Throughout history, across the world, everybody has had a name.

Some names are passed down through generations. Others are created to be unique and the first of their kind. We carry the names of our families, our maternal and paternal lines. We have nicknames and pet names. First, last, and every name in between. Some of us have one name. Others carry many. Some of our names are given to us. Others, we choose ourselves.

Names are powerful. They teach who we are and where we are from. They are our first welcome into our world.

In the young classroom especially, it can be a transformative experience to study name stories. Name stories are exactly that: the story of our name, its significance, and how it was chosen. This curricular theme fits well into an “All About Us” unit of study. As an early educator, you can connect name stories with birthday celebrations and to welcome families into the classroom.

We’ve collected some of our favorite books on names for you. Bring them into your classroom and home libraries—a perfect introduction to exploring your own name stories!

Click on the image of each book for more information. Happy reading!

Note: We only recommend books that we and our children have read and loved. So always send over your recommendations for us to grow our vibrant library!