In a world where too many babies are named Ashley and Jayden and too many baby name books are saccharine pink and blue, here comes something singular: a book that brings meaning, taste, character, a little bit of attitude, and a refreshing lack of trendiness to the art of naming a baby. Bring Back Beatrice! is a clarion call for parents who know they are naming not just a cuddly newborn, but a human being— a person who will be proud to carry a name like Iris, meaning rainbow (after the Greek messenger goddess who connected the heavens to the earth); Bennett, the medieval form of the name Benedict, meaning “blessing;” Henry, good enough for eight English kings—after all, it means “home ruler;” Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, the allegorical antecedent of the virgin Queen Elizabeth, and alterego of Wonder Woman; or Beatrice, an old-fashioned beauty with roots in both Dante and Shakespeare. Continue reading →