5 Best Baby Name Books to Pick the Perfect Name

With over 11.5 million copies sold, and counting, you'll pinpoint a baby name in this immensely popular guide that features over 100,000 options to consider. Recently updated in 2019, no stone is left unturned in this book's quest to help you unearth the ideal name. In addition to flipping through name ideas in an abundance of interesting categories ranging from J.R.R. Tolkien characters to Nobel Prize winners, you'll learn about impressions names make, names inspired by people, places and things, classic names around the world, popular names by state and country, gender neutral names, popular names for boys and girls in different eras, and so much more. Grab your highlighter for all of the lightbulb moments that are sure to ensue.

If you're compelled to employ a bit of sorcery to conjure up the perfect baby name, many consider this the "wizard" of all baby name books; and it improves with each revised edition. This latest fourth edition was updated in 2019 and it's better than ever. Each baby name suggestion is paired with a breakdown of its popularity, styles, possible nicknames and variants. Also included is a fun and interesting description or fact that correlates with the name, as well as a list of significant people in the world who answer to each name.

If you skew more toward River than Robert when it comes to your taste in baby names, this is the read for you. Flip through these pages for ah-ha moments while learning rare ideas for names. Some are inspired by nature: Clove and Plum, and some are based on wonderful words like Sonnet and Verve. Each name is paired with a brief but meaningful definition and a word on its roots (English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, etc.). Your kid may never find their name on a personalized pencil or souvenir license plate, but they'll never have to go by their first name and last initial (Jennifer S.) in a classroom setting.

Beyond the baby name, this book is also a helpful naming guide for parents, as it offers thorough advice in the areas of agreeing with your partner on a name, dealing with other people's opinions on the name you choose, understanding personal associations with names, useful factors to consider, like what your baby's initials will be, whether the name you like can be shortened to a nickname, and what makes a good name choice overall.

Names are divided into categories including gender-neutral names, television and movie actors, celebrity babies, reality TV stars, Star Wars and Marvel characters and more. This puts a really fun spin on choosing a baby name based on pop culture. But, if you're looking for a book that lists thousands of names from A-Z, this is organized in a different fashion.

This tome will help you find the best name for your global citizen. It features over six thousand international names derived from every corner of the world, alongside a deeper look into their spiritual, historical and cultural significance. Names are also sorted by ethnicity, for parents looking to honor their ancestral roots.