Naming a baby can be one of the most difficult and consequential decisions a new parent makes. So much depends on that one little moniker — how your child will be greeted by others, how he’ll come to think of himself, and possibly even what kind of personality or career he’ll have.
Florence Knapp’s debut novel, The Names, begins with that premise and then takes off on not one but three fascinating journeys.
British couple Cora and Gordon have just welcomed their second child, a son who is nine years younger than his sister, Maia. The prologue finds Cora and Maia strolling to the registrar’s office to officially name the baby. Gordon wants the boy named after himself and his male ancestors. Cora doesn’t like that option because she doesn’t want the boy to become like his father, for reasons that become shockingly and painfully clear. She prefers the name Julian, which means “sky father.” And 9-year-old Maia has her own thoughts on a name: She would name the boy Bear, she explains, which is wild and strong, but also soft and cuddly and kind.
What follows is a look at all three choices, in a choose-your-own-adventure style novel that has us watching Bear and Julian and Gordon through the course of his life. Each chapter is divided into three sections, which show the effects that Cora’s naming decision has on her son’s life and everyone around him.
The Names explores the horrific legacy of domestic abuse, the tensions of marriage and parenting, and the shifting tides of family. The novel’s imaginative structure works well, thanks to Knapp’s noteworthy writing. This is a book you’ll want to talk to your friends about.
