#stadistics

Albert Mehrabian, professor of psychology in The University of California (UCLA) thinks it does: “Names make impressions, just like appearance. They can be positive or negative”, he says. “But names can also make an impact when we are not present physically, like on a CV”

Mahrabian researched the first impressions that hundreds of names would generate on different people. It’s incredible how many positive associations can make some names, and how many negative one’s others made. Many names are associated with success, what Mehrabian also calls ambition, intelligence and confidence alongside other attributes that are good when looking for job.

So, which names have more chances of success? According to American researches, Alexander is a name 100% successful. William archives a 99% and John a 98%. On the Feminine side Jaqueline, Diana, Danielle and Catherine goes head-on.

Our names really can affect our lives so much? Pamela Satran, writer of books for baby naming, believes that there’s no clear proof that indicates that’s certain names have potential for success. She remembers a study in particular: a group of researchers gave some employers, two identical CV, one was of a woman named Lashawndra, a very common name on the Afro-American culture, and the other Lauren, name associated with the white middle class. On that study, Lauren got 5 call backs more than Lashawndra, but on other research they were head-on.

Angela Baron, from the Chartered institute, gives a negative look to the employers that make decisions based upon names: “people judge based on Pre-concepts, but we shouldn’t recruit people with that mentality. Employers should focus more on abilities and experience.”

A high school teacher from north London, tells that her actual students have pretty bizarre names like Amba, Jordon, Charlee, Moniquia, Shaliqua y Sharday. Could these names affect these students when their time come to get a job? “to me it can be a serious disadvantage” says the teacher.