What's in a name? Apparently a lot of money, depending on what that name is. There are various things that can have an impact on one's financial success, and it appears that can include what you've been named. A recent study concluded that men and women with these names were most likely to earn more money than others: Andrew and Anna.
The study, released in April by Study Finds, was conducted by the investment firm eToro, which analyzed its 12 million-user database to determine which first names had the best and worst investment performance over the past year. Men with the name Andrew and women with the name Anna were the top performers in 2019.
Not every name was as fortunate, however. Researchers also narrowed down the worst names when it came to investment success for their database users. For men, the worst performers in 2019 were named Ali, Rob, Dan, Chris, and Dominic. And for women, the worst performers were named Karen, Claire, Lisa, Jennifer, and Rachel.
"A name is not just something you use to distinguish yourself from others, it also affects the way others see you," Iqbal V. Gandham, managing director of eToro UK, said in a statement. "There has been a raft of research done over the years showing a very strong link between what you call your child and their future success. So, it could quite literally pay dividends to take your time when choosing."
But Andrew and Anna aren't the only ones likely to earn more money than the average person. Read on to find out what other names may make men and women more likely to be financially successful. And for more ways to see if you're sitting on unknown financial potential, here's How to Find Out If Your State Owes You Money.
1 | Sam
iStockIf you don't want to name your son Andrew, try Sam. Men named Sam had the second best financial performance, eToro determined. However, in terms of popular baby names, Sam doesn't even break the top 500, per Social Security Administration data. But it could be a shortened form of Samuel—the 21st most popular boy's name from 2018. And for more baby names from this year, check out All the Cutest Celebrity Baby Names of 2020.
2 | Maria
iStockAnd if Anna isn't your idea of a great name for your baby girl, try the second top financial performer's name: Maria. In terms of popularity, Maria was the 116th most popular girl name in 2018.
3 | Alex
iStockA boy named Alex is apparently also likely to earn more money than others. Not to mention the fact that this Greek name is pretty strong, too. Naming your son Alex will give him a name that means "defender of men" or "protector of mankind." And for all the names that are supposed to be popular this year, here are 33 Baby Names That Will Be Huge in 2020.
4 | Laura
iStockWomen with the name Laura also do well for themselves financially, eToro reported. The Latin name Laura comes from the laurel tree, which was a symbol of honor and victory.
5 | Christopher
iStockYou definitely won't be alone if you want to name your son Christopher. Not only was Christopher one of the top financial performance names, but it was also one of the top 50 most popular baby boy names in 2018. And for ways to be more financially successful no matter what your name is, discover 33 Tiny Shopping Habits That Will Save You Loads of Money in the Long Run.
6 | Helen
ShutterstockYou can also name your daughter Helen if you want her to have a good chance at finding financial success. The name Helen has Greek origins, meaning "shining light" or "the bright one."
7 | Darren
iStockThe name Darren may have great chances of financial success and also literally means "great," but it actually isn't all that great when it comes to popularity. In fact, Darren was only the 652nd most popular boy name in 2018.
8 | Sarah
iStockSarah is a good name for your daughter if you're looking out for her future financial success. It's also just a good name to have if you want your daughter to feel regal, as it means "princess." And for more useful content delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
