The short answer is that our names play an important role in shaping the way we see ourselves — and, more important, how others see us.Abundant academic literature proves these points. A 1993 paper found that most people perceive those with unconventionally spelled names (Patric, Geoffrey) as less likely to be moral, warm and successful. A 2001 paper found that we have a tendency to judge boys' trustworthiness and masculinity from their names. (As a guy whose middle name is Ashley, I can attest to the second part.) In a 2007 paper (here's a PDF), University of Florida economist David Figlio found that boys with names commonly given to girls are likelier to be suspended from school. And an influential 1998 paper co-authored by psychologist Melvin (a challenging first name if there ever was one) Manis of the University of Michigan reported that "having an unusual name leads to unfavorable reactions in others, which then leads to unfavorable evaluations of the self."

Chuck Shepherd's "News of the Weird" has often mentioned the frequency with which habitual and/or prominent criminals have a middle name of "Wayne" (another source mentions over 3100 inmates in Iowa alone with a middle "Wayne".

Thanks for the Clip and the follow up comment... This stuff makes my mind spin... I love psychology... Thrillers have always been my fave.