"What English name do I look like?"
Jessica？Jennie？Maddy? Cecilia?
Kevin？Bob？Tom？Jojo？
The topic of "What English name do I look like?" has been consistently popular on Xiaohongshu. A beautiful, handsome, cute, or funny selfie can generate hundreds or even thousands of comments with English name suggestions, making it the originator of "traffic-generating secrets."
An English name is not like our legal name, which is a specific mark distinguishing individuals and usually carries unique meanings; it is just a code for communication.
For international students, an English name is especially important. A good English name can help us better integrate into the local cultural environment while studying abroad and even land a satisfying job.
A UK job site conducted a fascinating global survey: using its powerful database, it collected names and salary data from 500,000 resumes and compiled a "Top 10 Highest-Earning English Names Ranking".
In today's internet culture that believes in "mystical forces," this ranking is less of a ranking and more of an alternative "wealth code." Today, let CheersYou（清柚教育） guide you through exploring this "wealth code."
Top 10 Highest-Earning English Names Ranking
Male
No.1 Ed
As the top-earning name on the male list, it can earn over £60,000 a year. It's a name but not quite a full name—more precisely, it's an abbreviation of an English name.
Ed can be Edward, Edwin, Edgar, or the famous British singer Ed Sheeran, whom we often affectionately call "Yellow Boss."
Additionally, "Ed" itself means rich or happy, or colloquially, "prosperous" or "wealthy." Whether in the East or the West, who doesn't love money and would go against it?
No.2 Bill
Ranked second, Bill earns £56,000 a year. Speaking of Bill, it's hard not to think of the world-renowned richest man, Bill Gates. Perhaps with the blessing of this tycoon's aura, Bill has become a top choice for many celebrities.
And U.S. President Bill Clinton also gave the name "Bill" a double boost of wealth and power, filling it with auspicious meaning.
No.3 Geoff
With an annual salary of £53,991, Geoff ranks third. It might be slightly unfamiliar—it's a blend of French and English. Besides wealth, Geoff seems to carry a natural artistic flair, like one of the leading figures at DC Films, Geoff Johns.
He formerly served as Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment and contributed to many DC comics, including famous characters like Aquaman, The Flash, and Superman. Between boundless creativity, he made a fortune—not a bad deal.
Top 10 Highest-Earning Male Names
English names often perceived as "old-fashioned," such as Bob, Mike, Andy, rank fourth, fifth, and eighth on the high-salary list with £53,025, £52,986, and £51,904 respectively.
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Interestingly, the name of Apple's current CEO, Tim Cook, ranks tenth with an annual income of £51,146.
Other names on the list include Phil, Dave, and Ken, ranking sixth, seventh, and ninth respectively.
Female
No.1 Liz
The top-ranking name for women is Liz, which, like Ed, is an abbreviation of many English names. Names like Lizanne, Lizbeth can all be shortened to Liz.
Moreover, the British Queen's name Elizabeth can also be shortened to Liz. A name chosen by the Queen is hard not to be associated with wealth and richness.
No.2 Jo
Jo ranks second with an annual income of £38,741. It sometimes appears as a standalone name, like the heroine of the famous novel "Little Women," Jo March—a strong, intelligent, and creative girl.
Jo is also commonly used as an abbreviation, for names like Joanna, Josephine, all of which can be shortened to Jo. The well-known author of "Harry Potter," J.K. Rowling, whose original name is Joanna Rowling. As the former top-earning author on Forbes' global list of highest-paid writers, Rowling's wealth is imaginable.
And searching Joanna on LinkedIn, we can also see two female CEOs bearing this name—it seems "Jo" truly carries some substance.
No.3 Michelle
Third on the high-salary list is Michelle. When mentioning this name, one cannot help but think of the wife of former U.S. President Obama, Michelle Obama.
As a former "First Lady," Michelle graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She provided significant support during Obama's presidential campaign. Her knowledge and vision add honor to this name.
