What your name says about you

Published on Monday 24 March 2008 21:49

EVER since Shakespeare wondered "what's in a name?" people have mused whether the name a person is given at birth can influence their destiny.

Now, in what is believed to be the biggest experiment of its kind undertaken, the television scientist Professor Richard Wiseman has unveiled the names most associated with success, luck and attractiveness.

He said the results suggest some people's names really do give them an advantage. The survey reveals that Elizabeth and James are seen as the most successful, while those called Lucy or Jack are thought of as the luckiest. Sophie and Ryan are the most attractive.

Lisa and Brian are the least associated with success, while Helen and John are perceived as the least lucky and Ann and George the least attractive.

Almost 7,000 people took part in the experiment, in which they were asked to rank a selection of common names.

"We took 20 male names and 20 female names and asked people which of these names would you find most attractive, successful or lucky," said Prof Wiseman. "If people were not influenced by stereotypes, you would expect the results to be fairly evenly spread – but what we saw was very strong evidence of clumping. So, without realising it, lots of people have a stereotype in their heads."

He said parents might want to consider the results when choosing names for their children.

For example, an Elizabeth or James going for a job may have a head-start, and be seen as go-getters.

"Perhaps we will see a rush of babies called Elizabeth," he said. "Traditional names with royal associations are viewed as highly successful and intelligent, and so parents hoping for successful offspring might want to avoid more unusual names."

Dr Cynthia McVey, a psychologist and senior lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, said the results did not surprise her. "There might be a historical resonance with a name, which associates it with a person of power – or, indeed, with some sort of disaster," she said.

As part of the Name Experiment, Prof Wiseman has also offered an analysis of some of the more unusual names chosen by celebrities for their children.

He said Princess Tiaamii – the daughter of Jordan and Peter Andre – can expect to benefit from the royal associations of her name. But the double "ee" sound also makes it a soft and feminine name, which is more likely to attract good luck than career success, according to Prof Wiseman. He said the soft-sounding Peaches Geldof (daughter of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates) could conjure up positive and attractive images.

The professor will deliver his lecture this evening at the Reid Hall on the first day of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, which runs until 5 April.

THE MONIKER MONITOR

THOSE surveyed were shown a list of male and female names. This is how they ranked the monikers in terms of perceived success, luck and attractiveness:

SUCCESSFUL?

MOST

James

Elizabeth

Caroline

Richard

Michael

Helen

Olivia

William

Andrew

Amanda

LEAST

Brian

Lisa

Ryan

Lucy

Stephen

Katie

Emily

Lewis

Julie

Ian

LUCKY?

MOST

Jack

Lucy

Katie

Chris

Lisa

Sophie

Ryan

Peter

James

Emma

LEAST

Helen

Elizabeth

John

Ann

Thomas

Caroline

Karen

Jane

Richard

William

ATTRACTIVE?

MOST

Sophie

Ryan

James

Rachel

Olivia

Karen

Katie

Jack

Sarah

Chris

LEAST

Ann

Jane

George

Thomas

Peter

Helen

John

Elizabeth

Richard

Caroline