The Language of Names: What We Call Ourselves and Why It Matters

By Anne Bernays and Justin Kaplan

Book Overview

Why are we so often annoyed when somebody gets our name wrong? Because our sense of self is involved, and our names touch on every aspect of our lives. Prospective parents pore over baby-naming books, believing that the right choice will set their infant on the right track. Immigrants change their names to assimilate into American society; blacks to recover their African roots or to establish an Islamic identity; movie stars to conform to Hollywood images of WASP-ness, high society, or exoticism. Drawing on social and literary history, psychology and anthropology, anecdotes, and life stories, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Justin Kaplan and celebrated novelist Anne Bernays have created a fascinating account of names and naming in contemporary society that touches on class structure, ethnic and religious practices, manners, and everyday life. Their primary focus is the United States, which from its beginnings has been conspicuously preoccupied with identity, self-definition, and self-invention while sharing the concerns of other societies distant in time and place.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684807416
• ISBN13: 9780684807416
• Release Date: February 1997
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Quite Interesting

This was a great book to read. It covers more topics than anyone could imagine and many interesting facts were presented. For instance, one neat thing I learned was that people who are named after their fathers are more likely to end up in a mental institution. The book also talks about name-changing in Ellis Island, names of geographical locations, maiden names, and much more. Highly recommended!