I didn’t mind my unusual first name – until I found out it could cost me dearly | Torsten Bell

Research shows that those with easier to pronounce names are more successful in the workplace

Names matter. I’ve written a whole book about our country being called Great Britain at a time when things haven’t been going great. And being called Torsten causes all kinds of trauma – there was the distant relative who just gave up and called me Tristram.

But I’ve not worried that having a weird name might have economic impacts. Until now. Reading a few studies last week has made me less chillaxed, because it turns out ease of pronouncing your name matters. A 2012 Australian study found that having a harder to pronounce name was associated with being judged less positively by others. And within law firms, it reduced your chance of having a top position.

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