When the eldest son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent pronouncing the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to give all their children short names.

An innovative guide to selecting the perfect name for one's child, using a buyer's guide approach that helps parents ask the right questions to choose a name specifically tailored to personal taste.

"Scandal has derailed Journalist Kitty Logan's career, a setback that is soon compounded by an even more devastating loss. Constance, the woman who taught Kitty everything she knew, is dying. At her mentor's bedside, Kitty asks her, "What is the one story you always wanted to write?" The answer lies in a single sheet of paper buried in Constance's office--a list of 100 names--with no notes or explanation. But before Kitty can talk to her friend, it...

Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.

What's in a name? A lot. For generations, they've indicated a lot about a person: their family history, personality traits, and qualities--and let's not forget about nicknames, both good and bad. But while a name may have special significance to the parents who choose it, when you stop and think about it, there's little else it can reveal about a baby, or the adult that child grows into. Try to accurately imagine what a kid named Frankie looks like....

"Scouring 130 years of data to find names never in the US top 1000, Rosenkrantz and Satran have compiled a treasure trove for expectant parents and name lovers in search of truly distinctive choices. Included here a historic names that have been overlooked for decades--or even centuries. And international twists on familiar English names, along with words you've never considered as names before"--Page 4 of cover. A guide to the best unusual baby...