Symbolic Significance of Initials on Longevity

Abstract

The longevities of deceased major league baseball players who died prior to 1950 (N = 3,835) and whose initials formed acronyms, words, or names with “positive” or “negative” affect, as rated a priori by two judges, were compared with those for a group of neutral controls matched for birth year and career length, using the Berkeley standardized mortality tables. Players (n = 11) with positive initials, e.g., A.C.E., lived a mean of 13 years longer than players (n = 30) with negative initials, e.g., D.E.D., or players with neutral initials (n = 864). These results corroborated a previous study and suggest positive name symbols are associated with increased longevity in this sample.