The book all new babies want their parents to read--now with the latest predictions, inspiration, and advice.

"In the decade since we've begun writing about names, the world of baby-nbaming has mushroomed from a sleepy little enterprise, with parents naming their children Jennifer and Jason and wondering whether there might be anything more exciting out there, to an adventurous and intelligent and style-conscious activity in which parents investigate everything from their family trees to names from their ancestors' native lands to atlases and even dictionaries that are ever more inventive, individual, and enlightened." --Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran

No one knows baby names like these two experts--whose first book "Beyond Jennifer & Jason" predicted back in 1988 that then-obscure place names like Madison were "so far out they're on their way in" (They were right too: By 1998, Jennifer had gone from #4 in popularity to #24 and Madison had become the ninth most popular name for baby girls). This is the guide that tells you what you really need to know: which names are hot, which names are not, and which names are on their way up or down. Who cares if "Cameron" means "crooked nose" in ancient Scottish Gaelic? If you love the name, you want to know whether it's still as right for a boy as for a girl, and if there are going to be five other Camerons in your child's class at school.

The brand-new edition of thie groundbreaking book gives you thousands of new choices and the kind of knolwedgeable guidance you won't find anywhere else. There are all-new sections, with all-new research, on naming a girl and naming a boy today, as well as fresh insights into the power of a name to influence your child's life, and lists of the most important styles and trends:

Gender bending--names that defy old stereotypes

Ethnic names--vastly expanded multicultural options to reflect almost any heritage

Celebrity baby names--the most comprehensive up-to-date listing of who's naming their baby what

What's hot now--plus The Classics: Sixty Traditional Names that Transcend Time