Destined for greatness: How to name a baby for wealth and success
What is it that sets the top 1% apart? Talent, timing, sheer luck, or something else entirely?
While Elon Musk and Larry Elison break the mold, data shows that certain names appear to open doors and increase the odds of striking it rich. It may be a coincidence, but if you’re hoping to set your children up for wealth and success, you should take every opportunity you can get.
Having analyzed Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires list, Gamblizard has compiled a list of the common names among the world’s richest men and women, providing inspiration for expecting parents with high expectations.
Billion-dollar boys names: The luckiest names for boys
There are over 2,700 billionaires today, and“Michael” or similar variations dominate the ultra-wealthy. Accounting for 1% 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.
Hot on Michael’s heels is “John”. From chocolatier John Mars and home improvement magnate John Menard, it’s a name synonymous with success.
Michael and John are the names most likely to manifest wealth by far, accounting for 50 and 46 billionaires respectively, while third-placed Andrew counts 31. If those elite names don’t get your pick, David, Mark, Carl, and George all offer high promise of raising a person’s stock.
Grace and good fortune: The luckiest names for girls
Women make up just 13% of global billionaires, but having the right name can significantly increase your odds of ending up among the world’s elite. Take “Maria” and variants of it—the most common name among billionaire women, with 10 of 369 elite bearing the name.
Trailing Maria is “Catherine” and “Anna”, including Ann Walton Kroenke, one of the heiresses to the Walmart family fortune. Susan and Elizabeth also offer safe bets, counting five billionaires each.
However, if you’re aiming for the very top, one name stands out: “Alice”. Ranking eight in the list, it’s the name of the world’s richest woman—Alice Walton—and the only one to have amassed a nine-figure net worth.
There’s no denying that Michael, John, Maria, and Anna seem to carry an air of prosperity. While a name alone won’t secure billionaire status, perhaps a lucky moniker is the first step toward a future filled with success, power, and wealth.
Methodology
We analyzed Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires list to identify the most common first names among the world’s wealthiest individuals, including both men and women.
We then counted each instance of first names to determine which were most frequently associated with extreme wealth. Alternative spellings and common variations were grouped together—for example, “Mike” was included in the total count for “Michael,” and “Sue” was included in “Susan.”
