Drivers play the name game
Your name could dictate the type of car you buy, according to new research which shows Vincents have a penchant for Porsches while Normans like Skodas
09:01 09 April 2013
I was out car shopping recently and, for a brief, weird moment, considered what brand best reflected me. Some people might have chosen something sporty and fun, others might have gone for something powerful and sleek - I, however, opted for something which wouldn't draw too much attention.
But our taste in cars might actually be pre-determined by the names our parents gave us, or so say the number-crunchers at MoneySupermarket. Read on and all will become clear.
What's in a name?
Using the information given to us by 17million people looking for car insurance, we've determined which cars people are most likely to drive, based on their names.
For example, Charlottes are most likely to be found behind the wheel of a sporty and fun Mini, while Karls are most likely to be running around in a retro Reliant. The list (which will be going up on our motoring blog) makes for interesting reading, especially as many of us tend to go against type.
I went for a Volkswagen rather than an Alfa Romeo, for example, and you'll find my colleague Clare Walsh zipping about in a Fiat 500, rather than a Land Rover, as the analysis suggested she might. That said, Cathy Toogood, our travel editor, used to drive a Vauxhall, like many other Catherines.
It gets particularly interesting when you look at celebrities and their choice of wheels.
Paparazzi-fodder and woman-magnet Harry Styles might have had a bit of success with his boy band One Direction, but he's not playing to type with a Bentley just yet, instead favouring an eBay-bought Ford Capri - but car insurance for teenage is boys can be pretty expensive on a Corsa, never mind a Bentley.
We might be used to seeing Daniel Craig careering around exotic locales in luxury cars, but Daniels are more likely to be seen popping down to MFI in a Volkswagen than doing work for MI5 in an Aston Martin.
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is interesting because under her official name (Catherine) she'd be most likely to be found behind the wheel of a Corsa, Astra or Vectra, but if you take her informal name, Kate, she gets a car more fitting of her stature - a Maserati!
In other examples, Jaguars tend to be driven by Bernards, Malcoms and Janets, Subaru is the brand of choice for Shanes, Dales and Carlys, and Ford does a lot of business with people named Jade and Gary.
Bentley or a Beetle
Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at MoneySupermarket, said: "So what's really in a name? When it comes to driving a car, your name does actually influence the type of car you are most likely to drive according to our analysis.
"While celebrities and sports personalities are being photographed getting out of the latest luxury vehicles, our analysis shows that some of their namesakes may also have a preference for nice cars, despite the having a very different lifestyle.
"While for most of us, driving the latest luxury brand is beyond our means, the type of car your drive does have an impact on the cost of motoring and the car insurance premium you will pay. The more expensive and powerful the car, the higher the premium. Whether you drive a Bentley or a Beetle, shopping around for car insurance rather than accept your renewal quote will make sure you are not paying more than you need to."