Guest Blog: Is it all in the name?

Our second guest blogger is Nicole Morgan, a consultant here at Classroom who works in the Primary team. She is taking a look at whether you can judge a student by his or her name! Read on:

New term, new class, new names to learn. September each year inevitably brings with it a fresh bunch of ‘darlings’ still bubbling with the excitement of the summer, some fresh faced and ready to learn, others less so perhaps. So, as you cast your experienced eye over the register of this year’s cohort what images spring to mind? Will you need to watch out for Connor clobbering Callum at morning break? Will this year’s Brandon be as brutal as last years and will Elisabeth be the one educating YOU in Science this afternoon?

A recent online survey by parenting organisation Bounty.com explored the dialogue surrounding school children’s names. Of the 3000 teachers surveyed, nearly half admitted to possessing pre-conceived ideas of the characteristics and behaviour of a student based on their name alone, prior to their stepping foot into the classroom.

Topping the list of the ‘naughty’ names are both Callum and Connor for the boys coupled with Chelsea and Courtney for the girls, whilst the teachers surveyed seem to have agreed that the Alexanders, Adams and Elisabeths of the class tend to exhibit signs of being the brightest students. Of course, as Faye Mingo of Bounty stresses, ‘Teachers are only human and make assumptions like the rest of us’. One teacher, whose thoughts are cited in McDonagh’s times article, Names that mean trouble, reinforces these thoughts; ‘I went through my new class list and mentally circled the ones I thought would be most difficult. I reckon I have a 75% hit rate’

Top Ten Naughtiest Boys & Girls Names

1. Callum & Chelsea
2. Connor & Courtney
3. Jack & Chardonnay
4. Daniel & Aleisha
5. Brandon & Casey
6. Charlie & Crystal
7. Kyle & Jessica
8. Liam & Brooke
9. Jake & Demi
10. Brooklyn & Aisha

There are also perhaps some parallels to the adult world to be drawn here? The caddish characteristics of Callum Best and the wild ways of Courtney Love seem, if past press coverage is anything to go by, to have extended way beyond their childhood classrooms?!

It is perhaps noteworthy that another result of Bounty’s survey shows the overlap between the naughty and the popular; Jack, Daniel, Brooke and Courtney all feature on both top ten lists respectively. 57% of the teachers involved in research confirmed these findings by adding that the naughty children often find it easier to make friends and gain popularity than the their well behaved counterparts.

McDonagh, also notes in her recent Times article, ‘children who are called after places, or characters and actors in soaps and American sitcoms are likely to come from families who not only watch soaps but terrifyingly model themselves on them. Their children behave accordingly.’ A broad statement to make indeed, but could there be some socially founded link between the namers, the names and the behaviours exhibited? Food for thought perhaps…

As those teaching in this years classrooms, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this discussion; does a cheeky Charlie or a brainy Becky feature on your register?