An aptronym, aptonym or euonym is a personal name aptly or peculiarly suited to its owner. The Encyclopaedia Britannica attributes the term to Franklin P. Adams, a writer who coined it as an anagram of patronym, to emphasize "apt".
According to Frank Nuessel, in The Study of Names (1992), an aptonym is the term used for "people whose names and occupations or situations (e.g., workplace) have a close correspondence."
In the book What's in a Name? (1996), author Paul Dickson cites a long list of aptronyms originally compiled by Professor Lewis P. Lipsitt, of Brown University. Psychologist Carl Jung wrote in his book Synchronicity that there was a "sometimes quite grotesque coincidence between a man's name and his peculiarities".
Nominative determinism is a hypothesis which suggests a causal relationship based on the idea that people tend to be attracted to areas of work that fit their name.
Jules Angst, German professor of psychiatry, who has published works about anxiety
Michael Ball, football player
Colin Bass, British bassist in the rock band Camel
Sara Blizzard, meteorologist (television weather presenter) for the BBC
Margaret Court, Australian tennis player
Thomas Crapper, sanitary engineer
Josh Earnest, the third press secretary for the Obama Administration (Stephen Colbert observed, "What a name for a press secretary. Josh Earnest. His name literally means, 'Just kidding, but seriously.'")
Amy Freeze, American meteorologist
Marilyn vos Savant, American columnist who has been cited for having the world's highest recorded IQ
Donald Trump, American businessman and politician whose name Slate called an aptronym because "When Trump resorts to name-calling, holds raucous rallies that draw audiences in the thousands, and employs media savvy that makes him the subject of every conversation, he is playing the trump card."
Anthony Weiner, American politician who has been involved in sexting scandals
William Wordsworth, English poet and advocate for the extension of British copyright law
Some aptronyms are ironic rather than descriptive, being called inaptronyms by Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post. A notable example is the former Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Sin who in 1976 was made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI, thus becoming known as "Cardinal Sin".
Don Black, White supremacist
Peter Bowler, cricketer (in fact, primarily a batsman)
Samuel Foote, a comic actor who lost a leg in a horseriding accident in 1766, and made jokes on stage about "Foote and leg, and leg and foot"
Larry Playfair, NHL defenseman known for his fighting
