The Joy of Names - Softcover

One of the first things that we acquire when we enter this world is a name. We carry it everywhere as a badge of our individuality. Creation myths tell of the human desire and power to name everything. And these qualities that define our humanness are nowhere better exhibited than in our desire and power to name ourselves. The first part of this book spotlights those names, exploring how first names came about and what they mean, why we acquired last names and nicknames, how and why people change their names, hidden patterns of presidents' names, and how proper names from history and literature become lowercase words that populate our everyday vocabulary. In the second part, readers will step right up to a three ring-a-ding circus of names -- names swinging from tent-tops, teetering on tightropes, swallowing swords and breathing fire, somersaulting heels over head, and going for the juggler!

Richard Lederer is a humorist whose syndicated column, Looking at Language, appears in newspapers across the country. He is the author of Anguished English, Get Thee to a Punnery, and A Man of My Words. He lives in San Diego.