A new “study” has found that names count. It’s pretty much the same theory expounded on in detail in Freakonomics – that people with dumb names will be picked on, or come from dumb families – and these environmental factors will cause them to grow up pretty screwed up. The study found that:
“Boys with unpopular, girlish or uncommon names often are ridiculed by peers, come from families of low socioeconomic status and face discrimination in the workforce based on a preconceived bias about their names, according to the study, which analysed more than 15,000 names.”
According to the SMH article the top 10 bad-boy names are:
- Alec
- Ernest
- Garland
- Ivan
- Kareem
- Luke
- Malcolm
- Preston
- Tyrell
- Walter
Comments
Garland really is a bit tragic. One of my students at work is called Armani. He’s 4 at the moment… high school will not be a fun experience for him…
You have to wonder sometimes what planet parents are from. My mother says her favourite student name was spelt S***head – pronounced Shee-hei. As you do.
Also enjoyed her friend’s stories of New York names, including such gems as ‘Herbal Essences’ (because she liked how it sounded).
I taught a Crystal Bell, and a Tia-Jade, who I just wanted to call Tia-Maria all the time.