Boys with unpopular first names are more likely to commit juvenile crimes than boys with popular names. Researchers found a direct correlation: the less popular the name, the higher the likelihood of delinquency. Girls with unusual names don't show this pattern.
Unpopular Names Linked to Juvenile Crime in Boys
In 2009, economists David Kalist and Daniel Lee published a surprising study: boys with unpopular first names were significantly more likely to commit juvenile crimes than their peers with popular names.
The researchers analyzed 15,012 names given to boys born in one U.S. state between 1987 and 1991. They created a popularity index where Michael (the most popular name) scored 100, David got 50, and names like Ernest, Tyrell, Kareem, and Alec each received a score of 1.
The Math of Misbehavior
The correlation was strikingly linear. For every 10% increase in name popularity, there was a 3.7% decrease in juvenile delinquency rates. Boys named Ernest were predictably more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system than boys named David, who were in turn more likely than boys named Michael.
This pattern held true regardless of race. Unpopular names consistently predicted higher rates of criminal charges across all demographic groups.
Does Your Name Make You a Criminal?
Before parents panic, here's the crucial caveat: names don't cause crime. As Kalist explained, troubled families tend to raise troubled kids and tend to give those kids unusual names. The name is a marker, not a cause.
Think of it this way: families facing economic hardship, instability, or other challenges may be less likely to choose conventional names. Those same challenges increase the risk of behavioral problems in children. The name itself isn't making anyone steal a car—it's just correlated with the underlying factors that do.
What About Girls?
Interestingly, girls with unusual names show completely different patterns. Research finds that girls with gender-neutral or masculine names are actually more likely to succeed in male-dominated fields like math, science, and law. A girl named Alex is twice as likely as her twin sister Isabella to take advanced math courses.
The gender difference suggests that social expectations and stereotypes play a huge role in how names affect us. For boys, deviation from the norm can signal (or create) social difficulties. For girls, it might signal confidence or nonconformity that helps in competitive environments.
So while Alec might face more challenges than Michael, an Alexis choosing to go by Alex might actually have an advantage over her classmate Sophia. Names matter—but in wildly different ways depending on who's wearing them.