The Language of Names by Justin Kaplan, Anne Bernays

From the Publisher

In The Language of Names, you'll discover that:

• People named Junior appear to be more likely to end up in mental institutions than those not named for their fathers.
• The names Wendy and Vanessa were invented, respectively, by J.M. Barrie and Jonathan Swift.
• American citizens have the right to choose any name they want, as long as it isn't offensive or taken for some unlawful purpose.
• The current most popular name for Hispanic and Asian infant boys in New York City, San Francisco, and California is Kevin.
• The malapropian movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn (born Gelbfisz, which means "Goldfish") is said to have told a friend, "Why did you name your baby John? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry is named John!"
• Ever since Plato, philosophers have been trying to decide just what a name is. They still can't agree.

The names people go by, whether given at birth or taken later, are inextricably bound to personality, character, and role. This irrefutable but little-noted aspect of our everyday lives is skillfully documented and beautifully illustrated by Kaplan and Bernays. Graceful, eloquent, and richly informed, as entertaining and witty as it is profound and serious, The Language of Names explores and illuminates our favorite subject---ourselves.

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