When genealogy group MooseRoots recently compiled a list of history's most intelligent people, they discovered many of them had one very interesting thing in common.
The same names kept popping up over and over again.
Everyone thinks their little Einstein is a genius, but there are more male geniuses named Joseph than any other name - and Albert doesn't even make the cut in the top ten.
Peter and Thomas are a close second, with Charlotte, Helen and Jane leading the female prodigies.
"It’s much easier to climb the ranks of the elite when you have a bit of a head start." says MooseRoots. "Prepare your child for greatness by giving him a name that has been borne by many accomplished people."
Of the 14,750 famous philosophers, composers, Nobel laureates, artists, inventors and scientists included in the list, ten names stood out as the most popular among smarty pants. They are:
Boys names:
- Joseph
- Peter
- Thomas
- Paul
- George
- Johann
- Richard
- James
- David
- Charles
- William
- Robert
- John
Girls names
- Charlotte
- Helen
- Jane
- Dorothy
- Alice
- Anna
- Ruth
- Susan
- Margaret
- Anne
- Maria
- Elizabeth
- Mary
