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. It is 1987. In the wake of a great storm, Cora faces an impossible choice: will she name her newborn son after his father and generations of domineering men, or will she forge a different path? Her decision will echo through their lives in ways she cannot yet imagine. Seven years later, her son exists in three possibilities. As Bear, chosen by his sister, he might grow up brave and big-hearted. As Julian, his mother's choice, he might become his own person. As Gordon, named after his father, he might be trapped in a cruel legacy—or might still break free. Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is a novel about the courage of motherhood, the weight of names, and how a single moment can reshape everything. A Sunday Times bestseller with over half a million copies sold. A Book of the Year in the Sunday Times, Guardian, Independent, Irish Mail on Sunday, and Cosmopolitan. A Read with Jenna and Happy Place Bookclub pick.