Have you noticed a correlation between names and personality?

[LuckyCharm3]

Do you think there's a correlation between names and personality (including future life choices/outcomes)? I have worked in multiple prisons and have noticed that there are names that we see more frequently than others. It's difficult to not notice when it's quite obvious. These typically aren't even names that you'd "expect". I do take it into consideration when naming my own children. Does this make me superstitious? Perhaps. Will I change my mind? Probably not.

This isn't to say that everyone with a certain name will end up in prison or that everyone with a certain name will be successful, just that there are general patterns.

I bet there's a lot of people with J names in prison. 👀

A name does not define someone's personality. However, certain names are more popular in certain socio-economic groups. People with certain socio-economic backgrounds are statistically more likely to end up serving time than others (for so many reasons, no need to get into that here). Likewise, people with certain socio-economic backgrounds are statistically more likely to go to university etc. That will be the link you have noticed. That's all.

I think it’s more likely to be linked to the type of parents that pick particular names. Without being judgmental but there are certainly some names which paint a particular picture of the parents/parenting and working in a school it’s quite often an accurate picture.

Absolutely yes. My husband and I always joke that people with certain names always have the same personality type! For example all the Hannah's we know are kind, gentle, timid, old soul kind of people. Martha's tend to be similar but perhaps a bit more reserved and very family oriented. We have a few other names but these are the main two we always giggle about!

Hmmm the one that comes to mind to say no to this was a girl I worked with a few years ago called Rainbow. Well she was very grumpy, very unfriendly , never smiled. There was nothing Rainbow like about her. But I did feel bad for her as I probably would never have noticed any of that if it wasn’t because her name gave others an expectation, a pretty big one at that!

I gave my children 'Be anything, go anywhere' names.

I wanted something I was happy to call across a playground, and something that would keep them comfortable in any social or professional situation.

Of course some children can carry off something unique and magnificent, but you don't know when they're first born do you?

I have 3 boys, they made me shout “last name return” at the top of my voice in playgrounds.

I was so knackered bringing up three boys that I didn’t care what others thought 🤣

It’s just confirmation bias

It's more that some names are tied to certain classes/socio economic backgrounds.

So you will see a clustering of certain names in certain areas. It's correlation rather than causation though so I wouldn't avoid a name just because it shows up in this way. The way you raise your child and the people they are surrounded with are what make the difference, not the name.

Ha ha!
Yes, you've got a point!

Teacher here: I don't think names make a personality. I think parents do. I have seen many children with the same name but with personalities shaped by their innate self and parental input. Future outcomes and choices are driven by the young person's personality and parental input. Consider the name Ed(die). Some are v traditional and eventually work in finance, others are bounders and end up in your care. Or somewhere in between. It's well documented that teens go through a 'crazy' phase.

You're not superstitious but you are expressing your cultural choices by avoiding names of prisoners.

(FYI: threads about naughty names are a staple on MN; usually they are aimed at teachers: e.g. what are the naughtiest names you've taught?)
I think your observations are probably valid but I think they are only confirmation of what made the prisoner's life an uphill battle and reflect his/her parents' name preferences and the prisoner's lack of life choices.

Well excluding being in prison (afaik), I’m early 50’s and I definitely have a few same name repeats where I’ve found they have a trait or three that I just can’t seem to get along with. Whilst it’s not a 100% ‘they are all the same, so there’s proof in my theory’, it feels a bit woo.

I think there is something in it. Obviously a name isn't definitive of a person, but I do think the type of name parents choose often gives a hint as to how they intend to parent - and yes, I'm afraid by that I do mean that the ones who choose yoonique or OTT names tend to desire a lot of limelight for the child and have a slightly "anything goes" for my unique offspring approach ime.

Traditional/royal names tend to signal to me parents who will have relatively conservative values and a reasonable degree of discipline. More "fun" names (Rocco etc) less so.

I think parents choose a name that captures a "style." I always wonder if all the "naughty Archie" threads are because of the PG Wodehouse books for instance: a bit of a trouble-maker! Madelines tend to be good sorts but a bit sassy like the Bemelmans books. Eloise has been on here a few times as a naughy/mean girl name, which always makes me think of the faintly bratty Eloise in the books (who lives in a hotel, clicking her fingers). And so on ...

Your name can affect how people treat you.
Your parents chose the name and it will reflect their taste and their expectations of you.

My name was unusual and a bit inspirational. I get treated differently if I introduce myself as a more ordinary name. I might be because I say the ordinary name without the worry of it being queried.

With the prisoners' names, might it be that the names were more popular so the likelihood of a criminal name having the name will be higher. I'm guessing that the names will be something really ordinary for the age group like Noah not something like Jayden.

All the Adams I have known have been ambitious and successful. Friends of ours had identical twin boys, Adam and Seth. I just knew when they were born which one would stand out and which one would be left behind. And that is exactly what happened.

All the Claires I have known have been blonde and a bit soppy (but not in a bad way).

All the Abduls I have known have been a bit thick.

All the Khaleds I have known have been smart, funny and creative.

(Hope I haven't offended anybody).

This is hilarious! For me Hannah is the ultimate mean girl name, I don't think I've ever known one not end up being a bully or the kind of person you don't want to hang out with. Haven't met more than 3 Martha's but they're all flamboyant, chaotic, whirlwind types! How funny experiences can be so polar opposite.

Actually you are right: I do not know a single brunette Claire.

There’s nominative determinism too, where Dennis is more likely (statistically) to be a dentist. Laura the lawyer. Etc, from the Freakonomics book.

I think it’s to do with something feeling possible.

But as to whether someone is nice or not I think if you expect all Louises to be lovely (they are) when you meet a new Louise you’ll start with a happy expectation, she’ll then be nice to you too, and you then have another nice Louise confirming your expectations,

It is hard to imagine the poor kids with names like Kartel and Kash growing up to be teachers and lawyers but who knows!

I am so hoping the 3 boys' surname is Fenton. Sorry.

There's definitely a class element. I have a boring, safe, middle class name, so dull. When I read Martin Pippin as a child, I knew that my name should have been Stella! As if.
Travelling for work, I spent a few months inventing names at Starbucks.

I'm a brunette Clare.

As a teacher I can confirm that every Grace I’ve ever met has been anything but graceful

Yes! I accept it’s bollocks and it’s just me but…
I’ve never met a nice Sarah (sorry Sarahs!) at least not with an h. I’ve met some lovely Saras.
Helens and Lucys are always a bit scary
Steves are always lovely
Daves are always nice but a bit dull
Marks are mummies’ boys
Bens are always nice
Rachels are fabulous.

What are the prisoner names