The Names: 'The Best Debut Novel In Years' Sunday Times

A once-in-a-generation debut from a major new talent, The Names is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark.
'I've just been blown away by the best debut novel in years . . . A genius idea for a book'
Sunday Times

'Wildly original and emotionally profound'
Observer

'An unadulterated success: moving, evocative and utterly convincing'
The Times

THE PHENOMENAL SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD

It is 1987, and in the wake of a great storm, Cora sets out with her young daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband expects her to follow tradition and call the baby after him - but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? Her choice will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, hoping he will grow up to be brave and big-hearted. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, keen for him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image - but is there still a chance to break the mould?

Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark.

A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, INDEPENDENT, IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY, COSMOPOLITAN AND MANY MORE | A READ WITH JENNA AND HAPPY PLACE BOOKCLUB PICK

'The viral literary hit'
Grazia

'A beautiful, heartwrenching, utterly original novel'
Miranda Cowley Heller

'One of those rare books that makes you glad to be alive'
Stylist

'Magnificent . . . Read it. It's very special'
Chris Whitaker

'Beautifully written, and wise and tender . . . An utter original'
Jojo Moyes

'Exceptional . . . will stay with me for a very long time'
Anita Rani, Woman's Hour

'Heart-shattering . . . a sucker punch of a novel'
Pandora Sykes

'A modern classic'
Jenna Bush Hager

'Heartbreaking and yet brimful of hope . . . Exceptional'
Mail on Sunday

'Brilliant . . . one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you, but which you'll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend'
The Times

'Astonishing, unique and incredibly moving, The Names is a beautiful novel about the courage of a mother in the moment she names her child . . . I know it will stay with me for a long time'
Jeanine Cummins

'I've just been blown away by the best debut novel in years . . . I had a wonderful 24 hours when I disappeared into another world . . . I curled up and just read. What captured my attention? The Names by Florence Knapp . . . The conceit is simple. It's so good, you wonder why no one has done it before . . . a genius idea for a book' - Sunday Times

'I read the first few chapters of this moving story in awe that it was a debut. Not only is it beautifully written, it's alive with raw emotion and both devastating and heartwarming by turn' - Good Housekeeping

'I predict this will be a big hit this year' - Prima

'One of 2025's most talked-about novels already' - Red

'The 2025 book that will be everywhere . . . It may well break your heart but it will piece it back together again, too - this is one of those rare books that shines with humanity and makes you glad to be alive' - Stylist: 26 Must-Read Books That Will Be Massive This Year

'An intriguing question cleverly explored . . . a sliding doors story exploring three different versions of a life' - Independent

'A sensation long before it hits the shelves, this heart-breaking debut was the centre of a bidding war' - Daily Mail: Ones to Watch

'A beautiful exploration of fate and the ripple effects of choice . . . Knapp explores how a single decision can reshape a life . . . richly layered with all the joy and heartbreak of this one wild and precious life' - Reader’s Digest

'Compelling' - Irish Independent

'What's in a name? That's the pivotal question in this ambitious debut novel, which begins with the moment a mother chooses the name of her child' - Goodreads: Big Books of 2025 preview

'[A] sparky debut' - RTE

'Heartbreaking and yet brimful of hope, Knapp's exceptional debut explores domestic violence and the way one man's actions can pull those around him into their unpredictable undertow' - Mail on Sunday

'The Names is an unadulterated success: moving, evocative and utterly convincing . . . I read it in a single afternoon, glued to the pages, occasionally wiping away a tear. It's one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you, but which you'll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend. I can see the film adaptations, the book club meetings, the talk-show discussions spooling out in its future: make sure to read it first' - The Times

'The Names is a wildly original and emotionally profound novel, and details from it have not stopped swimming around my head in the weeks since I finished it' - Observer

'Knapp's deftly woven story is at once a big, bold experiment, a playful exercise in nominative determinism, a meditation on fate and a coming-of-age story. A patchwork, in other words - a literary version of the quilts Knapp makes alongside her writing . . . This isn't a bleak book: it's fundamentally compassionate and hopeful. Knapp draws warm, vivid characters, finds meaning in everyday details and makes the world look and feel richer with her magpie eye for an unexpected, shining image or sound . . . In one of her typically compact, gorgeous lines, she writes how Maia's goodness 'scrunched at Cora's heart'. The Names will do the same to yours' - Evening Standard

'Heartbreaking and yet brimful of hope, Knapp's exceptional debut explores domestic violence and the way one man's actions can pull those around him into their unpredictable undertow' - Mail on Sunday

'Utterly original, profound and moving in its exploration of how tiny decisions can change the path of your life. Moments of tragedy will make you weep, but the family story of love and resilience is beautiful. It's a surprising page-turner, too - I read this novel in two sittings' - Independent, ’29 best new books to read’

'This year's buzziest debut lives up to the hype . . . The high concept is carried off with flair, in a tender, clear-eyed portrayal of the horrors of domestic violence and joys of family life' - Guardian, 'Summer Reading: 50 hottest books to read right now’

'If you don't mind crying on the beach then pack a copy of The Names . . . Prepare to be irritated by anyone who interrupts your reading' - Sunday Times, ‘40 Best Novels to read this summer’

SPECIFICATIONS:

Author:Florence Knapp - Флоренс Кнапп

Publisher:Orion

Language:English

Publication Date:2026

Number of pages:352 pst

Format:Paperback

Width:126 mm / 5'

Height:196 mm / 7,7'

Weight:245 g

ISBN:9781399624046