Showing posts with label Usain Bolt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Usain Bolt. Show all posts

Sep 21, 2013

Wordology, Aptronym

Have you noticed that some people seem to have very appropriate and entirely coincidental names? Names such Usain Bolt (Jamaican sprinter), Lord Brain (brain surgeon), or Alto Reed (saxophonist). This is called an aptronym, as in 'aptly named'.

Some people believe that the name can influence life decisions leading a person to work in a field relating to their name. This is called 'nominative determinism'.