American researchers claim that people with “unusual” names live on less than native speakers of biblical names.

Now is really a shock! That the name affects the character of a person everyone knows, but for it to influence lifespan is already too. After all, we do not choose names, give them to us parents. And more recently modern moms and dads struggling to show imagination and come up with your child of some name more original. And, as it turns out, in vain. According to studies by American scientists from Michigan state, the lives of people with “unusual” names on the average is somewhat shorter than the usual media names. Scientists say that early in life are at greatest risk of discrimination.

To reach this conclusion, a group of American researchers under the leadership of Lisa cook from Michigan state University analyzed nearly 3 million death certificates, made in Illinois, Missouri, Alabama and North Carolina during the period from 1809 to 1970. So they found that dark-skinned inhabitants of America are bearers of ancient names, such as Moses (Moses), or Elijah (Elias), lived on average a year more than those who called for a modern and trendy way, like Jamal or Lakisha.

And all because people with unusual names are more often discriminated against. Them harder the process of obtaining education, employment or search of funding for their projects or research. And people with biblical names throughout life, often in leadership positions and rapidly advance up the career ladder. Because people with old Testament names only by their names, already qualify for a certain credit of trust in religious people, and holders of “odd”, “unusual” names cause teachers and employers doubt that subconscious suspicion.

But don’t think that the researchers compared only the names that they took into account various environmental and socioeconomic factors, but this does not affect the detected dependencies between the name and the lifespan. Its specialists study published in the scientific edition of Explorations in Economic History.