Jm. Twenge et M. Manis, FIRST-NAME DESIRABILITY AND ADJUSTMENT - SELF-SATISFACTION, OTHERS RATINGS, AND FAMILY BACKGROUND, Journal of applied social psychology, 28(1), 1998, pp. 41-51
The association between undesirable first names and poor psychological
adjustment has been studied by several investigators. However, it is
not clear if self-ratings, commonness, or others' ratings of name desi
rability are most important in this relationship. In addition, family
background might influence both psychological adjustment and first nam
es. In a sample of undergraduates and their same-sex siblings (n = 294
), self-satisfaction with first names predicted adjustment more consis
tently than did name commonness and others' ratings of name desirabili
ty. Using a paired-siblings design to control for family background, t
he sibling with higher scores on adjustment was also more satisfied wi
th his or her name and received higher name desirability ratings from
others. Results are discussed in terms of identity and the looking-gla
ss self.