The name game: Ed and Liz are quids in!

• ‘Ed’ is the most valuable male name, with Eds’ average annual earning potential topping £61k, while women named ‘Liz’ earn the most, securing an average of £39k
• The least valuable baby names for boys and girls are Reece and Paige, with earning potentials of £23k and £20k respectively
• The most popular babies names, Oliver and Amelia, are worth £36k and £28k
• The top 186 names for earning potential are all male, further evidence of gender pay gap
• Using a nickname could mean more money, with ‘Bill’s paid £57k on average, ‘Will’s taking home £45k, yet those going by ‘William’ earning just £36k a year
• Royal names are a steady bet, with ‘William’s typically worth £36k, ‘Kate’s £34k, ‘George’s £37k and ‘Charlotte’s £27k a year

Mums and dads contemplating names for their new babies might want to consider how a name can affect their offspring’s future earning potential, with ‘Ed’s and ‘Liz’s earning the most, according to new research by job search-engine Adzuna.

The study, conducted in August 2017, analysed over 155,000 CVs of recent job seekers using Adzuna’s ValueMyCV algorithm, to reveal the average earning potential of workers with different names.

Traditional names top the list, with boys name ‘Ed’ and girls name ‘Liz’ proving the highest value. Workers called Ed can typically earn £61,400 per year, while those going by Liz can take home an average of £38,800. Following close behind the leaders, the next most valuable boys names are ‘Bill’ (£56,700), ‘Geoff’ (£54,000) and ‘Bob’ (£53,000), while female names ‘Jo’ (£38,700), ‘Michele’ (£36,300) and ‘Alexis’ (£36,200) are also top earners.

By comparison, workers named ‘Reece’ and ‘Paige’ are at the bottom of the wage pile with average potential earnings of just £23,000 and £20,200 respectively.

Those baby names currently proving most popular among new parents, ‘Oliver’ and ‘Amelia,’ are worth £35,500 and £27,600.* Meanwhile, names with a royal heritage are a steady bet for mums and dads, with ‘Will’s typically taking home £45,400, ‘Kate’s showing an average earning potential of £33,800, ‘George’s worth £37,300 and ‘Charlotte’s typically paid £26,500.

Overall, male names make up the top 186 highest value names, providing new evidence of the existing gender pay gap in the workforce.

Workers with nicknames earn more

The research also suggests that using a nickname at work could help you get ahead in the salary stakes. While the average earning potential of those named ‘Bill’ is £56,700, those going by ‘William’ are worth just £36,100 a year. Similarly, those named ‘Mike’ typically earn £53,000, topping ‘Michael’s at £38,700. The trend is also evident in female names, with ‘Sue’s earning £35,000 compared to ‘Susan’s’ £28,100.

Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, commented: “’Ed’ and ‘Liz’ top the chart of most valuable names in the UK, meaning workers with these names are worth the most to potential employers. As a rule of thumb, those with traditional names consistently rate as higher earners. New mums and dads may want to bear this in mind when christening their babies.

“It’s interesting that the most successful workers typically use a nickname in their professional lives. This could signal an informality and approachability that has helped them climb the career tree. Or it could reflect the confidence that comes with success. Either way, job seekers may want to try adopting a nickname to help secure the highest pay levels possible.

“Also of note, the top 186 highest earning names are typically seen as ‘male’ names, showing there is still work to do to close the gender pay gap. ‘Blind’ recruitment practices may help to correct this imbalance, at the same time as helping to eliminate discrimination against those with ethnic names. As the workplace becomes both more gender neutral and more diverse, we expect the weighting towards traditional male names to become less pronounced.”