Have you ever pondered whether your name gives you an advantage in life or holds you back?
A new survey from
Resume.io
examined over 3,000 LinkedIn profiles to determine whether a person’s first name influences their success in reaching top executive positions. It appears that certain names occur more often among those holding high-ranking leadership roles compared to others.
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.
The study looked at the names of people in top-level executive positions in the U.S., from CEOs to managers, on LinkedIn and found that John is the “most successful name in the business world.” Michael took No. 2, followed by David at No. 3.
Robert and Mark made up the final two spots in the top five rankings. Individuals named John held the highest number of CEO positions, whereas those called Michael were prevalent as CFOs. Additionally, David was frequently seen in managerial roles.
Just a single feminine name appeared on the top 10 list ( Jennifer ), ranking at number six. Among the profiles examined by Resume.io, only about thirty percent represented females.
Amanda Augustine, a certified career coach and expert at
Resume.io
, said the report “highlights a long-standing trend in corporate leadership.”
“Certain names appear more frequently in positions of power, reflecting deeper societal and workplace biases,” Augustine said. “While skills and experience should define success, unconscious bias can influence both hiring and promotion decisions, favoring those with classic American, masculine names.”
A recent report from the
World Economic Forum
found that 36.4% of women were hired into leadership positions in 2024, down from the 36.9% hired in 2023.
Under female names, “Kimberly” was found to be in the middle of the pack, but “Kim” was found to be the most common name for an executive with a “director” title.
Jennifer, Lisa, and Mary led the rankings.
Click here
For the complete Resume.io report.
