The Psychology of Names: An Empirical Reexamination1

Four studies were conducted to examine how a first name might impact the way a person is perceived when varying amounts of information about the person are available. In Study 1, first names that are used more often today than in the past (young-generation names) were preferred to first names that have never been used often (not-common names), which in turn were liked more than first names that were used more often in the past than they are today (old-generation names). In Study 2, these names were evaluated in the context of résumés and personal ads. Old-generation names received the least favorable reactions, but inconsistencies were obtained between the other two classifications of names. Study 3 suggested that the results of the first 2 studies cannot be attributed to the use of a college-age sample. Study 4 demonstrated that people tend to infer a variety of characteristics from these three classifications of names. Results are discussed with respect to first-impression formation and ageism.