The Baby Name Wizard

Very excited for the new book, but the duplicate ISBN thing worries me! I work at a Barnes & Noble, and when I pull up the Baby Name Wizard I see that all of our distributors still have 60+ copies on hand! Maybe I'll put in a special order for 500, then sit on and order single copies until they send us the new one, then return all the old ones...

Hopefully, the distributors will eventually take the old ones and mark them down to a bargain book, so the new ones are readily sent out! :) I'm just excited.

I've been waiting for this announcement with pretty much the same excitement I await news of a new baby. My copy of BNW1 is tattered and sad and practically memorized; I NEED that second edition. I'll tell my husband that what I want for a ninth anniversary present isn't jewelry or a nice dinner!

Yay! I can't wait to get BNW2.

I'm anxious to see if the entry for my daughter's name has been rewritten. She was a little sad to see her wonderfully awesome name described as "clunky." Even the modifier "playfully" didn't help much.

Baby name alert:

I don't think this has been mentioned, but Ana Ortiz had her baby late last month--Paloma. This is a name I love so I'm glad to see it getting more play.

Also, born to a co-worker, Allison Marg0t.

Congratulations, Laura, and thanks! I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the new edition when it hits the shelves.

Laura, I am in book publishing and have to say that revising a book to that extent and then using the same ISBN is unusual and to my mind not the way to go. The book will be re-ordered just like it was as a backlist book and I think you will be missing the frontlist increase books get with a new edtion. Will it be presented in the new catalog as new? With the reps to the national accounts be presenting it as new?

You website and web tools are a really great platform for book sales. Your name recognition and popularity are rising! Why don't they give this book the whole frontlist treatment? There is probably something I'm missing, but I just don't get it. Store and libraries are very used to handing new editions of books that perform well. Why do all the work to make a expanded and improved book but not roll it out with fanfare?

jenny

Amy3, please tell us your daughter's name. Am trying to think what could be playfully clunky!

I've been waiting for July and the new edition of "Wizard", and now I'm really concerned about getting a copy in the near future. So disappointing... Isn't there *some way* we could order a copy of the new Wizard and not get the old??? I've been looking for your book on Amazon and B&N for the last few months, and this explains why I haven't found it.

The last time I was at our local B&N there were still a couple of copies of Wizard I on the shelf. It could take a very long time before they get Wizard II in. Dismay, dismay... :(

I have to chime in and agree that I'm disappointed the new edition will simply replace the old as it's sold out. Waaah!

Keren, my daughter is Astrid.

Sorry to hijack this thread so soon, but I've started a new blog of my own which covers several topics of my interest, one of which is baby names. My most recent post (as of the time I'm posting this comment) is about names and the amount of time it takes for an "outdated" name to become fashionable again. Laura Wattenberg and her site is mentioned, along with one of her competitors (actually they're co-authors); I don't know if mentioning Watternberg's competitors are taboo here or not. Also mentioned are another set of co-authors, but they're not Wattenberg's competitors (they wrote some books on another subject that ties into the discussion).

Here's the blog:
http://millennialkelly.blogspot.com/2009/07/names-and-generations.html

So confusing -- Amazon.com is showing the cover of your new book with the "new red-pink circle on the cover", BUT they say it's available now, and when I clicked on "Look inside this book", the cover of the first edition appeared. The write-up says it's a reissue edition (February 8, 2005) and that it has 415 pages. So maybe that's the book we want??? Yet I'm hesitant to place an order, fearing they'll send the first edition and I'll have to go to the trouble of mailing it back to them.

Bn.com is showing the new cover too, BUT is that the one they would actually send if I ordered it? Again, it's available now -- 5 days before the release date -- and used copies are offered.

If anyone manages to secure a copy of the revised Baby Name Wizard, please let us know how you got it!

Laura, it's a shame that you've done all this work and now it's so difficult for your many fans to get a copy.

How frustrating about reusing the same ISBN! I agree, how do we go about getting a copy of the new edition? Are the only options to order from somewhere online and take our chances or drive around to try to find the elusive red dot?

I agree Laura that the ISBN being the same will make it tough to get ones hand on this book unless physically walking into store/library and making *darn sure* that it's the correct copy. I also used to work in a bookstore. I would imagine there is a way to fix this at some point. I'm anxious to check it out though. Thanks for all your hard work!

Thanks to all in the bookstore business for your concern! Frankly, I have no idea why the gecko handled it this way, it took me completely by surprise. They did list it in their catalog as a new edition, but I SO wish that I could tell you a simple way to get your hands on a copy day 1. I just keep telling myself that it's a short-term problem. :-(

p.s. where it says "gecko" above, please read "publisher." it appears that my gecko-loving daughter slipped over to my computer when i stepped away for a moment.

