Names really do make a difference

Guardian | The Observer ^ | 4/29/07 | Anushka Asthana

[LibWhacker]

Research shows that girls with 'feminine' names steer clear of 'masculine' maths and science

Parents are being warned to think long and hard when choosing names for their babies as research has discovered that girls who are given very feminine names, such as Anna, Emma or Elizabeth, are less likely to study maths or physics after the age of 16, a remarkable study has found.

Both subjects, which are traditionally seen as predominantly male, are far more popular among girls with names such as Abigail, Lauren and Ashley, which have been judged as less feminine in a linguistic test. The effect is so strong that parents can set twin daughters off on completely different career paths simply by calling them Isabella and Alex, names at either end of the spectrum. A study of 1,000 pairs of sisters in the US found that Alex was twice as likely as her twin to take maths or science at a higher level.

[LibWhacker]

Opposite's true, too, I think. I never met anyone in math or science with a super-macho name.

[martin_fierro]

And girls with names like “Anushka” tend to write sillyass articles.

[Lexington Green]

.. a girl named Bob

[Eternal_Bear]

Nope, never been a Nobel prize winner in science named Bubba or Billy Bob.

[Millee]

Right. I’ll name my next daughter Fred then.

[Always Right]

Name all your girls cross-gendered names like Pat or Jo and they will be mathematical geniuses..

[hosepipe]

LoL...

[LibWhacker]

Lol, I was going to comment that she should’ve gone into math with a name like that.

[SolidWood]

What a load of BS from the Guardian.

[Screamname]

I think a first name no matter how macho would not help this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhO2PpGiBtI

[LibWhacker]

Remember poor Dweezil? Wonder how he turned out?

[Spruce]

I’ll take “Junk pseudo-science with no basis in reality” for 400, Alex.

[nikos1121]

I noticed Kuntakintay was not mentioned. Just wondering what the outcome has been on that name, popular among African Americans after ROOTS came out.

[Oberon]

Nope, never been a Nobel prize winner...named Bubba or Billy Bob.

That's only 'cuz there ain't no Nobel prize for frog giggin'.

[Frank_2001]

You’d have better luck in German. Hermann von Helmholtz (physics, physiology) sounds like a good name for a general! (Over a century ago, though;)

[Allegra]

Right. I’ll name my next daughter Fred then.

Aw, what the hey? Just name her "Butch" and see if she wins a Nobel Prize for some great scientific breakthrough.

This article is a load of Anushka. LOL

[pax_et_bonum]

Lorena Bobbitt

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Polly?

[pgyanke]

Marie Curie was quoted as saying, "Whatever."

[Kaslin]

.. a girl named Bob

That's a boy named Sue.