What connection is there between perceived popularity of one's first name and tendency to succeed or commit crime?
I just read this study showing that male teens (regardless of race) tend to commit crimes more if their first names are ‘odd’ or not given as often. I have a bunch of problems with this study and some of the further conclusions made when linking these kids to single parent homes and low income areas, but I’ll let you guys pick it apart yourselves. What others things have you heard having to do with first names and have you, yourself, served as an example of any of it? Do you think you have a unique name, a name not often used, and do you think you were treated differently and did you feel more likely to act out as a teen? We live here in Brooklyn and really, everyone’s names are unique given the many cultures but should I be worried that my sons with their ‘different’ names will end up criminals? Okay, I don’t really believe that whatsoever – I think their unique names will be an asset – besides, I don’t intend to raise children that are so impressionable as to be affected by how others perceive their name, of all things, and to find an answer in crime. Still, what’s up with all of these studies?
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I don’t care about people who haven’t committed crimes yet. When they do, I don’t care what their name is.
As a personal observation, every guy I’ve known named Josh has been arrested for something.
I cant say there’s any sort of quantifiable correlation there.
If I met a Josh tomorrow, I’d give him the benefit of the doubt.
The last thing we need to do as a society is start profiling based upon non traditional (by American standards) names.
Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Jim Jones to name a few that have normal names and are some of the worst of the worst.
I read once that people whose initials spell positively connoted words have higher self esteem than people whose initials spell negatively connoted words.
@Simone_De_Beauvoir I read that too. I think it’s interesting, and I knew what my kids names meant before I named them. Jillian means downy haired child, Nikolai is Victory of the people, and Rhiannon is Fairy queen.
My own name means youthful.
There may be a link, I don’t know, but we still don’t know the reason for it, if there actually is one.
I don’t understand your problem with the link between poor life skills and single parent, low income homes. I’d really love for you to read an eye opening article by Dr. David Lykken if you would, then tell me what you think. Please PM me about this. I think you’ll be engaged with the ideas, and have a better idea about this. I can send you a copy but only through an email address.
@Trillian Thanks to baby boomer parents and Fleetwood Mac, now we have a whole bunch of Rhiannon’s running around and I think the only crimes most Rhiannons are committing are weed possession.
@Captain_Fantasy I am neither. I hate that damn song, and Stevie Niocks, though I like her voice, is a big doofus who doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I heard her state in an interview that Rhiannon was a Celtic witch. No, she damn well wasn’t. I was Wiccan for twenty five years, and I really like Gaelic female names. Jillian is Irish, Rhiannon is Welsh. Rhi came close to being Raven Wintermoon. I should have never let my mom talk me out of that. I like unusual names, but not stupid made up names, or stupidly misspelled ones.
Stevie Nicks was also on drugs for most of the 70’s so you can’t take her witch thing too seriously.
Maybe it seems criminals have weird names since ’‘Roudigeur’’ will stand out a lot more than ’‘Adam’’, but both were criminals right?
I denno…sounds odd to me. If something like the nature of weird and non popular names was the case for criminal tendencies, I’m guessing every person with red hair would be a serial killer, too.
Most of this study is based on stats right?
Reminds me of the murder gene theory haha.
I would guess that those who have “odd” names are names that come from certain communities of people. In fact in reading their odd name examples that seems to be true. So as an example, people of color from communities who prefer to use cultural names. We know already that people of color make up larger quantities of those people who are in poverty (not by choice of course). That would mean poverty is the true connection to crime, not the name.
If i would change my name to a very regular one tomorrow, would that decrease the chances of me committing a crime?
@rebbel Do you have an irregular name?
@Trillian I just thought the mention was unnecessary.
They may have been teased or bullied growing up, because of their names, which might make them more prone to anti-social behavior like delinquency and criminal activity.
According to Freakonomics, there is a correlation between given names and income levels. My name is on the list of highest female earners, but so far it hasn’t paid out for me.
Have you ever noticed the names of presidents? How many people do you know named Franklin, Zachary, Rutherford, Millard, Grover, Dwight or Barack?
“Also, adolescents with unpopular names may be more prone to crime because they are treated differently by their peers, making it more difficult for them to form relationships. Juveniles with unpopular names may also act out because they consciously or unconsciously dislike their names.”
What a stupid load of BS. This is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. Are they genuinely insinuating that mothers naming a child with an absent father are more likely to name the kid something strange? People who are poor? The researchers obviously don’t live in my neighborhood. Have they ever heard of cultural norms? Did they even compare those with “different” names who DIDN’T get in trouble with the law with those who did? You can’t just look at those who got in trouble and their index of names and make conclusions. What a pretentious lump of crap.
P.S. I’m so damn tired of so-called research determining that poor, single, minority mothers ruin the world.
P.P.S. “Targeted intervention programs” for early intervention based on first names? Are you kidding?
@Cupcake Exactly what I was saying in my details – that link made no sense to me.
Every ‘Wayne’ I have ever known has been a low IQ thuggish type.
I don’t date, Waynes, Dwaynes, or automobiles. lololol
@Coloma lol. I agree and here is some supporting evidence. 2 of the top 10 serial killers of all time have been named Wayne, well, with one it was his middle name, but still… :)
@Coloma Yes. It made me feel creepy just posting it. I debated whether or not to but it was the only thing I could find, on a cursory google, that supported your Wayne/Dwayne theory.
Last year there was a study done by the University of Oldenberg in Germany correlating the name Kevin with below-average intelligence parents. The study was widely known with the following message which turned into a slogan:
Kevin Is Not a Name. It’s a diagnosis.
Even teachers seem to have been affected which is totally ridiculous of course.
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090918-22019.html
Whether there’s a supposed correlation to both stupidity and crime I don’t know.
@mattbrowne
Oh my gosh! THAT is so funny! Years ago I had neighbors with a little boy named Kevin.
That kid was a maniac and the parents would just stand there saying ” Oh Kevin, now Kevin, put the knife down.’ I am serious! These two were the most insanely ‘duh’ people…this little boy about 4 running amok with a knife while the other little kids were swimming in a wading pool in their front yard…the whole neighborhood ended up shunning little crazy Kevin and his ultra dumb and lacadaisical parents.
Another time little Kevin put the hose inside the parents brand new car and flooded it..they always just stood their with this vacant look on their faces uttering the same two words..‘Oh Kevin..’ haha
I felt bad but these people were truly amazingly short on brain power and disciplinary skils.
Dumb & dumber raising the next Dahlmer. lol
Maybe it isn’t that they have certain names, but it is the type of parents which name the kids those names. Like, maybe parents who name their kids ‘Josh’ are meaner than parents who name their kids “Mike”. Just a theory :)
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