The name of a CEO impact upon his or her success, a Ft.com writer, Lucy Kellaway, has suggested in response to a reader's letter.
The reader asked whether or not she should change her maiden name (Smith) to her soon-to-be husband's name when she marries; wondering if it would improve or hinder her chances of success in the business world.
Citing many pieces of research, Kellaway explained that yes, having a certain name can impact upon a person's chances of success. For example, she explained that a survey by LinkedIn found that simple names work better in business.
"If you are aiming at the very top of the ladder, the simpler the name the better. It looked at CEOs and found they were all called Bob, Jack, Bill and Steve," Kellaway revealed. "Though the same wasn't true for women. Females CEOs were all called Cynthia and Marjorie and Margaret."
She also said that the reader must consider xenophobia too, even though it could be construed as a form of discrimination. Kellaway wrote: "As you have an Anglo-Saxon name you might do well to hang on to it: MIT researchers have found that employers can be less inclined to interview candidates with wildly foreign names."
In fact, the impact of a CEO's name goes even further than Kellaway's comments - if a report from Inc.com is anything to go by. Some names can imply a person boasts certain attributes, it found. For example, Roberts are said to be ethical and caring, as well as fun. Marks aren't thought to be as caring, but will be successful; whilst Amys will fall low on the success scale but high on the popularity one.
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