Names

[blackeyed]

Do you think our names carry any significant meaning in or lives?(as in our personality,our traits etc..)

[sara3]

do you mean, because I'm called Sara.. I behave like a Sara? and all Sara's behave the same?

[blackeyed]

no,i didn't mean behaviour.
as far as i know every name has a meaning and that meaning has in some way has an influence on us.i don't know if thats true, thats why i am asking.

[Buenchico]

Names can certainly affect how others think of us. For example, there's plenty of research which suggests that universities and employers (who're seeking 'professional' people) are far more likely to offer interviews to those called Charles or Claudia than to those called Darren or Kylie. (I used to teach a very intelligent 6th form lad called Fraz Taj. He was finding difficulty in getting the offer of a university place. So he changed his name to David Christopher Parkinson and was quickly offered a place at Oxford, where he got 1st Class honours).

Chris

[blackeyed]

does that the more comman your name the easier it is to get to a university?
if so ,thats pretty stupid of people whojudge oter peopleby there name.you can never know how capable a person is by his/hernammmme.

[jno]

it may be that many Saras do act alike; and other people may expect Saras to act alike. (We jnos are all the same too: selfless humanitarians with gsoh.)

Here are some links:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/0 71114111138.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-11-15 -name-game_N.htm

So the answer may well be Yes, though I don't think anyone has a convincing explanation for it. Ask yourself which one you'd hire more quickly: a Christopher or a Buenchico?

[rojash]

Well, I've never felt the urge to be a cabin boy

[naomi24]

Ah ha, Jim boy!

[jake-the-peg]

There is another effect here that some names are associated with certain social classes as Buenchico point out with the examples of Charles and Darren.

You have to dintinguish this.

For example if you wanted to show that our names have an effect on the way we act and you broke down the number of convicts by names and tried to claim that if you were called Darren you were more likely to commit a criminal offense than if you were called Charles that would be flawed logic.

You would have failed to account for other factors like familly background that people from disadvantantaged unstable famillies are more likely to be called Daren than Charles and that this is more likely to be the cause of criminal behaviour than their name.

You do see this sort of bad science occasionally. Especially in political or racial contexts.

Having said this the effect may act in the other direction. As discussed people have a stereotypical view of people with some names and people may conform or rebel against that stereotype exagerating those trends.

Similarly names may tell you about people's view of themselves.

Take a name like William. Whether someone prefers to be called William, Will, Bill or Billy may tell you something about how they want people to see them and hence about how they see themselves.

People who choose to use their second rather than their first Christian name.

Similarly if people insist on a different spelling of their name from their original one. Was Sara named Sarah? and if so does that tell us something? Likewise Grahams that become Graemes or Ians that become Iain.

So I'd say "Maybe" but it's not the sort of thing that you can draw quick and easy conclusions from

[China-Doll]

My christian name means something quite specific which is the total opposite to a certain way I think so I would hope not.

[phizzy]

maybe Fraz would have obtained a place anyway, i wonder, if his parents are proud of him for gaining his place, or chuffed to little pieces that he had changed his name. Mayb he will change it back when he has benefitted enough. Seems like the name didn't do his parents much harm, after all they raised a 'clever kid'