Excited to pick up the new book and I've advised my husband -- who's working at our local library while going back to school -- to order it for the library as well!

I am sooo super excited for this new book. I've 3 old and tattered BNW1's and practically have the whole entire book memorized. I hope I will be able to get my hands on the new book soon and efficiently. I want to start memorizing and studying BNW2!!! ; )

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I MUST be able to pre-order it!! I have been COUNTING on it! How could they reissue the same ISBN, when it is obviously COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?? AAAAAAAAAAAA!!! *rends garments*

Laura: Congrats on the new book! I'm sure that in another month or so all of the old copies will be gone and only the new ones will be on shelves (sooooo frustrating, though!)

Everyone: Thanks for all of the great suggestions. I really like William but when I suggested it dh simply said, "No." He did consider Calvin, though, which surprised me. There were a lot of other good suggestions but many have already been taken by family members. We prefer not to repeat first names of living relatives and I really don't want to "steal" any of my cousins' kids names if only to spare my poor grandmother the confusion. (There are already two Conners, a Kayla and a Makayla. She gets so mixed up!)

I actually have a feeling that in the end we'll just wind up with Henry (or maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part?) and he'll be more comfortable with it because we really looked at everything else. I'm going to have to start now working on him for Frederick for #4 (if there is a #4 and it's a boy). That one will take some convincing!

I thought the Gecko was just some nickname you had for your publisher...

Any advice for honoring a Karen for a baby on the way? The suggestion Faren in the past post reminded me that it doesn't even have to start with a 'k'. All I could think of was Kara, and I'm not really into that.

Guest11-I wonder what is "wrong" with Karen, but will give it a shot anyway.
Corinne
Carla
Kayla
Carrie
Kerry

Kareem
Cullen
Aaron
Lorenzo
Callum
There are others who are better at this than me!

KristinFromSC - I love Calvin! It's on our hypothetical list, and would be higher if it worked better with our ln.

Karen ideas - my sister is named Karlyn after a Karen and a Lynn. How about Karenna?

Laura - congrats on the book! I'm sure we will find a way to get our hands on it somehow.

If you are daring, you can used Wren (or Ren) as a tribute to Karen.

Kay/Kayla/Kayley
Kareen/Kareena
Corinne/Corina
Carmen/Karmen
Caroline/Karoline
Carolyn/Karolyn
Karowyn
Carly/Karly
Carla/Karla
Kerry
Carys/Karys/Karis
Maren

I think you could probably get away with using the C's if you prefer those spellings - it's still the same starting sound.

Congratulations, Laura! May you out-earn your advance ten times over! haha

Guest11-- Karen is a form of Katherine, and there are many, many other forms that could be used.

Here's a good list: http://www.behindthename.com/php/related.php?name=katherine.

Honoring a Karen: Well, Karen honours Karen... I guess it depends on what Karen (the person to be honoured) finds honourable? If it is common in your circles to honour with alliterate names or derivatives, then the possibilities are endless.

Personally, I'm a purist when it comes to honouring - the original name, or nothing. Playing scrabble with parts of the name (Jane to honour Anna) seems like a bit of a stretch to me. Choosing a different form of the name (Jaina to honour Jane) leaves me with the impression that you didn't really like the name Jane. There are exceptions, of course: If you want to honour your Polish grandmother Krystyna, I strongly suggest you use a more common spelling - Christina or Kristina - or you make Krystyna a middle name. If you want to honour an Elizabeth who has exclusively gone by Beth all her life, then both Beth and Elizabeth will do. Unless, of course, the original Beth seriously dislikes Elizabeth.

If, for some peculiar reason, I were under orders to honour a Karen with a variation, I'd keep the consonants and replace the vowels: Korin, Keryn, Kiran... This restraint seems to respect the original name the most.

Anna wrote...

"Personally, I'm a purist when it comes to honouring - the original name, or nothing....Choosing a different form of the name (Jaina to honour Jane) leaves me with the impression that you didn't really like the name Jane."

Ooohh, now there's a rich topic! I'll have to add that to my "future blogs list." :-)

Re honoring and such: I really like what Kristin said in post#17. "We prefer not to repeat first names of living relatives..." Maybe this was the intent of Guest11. Many people want to pass on heritage(honor) through family names w/o actually giving the newborn child the same name as another. I'm not sure if I could personally do it for those non-living relatives either but I realize this is a tradition in the Jewish faith.

Laura-another thought regarding spelling variations and long vs. short sounds-If you pronounce a name differently even though its an "accepted" spelling, is it a different name??
Ex. Katlynn pronounced Cat-lynn is that different then Katlynn pronounced Kate-lynn??

