I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Cora is registering her new son’s name and is having trouble deciding between 3 names; so, the rest of the book imagines their lives with the son as 3 different versions of himself. We get to see into their lives every few years as each version and it is quite engrossing to see how each plays out. It follows Cora, her daughter, and the son in each storyline. All of them had things that were wonderful and things that were not so much, just like all of our lives. I can see why this would be a great book club read, as there is lots of room for discussion about which version of their life you would choose for them. Solid choice for anyone!

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~ Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Cora Atkin, wife of a beloved physician, is about to name her newborn son. When asked what name she has chosen, she pauses. She has three names in mind: one is her daughter's favorite, one is her favorite, and the third is her husband's favorite...

"The Names" is a debut novel with a unique premise that asks the question: Can a name change the course of one's life? In this story, Cora chooses each of the favorite names, and with each is an alternate life of Cora's family that plays out in alternating chapters, every seven years, from 1987 to 2022.

I love that this story is never predictable, always unexpected. Fully aware of the spousal abuse before I began, and the shadow it can cast, this story feels neither dark nor depressing. There is a lingering hope and an increasing sense of something more, an opportunity for something better to come during each alternate life. There are stumbles and sadness along the way, but that is part of life, right?

I didn't want to let go of these characters, and I didn't want the possibilities of this story to end. It is a remarkable debut with beautiful writing and creative storytelling, and I look forward to seeing what is next from this author.

"The Names" by Florence Knapp is why I read and love Speculative Fiction!

4.5⭐

Thank you to Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books and Florence Knapp for the gifted DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I read about 1/4 of it and just gave up. Not enough character development for me and I found it a bit confusing with the names changes. I will not post on Goodreads or Amazon because I didn’t finish. There are lots of positive reviews so I am sure it will do fine.

A book about a family and the the difference in a name. This book tells three concurrent stories about a family and the different lives they lead when the mother Cora chooses a different name for her son. It sounds like a gimmick, but it's really well done. I really wanted to know what happened to everyone in each story line.

The Names by Florence Knapp

This book opens with a violence scene so upsetting, I wanted to close the book. I received an ARC from #Net Galley for this title, so I have an obligation to finish and write a review. It needs a trigger warning for familial mental and physical abuse. That said, I will review the book.

I was thinking the book would be about how your name given at birth would affect your life-for better or worse. It’s more about the effects of who is in your life that affects how you turn out- names not withstanding. It was confusing as to the three boys lives, yet it was the same boy. I did not see how their names had any bearing on their lives. I hope this constantly switching is not a device that will catch fire among authors.

I’ll rate this title 3 stars. It just wasn’t for me.

This is a heavy book! Don't go in thinking it's a light story about sliding doors moments. Does your name have the power to change the trajectory of your life? This story seems to tell us that yes, it does. We follow a young boy through his life, but each story is told from the perspective of a name he is given at birth: Bear, Julian, or Gordon. Trigger warning--lots of spousal abuse. That made this story hard to read. I was not a fan of the epilogue sadly. I will be thinking about this book for awhile, but I don't think it's on my favorites list.

I really enjoyed this one. I loved living the life of the family through the 3 different names Cora had for her son. The book had me gasping and feeling all the emotions. In the beginning I had wished that the book was written as a whole timeline rather than by year but seeing how the book ends, it made a lot of sense, and I appreciated it more for it.

Gorgeously written. The structure the novel was told in didn't seem impactful to me. I'd absolutely read this author's next novel.

The Names is a clever, imaginative debut that will make you and your book club ponder many questions. At the beginning of the novel, Cora’s husband reminds her to register the name of their baby son. The book proceeds in alternating chapters titled with the three names she chose. When she calls the baby Gordon, her husband’s name and the name he expects her to use, their lives take one trajectory with her cowering under her husband’s abuse. When she chooses her favorite name Julian, the abuse is still real but has different consequences. Her daughter wants her to name the baby Bear and when she does, things change yet again. The novel continues with glimpses of their lives over the years. This is a powerful look at abuse and resilience. While it’s a compelling page-turner, the reader must juggle the three stories to see the nuances in their lives. It’s brilliantly plotted and manages to keep from being gimmicky despite the premise. I needed to keep a cheat sheet with notes about the characters’ lives in each scenario to keep it all straight.

