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Your Name Influences Your Life Choices A Lot More Than You Realize

by Chris Riotta

A new video released by PBS Digital Studios' BrainCraft series explains the bizarre science behind our names and the way they affect our lives.

The video explains that, according to studies, people are more likely to live in places that resemble their names (Virginia will live in Virginia while Angela prefers Los Angeles), take on careers that sound similar to what they're called (Larry and Laurie are more likely to be lawyers) and even work better with people who have the same initials.

So, what is this a case of?

Shameless self-love with hard scientific evidence or just finding research to support a hypothesis?

I'll give you a hint and let you be the judge: One of the supporting studies was conducted by three men with the last names of Polman, Pollmann and Poehlman.