FriesenPress

© 2026 FriesenPress, Inc. All rights reserved.



Why We Named You: cover

Coming Soon

Why We Named You: will be available for purchase on the bookstore shortly.

Why We Named You:
by Kieran Mabey and Breann Mabey


Embark on the journey of naming your child with this beautifully illustrated and interactive journal, designed to become a cherished keepsake as it guides you to the perfect name. Inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless question “What’s in a name?” this book is the ideal gift for parents looking to make an intentional choice. Tired of showing up with blankets, bears, and bibs? This book is sure to be a baby shower must! Peek inside here: lookingoutlookingin.ca/mabey_made Naming a child is a momentous task, one that takes more than just a moment. Parents can spend weeks and months carefully considering choices. But once the baby is born so much of the loving thought that went into the naming journey becomes forgotten and lost. This book captures that love so that it can be passed down and cherished forever. With each turn of the page your child will discover another part of what’s held in their name. Beyond simply recording and preserving, this book aims to provoke and guide your thinking. To that end, we have taken all the possible reasons for loving a name and broken them down into six categories: Legacy; Language, Culture & Meaning; Fit: Middle & Surname; Nicknames; Associations; and Aesthetics. Our probing questions encourage deeper reflection, and the brainstorm chart allows you to compare and organize your ideas as you narrow down your top picks towards the eventual favorite. Each page is filled with hand drawn illustrations and every rhyme comes with the guarantee of being written wholly AI-free. Every name, a story holds. All too often seldom told. But each name picked with loving care, deserves to have its story shared. That’s the guiding hook behind this unique book.


Breann and Kieran Mabey live in New Haven, where he teaches at Yale University. Kieran shares longform essays, creative writing, and the occasional short film on his personal blog, lookingoutlookingin.ca


Contributors

Author
Kieran Mabey
Author
Breann Mabey
Artist
William Bradford

Publish with FriesenPress

Learn how you can publish your book with the world’s only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider.


Get Publishing Guide