I always look forward to reading debut novels but often criticize the authors for clearing the pantry of every story they ever wanted to tell. Florence Knapp delivers the perfect debut novel. It is subtle with emotion; the characters come to life through their actions, the dialogue is realistic, and there is an authentic complexity to telling the story. And in this case, she is telling three different stories. At first I had a difficult time remembering where we were with each character, eventually it was very obvious and I looked forward to revisiting a different story every 7 years. This is also one of the first books I have read where the pandemic is just a time stamp rather than a storyline.

Thank you to Penguin Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

The Names is a very unique premise which looks at how a name can change one's life. This book shows a family of characters and how the naming of a child could alter and change all of those characters lives. First off, there is domestic violence in this book. If that is a trigger or something that is uncomfortable for you to read, this will not be the book fore you.

This book begins when Cora along with her nine year old daughter, Maia, take her newborn son to register his birth. Her husband, Gordon, is a doctor who is widely respected in their community but a tyrant and abuses Cora in their home. He expected his son to be named after him, but Cora makes a decision that alters all of their lives. She doesn't want her child to have his violent father's name. She wants something different for him.

This book looks at violence in the home and the power of names. This book is told in 3 storyline/timelines where the character's lead different lives and have different future. This is such a unique and interesting premise. I loved the originality and how a name could change things for all involved. This is a powerful and thought provoking book. I believe that this book would make a very good book club selection as there is much to ponder and discuss due to the subject matter and storytelling.

I believe that this is going to be a polarizing book. It wont be easy for some due to the domestic violence. There are some disturbing scenes. This book also does jump around a bit from name to name. How do our names define us? What power do they have? How does a name affect one's identity? What affect does domestic violence have on the family as a whole?

After hearing about this fascinating concept behind The Names, I coudn’t wait to dive into this debut. And that was even before it was picked as a May Read with Jenna pick!

When Cora and her eight year old daughter, Maia, travel to register her new son’s birth, she hesitates filling out the name. Her controlling and abusive husband wants the child named after him. The story follows three alternating perspectives based on three different choices of names for the boy. Spanning thirty-five years, The Names explores the implications of the choice on his life and the life of the family.

This book blew me away with the concept, the writing and the subject matter. Handled with such sensitivity and care, Knapp’s writing draws the reader into each version of this family’s lives. With themes of trauma, identity and family, The Names is a masterful story that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. I will be highly recommending this emotional and hopeful observation of life as this novel is sure to be on my top ten list of 2025.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for the advanced reader’s copy.

The Names by Florence Knapp might be a debut, but it reads like the work of a seasoned storyteller. It starts with a single moment—a mother naming her newborn son—and splinters into three timelines, each following a different life shaped by the name she chose.

Sliding doors stories are a favorite of mine, and this one completely delivered. I didn’t expect to feel so invested in every version of this family’s life, but each path had its own heartbreaks, joys, and emotional weight.

It’s a novel about names, yes—but also about trauma, identity, family, and the quiet, powerful ways a life can unfold. Knapp’s writing is insightful, tender, and never overwrought.

One of my favorite reads of the year so far. Don’t miss it.

What a striking debut. The premise of this book is so unique! The central question is “Can a name alter the of a life?” It begins with Cora, who is on her way to name her newborn son. Her abusive husband has demanded that their son carry on his namesake, Gordon. Cora has envisioned naming him Julian and her nine-year-old daughter thinks he should be called Bear. The book goes on to study three different iterations of her family’s life based on which name was chosen that fateful day.
There is symbolism in the meaning of the names and how they’re connected to the son’s personality and life story, but there is so much more to unpack as you experience the implications of each choice.
The book traverses over decades- always jumping seven years at a time within each timeline. Each alternate reality has moments that were very challenging to read, especially in relation to Cora’s experience with domestic abuse. It seemed like the different trajectories were less about the name itself and more about the stance Cora decides to take within her marriage and the different ways domestic abuse wreaks havoc. No matter the name or path, each timeline revealed the inevitability of life’s heartache and brokenness, and the necessity of hope, connection, and forgiveness. Reading each character’s journey through that was really beautiful.

