Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love books that have a loose relationship with time. Books that are linear but not, that explore the various sliding door moments in our lives. The Names explores these moments through the lens of a single name being changed in three different timelines. It invites the reader to wonder at the meaning behind their name, and how the trajectory of their lives could be different based on that one small change. Would I be the same person if I were named Rose, instead of Sarah? Would the trajectory of my life been the same? Knapp explores these questions as well as the nature of abuse, self-worth, and belonging through three delightfully woven separate narratives. While producing different outcomes in each story, the entire narrative fits masterfully together like a giant puzzle. I greatly enjoyed this book.

"Can a name change the course of a life?"

I found the premise behind this book so interesting! The Names is told across three timelines, and follows one mother’s split-second decision at the birth registrar—and how that choice ripples through the lives of her son, her family, and herself over the next 35 years.

Read if you like: alternate timelines, family drama, and slow-burn stories.

Did your mother ever consider naming you something else?

My mother wanted to name me Kelly and my Dad wanted to name me Renee so they compromised and named me Kelly Renee.

This will be one of my top 5 books of the year - I can't stop thinking about it. Completely original premise, with a sliding doors element of what happens to this family based on the name given to the baby.

This book revolves around a mother and her two children and a decision that she makes about her son's name. Her abusive husband has suggested that the boy be named after his father, just like he was, but the mother has her own ideas and their nine year old daughter has her own idea as well. The story splinters into three imaginings-one for each name and follows the family through time. Each name has its own challenges and permutations and it's interesting to see how the story progresses. There are some graphic depictions of both physical and emotional abuse. There are themes of family, identity, finding your own path, love, loyalty, and how each of those things play out. It's also a reminder of how small decisions can make big changes to a person's life. Readers who enjoyed Kate Atkinson's book Life After Life might like this one too.

Despite its title, The Names isn’t really about naming at all, it’s about choice, control, and the quiet moments where a woman’s future hinges on a seemingly simple decision. At its heart is a mother faced with three naming options for her newborn son, each loaded with emotional weight: one soft and childlike, one neutral, and one that appeases her volatile husband.

The novel serves as a sobering look at domestic abuse, not through explosive scenes, but through the creeping dread of appeasement and survival. While the concept is compelling and the writing strong especially for a debut, the execution left me wanting more depth and payoff. Still, it’s a powerful book that invites layered discussion about agency, tradition, and the stories names can tell and hide. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC which I read in exchange for my honest review.

LOVED. I loved, loved, loved this book. A story that starts the same but immediately splits in three, all following a mother and her baby, depending on what she names him when he is born. Very Sliding Doors-esque, and you are immediately rooting for the mother from the get-go. Trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage, this book explores the effects your name can have on how your life progresses. Absolutely fascinating to think about in a real world application. Knapp just absolutely nailed this concept, and kept the stories different enough that I didn't have any trouble following each one.

Loved this book! Very well written and thought provoking. How the choice of a name can transform events not only for the child named but for the family members that chose the name. A book that will stay with me long after I have finished reading it.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Florence Knapp’s "The Names" is a remarkable and ambitious debut that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. Told through three parallel timelines, the novel follows one boy—whose life takes vastly different paths depending on what name he’s given at birth: Bear, Julian, or Gordon. From childhood through age 35, each identity explores themes of class, abuse, resilience, and the profound impact of seemingly small choices. Knapp handles the novel’s structure with care and clarity. Each timeline is distinct, and each version of the main character feels fully realized. The way she builds an entire life—three times over—is both heartbreaking and deeply impressive. I found myself completely invested in each character's journey, and it’s a testament to the author’s craft that all three narratives are equally compelling. I would have happily read 35 more years of each life.

This is not a light read. The book delves into domestic violence and the long-reaching effects of trauma, and that content may not be for everyone. However, these themes are explored with nuance, honesty, and a level of depth that felt both respectful and necessary. For readers who were drawn to the premise of The Midnight Library but wished for a grittier, more emotionally grounded execution—or those interested in narratives like Behind Closed Doors with a more literary lens—The Names is a must-read. I highly recommend it for those who are drawn to complex, emotionally resonant stories and aren’t afraid to sit with difficult truths.

What a thought provoking book. The question is, how much does your name influence your life. This book explores different versions based on the choice of name. Definitely hard to read at times.

I thought this book was beautifully written. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but as the story unfolded, I realized how deeply the naming of her son would affect how she and her children were treated. That realization made parts of the story especially heartbreaking.I thought this was well written. I wasn't sure what was going on in the beginning, but when realizing that depending on what she named her son would inpact how her and her children would be treated. It was very sad at times

Although the characters and storyline seem well written, this just is not a read for me at this time. I find the abusive husband trope creepy and nightmare-inducing. I may come back another time but for now - this is a DNF.

The Names follows a family on three different trajectories based on what their infant son is named. Is it Bear, the name his sister picked? Is it Julian, the name his mother picked? Or is it Gordon as his father (and his father) is named? The story is told in 7 year intervals and there are a few Easter eggs from one timeline to the next.

I think this would be a fantastic selection for book club. Lots of things to discuss.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. #TheNames #NetGalley

This book is beyond phenomenal. I’m always skeptical of any book that is hyped up, and I’d heard this book was one I had to read. So of course I put it off for a few weeks. Silly me. Little did I know that actually this book is just so beautiful and well written. The kind of book you think about for years to come and recommend to everyone you know. Florence Knapp does such a wonderful job basically telling three very different stories set several years apart from the 1980’s to 2020’s. The story of a family and how their lives are so vastly different because of a name. Three different names to be exact. Please don’t wait to read this book. It’s such an important one. Especially dealing with domestic abuse. And most importantly the love a mother has for her children. You will be angry and sad and you will cry tears of joy and pain. But you will love this book.

