names matter.

There's good reason to be wary of choosing names that are that unusual, says David Figlio, a professor of economics at the University of Florida and one of a growing number of researchers who are studying the impact a name may have on how a child is perceived, and even how he or she behaves. "We know now that names make a difference," says Figlio.

He has conducted studies that have found, for example, that girls with particularly feminine names, like Emma or Anna, are less likely to study math or science than peers with less feminine-sounding names (based on linguistic tests), such as Ashley or Lauren. A more recent study Figlio did found that boys with names that are traditionally associated with girls--Ashley, Kelly, or Leslie, for instance—are more likely to be difficult or disruptive in class than peers with more masculine names, and they're particularly likely to act up if there's a female student of the same name in their class.

Albert Mehrabian, a professor emeritus of psychology at UCLA, concurs: "There absolutely is a perception associated with a name."


His research has found that certain names are significantly more likely to be perceived, for example, as belonging to someone who is highly ethical, fun-loving and popular or successful. ("Jacob" scores highly on all three, while "Emma" is tops on attributes like being ethical and caring, but less so with being popular or successful.)

Still, even those who research names for a living warn parents not to get too wrapped up in the perceptions and popularity of specific names. "Yes, the name is something, but it's important to remember that there are all sorts of other things that influence you, and how others perceive you," says Figlio. "A name is not a sentence."

That's good news for Kennedy, who learned she was pregnant again last year. For months, she and her husband struggled to come up with a name they liked that wasn't too popular. But nothing felt quite right. So, in the end, they decided to use their hearts instead of the list, as their guide. When their second daughter was born five months ago, they named her Emma.