A gorgeous family story with a Sliding Doors premise. There is so much to love about this book! Knapp does a masterful job of showing us the difference a single moment can make in the lives of an entire family, and how a name can be an integral part of a person's character. I loved the structural development of the story--how we see snapshots of the families at seven-year intervals, and we get to see each character as they grow and interact with the world and the people around them. The theme of domestic violence makes for difficult reading at times, and some scenes are quite harrowing, but it also feels incredibly important and relevant. It highlights the resilience of these characters, and the ultimate hopefulness of life.

A baby is born in a storm, that's where this story begins.

Cora is to name her son after her husband, a prominent but covertly-abusive doctor with a good standing in society. But what if that simple act, naming him after his father, dictates the man he will become?

What if, when Cora steps foot through the registry doors, she chooses another name? And with that name comes an entirely different life for her, for him, for all of them?

"The Names" is the sort of debut novel that only turns up once every few years. It's captivating, contained, and it's the sort of story that lingers in the room. with you long after its final pages. With 3 different timelines spanning across several decades, "The Names" follows Cora, her husband, her daughter, and most importantly, her son.

Bear.
Julian.
Gordon.

A son with three different names and three wildly different lives; and with them, three different outcomes for Cora and those she loves. Akin to the film "Mr. Nobody," "The Names" plunges readers headfirst into the notion of destiny and fate: what is in a name, after all? According to "The Names," an entire lifetime. Just astounding.

I don’t ever remember being at a loss for words because a novel was so good. This debut is that novel. It has a unique premise, sympathetic main characters, just beautiful writing, and is thought-provoking besides. Yes, there is abuse, but the author also shows compassion, thoughtfulness, and caring between those same family members. Check out the book’s synopsis, then read THE NAMES.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC to read and review.

Trigger warning: Domestic violence, physical and mental abuse.

Florence Knapp's debut novel is storytelling at its best. It's really three stories in one about the Atkin family, all arising and splitting off from the day Cora Atkin chooses a name for her baby boy.

Cora's husband, Dr Gordon Atkin, expects his son will bear his name but Cora hates the idea that sharing his name may also mean the boy might share his father's abusive personality. What if she could pick a different name and change that? As they walk to town to register his name, Cora and her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, discuss what they'd each like to name the baby. Cora thinks she'd like to name him Julian, which she says means 'sky father.' Would that idea honor her husband enough that he'd be willing to accept it instead? Maia thinks her baby brother should be named Bear, because he seems soft and cuddly, and maybe he'd grow up to be brave and strong one day. The author then explores the consequences of each of these name choices on their lives.

As the book moves forward in time from 1987 to 2022, these three separate story lines advance seven years each time in alternating chapters and we watch these same characters live completely different lives, like alternate realities. I don't think I've ever encountered a plot that explores that concept quite like this one--very inventive and quite a remarkable novel.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for offering me an arc of this debut novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Florence Knapp, and Penguin Group Viking Penguin: Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Such a thought-provoking read. What’s truly in a name, and does a name have power to influence who we are? Knapp explores this idea by following 3 separate storylines based on what a baby is named: Bear, Julian, and Gordon. The structure is extremely well done, and I never felt lost or confused in any of the scenarios. I thought the time jump of each section worked well to truly follow the characters across multiple years and give them growth. I also liked how as readers, we got to see slight perspectives from the other family members (like Cora and Maia) in various chapters, as that helped to paint the picture of events occurring. Each name’s story felt truly complete, and I was impressed by how well Knapp divided attention across the stories. It never felt like one was the “primary” timeline, and instead I was equally invested in finding out what was happening. Personally, I believe my favorite story was Bear’s, but there were aspects across all the names that I highly enjoyed. This was not always an easy read, but I appreciated the reflection this book provided me. I also thought the ending had a twist I wasn’t expecting, so I commend Knapp for her expert treatment of a book that could have been a mess if not done properly!

Starting with a fork in the road, I admired the way this one was structured so much. Knapp managed to break my heart in multiple ways for different versions of the same characters. I think what I admired the most is that in all of the roads taken there are highlights and lowlights, which made all of these scenarios feel really true to life (although I naively want to believe the husband’s awfulness was a bit exaggerated). It’s clear that a lot of thought went into all the names used here and there is so much character building as we get glimpses of what has happened to everyone every seven years. I can definitely see this one being a hit in book clubs for discussion and I overall found this to be a strong and memorable debut with a very unique concept.