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In light of two recent studies, expecting parents might consider doing a little social engineering when naming their children. New evidence suggests if you're trying to convey intelligence the more middle initials in your name, the smarter people will assume you to be.
Also, if you want to be trusted more, use a first name that everyone can pronounce. That effect seems to be in line with another study (not peer-reviewed) indicating short first names correlate with higher earnings.
Perhaps one should combine the two and just use initials for all but the surname, like J.P. Morgan?
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More Middle Initials Make You Seem Smarter
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You have an ambitious nature and may make a name for yourself.
(Score: 5, Funny) by internetguy on Wednesday May 07 2014, @02:56PM
Nope, middle initial doesn't seem to help.
Sig: I must be new here.
(Score: 4, Funny) by weeds on Wednesday May 07 2014, @02:59PM
George H. W. Bush - nope, not better at all!
Get money out of politics! [mayday.us]
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:20PM
Homer J. Simpson?
(Score: 1) by linsane on Wednesday May 07 2014, @07:41PM
Sounds like he is a lawyer?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 07 2014, @09:57PM
didn't he change his name to Max Power?
(Score: 2) by LaminatorX on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:57PM
I dunno, I'm pretty sure that Bush the Elder was way smarter than Dubya, then again, that could just be the extra middle initial making it seem that way.
(Score: 1) by GeminiDomino on Wednesday May 07 2014, @05:48PM
That's what we call a "low bar to clear."
"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture"
(Score: 1) by Oligonicella on Wednesday May 07 2014, @06:08PM
And yet, Obama failed to clear it.
Anyone can play that stupid game.
(Score: 2) by hatta on Wednesday May 07 2014, @06:45PM
Obama is clearly smarter than Bush. He's not a nicer person, or better at his job, but clearly smarter.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Thexalon on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:02PM
Not necessarily: Most people think that George H.W. Bush is smarter than George W. Bush.
But then again, "Alfred E. Neuman".
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:22PM
I see your Alfred E. Neuman, and raise you an Albert Einstein and a Stephen Hawking. If that's not enough, I'll throw in a Sir David Attenborough (did you notice how the prefixing title have a bit more effect than the not normally mentioned middle name/initial?)
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Funny) by VLM on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:29PM
"and raise you an Albert Einstein and a Stephen Hawking."
I'll take "Spock"
(Score: 4, Funny) by bob_super on Wednesday May 07 2014, @03:49PM
God
(Score: 2) by mrclisdue on Wednesday May 07 2014, @05:19PM
God, esq.
(Score: 2) by hubie on Thursday May 08 2014, @12:33AM
Jesus H. Christ!
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Wednesday May 07 2014, @04:43PM
He might be, as that is a relative comparison. Unfortunately, compared to most of humanity, they both rank remarkably low...