Top 10 Highest-Earning Female Names
These three names—Alexis, Jean, and Philippa—less commonly used among international students, rank fourth, fifth, and sixth on the list with £36,240, £35,468, and £35,027 respectively.
The name of famous Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway ranks eighth with an annual income of £34,466. As one of the highest-paid actresses globally, her films have grossed over $680 million worldwide. Beautiful and wealthy—truly enviable.
Other names on the list include Sue, Carolyn, and Kate, ranking seventh, ninth, and tenth respectively.
Looking at the rankings, have you noticed that the top names for both men and women are all abbreviations?
According to research by Adzuna, using an abbreviation can convey a high level of approachability, confidence without being pretentious. And approachable capable individuals are more likely to succeed.
Could Being Poor Be Due to Choosing the Wrong Name?
After the high-salary list, let's look at the names with the lowest annual salaries.
Among male names, Patryk ranks third from the bottom with £25,207; Connor ranks second from the bottom with £24,471; and at the very bottom is Reece, earning only £22,952.
And among female low-income names, the lowest-earning is Paige with £20,190; next is Chelsea with £21,044; and third from the bottom is Bethany at £21,488.
Students who accidentally stepped on these landmine names—shall we change the name, just in case it helps?
Definitely Avoid These English Names—They'll Make You Socially Dead!
The following English names might not relate to salary but will more impact your social life while studying abroad.
To communicate more harmoniously with locals, it's better to ditch the following English names first...
Stay Away from "Weird" English Names:
Names like Super, Power, Boss, Alien... really make locals feel "impressed in a puzzling way."
Don't Use Fruits, Drinks, etc. as Names:
For example, Apple, Banana, Melon, Coffee... Would anyone really have a Chinese name meaning "apple"? That's too strange.
Don't Use Words Related to "Sweet Things":
For example, Candy, Sugar, Lollie, Honey... Abroad, usually only "strippers" take such names.
Don't Choose Names of Celebrities/Movie Characters/Historical Figures:
Leonardo, Sherlock, Rapunzel, H*tler... To foreigners, it's as outrageous as encountering a foreigner with a Chinese name like Zhang Guorong, Di Renjie, Xiaolongnü, or Zhu Yuanzhang.
Don't Invent Your Own English Name:
Inventing an English name is equivalent to inventing an English word; in the Chinese context, it's like creating a Chinese character not found in the dictionary. To that, all I can say is neither you nor I are Cangjie (the legendary inventor of Chinese characters), please don't coin words arbitrarily.
Actually, when choosing an English name, it doesn't need to be too long or too short. Prioritize your original name and opt for something similar. You can also try using abbreviations.
Surprisingly, These Are the High-Paying Industries?
High-salary names might have a touch of superstition, but the end of mysticism leads to science! The 2023 application season is about to start, and these majors promise lasting industries over the next decade, with greater chances of earning high salaries after graduation!
High-Paying Industries in the UK
Latest data from the UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that salaries in STEM industries are generally higher in the UK.
Notably, besides well-recognized fields like medicine, CS, and engineering, the high salary of veterinarians might be surprising. Beyond national conditions and culture, the scarcity of professionals within the industry is also a reason.
Additionally, annual salaries in business and education are also considerable, reaching up to £25,000.
High-Paying Industries in the US
Latest data from U.S. News shows that the top 8 are all healthcare-related professionals, earning up to $200,000 a year.
However, it's worth noting that the educational costs of these fields are higher than others, requiring five or even ten years to complete study and research. A long campaign, but great rewards.
Additionally, it's easy to notice that most of these industries are STEM disciplines. Generous salaries and stable positions reflect the high demand for STEM talent in the US.
Having a good English name is indeed the icing on the cake, but rankings are just for reference. What's more important is one's own strength and effort.
The new application season is about to begin. We hope all students can plan and prepare early, secure offers from dream schools, grasp their "life codes," and achieve success in both academics and career!
