Can a moniker makeover boost your success in the workplace?
While waiting in the coffee queue last week, I noticed a wall plastered with the crayoned creations of the babycino brigade. And the Daisees and Xanders well outnumbered the Toms and Sarahs.
Mums and dads the world over are rebelling against tradition, and bestowing their offspring with what they hope is a distinctive name that will give them an edge and help them stand out in a competitive world.
But how might this shape their career prospects?
When two candidates are neck and neck, some research suggests a Darren would have an advantage over a Darin. Albert Mehrabian, a US psychologist and author of The name game: The decision that lasts a lifetime, found that unusual names and unconventional name spelling can convey less attractive impressions than traditional ones.
Recruitment industry expert Ross Clennett believes giving kids unusual names (he lists examples like Jada, Peyton, Ta-ley, Charlii, Tarney and Shylah) could also do "some unintended harm" to their future work prospects. "I'd be interested to see how their respective journeys to employment pan out," he says.
So if you find yourself stuck with a career-limiting label, is it worth considering new nameplate to boost your prospects?
After doing some digging I have discovered that simply switching from a Mandy to an Amanda could be a boon to my prospects if the latest literature on onomastics - the study of names - is to be believed. And the new set of initials might also work to my advantage.
Here are some of the other influences identified by researchers:
The roll-call effect
The earlier the first letter of your last name appears in the alphabet, the more likely you are more to rate yourself as successful in life, according to UK researcher, Richard Wiseman. A possible reason: we naturally associate things at the top of a list as winners, which has a psychological effect over time.
Initials matter too
The me-factor doesn't always go in our favour. US researchers Lief Nelson and Joseph Simmons found students whose names begin with letters associated with poorer performance like C and D averaged lower grades—especially if they liked their initials—than students whose names begin with A and B.
Sound effects stick
The way your name rolls off the tongue can have a bearing on your future. Girls with feminine-sounding names with soft consonants like Emma and Elizabeth, for instance, are less likely to study maths or science after the age of 16—even when equally as capable than girls with less feminine names, according to US researcher with Northwestern University, David Figlio.
Birds of a feather
Lots of researchers have found that we are subconsciously drawn to people, places and jobs that remind us of ourselves. The upshot? Someone called Dennis may be mysteriously drawn to dentistry, Lots of Lauras can be found in legal firms—and Mandys might gravitate toward magazines.
Bosses can be biased
Employers weighing up resumes are swayed in similar ways, according to Ohio University researcher, James Bruning. His research indicates that job candidates with blokey names like Max or Angus would have more sway when applying for jobs in manly professions like construction than they would in, say, nursing.
Size does count
Want to be CEO? The shortened name Bill would probably trump William, however if you are female it works in reverse: Sandra would do better than Sandy. A LinkedIn analysis of its membership found names like Deborah, Sally, Debra, Cynthia and Carolyn are over represented among women CEOs. In the male domain, short names rule with the Peters, Bobs, Jacks, Bruces and Freds of the world most frequently found in the top spot.
But whether you are blessed or cursed in the naming stakes, any stereotypes are usually wiped out once you meet a person for the first time, says Gordon Spence, a psychologist specialising in organisational wellbeing and performance at the University of Wollongong. "Being prompt or late, well dressed or scruffy, organised or scattered will have a much greater impact that your name," he says.
Let's hope so, or who will run all those fortune 500 companies in years to come?
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