This book was incredible! Such a unique, creative premise.

I loved the way the three separate stories unfolded, bringing the reader along for a different journey with each point of view. This special storytelling technique felt groundbreaking in a way, giving pause to the idea of fate and how one single choice can change the trajectory of one's life. It was incredibly thought-provoking. I only wish that each chapter didn't jump forward every seven years. It would have been nice to see more of the 'in-between" timeline (but I suppose that would have made for a much longer book).

Overall, this was a complex, wonderfully written book about family and identity. The heavy subject matter (domestic abuse) was done with grace and expertise, portraying the complicated situation in a way that gave insight without being insensitive.

Probably one of my favourite things about this book was seeing how each boy's personality developed as a product of his environment, reflecting on the theory of nature vs nurture. It was so interesting!

The Names was an excellent read and I can see why it was chosen for the Read with Jenna book club.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my copy!

I'll be recommending this book to everyone :)

This book is one you cannot tear your eyes away from. I read this within a span of a day, and then just sat there pondering the different journeys we are taken along with Cora and her family. In a stunning literary display of the butterfly effect, we see the impact that the naming of just one child can have on a family and all its bonds. The story also touches on social issues, with the most immediate being domestic abuse. I love that the author does not sugarcoat this in any way, and shows just how dangerous escaping can be for a woman.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. I will be recommending this to everyone I know.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Florence Knapp for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

The story begins with a new mother standing in the Registrar’s office, ready to name her newborn son. She weighs tradition against desire, wondering whether she dares defy her husband and a long-standing family custom to choose a name that feels right to her. Even her older daughter is brought into the decision, asked what name should belong to the baby brother she's just met. Does the mother have the courage to follow her heart? What consequences will come from this pivotal choice?

Florence Knapp presents all three possibilities. In one path, the older sister names the baby Bear, a name full of childhood imagination and wild affection. In another, the mother follows both heart and tradition, naming him Julian, a sky-father—symbolic and spiritual, honouring her husband while trusting her own instinct. In the third, she chooses Gordon, dutifully continuing the long family line.

From there, the novel follows each version of the boy’s life, revisiting his story every seven years. It’s as if the reader is stepping between parallel dimensions, each shaped by a single, powerful choice: his name. Each version of the protagonist faces unique challenges, yet all are marked by personal transformation. No matter the path, he emerges changed—hardened in some ways, softened in others, and ultimately more self-aware.

What makes the story especially compelling is the way it invites reflection on fate, identity, and the role a name plays in shaping both. Is it nature, nurture—or something else entirely? Knapp doesn’t preach; instead, she offers space to wonder: how much of who we become is written in the name we’re given?

Each dimension is richly imagined, with recurring characters—family members and friends—appearing in different roles across the three lives. While the main storyline is engaging, it’s the minor characters, subtly shifting across timelines, that I found most fascinating. Their transformations offer surprising insight and depth.

Plot-wise, the story moves steadily, though it’s the development of character and theme that truly stands out. The novel is thoughtful, inventive, and emotionally resonant—a rewarding experience for readers who enjoy layered storytelling.

A unique concept, beautifully executed. Worth picking up at your local bookstore—and discussing with anyone who’s ever wondered what one choice might change.

My family lore is when my dad was born, my grandfather went to register his name on his birth certificate, but instead of writing down the mutually agreed upon name Michael, he wrote down Rodney. My grandmother was rightfully ticked all the way off, and my dad ended up always being referred to as the originally agreed upon name, before having it legally changed once he was an adult. I would die to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation between my grandparents.

Which brings me to the review. How much weight is held within a name? In The Names we are presented with three alternative versions of a family’s story when a baby is given a different name in each one. But in the book, the mom is the one who goes rogue and the dad happens to be a respected physician who beats his wife. The book depicts a lot of domestic violence, and it was so interesting to see how it played out so differently in each storyline.

This was quite a remarkable book and I loved everything about it. I loved the thought provoking topic of what’s in a name. I loved the triad of storylines set in seven year increments. I loved the trajectory that each name set out for this little baby boy, and how it ended up affecting his entire family. It was a lot to mull over and I enjoyed it a lot.

A @readwithjenna bookclub pick, I can absolutely see this one generating lots of conversation and it was an incredible debut.

Very cute and interesting story. I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the vibe of the book. I’m happy I was able to read this one!

There’s a possibly gimmicky premise behind this book: an infant boy in London is given his name—three times—and for each of the three possibilities, a different life unfurls over the next 35 years. But this book is so beautifully and movingly written that it far transcends the foundational gimmick, building its worlds deeply, with insight and compassion. I think this one will stick with me for a while.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year, Florence Knapp’s debut The Names is a devastating and radiant work of art.

Beautiful and heart wrenching, through three alternating stories the author explores; can a name determine one’s fate? The Names is a tender and aching portrait of what it means to lose parts of yourself and still find a way to land gently.

Knapp’s writing is poetic, haunting and breathtaking. A brutally resilient and poignant book that will stick with me for a very long time. By far one of the best books I’ve ever read!!

Thank you Viking / Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
The story centre's around a young family.
Cora has given birth to a son and she and her 9 year old daughter set out to the registrars office to register his birth.
When Cora is asked what her son's name is she hesitates.
Cora's husband Gordon wants their son named after him as he was named after his father.
There are three names of possibly naming her son.
Each name has their own story.
Which name will Cora choose for her son? You will have to read the book to find out.
All opinions are my own.

