The Atlantic has recently published the results of new research from the University of Melbourne which shows that employees with easier-to-pronounce names are more likely to get promoted!

Researchers led by Dr. Simon Laham analysed how the pronunciation of names can influence impression formation and decision-making in the workplace. They used field data on 500 lawyers in the U.S. and conducted a mock ballot experiment. They used a range of names from Anglo, Asian and West and East European backgrounds.

The research found that attorneys with more pronounceable names advanced their career more quickly in their companies, while political aspirants with simpler names were more likely to be elected. This effect didn’t depend on the name’s length or cultural origin, but on its ease of pronunciation.

The full study, “The Name-Pronunciation Effect: Why People Like Mr. Smith More Than Mr. Colquhoun” (PDF) was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.