What's in a Name?

"Hey, my name is ________, what's yours? We have this conversation with strangers almost everyday. But really, what's in a name? Are names just arbitrary symbols or do they express "deep, essential truths" about our innermost being? Most people feel strongly attached to their names. Personality Psychologist, Doctor Gordon Allport says "our name might be the most important anchorage of our self-identity." In other words, a person's name is that person. But why is there so much meaning in something we didn't choose for ourselves? Our names, like our bodies and personalities, follow us everywhere; but how do names affect our everyday lives?

First, our name is a stimuli that grabs our attention. Later in life, the same name gives us an identity. Perhaps one of the first we recognize is our fit within a family. Names become very important in our social development as we being tying names to ideas, places, and emotions. Names aid us in feeling unique and celebrate us from anonymity. Loved or hated, we have a closer tie to our names than can be seen on the surface.

Let's begin with the self, or more specifically, how we feel about the name given to us. Researchers or The Netherlands' Tillburg University, explain the concept of "implicit self-esteem." Essentially, this idea describes that if a person is sound with their identity, they have a "positive" self-evaluation, and thus place positive values on the letters in his or her name. This is known as the name letter effect and, according to theory, it is very influential.

One way is reflected through the attitude of a person. For example, using the name letter effect on subjects with positive self-evaluations, one may find that Chris likes chocolate more than Linda does; and, on the same note, Linda likes lions more than Chris. These correlations can also translate into career choices and places of residency. Using two other examples of people with positive self-evaluations: Suzie is more likely to sell seashells on the shore than Brad, who is more likely to bake bread in Boston. While these models are extreme to convey the idea, I look forward to seeing how this effect leaks into everyday life. Maybe you will do the same.

Which leads me to how our names are perceived by others. We usually hear about the significance of first impressions, and are trained on the importance of a firm handshake, eye-contact, etc. However, one of the very first of impressions you lend is your name. Based on your name, a person will create expectations for you, which will not only guide your relationship with them, but in most cases, your future.

One illustration of the weight one's name has on first impressions takes place in schools. Students with "desirable names," or more common names, tend to receive higher grades from teachers. The Journal of Educational Psychology conducted many studies in which excerpts of equal writing proficiency were given to be graded by educators. Some papers had common names like Karen, Lisa, David, and Michael, while others had the "undesirable" names of Bertha, Adelle, Hubert, and Elmer attached as authors. Teachers marked significantly higher grades to the papers written by students with common names. This bias all funnels back to the grader's first impression. He or she saw a name and assigned expectations based on that name (i.e. the expectation to earn a good or bad grade.) Unfortunately, research has shown that a significant amount of students tend to follow the paths of these suppositions as a sort of self-fulfilling prophesy. But not to fret! Odd-namers can succeed and do! Think Elvis, Gwynneth, Tiger, Zooey, Meryl, and Regis... the list goes on.

Another sense of judgement is demonstrated in the work force. Men with socially masculine names, like Hank, are expected to do "masculine" work, and accordingly it's easier for them to find jobs in those respective fields. This concept also applies for women. However, women have more to worry about than just their names, employers also take their husbands' names (or lack there-of) into consideration. Generally, women who take their partner's name or a hyphenated name post-marriage are perceived as being stereotypically more feminine. Employers assume these women to be "more caring, dependent, and emotional, but less intelligent, competent, and ambitious," and thus are less likely to hire them. Women who keep their own name instead of adopting their husbands', are seen as being less feminine with assumed associated traits completely opposite of the above (veering towards the masculine side), and were not only hired more frequently, but also awarded larger salaries.

Just some things to think about before you blurt out your name or ask for someone else's. What does your name mean to you? Where has it gotten you thus far, and where is it leading you? In the great words of Shakespeare,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."