The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Guide to Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby

Perfect baby name book if you already have one but you still can't find the right name.

I was struggling with ideas for what to name my second daughter so I went looking for a second baby names book.

If you're looking for a comprehensive list of thousands of baby names and their meanings, then this isn't the right book for you. However, if you're looking for a book with information about current name popularity, naming trends, and how to select names for your children that go with their siblings' names, this book has all of that and more.

It was extremely well laid out and helped me to discover which name "types" are my favorites so that I could create a list of names that my husband and I will hopefully be able to choose from.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Best baby name book out there!

After finding out my wife was pregnant 5 months ago we headed on down to our local B&N to pick out some baby books. We looked at a LOT of baby name books but none of them really grabbed us. Most just look like huge lists of names and not much else. However, when I flipped through this one I knew it was different. Next to each name is a little graph that charts the name's popularity over the years. It's not super detailed or anything but it's a very nice touch (and since I have a degree in math I especially liked it). Next to each name is a "rating" such as Popular, Biblical, Antique that tells you the style of the name. It gives a brief description of meaning and usage including famous people with the name. It gives suggestions for middle names and names of siblings which my wife really likes. All in all it's a great book if you need this sort of information.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

VERY detailed & unique name book.

My favorite baby name book. No other name book I've seen can compare. It is highly detailed with each name, unlike every name book I've seen. With each name it gives pronunciation, meaning, origin, popularity, different spellings, good names for siblings (a.k.a. similar names), and has a very nice little description with each name, which I love. This book contains a nice big variation of names, ranging from very common to the quite unheard of. My husband and I have discovered some great unique names from this book that we have never heard of. Also this book has an extensive collection of name lists and categories. This is the BEST name book! I absolutely love it. No other I've looked at has ever compared to it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Entertaining but informative baby name book

This is a great baby name book if you are struggling with naming your child. It presents a unique perspective on names by classifying them according to various types like "Romantic" or "nicknameless" and eras such as names from the '60's or '80's. It also discusses popularity and sibling names which we found very helpful. Even if you've narrowed your search down to a few names, this book helps by offering similar names. We took it on vacation with us and were very entertained! i would strongly recommend this book as an alternative to other straight forward name books!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Best Baby Name Book, No Question

I've seen a lot and this is the best! My favorite feature is the Brother/Sister suggestion names.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Different Than the Others!

We instantly found a name for our first child, but struggled with our second - we couldn't agree. With this book we were able to look up our first child's name, then see a couple of different groups of names which were stylistically similar, not just like the random celebrity name lists and popularity lists in other naming books. We were amazed how accurate the groups were - all of our other favorites were in the same one. We narrowed it down, looked those names up, and found a great name that complemented the first one. True, this book has fewer names than the 100,000+ ones, but who's really considering "Brunhilda" or "Xerxes"? If you want a really thoughtful and interesting guide, I highly recommends this one.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Only Baby Name Book Worth Owning

I loved this book to pieces (literally, my book is in pieces) and I send it to every new mom I know- it helped me pick my daughter's name (Molly) and I wish that I'd had it before my son was born (I love his name (Ryan), but it is very popular)-It is extremely helpful, but also very entertaining- enjoy!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I completely agree!

Pregnant with our second baby girl, I have found this to be the only resource to find a name for her. This book gives me a new way to search for names without being overwelmed by the endless list of names that I have to weed through to find a decent one worthy of my little girl! This is the place to start when looking for the right baby name.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Finally!! A baby book worthwhile and USEFUL

I found this book when I was 8 months pregnant with our second child, for whom we had already picked out names. I bought it anyway, for the pure enjoyment of reading through it. It's that amazing. I showed it to my mom, who had 11 children of her own. She raved about it. Let's be honest here: who really needs a baby name book with a half million name suggestions? Sure, if you're looking for a name for your child that would only be listed in something so cumbersome (Xanadu or Heliotrope, perhaps?), maybe this isn't the book you're looking for. But friends and relatives of ours have had a blast looking up their names and comparing what their own siblings' names are with what the book suggests. I love the fact that Laura Wattenburg points out common nicknames, people's perceptions of the name, and historical trends of the name. I applaud her on her genius!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

what a great book!!!!

I have read this book and used it with ease and delight the author realy has come up with a wonderful way to compose fact as well as make it fun, nameing a baby is a daunting task, and if you arent up to speed on trends, this book is perfect for you. If you are having a baby or know someone who is, use this book!!!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

it's OK!

I was very excited about getting this book because I had heard a lot of good things about it. But, when I got it I'm sorry to say that I was dissipointed it didn't have as many names in it that I thought it would and didn't have many of the names that I was looking for. Also, when I was looking at the sister and brother names there was only a few I liked otherwise I would not be interested in naming my other children those names and from many people that I know there brothers and sisters do have diffrent names. I was suprised because I had heard many good things about it.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Revised Edition Disappointing

I purchased the original edition of Baby Name Wizard back in 2005, and was thrilled with it. I felt that Wattenberg, in that edition, displayed integrity, not giving into the "pressures of pop-naming". I actually purchased several additional copies of that 2005 version, and gave them as baby shower gifts.

I recently purchased the newly revised edition, and was shocked to be so disappointed. The author's revisions shifted her book from being a dignified benchmark of baby naming ideas to "just another baby name book".

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Best Baby Name Book EVER!

This is the best baby name book I have found so far. It's jam-packed with all the information you need to name your child. I especially enjoyed the 'brother' and 'sister' names for each name, and the lists of names (nature, old-fashioned, etc., etc.) at the back of the book.

This book is what every parent needs!

Origin and meaning ARE important but this book helps you with everything else that you think about when deciding on your child's name!! Whether you and your partner can't agree or you are looking for a name that sounds good with your other childrens' names, this is the book you need! I looked up my favorite girl name, and my #2 and #3 girl names were suggested to go along with the first! I agree with the previous review that you could simply read this book for enjoyment. This book is absolutely ingenious!! Dr. Laura Wattenberg has created a Baby Name book unlike any of the rest....SHE is a Wizard!

Amazing book

This is the ultimate baby name book. The commentary for each name is so true and interesting, the lists categorizing the names are pitch-perfect, and the brother-sister matches are uncanny. You could read it for pleasure!

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