Do you think first names can reflect your personality?

Ekwanimity, My real name is Annette. I hated it but now I am 80 I have grown to love it. I have always been called an abbreviation of the name, and prefer Anna to Anne and NEVER Nettie as my great aunt was!!

I have an unusual but not strange first name and like it! I was interested in finding out more and looked on line and found this - copied below - there is a lot more on www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26634477

Over the last 70 years, researchers have tried to gauge the effect on an individual of having an unusual name. It is thought that our identity is partly shaped by the way we are treated by other people - a concept psychologists call the "looking-glass self" - and our name has the potential to colour our interactions with society. Early studies found that men with uncommon first names were more likely to drop out of school and be lonely later in life. One study found that psychiatric patients with more unusual names tended to be more disturbed.

But more recent work has presented a mixed picture. Richard Zweigenhaft, a psychologist at Guilford College in the US, pointed out that wealthy, oddly-named Americans are more likely to find themselves in Who's Who. He found no consistent bad effects of having a strange name, but noted that both common and unusual names are sometimes deemed desirable.

Conley, who is a sociologist at New York University, says that children with unusual names may learn impulse control because they may be teased or get used to people asking about their names. "They actually benefit from that experience by learning to control their emotions or their impulses, which is of course a great skill for success."

But for the main part, he says, the effect of a name on its bearer rarely amounts to more than the effect of being raised by parents who would choose such a name.

I have never liked my name. I was a named after my lovely God mother. Ig does not suit the ancient hippy I am or me at anytime in my life really. I gave my daughters beautiful unusual names as consequence. My son was named after my amazing father. I think bames can affect the way you are....

MawBe
I am Barbara Elizabeth. I’ll take competent practical and reliable. I hope I have a good sense of humour too !

I always found that boys named William were very sensible reliable pupils. The type of child who could be sure to take a note to the office!

I know a teacher who swears that every Andrew means trouble - in a mischievous way!

Chewbacca I'm with you. A Jennifer I know is a real troublemaker.

I could never have called a boy Leon, Garry or Harrison, or a girl Sharla, Victoria or Adele - they could have starred in Dynasty at 6 years old. If they could find something unkind to do, they’d do it.
My first name is ordinary so I probably am. My second name, which I use at work and for emails, Twitter, etc. is often used for boys nowadays. Probably explains some of the strange adverts that appear.

I used to love my name but I cringe every time I see or hear it now as it is being used as a pejorative for every bad deed on the planet.
Yes I am named Karen and no I don’t want to speak to the manager, no I am not racist, yes I wear my mask and have had both of my vaccinations. The real meaning of Karen is pure, I am not sure if I am pure but I am definitely kind.

Our son went out with a delightful girl called Araminta she was tall, blonde and interesting.

My great nephew was born a girl but self identifies as a boy. He was given a very pretty and very feminine name at birth. He still uses the name because he likes it and his parents chose it for him but a silent syllable and slightly different pronunciation mean it is appropriate for either gender or none. A name is just a name, it doesn't really say much about who we are.

Perhaps the name a child is given says more about the parents and their views of child rearing eg Jude and Dylan being named by liberal parents perhaps who give their children free rein and not too much discipline etc.

Carolines are either upper class or clumsy.

In a pretentious moment I called my DD Tatiana. She has never been called anything but a diminutive of that. It came as quite a surprise to friends and family when her full name was used at her wedding.

I'm Jane. Apparently named after my maternal grandmother who died when my mother was about 17.
She was Charlotte Lucy Jane - I got the end one as my mother didn't want names for any of us that could be shortened. So not sure why she used to call me Liz or Lizzy, along with Lucy locket.
As far as has it affected you? Not sure about the plain bit, but I'm usually the one at the back of the queue for everything!

The boy next door was called Nigel. He had a high piping voice and a permanently runny nose. I cannot hear that name without thinking of him. Chloes often seem to be spiteful.
Unfortunately, the class system is alive and well when it comes to naming children. The Waynes, Darrens, Garys, Sharons, Tracys and Charmaines are the parents and grandparents of the Tylers, Kyles, Rileys, Jaydens, Jensons, Willows, Kayleighs, Kylies, Chelseas and Chardonnays of more recent years as any long-serving teacher would know. Are there any well-behaved Rileys or Tylers out there?

I am so fascinated by names that I regularly check the Births column in the Daily Telegraph online. I’m not a Telegraph reader, but as far as I know it’s the only national paper that lists names. I envy the courage of some of the parents in their name choices. My children’s names are, or were, relatively unusual (though one of them has since become very fashionable), but not nearly as unusual as I’d have liked.

All the Jasons I have known have been rebellious and a bit troublesome but my granddaughter has married one. He is steady, reliable and nice to talk to so that scotched my previous assumptions!

Are there any well-behaved Rileys or Tylers out there?

I agree that there is a link between names and social class in the UK, but I'm less sure that there is a link between social class and bad behaviour.

Grandma70 i loved doing this in The Times, I used to buy it every day when working, only Saturdays now, great fun!

My aunt Mary was anything but boring, she was such a lovely and lively woman. Not sure about my name though - Emmy.

Jean.

Short sweet and a bit of a nippy sweetie.???

Marydoll

As a teacher, some names on a register used to make my heart sink!

No wonder some children are doomed to failure when teachers have this attitude.

My Niece a Senior School Teacher always says, you can tell by the kids names which "Set" they will in. Higher /Middle/ Bottom.

Marydoll

As a teacher, some names on a register used to make my heart sink!

??

Noooooo, not these comments about the name Dylan ... My new little grandson is called Dylan and I would hate for him to be pre-judged like this. True of any child ...