.. but a class made up of only Aarons and Abbotts could be confusing

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Apparently science has proved that having a surname in the first half of the alphabet gives one a headstart in life. What do you think of this? Are more surnames A-L than M-Z anyway?

― Nick, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Observe also the ILE stats which feature a dazzling array of talent such as Easton, Hamilton, Kearney, Ewing, Dastoor, Hanley, Baran ranking high with only Raggett and Sinker to spoil the party.

― Tom, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It must be true and having a first name in the first half of the alphabet is double bubble and makes me even better. And Ally and Anthony. But not Tom, Pete, Nick or Mike.

― Emma, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can see it now, my autobiography, "his name always was in the second half of the alphabet, yet amazingly he never had a chip on his shoulder about this, indeed it only encouraged him to accomplish more great works in order to silence the aardvarks which dogged his personal life"

― Ronan, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just realised that my ever-ambitious parents went for the treble and gave me a middle name in the first half too! How come I am not more successful?

― Emma, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nonsense Emma, having a name in the second half of the alphabet is better if you have a surname in the first - only with that tiny taste of failure will we have the knowledge and the humility to achieve true success. I am sure Pete will back me up on this.

Also what is this innumerate mentalism about M being in the second half?

― Tom, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah, so *that's* why Catherine Zeta-Jones married Michael Douglas!

― Trevor, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, as somebody with both first *and* last names in the second half, it is quite clear that far from intensifying problems the combination signifies both uniqueness and astounding success in life, much in the same way that the seventh son of a seventh son is blessed. No, no need to thank me.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I fear having both names in the second half may instead signify tragic delusion.

― Tom, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom, I hope you are not accusing me of being a psychotic megalomaniac, or one of my minions will GET YOU.

― Emma, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom is dead right on this one. Although I feel sure that having the name of an ex member of Boyzone gives one an immediate handicap in life.

― Ronan, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

obviously, having a surname in the second half and a forename (or "prename") in the first half is the story of my life: torn between success and failure, perilously walking the tightrope, the dogs forever nipping at my heels.

― fred solinger, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ned, I always assumed you were an Edward.

I'm not sure I like this whole thing. I am beginning to feel like a chronic underachiever, seeing as previous research has also shown that being tall, good looking (apparently, I'm dreamy) and of course middle class are all supposed to be be shortcuts to success. Actually, what am I talking about 'beginning' to feel like a chronic underachiever.

― Nick, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I always assumed his real name was Nedward.

― DG, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh god, *here* we go.

My official birth certificate full-on name is Ned. Apparently my parents wanted a short name that couldn't be made into a nickname. Logically, my evil-minded peers proceeded to *extend* my name -- faves from high school: Nedward, Nedrico, Neduardo, Nesbitt Ragu, the Grateful Ned, the Ned Kennedys, Ned Sex (after the 80s NYC club hound/coke fiend John Sex, he of the absurd spiralling blonde hairdo)...

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Actually, *have* we done a nickname thread? No matter, I shall start one.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

When I worked in the registry here I had to make up tedious files for people (got to read personal info so not all bad). However if you divide up surnames here the split is - shockingly - A-G / H-Z.

― Pete, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think you should write a smart-arsed letter to the Economist/Telegraph. Or do you suspect that SOAS students are an unrepresentative sample of the population, being all such terrific overachievers.

― Nick, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've just had a look at a reference book lying around on my desk and found that there are 159 pages of A-L solicitors in England and Wales and only 115 pages of M-Zs. Again, you could feasibly argue that solicitors are terrifically successful people, but it wouldn't wash with me. Has anyone got a residential phone book handy? Actually even that wouldn't work, as it excludes people too unsuccessful to have a phone and people so successful that they are ex-directory.

Hmm... quick check on Debrett's People of Today yields an almost identical ratio. I think this whole thing is crock of shit.

― Nick, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i don't think it's just names - i think the English language as a whole is skewed towards the start of the alphabet... anyone have a dictionary handy to confirm?

― m jemmeson, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've just remembered that the old London residential phone book was divided A-D, E-K, L-R and S-Z.

― Nick, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of (ourz3, 4z 3v3ryon3 knowz, only 17 of + h3 zymbolz !n +h3 4lph4b3t 4r3 4(+ually "l3t++3rz"

― mark s, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the A-M Volume of the Britniaca Dictonary is 198 pages longer then the M-Z

― anthony, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hey, all this "We got more solicitors than you" crap's not fair.

We're being held back by lame-ass letters like X and Z.

― jamesmichaelward, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

X rules as a letter. It is the iconoclast letter . All words that start with x are marvy.

― anthony, Friday, 31 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What, including 'xenophobic'?

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 2 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hilarious that everyone is turning to phonebooks to research irrelevant pop.distrib. explanations of the phenom when the phonebook is entirely and totally the CAUSE of the phenom in a much more immediate way, involving genetic page- turning laziness. You want a plumber, you pick up yellow pages, you have the choice of AA Plumbers, AAA Plumbers or AAAA Plumbers. Zyxy Zyzz the Plumber died of starvation because you allow yrself to be Oppressed by Alphabetical Fascism!!

Death to Traditionalist Pseudo-Greek Figural Exceptionalism!!! Qw3r+y Qw3r+y Qw3r+y n0w n0w n0w!!!

― mark s, Sunday, 2 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah but Mark I was talking about the residential phone books. I apologise for miscounting the letters in the alphabet though - A-M, yes - not A-L.

― Nick, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

my surname is montez. Maryann C. Montez.

― maryann, Wednesday, 17 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three months pass...

Has anyone done any further popular distribution by surname letter starting yet? I remember this being a key ILE project back in the day.

― Pete, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the combination signifies both uniqueness and astounding success in life
Ned is once again OTM.

― Vinnie Prabhu, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Vindication!

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ned Sex=best nickname ever.

― Arlene Brenda, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't know if I wore it perfectly well at the time.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What's with this AMAZING FACT that 26 of G. Bush's predecessors had surnames in the first half of the alphabet, including his father? I must have read it wrong.

― maryann, Monday, 4 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Vindication!

For shame, Ned.

― Vinnie, Wednesday, 6 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maryann: my friend was totally confused by that sentence too. They mean presidential predecessors.

― Vinnie, Wednesday, 6 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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