Revealed: The names most linked to financial success - so, is YOURS one of them?
Selecting a name for a baby can be one of the most agonising decisions new mothers and fathers have to make - but, for those focused on the financial success of their offspring, it may be simpler than people think.
For, while new parents increasingly plump for novel names - think Fox for a boy and River for a girl - they're missing a trick if research by gambling site Gamblizard, via The Sun, is anything to go by.
Researchers at the site set to work analysing Forbes ' Real-Time Billionaires list to discover the 10 most common names among the globe's most wealthy people - and the results were revealing.
It appears that classic names, including some which derive from the Bible, number most highly amongst today's 2,700 billionaires.
And, with 50 of those 2,700 called Michael (or versions of it), that was the moniker that came out on top.
Gamblizard noted: 'Accounting for one per cent of the world's richest people, prominent Michaels include tech tycoon Michael Dell and media mogul Michael Bloomberg - who have each amassed fortunes in excess of $100bn.'
According to the results of the site's analysis, parents who want to give their kids the best chance of financial success would also do well to choose the biblical name John.
Chocolatier John Mars, worth £30.7 billion, and founder of home improvement stores John Menard, worth £15.8 billion, are just two prominent Johns among the world's 46 billionaires with the name.
The third most common name in Forbes' Real-Time Billionaires list is Andrew, which appears 31 times, followed by David in fourth place and Marc/Mark in fifth place.
Next came George and Carl in joint sixth place while Eric and James were the just behind. And, in tenth place was Jeff tied with Jim and Li.
The world's fourth richest man is, of course, a Jeff. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has amassed a fortune of £179.8 billion.
While women constitute only 13 per cent of global billionaires, the Gamblizard study still indicates that certain female names may increase girls' chances of achieving tremendous financial wealth.
And, as with the male names that appear to be linked with success, these tend to be traditional monikers, with Maria (and versions of it) taking the top spot.
Of the world's 369 female billionaires, 10 are called Maria, including Maria Bianchi, the fashion designer and businesswoman who heads Italian high-end labels Prada and Miu Miu.
Today known as Miuccia Prada, she is reportedly worth almost £3.9 billion.
TOP 10 BOYS' NAMES FOR SUCCESS
1. Michael
2. John
3. Andrew
4. David
5. Marc
6. George
7. Carl
8. Eric
9. James
10. Jeff
After Maria came Catherine and Anna, including one of the Walmart heiresses, Ann Walton Kroenke, while there are also five Susans and five Elizabeths amongst the world's richest women.
Alexandra and Christine came in joint sixth place while Julia, Alice and Wu were next.
Notably, the richest woman on the planet is an Alice, specifically Alice Walton, who, as the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, is worth £78.5billion.
There are, of course, some obvious exceptions, most notably the world's richest man, Elon Musk, whose first name has both soared in popularity and suffered serious slumps in recent years.
Jamie Wall, a casino analyst and personal finance strategist at Gamblizard told the publication: 'Research shows 48 per cent of people believe luck and fate are key to success – so starting with a lucky name doesn't sound like a bad idea.
'It may just be a coincidence, but don't underestimate the power of belief. If a billionaire name inspires you to believe in your child's potential and support their journey, that alone can make all the difference.'
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