Given Names, Social Class, and Professional Achievement

Abstract

Previous research has shown that persons with unusual given names were more likely to have problems in personal and social adjustment. In the present study, given names were recorded for 2300 residents of high and low income areas and for 4000 professionals. Unique given names were more frequent for women, for the poor, and for blacks, and infrequent in the professions. The highest percentage of names not found in the professions occurred among the poor, especially the black poor.