Success and billionaires: UK’s most influential jobs go to men named John

Some of the UK’s top jobs go to men named John, with research revealing they are most likely to be company directors, Members of Parliament, and win a Nobel Prize. John is also the most common name among the nation’s 165 billionaires.

For women, the name Sarah is most linked with success. According to the research, conducted by name label manufacturer MyNametags.com, women named Sarah are almost twice as likely to become doctors than those with any other female name. They are also most likely to be a Member of Parliament and become a partner at a law firm.

In sport, athletes named Tom, Harry, Matthew, and Emily are most likely to win an Olympic medal for Team GB.

Men named Joe dominate the Premier League, while Jack and Alex rank second and third amongst players in English top-flight clubs. In women’s football, Sophies and Hannahs are most likely to turn pro in the Women’s Super League.

Davids and Michaels are most likely to be creative types, with the research showing that people with these names receive the most nominations for Artist of the Year at the Brit Awards.

Michaels also have a high probability of achieving success in literature, alongside Kates, with these names writing 4% of all best-rated contemporary British novels.

However, when it comes to academic success, those named Anna and Thomas are most likely to succeed, with the names found to be most common among students at the University of Oxford.

Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at MyNametags.com, comments: “We’ve been tracking name trends for over 20 years, and have always been intrigued by the relationship between names and chances of success. Interestingly, our research suggests that our names can play a role in where life leads us.

“From the dominance of Johns among UK billionaires to the rise of Sarahs in medicine, these findings offer a unique perspective on cultural trends. However, looking at the UK’s current most popular baby names suggests that the millionaires of tomorrow might include a few names, such as Noah, George, Olivia, and Amelia.”

Most successful male names:

1. John
2. David
3. Thomas
4. Andrew
5. James

Most successful female names:

1. Sarah
2. Hannah
3. Anne
4. Emma
5. Rebecca