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July 15, 2009

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First Names and Crime: Does Unpopularity Spell Trouble?

This article is published in the Social Science Quarterly, v.90, no.1.

"We add to the literature on first names by finding, regardless of race, a positive correlation between unpopular first names and juvenile delinquency. The first names of juvenile delinquents do not represent a random sample of first names in the general population. A 10 percent increase in the popularity of a name is associated with a 3.7 percent decrease in the number of juvenile delinquents who have that name. Because unpopular names may signal an increased propensity to commit crime, this study provides additional insight (beyond that of a discrimination motive on the part of employers) as to why job applicants with unpopular names may be disadvantaged." -- Docuticker

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