personal names

Presents origins, meanings, and variations for more than 100,000 baby names, including ethnic names from over one hundred countries, and provides over three hundred themed lists, lists of the top one hundred boys' and girls' names of 2004, fifteen name-choice factors to consider, and work sheets for the choosing process.

A history of names and naming drawn from social and literary accounts, psychology, and anthropology, discussing how names can define class structure, ethnic and religious practices, manners, and everyday life, and argues that one's name is inextricably bound to personality, character, and role.

Contains entries that explain the history and origins of the 70,000 most frequent family names in the United States, arranged alphabetically by surname, each with information on language of origin, original spelling, region, typology, and etymology. Includes essays that examine the surnames of particular languages and cultures.

An introduction to the world of onomastics--the study of names--which discusses over 2800 names from every ethnic group.

Presents the origins, pronunciations, and English equivalents of more than nine hundred Irish male and female names; also includes a saints calendar.

Presents more than five thousand contemporary and traditional Hebrew names for boys and girls in English, Hebrew characters, and transliterated English, providing each name's meaning, root, and popularity rating; also includes advice on name choosing and the naming ceremony.

Lists names for boys and girls that are popular in Ireland, arranged in sections including Irish royalty, saints, mythical figures, literary characters, celebrities, and others; also includes a pronunciation and spelling guide.

Lists names for boys and girls that are popular in Britain, arranged in sections based on British royalty, literature, class, and the choices of celebrities.