One of the most unique books I’ve read this year. Really enjoyed the three storylines (one for each name the baby boy is given), and the author skillfully layered in just enough overlap between versions to make them all seem plausible and easy to jump between versions with each chapter. I probably would have read this one super quick - as it was always on my mind - but I did find the domestic violence pretty emotionally taxing to read. I basically read 3 chapters (one of each name) a day and that was pretty good pacing. The way that it skips ahead 7 years after each section made it easy to break it up that way.
Highly recommend giving this book a try.

At first I found myself a bit confused keeping up to what was going on but after that it flowed well!

This book def made you think about how a name can change your life.

This book has made me rethink the name I chose for our soon to be baby.

Bear, Julian, and Gordon. Three scenarios spanning a lifetime based on a name. Does what you are named decided how your life will be lived? Does your name define who you are? Will it reflect the choices you make? These are the premises of this beautifully written book with very diverse storylines. The narrative is realistic, wonderfully written with sensitivity and sentiment. I highly recommend The Names.

A unique and incredibly well written debut novel, The Names, is an exploration of identity, fate, and the reverberating impact of one decision. Structured around a pivotal moment in 1987, the narrative unfolds into three parallel timelines, each determined by the name given to Cora Atkin’s newborn son- Bear, Julian, or Gordon.

The novel's premise seems straightforward and simple- a mother, in an abusive marriage, must choose a name for her son. However, Knapp transforms this decision into a lense through which the complexities of family dynamics, trauma, and resilience are magnified. Each name leads to a distinct trajectory for the child and his family, illustrating how a single choice can cascade through time, altering destinies.

Cora's journey is particularly poignant, as she grapples with her abusive husband and the hope for her children's futures. The alternating timelines are expertly interwoven, allowing readers to witness the divergent paths of Bear, Julian, and Gordon, and the profound effects their names have on their identities and relationships. It is definitely ambitious, and for the most part, each character in each timeline feels fully fleshed out and three dimensional, with supporting characters that appear in different capacities across each timeline.

While I commend Knapp for her innovative, beautifully written and emotional novel, it did feel very heavy. While each timeline had its highs and low, I felt quite weighed down while reading and it left me in a state of emotional fog that I just couldn't shake. It made me feel something, which is the hallmark of a good novel, but I just didn't love it. A 3.5 star read for me upgraded to 4 stars. TW for domestic violence.

I just finished The Names by Florence Knapp and here are my thoughts.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet or would it?

Imagine how one subtle change would change the course of your life and it was something as simple as what name you were given…

So the Names had a really interesting premise. It’s 3 consecutive timelines. 3 alternate universes based on what a little baby boy is named. It sounded phenomenal! There were definitely some excellent moments in the book and I was really sucked in. Other points I was bored stiff and almost DNF’d it.

I really do not believe a name could change someone's destiny this drastically so that was already a bit of a stretch but the writing was quite lovely and each section held together really well.

I didn’t like the huge jumps in time… I think that was my biggest beef to be honest. I felt like we just got the flow going and then we missed a big chunk of time.

I thought the ending was clever and I can see what the author was trying to do and they nearly succeeded. There were just a few things that didn’t work for me. Having said that, I often find books like this work better as audio so I will be giving the audiobook a go in the near future.

3.5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for my gifted copy

While this book does have some really difficult content, ending was lovely. It was a really interesting exploration of the power of names, written in a really interesting structure. I highly recommend this one

There’s a lot to like about this book- an intriguing way of delving into family relationships, lyrical descriptions, and realistic scenarios, but I was held back by the sectioning off of the different names and, thus, the different trajectories of the characters, the variant lives they would have lived if the young boy had been given one of three names. Some of the scenarios seemed a bit far fetched for me, unfortunately, not the doctor father in this case. He actually seemed all too believable and common. It’s a brave book, just the structure put me off a bit.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely fantastic. The story line was engaging and kept me reading. This is a must read!

The Names has a unique storyline and I loved the premise. There were high moments in this book that grabbed a hold of me and then there were moments I felt disengaged even questioning what was happening. Having said that the writing and use of language was beautiful. Overall I enjoyed it but it also fell flat for me.

✨Book Review✨
The Names - Florence Knapp

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomca for providing an e-copy for review. This one released on May 6, 2025 and I definitely recommend you get your hands on it.

One moment, three names, three different outcomes. When Cora goes to register her baby boy’s birth she is conflicted, she is supposed to register her husbands name but he is not a good man and she doesn’t want her son to turn out like him. We follow her decisions and their consequences for decades.

This book is emotional and probably darker than some might expect. It explored domestic violence and its affect on each and every member of a family, the difficultly and danger of leaving the situation, and the isolation it causes the victim even with their own children. It also did a great job of exploring nature vs. nurture.

I had some fabulous conversations about this book with @chapters.and.charcuterie and @claudiareads and I flew through it once I had the time to read (which hasn’t been often this month lol) as they know my only criticism was the endings which I know a lot of people also loved so that is simply a personal preference.

4.25/5⭐️ for those looking for a strong and emotional debut that will leave you thinking and a story that will touch your heart.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Names releases May 6, 2025

2.5

The family of Cora’s husband have always upheld the tradition of passing on the name Gordon through their male offspring, but Cora wants her son to have the ability to shape his own life, rather than inheriting the weight of past generations.

Knapp explores a thought-provoking premise of whether a name can change the course of a life (not just of the named person, but of everyone around them), by giving us three alternate versions of one family — one in which Cora’s son is named Gordon, another in which he is named Julian, and one where his sister names him Bear.

This is a character study spanning more than three decades, from 1987 to 2022. While original in its premise and structure, I think staggering the chapters in intervals of seven years hindered the narrative a bit by lacking depth and a true emotional connection to so many characters. I needed more of a conflict.

cw: domestic abuse, depression, SA

Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)