h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When you hear someone's name, but haven't yet met them, does it give you a first impression of what they might be like as people?

I came to realise today that anyone called 'Bob' is down to earth, reliable and dependable.

I cast my mind back through all the Bobs I ever worked with, and with few exceptions they were exactly like this. Bob'll be up there to fix it in a moment. Bob's going down to the depot this afternoon and wants to know if you need anything.

I don't know why this is the case. Were they originally Roberts who had the order of the Bob conferred upon them by their peers for being dependable? Would they have remained as Roberts if they were unreliable? Had they once been called Bob and then moulded themselves around that template?

And are there any other names which inspire particular first impressions?

My dad is a member of the order of the Bob I think Dave is a similar name - a mate who wants to help with stuff if possible. However, Rob is not so down to earth, but is more fashionable.

Whereas around here, Billy Bob is the guy you want to take with you when noodling catfish.

He'll bring his own pickup truck and helpful dawg...also, probably, a six-pack.

You're right, Sasha. "Dave" is a mate you'd drink with. Bob wouldn't stay long in the pub - he'd be off helping out at the village hall or something.

All through grade school, I was a full length "Robert".
When I went off to college, I introduced myself as just a "Rob".

I'm definitively not a "Bob". While I do consider myself down to earth, reliable and dependable, I think I'm too complicated to be a "Bob". I'm probably not the first person someone calls to fix anything or for favors in general. I am a bit standoffish, more of a loner; this is distinctively non"Bob" behaviour.

When I was a kid playing Little League baseball, our assistant coach insisted on calling me "Bubba". I loathed the name and him for using it. My instincts may have been onto something. A few years later he murdered his youngest son in a bitter domestic dispute.

He was a "Benny". Can't trust "Benny"s.

This is what we call prejudice, both positive and negative. What's in a name? That which we call a and so on.

Good point, but it's not just an arbitrary prejudice with a name like "Bubba". That one actually does say something objective about a person.

It says you need better friends who'll give you a good nickname.

You're right, of course, Recumbentman, but I guess I was thinking more of first impressions than deep-rooted prejudice. In any case, it's all offered light-heartedly.

This throws a new angle on something I have often thought about.

Firstly however - there are no names I can think of that immediately conjure up particular characteristics. Oh - wait a minute. Everyone I know called Patrick is pretty mischievous or difficult. When I christened one of my sons with that name, in honour of his grandad (my father), little did I know I was endowing him with the baggage that went with the name.



Anyway, the train of thought that this set off was regarding first impressions. In the "old days" you would meet people usually face to face first and were overwhelmed by the impression of what they looked like, how they spoke, how they dressed and presented themselves. This coloured your opinion of them, whether you wanted it to or not. In fact the visual impression hits you before they've even said anything, so it pretty much dominates.

Then, for years, at least in the work situation, you would have contact with people on the phone and you had the voice to go on, but could concentrate more on what they were saying and how they said it.

Thirdly, on the internet all the externals were eliminated and you could finally form an opinion on a person based only on what they wrote, and, at least, on h2g2, you got a good impression of how the inside of their head worked. At last! Judging people on what actually mattered!

So now, with the introduction of names, this takes on a whole new dimension. Do we (subconsciously or not) really judge people by the name they have been given, and if so, do we do this to a more or less extent on line (where they may have chosen the name themselves)?

All names carry baggage from the past though which confer upon the owner prejudgement by others however unreasonable.
Try a little experiment and be honest report the result if you like your first impression that pops into your mind associated with the name, negative or positive. Scroll down its hidden below







Down further











Alexander

Overwhelmingly positive, Bob

I gotta say, that's one name I have a very strong reaction to. Every person I've met who goes by the name of [Removed] I've found quite unpleasant.

They barge into a conversation, but they never say anything relevant to the conversation. They're always obsessed with moderation rather than staying on subject. Worse they always change the topic of the conversation to themselves even though they have nothing to say beyond that. Then, often when you look for them later, you can't find them.

If I hadn't stopped by and posted this, the subject of this conversation would still be about that fellow, [Removed].

Oh, I should mention that sometimes if you just wait a bit, they just go away on their own.

This thread is teetering on the sexist. What about women's names?

Do you expect a Tiffany to be a bubbleheaded sort of person?

I've always found women's names to be a good indicator of general age - baby girls get named by fashion, at least in the US. Almost every Jennifer I knew growing up was born in the early 60s, and had a slightly older sister named Melissa, called Missy.

Oh, yes. Boys names also tend to be more fashionable lately, but especially girls. There are plenty of Emmas these days, but very few Irises and no Elsies. Marys are eternal and fairly ubiquitous on this side of the world though.

First reaction to Alexander: great.

Second reaction:

Of nefarious doings I tell;
Alexander (the great) Graham Bell
Simply took, without mention,
Meucci's invention,
His fame, and his fortune as well.

Thats interesting if not unexpected now try














Martin

I've not known many Martins to be honest, Bob.

Of these, I'd say: friendly but not extrovert.

Martin. That's easy. I have borne one. A very sensible, down-to-earth chap, intelligent, GSOH. I have yet to meet one that isn't.

St Martin's Day soon. Celebrated quite a bit here in Germany.

Alexander? *checks heartbeat* No reaction. Most of the Alexanders hereabouts are Russian. Well educated, drily witty.

Having said that, I am still not in favour of generalisations. Theoretically, how can a name indicate your character? You are (usually) given it at birth by parents who don't know you yet. Do people live to deserve their name? I certainly haven't made any effort to meet up to the demands created by my name. Anyway, I didn't really know what it meant/implied till a few years ago. If I had been growing up in France or Germany with the same name, or worse still, a mixture of the two, the expectations connected with it would have been sooooo different, that I would have ended up with a split personality.