Zoerhenne, re: names with alternative pronunciation

Very good question! I am inclined to say that a name like Katelynn pronounced [Kat-lynn] is either spelt or pronounced incorrectly - because it *is* orthography incorrect. As such, I don't consider it a different name. Even when a name has two or more equally correct pronunciations, I still consider it to be the same name. There has to be some historic division before two names spelt exactly the same are not the same name. On top of my head I can only think of Carol (Karol) which is a well-establish male name in Eastern Europe but also a female name in the US.

Re: honouring - not repeating first names of living relatives

This is the sort of practical consideration I am always in favour of. I would use the original name as a middle name, in this case, but again that is just my personal preference. I like first names to be truly individual.

I have a beautiful honoring story:
A woman I know, Sian (pr. sye-ann, which I know is 'incorrect' but that's how it is) was called See-See by her beloved grandfather, the patriarch of a large family. He passed and years later she had a little girl, who she named CeCe (pr. See-See) which was seen as a tribute to her grandfather.

That sib set is pretty interesting: v. unique names for our little farm town
Kili (g)- kee-lee, from the Hobbit (about 35 y.o.)
Sian (g)
Desirae (g)- nn Desi
-6 yr age gap-
Quinn (b)
Maggie (g)
Cruz (b)-- they were supposed to go on a cruise, but had to cancel due to baby (about 16 y.o)

laura, i'm so excited about the new book! i'm sure that we'll find a way to buy the book despite the inconvenient isbn situation!

guest11, could you possibly use karen as a middle name?

"Choosing a different form of the name (Jaina to honour Jane) leaves me with the impression that you didn't really like the name Jane."

See for me, that's part of the appeal. That there are people I would love to honor with names I find tolerable at best. And as a NE, I'm reluctant to give a kid a name I find only tolerable no matter how wonderful the original owner.

Celebrity baby: Cobie Smulders has met her daughter! The How I Met Your Mother actress and her fiancé, actor Taran Killam, are the proud parents of a baby girl, PEOPLE has learned. Shaelyn Cado Killam arrived on May 16.

I'm not in the marketing industry, but it does seem like a disadvantage to have basically the same cover, the same title and the same ISBN number. As some of you avid baby namers know, Satran and Rosenkrantz published their major revision last month entitled "Beyond Ava and Aiden," which no doubt competes directly with Laura's book. This is an update of "Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison and Montana." It's a new title with a new cover. I bet there are a lot of buyers like me who purchase all of S&R's new books, but I don't buy their revised versions. If I didn't read this blog, I wouldn't know that Laura's revision is actually like a new book. If I were the marketing god, I would have given it a slightly different title and a different baby picture on the front. Of course, I'm still going to buy multiple copies for myself and friends!

Regarding tribute names, I do think people should take into account the general attractiveness of the name. My best friend's middle name is Lorraine, after her aunt who was never able to have kids. She loves her aunt, but hates her middle name. She tries to avoid writing it by only using her middle initial.

Anna: "Playing scrabble with parts of the name (Jane to honour Anna) seems like a bit of a stretch to me."

The way I see it, that isn't a stretch -- Jane and Anna share a Hebrew root. (Just as a form of John is Johann, a form of Jane is Joanna...) So if you're cool with an etymological connection, I think it's fair game.

Looking forward to the new book, Laura. And blog posts on the subject Anna raises! And geckos.

Karena? Or, Behindthename.com says Karen is the Danish short form of Katherine, wo what about Katrine? Good luck!

HMF - thank you for enlightening me!

I did not know of the Hebrew connection between Jane and Anna, and even though it is certainly valid, it is still coincidental to my the point about "playing scrabble". The names were more or less random.

Anna,

I really think that's up to personal preference. If the parents feel that they are honoring a relative/friend with another name, then they are.

For example, I have the same first name as my mother, and our birthdays are one day (and 36 years) apart. Do you know what a hassle it is having two people with the same first and last name in the same household with birthdays one day apart? Insurance claims, phone calls, credit stuff...

Also, my husband has the same first and last name as his father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather, and his great-great grandfather. Same issues as above. And we get his dad and mom's mail all the time, even though we live in different cities.

I plan on giving our future daughter a tribute name, one that has meaning and is related to my first name and my mom's first name. But I am not going to give her the same first name. I am going to give her a name that is purely her own. (We haven't decided what we are going to do if we have sons yet.) And I will still consider that as naming her after my mom and me.

anna,
i mostly agree with you. while i do NOT want to imply that someone that names their daughter anna in order to honor grandma jane loves the grandmother any less than someone who names their daughter jane, it does seem a bit...less meaningful, perhaps? i'm not sure how flattered i would be if someone said, "oh, we really wanted to honor you with our daughter so we named her erin." to me it sort of says, "we wanted to honor you, but not enough to do it properly." i hope i do not sound harsh--i don't mean to! i know that there are circumstances where you simply wouldn't/couldn't use the exact name of the person you wanted to honor. if you are honoring a man, but having a daughter, or vice versa, obvioussly you probably couldn't use the same name. and i don't have a problem with using jaina to honor jane, as it is similar enough to be recognizable. it is only when the namesake appears to bear little or no resemblence to the one being honored that i sort of scratch my head.

aj,
valid points, all of them. in my head, i was imagining tribute names as middle names, so i didn't think of the problems you mentioned. however, i am sure it is quite frustrating. and of course you are right: if the parents feel they are honoring someone, then of course they are.

