text: Those who condemn this book for not being a long, boring list of name origins and meanings, or for stating that their name has gone out of style for today's children, are missing the point. "Baby Names Now" is a fun, readable guide to what people are naming their children in the early 2000s, including famous namesakes (saints, popes, presidents, royalty, music and movie stars) and what some celebrities have named their children. It's also fascinating to read how certain names have gone out of style: for example "Lisa," "Amy," "Susan" and "Dawn" were very popular for babies born in the 60s (and thus, my classmates), but are rarely used today. 
  
  The book's major flaw is in not recognizing that parents name their children using the last names of people they admire, not just the first names. At one point, it reads "Harrison Ford...is almost certainly the reason for the name Harrison's popularity" - excuse me, ever hear of the Beatles? The entries for the name "Jordan" don't mention Michael Jordan, certainly a major inspiration for that name in this area. The entry for "Jackson" doesn't mention Michael, Janet, or Samuel L.  The entry for "Landon" doesn't mention Michael. The entries for "Cassidy" don't mention David and Shaun, so popular in the 70s when many of today's moms were growing up. The entry for "Lucas" - do I have to say it, fellow Star Wars kids grown up and naming their children? And come on, how can you mention the name "Wayne" without acknowledging the popularity of John Wayne?
  
  Still, this is a lot of fun, and I give the authors credit for recognizing that "Althea" is from a Grateful Dead song. I look forward to the next edition
  