Rating: 
Summary: interesting, somewhat helpful, but trust your own judgement
Review: I don't get these kinds of books for they're intended for - I'm not expecting and I don't plan to have children for some time. However, I do find them helpful in my constant search for names for the characters in the stories I write. I picked this book up for that purpose.The authors of this book surveyed many people and recieved between 30 and 150 responses for each name in the book. The book begins with two lists, boys and girls, of personality traits and the names that supposedly make people think of those traits. Then it has two alphebetical lists of names, their meanings, the image people said that name called to mind, and famous people with that name. In case you're interested, the girls list is a bit shorter than the boys list. I looked through some of the names, and I've decided it would be better to just rely on my own impressions. I don't agree with a lot of the images that the book says the names call to mind. Some of them are fun to read, and it's nice to browse your name and the names of friends and family for a laugh, but I don't think it's as helpful as it wants to be.
Rating:
Summary: interesting, somewhat helpful, but trust your own judgement
Review: I don't get these kinds of books for they're intended for - I'm not expecting and I don't plan to have children for some time. However, I do find them helpful in my constant search for names for the characters in the stories I write. I picked this book up for that purpose. The authors of this book surveyed many people and recieved between 30 and 150 responses for each name in the book. The book begins with two lists, boys and girls, of personality traits and the names that supposedly make people think of those traits. Then it has two alphebetical lists of names, their meanings, the image people said that name called to mind, and famous people with that name. In case you're interested, the girls list is a bit shorter than the boys list. I looked through some of the names, and I've decided it would be better to just rely on my own impressions. I don't agree with a lot of the images that the book says the names call to mind. Some of them are fun to read, and it's nice to browse your name and the names of friends and family for a laugh, but I don't think it's as helpful as it wants to be.
Rating: 
Summary: First impressions matter...
Review: I found this book to be very informative. Not only does it give a brief description of the origin, but it gives a variety of impressions from thousands of adults. Of course, it would have been helpful to have a larger volume of names to peruse, but it was useful as a supplemental resource.
Rating: 
Summary: Misinformation abounds
Review: I have not read the actual book - there is a website - www.americanbaby.com - that says is using the book as a source for meanings of names. I can tell you that many of the names of Slavic origin are either partially or completely wrong. I got p.o.-ed enough to look up the book on Amazon and post this. I can't vouch for the rest of the names, but have these people done any research?
Rating:
Summary: Light-hearted and Humorous
Review: I laughed so much at this book. Especially the descriptions of "Bunny", "Candy", "Bambi" and "Fifi". My name was not very humorous, "An outdoorsy Native American with long hair and a sweet disposition". Though it's not true, I loved the first-time impressions of names. My mother and I were reading it and my mom finally realized her once-forgotten flaw. She was going to name me Brooklyn. We're both glad she picked Cheyenne. Cheyenne fits me SO much better than Brooklyn. Most books are only for one's taste, but this is for everyone!! Everyone can relate to this book. Though some names had ugly descriptions, EXPECTANT PARENTS, read this before you cause your child misery and torment.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, but already outdated
Review: I love The Baby Name Survey Book. I have read it cover to cover and shared it with my friends and family. It is amazing how much I agreed with the survey results in regards to the perceptions of the names. It REALLY made me think again about what I thought that a good name would be for my child. My husband and I changed our minds a few times because of what we read in this book. However, I have to say that it is already outdated. There are some popular names that we thought of that aren't listed. Also, it references names of famous people, and there are many well-known people that aren't mentioned. I recommend buying a used copy and reading another more current baby name book in addition. If anything, you'll get some good laughs when you read this one.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not really worth the money
Review: I love the concept of this book. It's so interesting to see what image people have when they hear a certain name. Of course we're all influenced by movies, TV, and real-life acquaintences. Some of the influences listed in the this book are a bit outdated. For example, the name Ariel doesn't list anything as being influenced by Disney's The Little Mermaid, but the name Barnaby says the image comes straight from TV's Barnaby Jones. Who??? I don't think this book would be helpful to new parents looking for a fun baby name book. Some names that you love might carry a less than pleasant "image," and that might wrongfully sway what should be an objective and personal decision. Overall, the book is fascinating, but once you've looked through it for about 10 minutes, you've already looked up your name, your family's names, and the names of all your friends. Maybe you've had a laugh or two. Even so, you'll probably feel like you made a truly frivolous purchase. I'm sure you could find this same information on the internet somewhere and save yourself a little green.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating and a great resource for writers
Review: I love this book. I had an older version and used it extensively in my work--fiction writing. When I saw the update, I snapped it up and am buying it for my writer friends. Even non-writers are fascinated by the survey results. Everytime I show the book to people, they don't seem to want to give it back.
Rating:
Summary: Very Useful and Concise
Review: I loved this book! I bought it for my son and daughter-in-law who were expecting. We had a great time looking up names they liked, as well as our own names. Not every name in the world is listed, but that's not the point. It tells how a name is perceived by people, and that is extremely helpful. I was very relieved when they looked up Zeke, which they were considering, and found "dirty, smelly, hillbilly"!
Rating:
Summary: Great Fun!
Review: I loved this book! I bought it for my son and daughter-in-law who were expecting. We had a great time looking up names they liked, as well as our own names. Not every name in the world is listed, but that's not the point. It tells how a name is perceived by people, and that is extremely helpful. I was very relieved when they looked up Zeke, which they were considering, and found "dirty, smelly, hillbilly"!
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