I flatter myself that The Baby Name Wizard is a good source for name information, particularly trends and ideas. But it doesn't cover everything. Most conspicuously absent is the stuff of the familiar baby name dictionary: name etymology, or "meanings and origins." (Personally I think meanings and origins are very different things, but that's an argument for another day.) Etymology buffs might want to keep a name dictionary at hand to research the linguistic history of their favorite names. But which dictionary?
I get the question often enough that I figured I ought to share my answer here. First, I should make clear that there are quite a few worthwhile name dictionaries on the market (as well as quite a few stinkers.) I have no affiliation with any of them. But if I had to recommend just one book on English name origins to keep on your bookshelf, my choice would be:
The Oxford Dictionary of First Names by Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges.
This book was compiled by distinguished lexicographers, and it shows. Compare the entries on my name, Laura, in a typical name "dictionary" vs. the Oxford...
Typical
Latin, Laurel
Oxford
Italian, Spanish, and English: feminine form of the Late Latin male name Laurus “Laurel”. St Laura was a 9th-century Spanish nun who met her death in a cauldron of molten lead. Laura is also the name of the woman addressed in the love poetry of the Italian poet Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca, 1304-74), and it owes much of its subsequent popularity to this. There have been various speculations about her identity, but it has not been established with any certainty. He first met her in 1327 while living in Avignon, and she died of the plague in 1348. The current popularity of the given name in the English-speaking world dates from the 19th century, when it was probably imported from Italy. Cognates: French: Laure. Catalan: Llora. German: Lora, Lore. Pet form: English: Laurie.
Need I say more? Well, perhaps a bit more. Given current name styles, you might also want a dictionary of surnames. Conveniently, Hanks and Hodges wrote one of those as well. It's pricy and not easily available in the U.S., but fear not. The first-name and surname dictionaries have been collected in a single massive volume together with A. D. Mills' dictionary of English place names. With a shipping weight of 4.5 pounds, the Oxford Names Companion is a whole lot of dictionary for your money. It's only for the hard-core name enthusiast...but hey, you're reading this blog, right?
Extra bonus radio edition!
If you're looking for even more baby name talk in all media, you might want to check out the recent name-filled hour on NPR's "On Point."