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The Names by Florence Knapp: audiobook vs book, which should you choose?

Florence Knapp’s debut: one baby, three possible names, and three versions of the family’s life, followed every seven years for 35 years.

Read vs Listen·Verdict last reviewed 2 November 2026·5 min read

Short answer: for The Names audiobook vs book choice, we say read it on Kindle (57% confidence, close call). The story runs three versions of the same family side by side, jumping seven years at a time, and a BookBrowse reviewer found the timelines easy to confuse, which favours print. Kirkus praises Dervla Kirwan’s narration, which favours audio. Print comes out narrowly ahead.

Confidence 57%, which puts it in the close call band. Bands run from close call at 50 to 64, through leaning at 65 to 79 and clear at 80 to 94, up to clear cut at 95 and above. Is listening the same as reading? See what the research says.

What this book actually is

The Names is Florence Knapp’s first novel. In 1987, after the Great Storm, Cora goes to register her son’s birth and must choose his name: Gordon, after her controlling husband, Bear, as her daughter Maia suggests, or Julian. The novel then follows all three versions of the family, every seven years for 35 years.

It was the Read with Jenna pick for May 2025 and won Debut Book of the Year at the British Book Awards 2026 (Hachette UK). It includes domestic abuse: BookBrowse notes that “Cora is physically abused in all of the plotlines”. Which version ends best, and how each son’s life turns out, is not covered here.

The case for reading it

The story splits into three versions that run side by side, jumping seven years at a time, and the same family names recur in each. BookBrowse (Kim Kovacs) found “it’s easy to confuse the three timelines” and wished she had kept notes on the characters. On the page you can flip back to check which version you are in.

Kirkus says each later chapter is “divided into three sections”, so the structure is easy to see in print.

The case for listening to it

Kirkus calls Dervla Kirwan’s narration “stirring” and says she “masterfully conveys the depth of Cora’s love for her son and daughter”. Listeners rate the performance 4.77 from over 4,500 ratings on Audible UK.

At 9 hours 40 minutes it comes down to about 6 hours 27 minutes at 1.5x.

The audiobook in detail

Dervla Kirwan reads both English editions: Phoenix in the UK (5 May 2025, 9 hours 41 minutes) and Penguin Audio in the US (6 May 2025, 9 hours 40 minutes). Both are unabridged. Whether they are one recording or two is not confirmed.

No PDF companion is listed. Translated editions are on Audible in Spanish, German, Italian and Danish.

Who should ignore this verdict

Lean towards audio if you want Dervla Kirwan’s reading and are happy to keep the three versions straight by ear. Lean towards print if you like to flip back and check which version of the family you are in.

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A story told across thirty years.

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Hamnet

A family, and a child’s name, at its heart.

Same verdict

A Little Life

The story covers about three decades with frequent flashbacks and few markers of the outside world, which is easier to follow on the page than over audio. It also moves from four friends to Jude and an older Harold, all read by one narrator, so the shifts are easier to spot in print.

Opposite verdict

The Midnight Library

A life lived several different ways.

Start here

How we decide

The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.

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