Warmth, protection, role models. From our earliest childhood, all these factors influence our personality — they shape it. We are in part what they made of us while we were children. Although there is something else that is perhaps little said, but which also determines our lives — something that our parents bestow on us from the day we are born. Our name.

At Bright Side, we set out to investigate the power of names and their ability to determine and even shape behavior. We wanted to know more and came across some truly amazing theories. Read this article to the end and be as surprised as we were.

How our names influence the way others look at us

Within each country, some names are considered to be common, and others that are or can become very rare depending on when you look at the stats. There are also others that, for various reasons, we tend to associate with positive or negative meanings and others that sound attractive, exotic, modern, or, on the contrary, old-fashioned. It could make sense to think that maybe these attributes that our names carry influence how others treat us and how we perceive ourselves on some level.

If you’ve wondered about this, you might not be the first. In fact, several studies have been carried out to determine how the choice of a name can shape a person’s life. The conclusions of each of these studies arrive in more or less the same direction. Yes, the choice of a name can have consequences in our lives, both positive and negative. Suddenly, choosing a name isn’t just a matter of aesthetics anymore.

We have a tendency to transfer the properties we hear in people’s names to their character. This can be the softness or the pointiness we described earlier. Based on that we will preconceive an image of the person. For example, a “soft” name is associated with someone pleasant, emotional, responsible, and somewhat vulnerable. On the other hand, we may attribute someone’s “tough” or “sharp” name to them being a strong, outgoing, and bold personality.

Does this theory confirm that Bella is vulnerable and Victoria is evil in Twilight? Not really, but it does show how we have a predisposition to think that. What’s more, if we only saw the angelic face of Meg Ryan and the intense gaze of Kim Kardashian, would anyone doubt who is named one way and who, the other?

Gender-neutral names

© The Twilight Saga: New Moon / Temple Hill Entertainment and co-producers, © The Mauritanian / Wonder Street and co-producers

Robin, Jesse, James, Jamie, Jodie, Alex, Brennan, Charlie, Cameron, or Leighton are all gender-neutral names. That means they can be used for one gender or the other depending on the country and time when they’re used. And here again, stereotypes, cultural norms, beliefs, and our own prejudices come into play to give a character to the name and the person bearing it.

Several studies that have been carried out in this regard reveal that men with androgynous names are often thought of as having less masculine personalities and characteristics in general. On the other hand, the exact opposite conclusion has been found to be true for women. Scholars have gone a step further and hypothesize that women with gender-neutral names are more likely to succeed in the workplace and that children with gender-neutral names could actually have a harder time when it comes to integrating socially into school or new circles.

© The Devil Wears Prada / Fox 2000 Pictures and co-producers, © Grey's Anatomy / Shondaland and co-producers

All of these conclusions do not mean that only a name will determine the lifestyle of a person. However, it does speak about how our own prejudices can sometimes attribute certain characteristics to the bearer of one name over others, regardless of whether these characteristics actually coincide with the personality or physical appearance of the person. This is especially relevant since we might not even be aware that it is happening.

Things that happen in books and other types of fiction are clear examples of this. Names are chosen for a character with certain qualities because it is believed that the name speaks of those qualities. Then, if the series or the book turns out to be successful, people will replicate (and even confirm) these behaviors.

If you had to pick a name for a competitive and very extroverted woman, what name would you choose? What if you were thinking of a romantic and sensitive man? Tell us your thoughts!