An analysis of LinkedIn members suggests it is possible your name is affecting your career prospects. The analysis revealed shortened or monosyllabic names, such as Bob, Jack, Bruce and Fred, are the most popular names among male CEOs. Whereas for women, the opposite appears true, with names such as Deborah, Sally, Cynthia and Carolyn more likely to be the names of female CEOs than short or abbreviated names. (Management Today, December 2011 edition). A piece of research I read a few years ago (notes found, but source not written down) also said that the top jobs were mostly given to men and women who were taller than the other candidates. Well, we can’t change our birth height, but we can change our name if we really want to. One of the things that all people and places have in common is (NAMES). Have you ever asked yourself, “What does my name mean?”. Most people have some idea of their name meaning or where their name came from, except perhaps me! I have no idea, so decided to do some investigating – apologies if this self-indulgence bores you! My birth name is not the one I now use, and in fact I changed it by deed poll to Kate, a nick name many of my family and friends had used since my youth. Interestingly, even though my father almost always called me Kate or Katie as a kid, when I actually changed it legally to Kate, he was offended, and almost always refuses now to call me Kate. Why is it not seen as offensive [to the person] to give someone a nick name, yet not ok to accept they might not like their birth name. It seems there is a lot in a name, a lot more than just our sense of identity. My birth name originated in England, and means keeper of the keys, pure; it is a unisex name and can be used for a boy or girl name. My chosen name of Kate is Irish, and means pure, virginal. Other origins for the name Kate include English, French, and it is most often used as a girl name or female name. I guess I was virginal once! And I rather like the fact that my birth and chosen name both mean pure. My dear husbands name Peter is a Greek name, and means a rock. It also originates from English. In German, the name Charles means manly, farmer. Other origins for the name Charles include – German, English, French. In English, the name Charles means man (from the Old English ceorl), and not surprisingly this name is most often used as a boy name. Both versions suit my son, and there are times when he is so like my father in nature, that I think he must be a farmer! My other sons name is Matthew, which is a Biblical name, and means Gods gift. Other origins for the name Matthew include Hebrew. There are days I really wish he felt this. So does it really affect who we are, or how we feel? I’m not sure, but I love my name and feel strongly it is part of my identity. On remarrying, I did not choose to take my husband’s surname, and instead retained my maiden name. I feel strongly about this, but understand the challenges when two people have children together, as the hyphenated names are okay first time round, but then is two people marry both with hyphenated names, it could get very complicated. We all have our own reasons for changing or keeping our birth surname, and therefore it is pointless to judge them or make assumptions about a choice that has no bearing on you. A few weeks before I married my dear husband, over a glass of champagne, I asked him is he would like to take my surname when we married. He was rather incensed, and said very definitively there was no way he would change his surname. I responded with, then you won’t mind if I don’t take yours then?  Touche! He is very much a traditionalist, and strongly believed we should marry rather than live together, so I suspect me changing my name to his was subconsciously expected. However, he is completely happy with it, and has never given me any grief about my not taking his surname. For most of our marriage though, his parents refused to use my maiden surname, and mostly referred me to using his [their] surname, even though we had announced at the Church we would be staying with our birth surnames. It does seem there is a lot in a name,  not just our own identity, but that of the extended family, and our prospective employers. With dementia, I am starting to forget people’s names and faces, and the research I have read suggests I may forget my own one day. I find it emotionally challenging to deal with when I forget the name and face of a friend, but wonder how I’ll feel when I forget who I am, and whether I will lose my sense of identity as can happen when you become unemployed. Something to think about on my more bored days I guess!