01-11-2010, 02:03 PM
By Deborah Huso
A new study suggests that the first letter in your name could be linked to your longevity. If your name starts with ââ¬ÅA,ââ¬Â then you probably have no cause for concern, but if your name begins with ââ¬ÅD,ââ¬Â study authors suggest the letterââ¬â¢s symbolic significance could result in you dying sooner than your peers, reports the Daily Mail.
Is it all hogwash?
Not necessarily. The study, conducted by researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit and published in the peer-reviewed journal "Death Studies" this month, examined the relationship between the first letters of a personââ¬â¢s name and his or her time of death.
The study examined two groups of people -- professional athletes as well as doctors and lawyers. ââ¬ÅIn each sport, athletes whose first names began with the letter D lived fewer years than those whose names collectively began with E to Z,ââ¬Â said study authors Ernest Abel and Michael Kruger, both of whom have been involved in several similar statistical studies in the past, including one that indicated baseball players with nicknames live longer than those without.
The researchers reviewed the lifespans of more than 10,000 athletes and professionals, focusing specifically on those whose names began with A, B, C or D -- letters associated with the grading system in American schools. The study showed those with A names substantially outlived those with D names. Researchers suggest that because D is associated with poor academic performance, those with D names are more apt to suffer from lower self-esteem, making them more prone to disease. However, the most concrete finding really isnââ¬â¢t all that striking. Athletes whose names began with D had a median survival age of 68.1 years, while those with names beginning with letters E to Z, which have no grade correlation, had median survival age of 69.9 years.
Thatââ¬â¢s not to say one should consider the psychology of names pure bunk. Countless studies have been conducted over the years indicating that oneââ¬â¢s name can play a significant role in oneââ¬â¢s self-esteem as well as how a person is perceived by others. For example, a well-known study published in the "Journal of Educational Psychology" in 1973, showed that elementary school teachers were prone to give higher grades to students with desirable names than to their counterparts with less common names, such as ââ¬ÅBerthaââ¬Â and ââ¬ÅElmer,ââ¬Â regardless of the quality of the studentsââ¬â¢ work.
Donââ¬â¢t sweat it if your name starts with ââ¬ÅD,ââ¬Â but if youââ¬â¢re flipping through a baby name book searching for the perfect moniker to bestow on the newest addition to your family, donââ¬â¢t entirely discount the power and meaning of names.
http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/...evity-name
A new study suggests that the first letter in your name could be linked to your longevity. If your name starts with ââ¬ÅA,ââ¬Â then you probably have no cause for concern, but if your name begins with ââ¬ÅD,ââ¬Â study authors suggest the letterââ¬â¢s symbolic significance could result in you dying sooner than your peers, reports the Daily Mail.
Is it all hogwash?
Not necessarily. The study, conducted by researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit and published in the peer-reviewed journal "Death Studies" this month, examined the relationship between the first letters of a personââ¬â¢s name and his or her time of death.
The study examined two groups of people -- professional athletes as well as doctors and lawyers. ââ¬ÅIn each sport, athletes whose first names began with the letter D lived fewer years than those whose names collectively began with E to Z,ââ¬Â said study authors Ernest Abel and Michael Kruger, both of whom have been involved in several similar statistical studies in the past, including one that indicated baseball players with nicknames live longer than those without.
The researchers reviewed the lifespans of more than 10,000 athletes and professionals, focusing specifically on those whose names began with A, B, C or D -- letters associated with the grading system in American schools. The study showed those with A names substantially outlived those with D names. Researchers suggest that because D is associated with poor academic performance, those with D names are more apt to suffer from lower self-esteem, making them more prone to disease. However, the most concrete finding really isnââ¬â¢t all that striking. Athletes whose names began with D had a median survival age of 68.1 years, while those with names beginning with letters E to Z, which have no grade correlation, had median survival age of 69.9 years.
Thatââ¬â¢s not to say one should consider the psychology of names pure bunk. Countless studies have been conducted over the years indicating that oneââ¬â¢s name can play a significant role in oneââ¬â¢s self-esteem as well as how a person is perceived by others. For example, a well-known study published in the "Journal of Educational Psychology" in 1973, showed that elementary school teachers were prone to give higher grades to students with desirable names than to their counterparts with less common names, such as ââ¬ÅBerthaââ¬Â and ââ¬ÅElmer,ââ¬Â regardless of the quality of the studentsââ¬â¢ work.
Donââ¬â¢t sweat it if your name starts with ââ¬ÅD,ââ¬Â but if youââ¬â¢re flipping through a baby name book searching for the perfect moniker to bestow on the newest addition to your family, donââ¬â¢t entirely discount the power and meaning of names.
http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/...evity-name
