I've always wondered why people couldn't bring themselves to look past stuff like this; it probably also explains why, for the most part, unless I'm required to do otherwise, I sign my name "P. Klobucar." I've been through nothing but hell with a first name like Peter. I can only imagine what thing would have been like, if the stories are true, and my mother hadn't chickened out and named me J*sus. (If the lightning bolt's gonna strike anyone, it's not gonna be me.....)
“What’s in a name?” a man named Shakespeare asked long ago. Potential employers may ask this same question of you. After all, your name is the first thing on your resume. Along with your appearance, it’s one of the things most people use to form a first impression. Much effort goes into understanding the power of names—ask anyone having their first baby. Some believe a name is the single most important influence on development of our personality and helps create our destiny.Can your name help you succeed? What can you do to increase your chances of success in the name game?
Teacher’s Pet The focus on names starts in grade school. One study of sixth graders by S. Gray Garwood found that students with names that were popular with teachers scored higher in skills tests, set more ambitious goals and were better adjusted. And, with many classrooms being seated alphabetically, already the “A’s” are at the head of the class in front of the teacher.
Who Gets the Grade? Researchers Lief Nelson and Joseph Simmons looked at several different studies on names. They found that while all students want As, students whose names begin with letters associated with poorer performance (C and D) achieve lower grade point averages (GPAs) than do students whose names begin with A and B. This was especially if true if the students liked their initials.The researchers also looked at 15 years of grade point averages for MBA students at a large private U.S. university. Students whose names began with C or D earned lower averages than those whose names began with A or B, they found. This led them to believe that there is something subconscious about our attraction to our names and initials. It’s not that students with C and D initials don’t work as hard; it’s just that they may find a grade of C or D not as bad if their name begins with that letter.But, what about the rest of us whose initials rank even further down the alphabet? This is an area for more research.
Don’t StriiiKe Out Researchers Nelson and Simmons also looked at Major League baseball records spanning 93 years to see who strikes out and the effect, if any, their name has on strikeouts. Strikeouts, are recorded using the letter “K.” And, sure enough, it was discovered that batters whose names began K struck out slightly more often than others. It’s not that the batters wouldn’t be unhappy with a strikeout, but they may just find it a little less aversive than players with no K for an initial.
Call It Like You Hear It Grouping is a natural tendency; it’s the way our brains work. And, we humans do this when it comes to names. While the danger for stereotyping is real, an Ohio University study showed that employers weigh several factors when judging job candidates, and that the gender match between an applicant’s name and the occupation could have a subconscious impact. In a study by James Bruning young adults were asked to predict the success of a group of people entering new careers, based on information provided about the applicants.Participants predicted that women with more feminine names – Emma and Irma, for example – would have more success pursuing traditional female careers – such as nurse, hair stylist or interior decorator. Men with more masculine names – Hank and Bruno – were expected to be successful with traditional male careers – such as plumber, truck driver and electrician.Those whose names least matched the occupation stereotypes might have a harder time landing certain jobs, the study suggests. A woman named Garrett pursuing a job in day care or a man named Bud who wanted to become a hair stylist, for example, might be searching for that dream position for a long time.Next: Which Names Spell Success? >>