Study Shows Bad Baby Names Could Prevent Future Relationships
Katie
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I think we have all heard some bad baby names from time to time. I won’t mention any specifically because I know that what I consider to be a bad baby name is probably someone else’s first choice, but I think it’s safe to say we all have our opinions. I’ll admit I’m very much a traditionalist and our baby’s name had to be one that people know, can spell and can pronounce easily.
Our criteria for baby names was derived mostly out of my concern for how our child would fare in school. I was bullied mercilessly as a child, not over my name, but my size, and it’s been important to me to make sure that I do all I can to reduce ways my child could be bullied. I know that there’s plenty I can’t control, but his name I can.
And a recent study shows that my concerns about “bad” baby names are legitimate.
A study conducted in Europe and published in the journal, Social Psychological and Personality, showed that people with bad or unappealing names were less likely to be chosen on a dating site. The prospective matches were shown only names, ages and location (though they had already pre-set the age/location parameters on their search, so those were not a factor) and they decided who they would and would not like to meet.
The study showed that those people with unusual or unappealing names were chosen significantly less frequently than those with more appealing names. In the study, the most appealing name was shown to have 102% more profile views than the least appealing name, and that’s no small margin.
Obviously there is more to life than online dating profiles, but this study gives a pretty clear picture that names can have an impact on social relationships, but that’s not all.
Another part of the study looked at education level, smoking status and other demographic factors of those with different names in the same society. The results showed that those people given unappealing or “bad” baby names were more commonly smokers, had a lower level of education and demonstrated lower self-esteem than their peers with more common or appealing names.
I realize that naming your baby is one of the most personal decisions a parent can make, but studies like this suggest that it’s one we should really take our time with. It turns out it’s not just important for us, but it may also have a big impact on our children’s futures.
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Picture from someecards.
Also on Babble:
You named your baby what?! A mom defends her daughter’s unusual name
If you like popular baby names, you’ll love these … alternative names for the top 20
I don’t think you could have found a better illustration for this post, especially considering that the first baby born in Nevada this year was named Envy Essence-Faye. What other profession can that poor child hope to have with a name like that?
I think the second part of the study fails to make the connection that uneducated parents tend to name their children unusual names and then raise uneducated children. It is not the name that creates the situation, but the parents who choose bad names and also create children with no self esteem.
Their sample was from an Internet dating site? That’s a rather limited group of people. Good thing there is a “study” to legitimize anyone’s personal opinion.
I named my daughter an unusual name only to find that many of the children born around the same time bear variations of her name. I intentionally chose a strange name as a way for her to have to stand on her own which is largely an American ideal for our youth. I disagree that strange names are detrimental but rather are beneficial when they follow proper naming vocabulary. There is nothing wrong with the name Adelleigh but naming a child twinkie is just cruel….
Let’s be real here. Unpopular/unique names are fine. But the way out there, wacky ones are not. La-a?? (meant to be said as ladasha) ABCDE (absidee), Suck are some I’ve seen over the last couple of years.
Or that certain names are more popular with people that have a lower level of education, so the children have a generic predisposition to a lower level of education which can be followed by a low self esteem wich might even make the child more likely to give in to peer pressure and begin smoking. I don’t feel that just buy giving a child a certain name will effect school, dating,esteem or smoking. We have to be careful when interpreting studies as there are many factors that need to be looked at not just the conclusions that suit your opinions.
You cite a study but don’t provide a link to it? Seriously?
So what exactly are the “unappealing” names anyway?
@COLLEEN- I agree. When you give your child some weird, “KRE8TYVE”, made up, or unfortunate name, it can hinder them later on in life, ESPECIALLY if the parents are deemed as uneducated and pass that along to thier child. Others hearing strange names will usually make negative assumptions about them even before meeting them which can affect how they are treated by teachers, possible employers, and others throughout thier lives. It’s not fair, but we’ve ALL been guilty of it in one way or another. Certain names can make it quite easy to imagine a entire possible life story about a person, which can prevent others from taking them seriously, or hinder job opportunities as well.
But… what? Seriously? What does this even mean? Everyone has their own ideas of what constitutes “unusual” and/or “unappealing,” so in reality, there is no way to name your kid something that absolutely everyone will find familiar and/or appealing.
What a load of BS.
i’m guessing all the people commenting on this post are “educated.”
I have an unusual name, and I’m more educated than the majority of America. People are not judging me by my name. They are judging me based on the color of my skin.
My mother always taught me that one of the first signs of respect is having someone address my name properly.
I certainly know it to be true…
Bonnie- the link at the bottom that says “Source” is the link to the study.
When my fiance was doing his student teaching in Florida, he met three kids with absurd names. I actually thought he was kidding when he told me. One was a little girl named Clitoris (pronounced Cly-tor-ee-us, but certainly doesn’t look that way); a little boy named Shi’ Thead (pronounced Shi-heed, but it doesn’t take a genius to know what it looks like), and another little girl named Placenta (yes, like that). I really wish people would put more thought into the names of their kids. Especially when they actually want to get a job, not just a relationship! Personally, if I was an employer (or on a dating site or whatever) despite how they’re pronounced, just seeing it spelled would make me think it was a joke or a stupid prank. That’s my opinion anyway.