The social life of names: their network origins and life-course consequences

Choosing a name for one’s child is an important decision. Imbued with cultural and social associations, names shape how individuals are perceived and treated in social life, with significant consequences for their life outcomes. While extensive research has studied the name-giving process, its causes, and its consequences, an important limitation that permeates this research is its focus on either the most global name-giving patterns (e.g. trends over time), or the most local, immediate effects from names (e.g. call-back rates among individuals responding to a job-ad). Missing from this picture is a consideration of the meso-level––the social contexts and social networks that individuals are embedded in––and the cumulative effects of names that unfold over the life course. To address this gap, this project proposes three work packages (WPs). WP1 examines the social stratification of names; how it varies over time and by local population characteristics. WP2 investigates the role of social influence in the name-giving process and in bringing about associations between names and social status. WP3 analyzes how the effects of names accumulate over the life course.

To conduct these studies, the project uses detailed register data together with advanced statistical and computational tools. The project has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of the status dimension of names, what role social influence plays in name giving, and the cumulative effects of names.