Television with Evan Laffer
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Nominative Determinism and Changing Names
The theory of nominative determinism suggests that one's name can influence the course of their life or shape their fate. Examples include individuals with names that reflect their profession or position in the world. Changing one's name can be a way to take control of one's destiny. Famous examples include Bob Dylan and Richard Hell. The band Television went through multiple name changes before settling on 'Television' because it sounded like 'tell a vision.' One of the band members, Richard Hell, compiled a list of 30 names while intoxicated and ultimately chose 'Television.'
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