What's in a Name?

This activity is based on the following questions which were generated by a group of children.

What famous people, past or present, have the same first name I do?
Which names are most widely used? Take a survey.
Why did my parents give me my name?
What language or culture does my name come from?
What does my name mean?
Can my name tell me anything about my family history?
What traditional names are there in my family? Nicknames?
Are there any naming traditions?

Get some books on names from the library. There are books on boy's names, girl's names, remarkable names, funny names, and so on. Make a list of names you really like for your family history book. Maybe someday you'll want to use this list when you name your own sons or daughters!