…surveyed associate “traditional” names with positive character traits and non-traditional names with weak performance and bad behavior. The name Kevin has particularly negative connotations; as one teacher wrote, “Kevin is…
Real tax reform may or may not ever happen. In the meantime, how about making the current system work a bit better?
…the names they happen to pick up — even if the names aren’t very good. It has always struck me that a lot of the things we do and use…
Aptonyms are the gifts that keep giving. You toss out one or two here on the blog, and readers keep coming back with more. This week’s aptonyms include: A home-schooling…
A while ago Levitt posed the question of whether the name of a street (such as “Pleasant Avenue” or “Massacre Lane”) could have an effect on the price of its…
…that everyone should have Hebrew names. To which Talmi then replied: Thank you for answering. I don’t think the government can force people to change their names. It would be…
We applaud their choice. And we thank all of you for listening….
Freakonomics asks a dozen smart people for their best ideas. Get ready for a fat tax, a sugar ban, and a calorie-chomping tapeworm.
How pharma greed, government subsidies, and a push to make pain the “fifth vital sign” kicked off a crisis that costs $80 billion a year and has killed hundreds of…
Thomas Hildebrandt is trying to bring the northern white rhinoceros back from the brink of extinction. The wildlife veterinarian tells Steve about the far-out techniques he employs, why we might…
Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge?…
How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists?…
…know. But I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could — if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby…
The gist: the argument for open borders is compelling — and deeply problematic.
Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops?…
The philosopher known for his rigorous ethics explains why Steve is leading a morally inconsistent life….
…gave a phone number; only 10% of the non-touched said yes. Courtesy of Harvard economics professor Roland Fryer: Forbes.com profiles the newest trends in ultra-expensive baby gear, including a pacifier…
How much can you tell about someone from the first few seconds of a Zoom call? What did Stephen think of Angie when he first met her? And: a special…
In a special episode of The Economics of Everyday Things, host Zachary Crockett explains what millennials do to show they care, how corrugated cardboard keeps your food warm, and why…
A conversation with 2008 Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio series “The Hidden Side of Sports.”…
In a few weeks we’ll be putting out a Freakonomics Radio episode about baby names. To hold you over until then, here’s an article about a naming-rights story that is…
…idea may become a regular feature on Stockpickr. I can’t wait to see what kind of stocks James digs up for our next post on crack cocaine or baby names….
…whether that allows me to say “I read it.” I particularly enjoyed the parts about Realtors and baby names. We actually put a lot of effort into making the home-purchase/Realtor…
…other named plane in circulation, the Robert F. Six, which honors the company’s founder. (For those of you who care about first names: according to the Baby Name Wizard, the…
…the “fame-seeking daughter of Geneco’s owner,” played by Paul Sorvino. We’ve devoted plenty of time to discussing the effects of individual’s names, but what about the names of companies? De…
…here is the list of names that were on the board, in their original order: P. Diamond D. Diamond Fama French Milgrom Holmstrom Hart Sargent Hall Barro L. Hansen G….
…name is — in this case — Amanda, Rachel, Katie, Peter, Andrew, or David. I don’t have my master database of black-white names handy (hey, it’s summer), but I’m pretty…
It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google — or with us?…
It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google — or with us? And is Google Search finally…