The construction of @Florence Knapp's 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗦 is a risk - she tells three different versions of a family's story on parallel timelines with the only difference in each being what Cora, the mother, named her newborn son - but the clever structure really pays off.

Cora's husband, Gordon, is a respected doctor who no one would suspect is abusive at home. He's decided his son should be named after him but when Cora goes to register the baby's name in the book's prologue, she has doubts. In one version of the story, she follows her husband's direction; in another, she chooses the name she wanted, Julian, and in the third, she lets her nine-year-old daughter Maia name him Bear. The subsequent chapters are split into three, and the family's lives unfold with Gordon, Julian and Bear in very different ways.

This emotional exploration of how a small decision can have lasting consequences really makes you think, and no matter how hard parts were to read, I couldn't put the book down. It's no surprise that this was a @readwithjenna pick - there is so much to dissect and discuss - and I have no doubt this unique debut will be one of my favorite books of the year.

Thanks to Pamela Dorman Books for the copy to review.

The Names by Florence Knapp is a deeply immersive and intriguing novel that captures the complexities of human identity, relationships, and the search for belonging. From the first few pages, I found myself drawn into the world Knapp has created, and by the end of the book, I was left reflecting on its themes long after I had finished reading. It’s a novel that explores the power of names—how they shape us, how they define us, and how they can be both a burden and a source of strength.

The story follows the main character, whose search for meaning and connection is at the core of the novel. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure where the story was headed, as it takes its time to build the world and the characters’ backstories. But as the plot unfolded, I realized just how intricate and carefully woven everything was. The pacing is deliberate, giving the reader ample space to really get to know the characters and their motivations. The story gradually becomes more compelling, especially as the protagonist delves deeper into their past and encounters various obstacles and relationships along the way.

What I really appreciated about The Names was how Knapp explores the concept of identity and the role that names play in it. Names are such a powerful part of who we are—they carry meaning, history, and sometimes, expectations. In this novel, the characters grapple with their names and the weight they carry, with some trying to shed their pasts while others embrace them. Knapp does a beautiful job of showing how names are tied to personal histories, and how, for better or worse, they can shape the way we see ourselves and how others perceive us. The exploration of this theme adds depth to the story and makes it resonate on a much more personal level.

The characters themselves are well-crafted and multi-dimensional. Each one is distinct, with their own voice and motivations, and their personal journeys are portrayed with nuance and empathy. The protagonist’s growth throughout the story is particularly compelling, as they navigate their internal conflicts and come to terms with the complexities of their relationships and identity. I found myself rooting for them as they faced the challenges that arose, and the emotional depth of their journey kept me invested in their story.

The writing in The Names is exceptional—lyrical yet grounded, and rich with emotion. Knapp’s prose is both elegant and accessible, capturing the emotional undertones of the narrative while still maintaining a sense of realism. The language is descriptive without being overly indulgent, creating vivid imagery that immerses the reader in the world of the book. The balance between the internal reflections of the characters and the external events they face is perfectly executed, allowing the reader to fully understand the emotional stakes without being bogged down by excessive exposition.

One of the standout aspects of the novel is its atmosphere. There’s a quiet, contemplative tone throughout the book that enhances the themes of identity and self-discovery. It’s not a fast-paced, action-driven plot; rather, it’s a slow, introspective exploration of what it means to find oneself, and what we lose or gain along the way. The setting is also beautifully depicted, providing a backdrop that feels both intimate and expansive at the same time. The world Knapp creates is immersive, and it’s easy to get lost in it.

This book was an interesting "Sliding Doors" riff, deciding on what name to give a baby and the consequences of this decision on the family through the years. I'm not sure I totally get all the connections, but it was well-written, and the characters were quite interesting.

Boy, there was a lot to unpack in this story. There are three storylines that jump seven years at a time, and then more names and stories are added. Along with my least favorite, the pandemic, you lose 1 star right off the bat for that. However, there were some very interesting ideas: If your name is not the same in each story, does it change the outcome of your life?


Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP for this ARC. |

This was a somewhat tedious read for me at times, but there were moments when the characters brought the story to life, fortunately. A story of family, a story that was somewhat disturbing at times as the husband, a doctor, seems to be a domineering jerk who makes his wife and family bend to his will, and thus makes their lives a living hell.

I can't say that I would recommend this to anyone who has an aversion to stories about men who abuse - to any extent - any women.


Pub Date: May 06 2025

Many thanks for the opportunity to read Florence Knapp's 'The Names: A Read with Jenna Pick

One family, three alternate versions of what 35 years in their lives might be like.Cora's newborn needs a name, and her husband expects (commands) her to stroller downtown to the registrar and register the baby as Gordon, which is his name and his father's name. But Cora likes the name Julian. And their 9-year-old daughter Maia prefers Bear. So the novel narrates between the three possible timelines that result from the consequences of Cora's three different choices of name. And since Cora's husband is a respected local physician by day and a controlling, violent monster by night, the three choices have very different consequences. Domestic abuse and other rough emotional terrain gave me pause, but the novel's sliding-doors structure and its rich, layered prose had me page-turning with few stops. Highly recommend.
[Thanks to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

The Names by Florence Knapp - not for me, but as this is a Read with Jenna pick I know it will be super popular with our readers.