If you are called Brian or Lisa and hungry for career success, one strategy could help you more than any other: change your name.

A study has suggested that while first names such as James and Elizabeth are strongly associated with success, others tend to be frowned upon when business is under discussion and snap judgments are being made.

The survey of perceptions among 6,500 respondents, which was conducted by Richard Wiseman, a psychologist from the University of Hertfordshire, investigated whether popular first names sounded successful, lucky and attractive. The project for the Edinburgh International Science Festival found that strong trends emerged, with Jack and Lucy the luckiest and Sophie and Ryan the most attractive.

Men called Thomas were rarely associated with business success or good luck, and – along with those called George – were the least likely to be considered good-looking. As for Ann, just 0.6 per cent of the sample found the name attractive.

Earlier studies have shown that such perceptions can become self-fulfilling prophecies, with teachers awarding higher marks to children with attractive names and employers more likely to promote those with names that sound successful.

Professor Wiseman’s advice to those naming their children is to play it safe. “Traditional names with royal associations are viewed as successful and intelligent, and so parents hoping for successful offspring might want to avoid more unusual names. Attractive female names tended to be soft-sounding and end with the ‘ee’ sound, whereas the sexiest male names are short and much harder sounding,” he said.

Instincts and preconceptions could lead to instant likes and dislikes. “People are walking around – women more than men – with these stereotypes in their heads without realising it. That could influence all sorts of decisions; it is teachers at school, people at work or even in politics,” he said.

“If you are making quick decisions about people then certain names will be seen as more successful and attractive. Those individuals will be given more of the time of day, the benefit of doubt and so on.”

Yet if looks, fame and wealth already set you apart, your name is unlikely to make much odds. Pondering whether the Hollywood heart-throb George Clooney should consider a switch, Professor Wiseman said: “It’s all relative. If he was called Ryan Clooney he would be an even bigger hit.”

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