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Recommended
Reading
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Welsh
Names
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Pros:
This is the best book I've found so far! Lots of names, seems
accurate.
Cons:
no pronunciations
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Pros:
A re-print of a scholarly work that came highly recommended to me.
Cons:
I haven't read it yet, so I can't verify the claim.
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note:
This book was recommended to me by a good source. However, I haven't
actually looked at it yet, so I can't verify its accuracy. |
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Pros:
By the same author as the above featured book, which is my favorite.
Cons:
haven't read it, but I'm sure it's at least as good as the above.
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note:
This book was recommended to me by a good source. However, I haven't
actually looked at it yet, so I can't verify its accuracy. |
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Breton
Names
Grand
Choix de Prénoms Bretons by Gwennole le Menn |
Pros:
interesting histories and origins of Breton names
Cons:
you have to read French (not in English). Hard to find.
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Pros:
comprehensive, interesting, contains pronunciation guide in the
back.
Cons:
hard to find, all in French.
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Irish
Names
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pros:
If you're into Irish names, this book
is indispensable.
cons:
it's very scholarly, and names are
alphabetized by their original Old Irish Spelling.
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Pros: very accurate and user-friendly
Cons:
not separated by gender, if you care.
Also, doesn't include pronunciations.
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Pros:
One of my favorite Irish baby name books--the
information is accurate, and it's arranged by meaning as well as
alphabetically.
Cons:
The picture on the cover is kind of dumb.
Seriously, that's the only fault I can find!
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Pros:
interesting and entertaining. Arranged by subject by the authors
of Beyond Jennifer & Jason.
Cons:
doesn't have pronunciations, not always 100% accurate etymologies
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Pros:
accurate, contains lots of histories of names. Contains some popularity
data
Cons:
no pronunciations, not separated by gender
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pros:
This is a very good resource for Irish surnames.
cons:
has a bunch of additions and appendices which are really hard to
find.
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Scottish
Names
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Pros:
This the best resource I've found for
Scottish Gaelic names.
Cons:
it doesn't list that many names that
are unusual. It also can be hard to find.
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Pros:
accurate, user-friendly, nice layout.
Cons:
doesn't have that many names; not very comprehensive.
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Pros: has lots of history, fairly comprehensive
and accurate. Has names that are popular in Scotland though not necessarily
Scottish in origin.
Cons:
contains a lot of names that aren't necessarily
Scottish--casual browsers may think some names are Scottish when
they aren't.
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Pros: lots of history, pretty accurate,
nice layout.
Cons:
Though there is generally at least a full
paragraph about each name, there are relatively few
names in this book.
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Pros: lots and lots of history, a good
source for surnames
Cons:
I'm not a good enough genealogist to know if it's accurate or not,
so I can't really find any. It doesn't look like there are a lot
of names.
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Pros: has lots of beautifully illustrated
tartan pictures. includes family crests, badges, and mottos.
Cons:
hard to find; there are probably a zillion
books out there with the same info.
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Celtic
Names in General
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Pros:
fairly accurate & comprehensive. Has Irish, Scottish, Welsh,
Cornish, Breton, Cornish and Manx names. Has lots of name history.
Cons:
no pronunciations
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Pros:
Lots of names, including Manx, Cornish
and Breton. Has names I haven't found in other books.
Cons:
no pronunciations, seems fairly accurate, but doesn't go into
a lot of detail about the names.
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Pros:
seems pretty accurate. Names are divided by language. Has pronunciations
& pronunciation guide. Has lots of name history.
Cons:
?
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Pros:
user-friendly, fairly comprehensive, has lots of history
Cons:
not always 100% accurate.
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Place
Names
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Pros:
easy to navigate, has a lot of names
Cons:
I like it when place names are broken down into root words;
this book does not do that. Also, doesn't say what county the places
are in.
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Pros:
basically awesome.
Cons:
can't think of any.
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note:
This book was recommended to me by a good source. However, I haven't
actually looked at it yet, so I can't verify its accuracy. |
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Pros:
Contains place names from England, Scotland,
Wales, and Ireland. Comprehensive and informative.
Cons:
place names are not broken down by country, so, say, if you
want a list of place names in Wales, you'll have to read the entire
book.
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note:
This book was recommended to me by a good source. However, I
haven't actually looked at it yet, so I can't verify its accuracy.
However,
I have another book by this author that seems pretty good, so
I'd trust him.
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Celtic
Mythology
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Pros:
This book has beautiful illustrations, a lot of history, and
is very comprehensive. Contains a lot of mythology and folklore
aspects, as it relates to King Arthur.
Cons:
Only about things relating to King Arthur, so not a mythology
book in general, if that's what you're looking for.
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Pros:
This is indispensible to those interested in Celtic and particularly
Welsh mythology. Good translation.
Cons:
?
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Pros:
This book is very comprehensive... almost overly so.
Cons:
It has lots of info about Norse and Greek gods, which may be irrelevant
if you're just looking for Celtic mythology.
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Pros:
Easy to read, fairly comprehensive
Cons:
not scholarly, if that's what you're looking for..
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Pros:
Comprehensive, easy to read, yet somewhat scholarly in content
Cons:
written in the early 1900s, and contains an appropriate world
view from that era which can be distracting.
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Pros:
Scholarly, yet not dry, a fascinating
study
Cons:
not really about mythology, I should probably make a separate category
for it or something.
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