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I once studied with a brilliant teacher from Juilliard, an older gentleman born in the early twentieth century with an interest in the supernatural and the occult.
He would often talk about a close friend’s wife, relaying how she had a special gift for naming people and objects to ensure their success, so much so that corporations would consult with her when naming new products.
I was fascinated—at the time it seemed weirdly plausible, but once the seed was planted, I began to see this phenomenon everywhere.
Black Sabbath. Would they have birthed the new genre heavy metal with their original name Polka Tulk?
Psycho—Brilliant, short, and unforgettable.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre—Perhaps the best example of all time.
And, of course, celebrity name changes:
Archibald Leach became Carey Grant and Issur Danielovitch begat Kirk Douglas. Would their careers have had the same trajectories had they not found their perfect names?