The Names by Florence Knapp
The baby is to be named Gordon. Her husband insists on it. Gordon is his name, and the son should be named after his father. And Cora knows that she must obey her husband’s instructions. Years of abuse have taught her the consequences if she does not. Yet she cannot bear it if the boy is like his father. She wonders – will another name change her son’s fate? So begins this inventive novel of alternative futures. In one the baby is named Bear, chosen by his sister; in another, Julian, the name Cora prefers; and in a third, she concedes to call him Gordon. Each chapter is a time jump, with threads that follow the outcomes of Cora’s choice, revealing who her son is in each future and how he moves through the world. Readers will be left reflecting on small moments and decisions that shaped their own lives. The story’s emotional resonance makes The Names an excellent pick to discuss with a friend or your book club.
Reviewed by Mary Kinser, collection development librarian, Whatcom County Library System
(Originally published in Bellingham Alive May 2025 issue.)