What's in a name?

Can you imagine how your life would be different if you had a different name? Can you imagine what opportunities you may have lost, or gained if your name was different? What if all the Johns became Sylvesters, or all the Elizabeths, Gertrudes?

Imagine if you go into an interview and the interviewer knows someone else who has the same name as you, but he hates them. do you think you can truly reverse the negative association he has with your name?

I guess I am referring to first names primarily, that is where the association could be less overt and more unique to the individual's taste.

Because throughout history it is obvious what certain last names could do for you. It is probably still true today: Trump, Hilton, Hitler all still carry a pretty heavy load of cash or genocide with them.

Also, on a slightly different note about names- when you see an attribution for a quote, do you hold it in higher regard if you already like the person who said it?

Here is an experiment, take this quote and see how it transforms when the attribution changes:

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-George W. Bush

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Mark Twain

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Rodney Dangerfield

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Sir Winston Churchill

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Oprah Winfrey

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Woody Allen

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure."-Pablo Picasso


But I guess Shakespeare already covered this ground: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet."