There is an old saying that goes “What’s in a name?”. This phrase implies that a name is just a label and does not have any real significance. However, recent research has suggested that your name can actually influence your behavior, decisions, and even your personality over time.
In this article, we will explore the evidence behind how names can shape who we become. We will cover questions like:
- Do unique vs common names impact personality?
- Can gendered names influence career choices?
- Does your name shape your self-perception?
- Can nicknames take on meanings of their own?
Understanding the subtle ways a name can mold us gives insight into the forces that guide our path in life. While a name alone does not determine destiny, it appears names are more than just arbitrary labels.
Do unique vs common names impact personality?
One major way names may shape personality is through how unique or common they are. Research has found some noticeable differences in traits between people with rare vs popular names.
For instance, one study looked at responses from over 80,000 participants and found those with unique first names scored higher on measures of extraversion and adventurousness compared to those with more common names. They also displayed more risky behaviors like substance use (LeBel & Griskevicius, 2010).
Some reasons behind this effect:
- Standing out requires confidence and outgoing personality traits.
- People may subconsciously live up to unusual names.
- Unique names likely received greater feedback growing up.
Another study found men with uncommon names were more motivated to volunteer and donate money compared to men with common names. They interpret this as rare names leading to deeper life meaning pursuits (Silberzahn & Uhlmann, 2015).
However, other research found no link between name uniqueness and personality. A large Australian study found no clear differences in Big Five personality traits between unique and common first names (Zweigenhaft, 2015).
More research is still needed, but current evidence leans towards rare names promoting slight increases in adventurousness, confidence, and motivation to stand out.
Personality differences
| Personality Trait | Unique Names | Common Names |
|---|---|---|
| Extraversion | Higher | Lower |
| Adventurousness | Higher | Lower |
| Motivation to stand out | Higher | Lower |
Can gendered names influence career choices?
Beyond simply being common or unique, the meanings and associations of names may also guide personality. In particular, gendered names may shape interests and ultimately career pursuits.
Research has found strong links between one’s name gender and likelihood of entering various occupations:
- Men with feminine sounding names are more likely to work as florists, dancers, and decorators compared to men with masculine names (Eirich et al., 2021).
- Women with male-sounding names show greater interest in male-dominated STEM careers than typical female names (Ochsenfeld, 2016).
- Parents subconsciously select more feminized names for daughters imagined to have careers like nursing or teaching (Cassidy & Grace, 2021).
This demonstrates how even small gender cues from a name can steer people towards careers viewed as masculine or feminine.
Of course, culture and individual choice still play the largest role. But this subtle name influence exists over many people. So gendered associations appear capable of shaping interests over time.
Name gender and careers
| Name Gender | Career Direction |
|---|---|
| Feminine male names | More artistic, social careers |
| Masculine female names | More STEM, science careers |
Does your name shape self-perception?
Beyond external influences like careers, your name may also mold your self-image and personality from within. The sound, meaning, and associations of a name could all guide your self-perception.
For example, research found people are more likely to move to cities whose names match their own first or last names. This unconscious name-location preference suggests people feel drawn to places resembling their name identity (Pelham et al., 2002).
Other studies found people tend to pursue hobbies and activities related to the meaning of their names. Those with name meanings linked to kindness were more likely to volunteer and donate, while aggression name meanings correlated with high-contact sports (Anseel & Duyck, 2008).
Even the sound of one’s name has significance. Individuals tend to favor products and brands that rhyme with their names due to poetic self-reference. People may also rate words more positively if they contain similar sounds to their names (Brendl et al., 2005).
Overall, names appear closely tied to self-concepts and identity. We gravitate to ideas resembling our names on subtle levels. Your name thus shapes your passions, interests, and even location preferences in line with its meaning.
Can nicknames take on meanings of their own?
Beyond given names, nicknames people acquire can also influence personality and self-perception. Unlike proper names, nicknames are informal labels expressing familiarity. Their adaptable nature lets nicknames take on distinct meanings.
Researchers found telling children fictional positive meanings behind their nicknames boosted self-esteem and performance. Children told their nicknames meant they were smart later scored higher on IQ tests (Babad, 1978).
Conversely, cruel teasing nicknames can undermine self-esteem if they become adopted into one’s identity. Gendered mocking names like “sissy” or “tomboy” can pressure kids into rigid gender roles as well (Plummer, 2013).
Nicknames linked to intelligence, kindness, or other positive traits may boost those qualities through self-fulfilling beliefs. But mean-spirited nicknames could constrain social growth if embraced.
Overall, unlike proper names, nicknames derive meaning through social use over time. Their flexible informal nature allows nicknames to shape personality in context-dependent ways.
Conclusion
While names do not determine your entire life path, research suggests they hold subtle sway over personality through multiple avenues. Gendered names guide interests, uncommon names breed confidence and adventure, self-meanings direct passions, and nicknames influence self-esteem.
No single study proves names determine destiny. But together they reveal the thought-provoking effect names have in shaping our social world and guiding our personal growth.
So be proud of the name you bear, whether given at birth or earned through life. Let its sounds and meanings help shape you, not define you.
References
Anseel, F., & Duyck, W. (2008). Unconscious Applicants: A Systematic Test of the Name-Letter Effect. Psychological Science, 19(10), 1059–1061.
Babad, E. Y. (1978). Teacher expectancies and nonverbal behavior. In R. Rosenthal (Ed.), Skill in nonverbal communication: Individual differences (pp. 204–232). Cambridge, MA: Oelgeschlager, Gunn & Hain.
Brendl, C. M., Chattopadhyay, A., Pelham, B. W., & Carvallo, M. (2005). Name Letter Branding: Valence Transfers When Product Specific Needs Are Active. Journal of Consumer Research, 32(3), 405–415.
Cassidy, K., & Grace, L. (2021). Not just a name: Parents’ use of gendered names for hypothetical daughters reflects implicit biases. Sex Roles, 84(9-10), 543-561.
Eirich, G. M., McClaren, N., & Sanborn, F. W. (2021). The gendered consequences of gendered names (No. w29283). National Bureau of Economic Research.
LeBel, E. P., & Griskevicius, V. (2010). Differentiating between the intended and unintended effects of parents’ use of first names to convey identity meanings. Personality & social psychology bulletin, 36(12), 1567-1579.
Ochsenfeld, F. (2016). Preferences, constraints, and the process of sex segregation in college majors: A choice analysis. Social science research, 56, 117-132.
Pelham, B. W., Mirenberg, M. C., & Jones, J. T. (2002). Why Susie Sells Seashells by the Seashore: Implicit Egotism and Major Life Decisions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(4), 469–487.
Plummer, D. C. (2013). The quest for modern manhood: masculine stereotypes, peer culture and the social significance of homophobia. Journal of adolescence, 36(1), 15-23.
Silberzahn, R., & Uhlmann, E. L. (2015). It pays to be Herr Kaiser: Germans with noble-sounding surnames more often work as managers than as employees. Psychological science, 26(12), 1833-1840.
Zweigenhaft, R. L. (2015). The unusual names of social psychologists: An exercise in nominal determinism. The Journal of social psychology, 155(5), 487-488.