Nominative determinism
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Nominative determinism (ND) is a term popularized by the magazine New Scientist. It refers to amusing instances where people's names coincidentally reflect some aspect of their jobs, professions or lives. Synonyms include aptronym, apronym, aptonym, jobonymns, namephreaks, onomastic determinism, Perfect Fit Last Names (PFLNs), psychonymics, and classically nomen omen or όνομα ορίζοντας. ND researchers are comiconomenclaturists.
Technically "Mr. Bunn the baker" is ND but real examples are more highly prized, the more obscure the better.
New Scientist occasionally resumes the publication of these items in its "Feedback" section, and usually has to call a halt soon afterwards as readers send in floods of examples.
[edit] Examples
- Scott Speed, Formula 1 race car driver, similarly NASCAR driver Lake Speed
- Cardinal Sin, former Archbishop of Manila
- Lord Justice Judge, British High Court judge
- Reg Empey, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Belfast; his job is equivalent to the role of "MP"
- Larry Speakes, a Whitehouse spokesman to several Presidents, most notably Ronald Reagan.
- William Shakespeare, professor of English Literature at Brigham Young University.
- Dick Justice, a Champaign, Illinois police officer
- Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform.
- S.M. Breedlove, who wrote on sexual dimorphism for the Journal of Neuroscience
- Lord Brain, leading neurologist and peer of the realm.
- J.W. Splatt and D. Weedon, urologists who published several papers on incontinence together. It was discussion of Splatt and Weedon that led New Scientist to coin the term in the first place.
- Kevin De Cock, director of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organisation.
- Nozomi and Hikari, twin sisters and trainee drivers on the Japanese bullet train, two of which are called Nozomi and Hikari. [1]
- Arsene Wenger, manager of Arsenal FC.
- Tom Lehrer was a Harvard University math professor, and Lehrer is the German for (male) teacher.
- Joe Holiday, former minister of tourism in Gibraltar.
- Brenda Love, author of The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices.
[edit] Research into nominative determinism
- Bennett, HJ. (1992-12-02). "A piece of my mind. Calling Dr Doctor". JAMA 268 (21): 3060. PMID 1306061. commented on by Balestra and Hug (below):
- Balestra, DJ. (1993-04-07). "Dr Doctor calls back". JAMA 269 (13): 1637. PMID 8455293.
- Hug, Hr. (1993-04-07). "Dr Doctor calls back". JAMA 269 (13): 1637. PMID 8455294.
- Casler, L. (1975). "Put the Blame on Name". Psychol Rep 36 (2): 467–472.
- Christenfeld, N; Phillips DP, Glynn LM (September 1999). "What's in a name: Mortality and the power of symbols". J Psychsom Res 47 (3): 241–254. PMID 10576473.
- Cole, C (2001-02-09). "Is work calling your name?". George Street Journal 25.
- Dickson, P. (1996). What's in a name?. Springfield MA.: Merriam-Webster.
- Joubert, CE. (1985). "Factors Related To Individuals Attitudes Toward Their Names". Psychol Rep 57 (3): 983–986.
- Luscri, G; Mohr PB (June 1998). "Surname effects in judgments of mock jurors". Psychol Rep 82 (3): 1023–1026.
- Murphy, WF (1957). "A Note on the Significance of Names". The Psychoanalytic Quarterly 26: 91–106.
- Nuessel, F (1994). The Study of Names. Greenwood Press.
- Slovenko, R (1983). "The Destiny Of A Name". J Psychiatry Law 11 (2): 227–270.
- Slovenko, R (April 1980). "On naming". Am J Psychother 34 (2): 208–219. PMID 7386692.
- Strumpfer, DJW (1978). "Relationship Between Attitudes Toward Ones Names And Self-Esteem". Psychol Rep 43 (3): 699–702.
