alphabetical listing of more than ten thousand male and female first names details the origins and history, meaning, social significance, literary associations, influence, and popularity of each name

Genres: Writing, Reference, Nonfiction

476 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Also writes under: Leslie Alan Dunkling

Reviews

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

No, I'm not having a baby. But I've been fascinated with the meaning of first names ever since I discovered they have meanings, and aren't just an arrangement of sounds and letters shared with others. This dictionary gives the histories, meanings, social significance of more than 10,000 names as well as a list of the top names from 1925 to 1983.

For instance, my first name--a very common one:

Lisa (f) Pet form of Elisabeth ( Elizabeth ) used as a name in its own right. One of the most popular names in all English-speaking countries in the early 1980s, though it was extremely rare until the 1950s. Before that its use was mainly confined to Spain and Germany. Possible that its present popularity was helped by the song Mona Lisa, one of Nat 'King' Cole's great hits.

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite a good book. Not my favourite, but certainly a book I refer to sufficiently often to consider it thoroughly worthwhile. Would be very handy for anyone looking for baby names and even for, on occasion, for a name ferret like me.