Anna and emilyrae,

I wasn't trying to be harsh! I reread my post, and I was like eek! Sounded a little more strident than I meant it to. I guess my main point is that sometimes it might not be immediately obvious how/why a certain name is a tribute name, but I'm sure (or at least I hope) that the parents have thought it through. And if the individual is living, that they've consulted with the individual that they are honoring.

And what do you do if the person (living or deceased) whom you'd like to honor HATES his/her name? I've known of several situations where this has been the case, and the person naming the child had to get a little creative. To outsiders, it might look odd, but I believe it's a tribute nonetheless.

Tobey Maguire's son is named Otis Tobias Maguire. (Tobias is Tobey's real name.) Big sis is Ruby Sweetheart. I think Otis is a perfect match to Ruby! Also, the middle name Sweetheart was the Mom's nickname, so now the boy has the Dad's name as a middle name.

ak,
first, i think i called you "aj" earlier and i actually think i've done that in several posts now. i am so sorry!
second of all, i do agree with you. especially your point about how presumably the parents have discussed it with the individual they are honoring (in which case, it hardly matters what anyone else thinks) and how just because it doesn't make immediate sense to outsiders doesn't mean it isn't just as much of a tribute. i think what you are saying is true; sometimes you may have to get creative with the naming and that is okay.

however, i will retain my position that i might be slightly hurt if someone told me they were naming a child after me and calling her erin or millicent or something. i think it just depends on the individuals involved, and that really is all that should matter.

AK - I live in a country where everybody is officially registered with name, birthday and a unique number, and all three are always used in official context to confirm identity. So no, I have zero experience in that department.

"I really think [honouring is] up to personal preference"
Absolutely agree. I apologise if I didn't make it clear enough that I was sharing *my* personal preferences.

"If the parents feel that they are honoring a relative/friend with another name, then they are."
I agree with this too, but I wonder what stand to take in a situation where the parents and the honouree has very different opinions? Say the honouree feels not honoured, "honoured lite" or even insulted. Whose honouring preferences takes precedence?!

Just to make it absolutely clear, in case it wasn't:

I used Anna and Jane as examples of two names that have little in common* besides both of them containing the fragment an. My point was that I don't think Jane honours Anna even though they both contain an - it's not nearly enough for me.

* Except, they accidentally had something else in common, see #37

i haven't posted in ages, but visiting this site and reading all of your wonderful comments continues to give me great pleasure on a daily basis. like all of you, i've been waiting anxiously for the release of bnw2. today i stopped at our local b0rders [a large, north suburban chicago store] and had them check to make sure their supply would be in on the 7th. to my chagrin, i was told they hadn't ordered ANY, nor did they have plans to do so!! i'm really upset. i'm hoping other book sellers in our area will have copies available, since it doesn't appear possible to pre-order on amaz0n, and i want a copy asap.
as to "honor" names, in retrospect, i wish i had named my daughter [1st or middle name] for my wonderful mother, but her name was mildred, as awful a name as ever existed. she disliked it intensely, and i could never have imposed it on a child. had i thought to honor her by naming a child for her i'd might have chosen camille or camilla, but never, ever mildred. i think she would have been pleased.

If you really dislike a person's name, why would you choose that way of honouring them? I'd try to find something more related to what you actually did like or admire about the person.

Personally, if I were named Anna and a couple named their daughter Jane after me (however they got there), I'd probably just smile and say, "Thank you for thinking of me."

I understand that it could be considered insulting if you look at in a certain light. The original name is not good enough for them, etc. But at the same time, the couple doesn't HAVE to think of anybody else at all in the process of naming their baby...so the fact that they even considered name meanings/origins/letters/any other permutation of my original name should be an honor.

Or at least, I'd take it. :)

**By the way, I also live in a country where we are identified my name, birthday, and a number. But that didn't stop some of my health insurance claims from being denied because they thought they were my mom's. (And then I had to prove that I was the one who received the service.) Or the homeowner's insurance people from trying to give us higher insurance premiums because my husband's dad had previously made claims on his insurance. And we don't even have the same middle names...I can't imagine what juniors, IIIs, and IVs have to deal with!**