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6 Children’s Books about Names for Elementary Teachers – 2024

The beginning of the school year is a great time to discuss and explore students’ names, but really you can do this any time of the year. This post shares children’s books about names that you can use for this purpose. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these children’s books about names!

6 Children’s Books about Names

Below is a list of some of our favorite children’s books about names to share with elementary students. Check out these read alouds below!

printable picture book comprehension activities

1. Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

Alma and How She Got Her Name tells the story of a young girl named Alma, who has a very long name and is frustrated by how long it is. It doesn’t fit on a piece of paper, and she has to tape an extra strip of paper to the bottom so it can fit.

She goes to her dad to complain how long it is, and instead he tells her the story of her name. She learns that each part of her name represents one of her relatives. Each name was chosen specifically for her to represent the great qualities each relative had.

Alma learns to love her name as she hears the story of each relative. At the end of the story, Alma’s dad tells her that he chose the name Alma just for her and that it isn’t a name that someone else in the family had. The name is for her to use to write her own story. 

Students will love hearing the story about how Alma got her name, and think about the origin of their own names. Check out these Alma and How She Got Her Name teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

Alma and How She Got Her Name book cover
Alma and How She Got Her Name book cover and writing activity

2. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum loves her name until she goes to school. The students in her class make fun of her for having such a long name and for being named after a flower. At the end of the story, Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher, defends Chrysanthemum by telling the students she too is named after a flower. The students then start to envy Chrysanthemum’s long name and meaning of her name. 

Students will enjoy this story about being true to yourself and loving who you are. Check out these Chrysanthemum teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

Chrysanthemum book cover and writing template
character traits worksheet based on the book, Chrysanthemum

3. My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits

The third book on this list of children’s books about names is My Name is Yoon. Yoon is a young girl who has just moved from Korea to America with her parents. Soon she will be starting school so she must learn to print her name in English. He father sits her down to show her what her name looks like printed in English. Yoon does not like the way it looks compared to how it looks in Korean.

When Yoon starts school, her teacher wants her to print her name. Yoon prints CAT instead, and wishes she could be like a cat. The next day, Yoon prints BIRD and wishes she could fly home. One day, a classmate shares a cupcake with Yoon and she wishes she were a cupcake, then her classmates would be excited to see her.

Over time, Yoon starts to adjust to life in America. She thinks her teacher likes her and sings to her father in English. Finally, Yoon is excited to print her name in English and show her teacher!

Check out these My Name is a Yoon teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

My Name is Yoon book cover
My Name is Yoon printable activity

4. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Unhei has just moved from Korea to America. On the bus ride to her first day of school, the students laugh at her name. When she gets to her new classroom and it is time for her to say her name, she claims that she doesn’t have one. She says she is still deciding on her name and will let the class know by the end of the week.  

Boys and girls in her class create a name jar and fill it with suggestions for Unhei’s new name. However, none of the names feel quite right for Unhei. 

At the end of the story, Unhei has to make the decision about whether or not to share her real name.

Students will learn about diversity and individuality throughout this great read. Check out these The Name Jar teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

The Name Jar book cover
The Name Jar worksheet

5. Your Name is a Song by Kevin Noble Maillard

After the first day of school, the main character in this book was very upset. No one in her class could say her name, not even her teacher. The girl’s mother encourages her to sing her name for her classmates, and that is how they will learn to say her name. The girl also explains that people at school made fun of her name. Some girls in her class pretended to choke on it, a boy’s eyes got very wide, and someone said her name was made up. 

While they walk home, the girl’s mother talks to her about the importance of names and where they come from. The girl learns that names come from dreamers, that names are strong and that it is important for everyone to learn new names.

The next day at school, the teacher calls out everyone’s name and gets stuck on the main character’s. The girl decides to sing her name and the teacher is surprised. The girl then explains that names are songs, and sings her teacher’s name and classmates’ names. Soon, everyone wants to hear the girl sing their name. The girl’s teacher asks her to sing her name again and her classmates sing it back. 

Students will enjoy this story about the importance of a name. Check out these Your Name is a Song teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

Your Name is a Song
Your Name is a Song writing activities

6. Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie

The final book on this list of children’s books about names is Thunderboy Jr.. In this story, everyone has a normal name around Thunder Boy Jr.. His mom and his sister have normal names, but why does he have to be Thunder Boy? We learn that this boy is named after his father, Thunder Boy Sr. Although his dad’s name fits his personality, the boy does not feel a connection to his name.

There are many names Thunder Boy Jr. can think of that are aligned with his personality and experiences. He has touched an orca- so his name could be “Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth”. Or, he has climbed tall mountains, so he could be “Touch the Clouds”. 

Reflecting on his relationship with his father, Thunder Boy decides on the name Lightning. Together with his dad, they can light up the night sky!

Check out these Thunder Boy Jr. teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!

Thunderboy Jr. book
Thunderboy Jr. book and activities

Grab the Free Reading Resources!

In closing, we hope you found this list of children’s books about names helpful! You may also be interested in this list of back to school read alouds! If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie. It includes read aloud books lists, reading logs, and reading challenges for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!

printable monthly reading logs

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