What’s In a Name?

40,001 Best Baby Names
Stafford
2003

Submitter: Baby name books can provide for hours of fun and a whole variety of drinking games. I love them as much as the next 27-year-old single librarian. But like any good thing, even baby name books can go bad. This one has gone as bad as that carton of cream you left in the back of your fridge. Hilarious in its breadth of pigeon-holing children and marginally offensive in how it tries to get you to pre-define your kids, this book might not be “the very best baby name book ever”.

Holly: This book has some seriously weird lists. I wouldn’t necessarily weed it…but I wouldn’t necessarily have BOUGHT it, either!

(Above) Submitter: As a friend of many teachers, I was at first shocked and appalled, but I assumed that this list was there to prevent you from using these names.

Holly:Schmoopie? Really?

(Above) Submitter: Really? We needed a list of names of death-row inmates? Who hasn’t always wanted to name my child after John Wayne (Gacy).

(Above) Submitter: Gay and lesbian couples somehow need to name their children from a separate list? Not to mention, when I hear “Caleb” and “Celeste”, I think children of same-sex couples? Well, this book was clearly written in the 80s, right? This was ok then, right?

Holly: I’d be interested to see what list my name is on in this book.