A recent survey done by two employees of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania showed a correlation between boys’ first names and criminal activity. It basically states that uncommon names are connected with criminal activity.
Guys named Michael are saints (or angels if you prefer).
Guys named Ernest are thugs.
“While the names are likely not the cause of crime, the researchers argue that “they are connected to factors that increase the tendency to commit crime, such as a disadvantaged home environment, residence in a county with low socioeconomic status, and households run by one parent.”
So, how much of a thug are you? How about your friends? Is is starting to make sense about your friend Clarence?
ryanguard.net 
I think you have to be very wary of men with two first names: George Michael, Elton John etc, or so my mum said…
http://www.okathleen.wordpress.com
i think there’s a similar study in, “Freakonomics”…???
it’s an interesting survey for a number of reasons, but in the end, i personally wouldn’t NOT give my child a name based entirely on it’s reputation.
oh…and i’m not much a thug.
Oh, I have Freakonomics on a shelf somewhere, have only dipped into it… Here in the UK there is utter snobbery attached to name gifting…
http://www.okathleen.wordpress.com
uuuughh. i’m pretty sure i leave out words when i type, simply because i’m afraid i’m going to.
“oh…and i’m not much OF a thug”.
Amaris- I thought “much a thug” was rather thuggish. I’m bummed it was a typo.
Okathleen- those are a couple of dudes I don’t think any ladies need to worry about. Just sayin.
Good point, but you see, there is something shifty about them… it might be a common thread…
http://www.okathleen.wordpress.com
I heard the study was inspired by the song “A Boy Named Sue”