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Have you ever known someone who just looks like their name? A Destiny who is so totally a Destiny, or a Tyler who could never be mistaken for a Jacob? Your instincts, it turns out, are supported by actual science.
In a cool series of experiments, researchers reporting in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology last month discovered that when given a list of five possibilities, people can correctly ID a stranger's name up to 40 percent of the time. Not perfect, but WAY better than random chance, which offers a mere 20 percent success rate.
Part of the accuracy may stem from generational name trends (when you hear Mildred, for instance, you might imagine a much older woman). Ethnic associations could play a role, too, so you might not be surprised to hear that the new Irish-looking redhead girl at school is named Quinn.
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The researchers also theorize that it's a two-way street: People might subconsciously adjust their appearance to match the mood of their own name. No wonder your friend Jet always looks so cool.
We bet you can figure out the names of Seventeen.com's editors just from a quick glance at our photos. Test your name-guessing skills with the quiz below!
Hannah Orenstein is the assistant features editor at Seventeen.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!
Hannah Orenstein is the author of several novels, including Meant to Be Mine (out June 7, 2022), Head Over Heels, Love at First Like, and Playing with Matches. She's also the Deputy Editor of Dating at Elite Daily. She lives in Brooklyn.
