Dictionary of First Names: An Indispensable Guide to More Than 10,000 Names

What does the name Calvin mean? What is the meaning of Beverley? Which boy's name means "little seal?" Which girl's name means "spear strength?" And what links Merle and Mavis? This handy reference offers pronunciations, meanings, histories, variant spellings, and other colorful information regarding 10,000 names in more than 4,000 entries. It also explains changing fashions in names; mentions famous historical, literary, or cultural figures who bore a name; and offers invaluable advice on everything from cultural traditions to potential pitfalls in naming your child. Whether you’re an expectant parent, have a scholarly interest, or simply want to look up your own name or those of your friends, you will find Chambers Dictionary of First Names to be endlessly fascinating. Answers: bald; beaver stream; Ronan; Gertrude; and both are birds: Merle means blackbird and Mavis means songthrush.