The economic payoff of name Americanization

Biavaschi, C., Giulietti, C. and Siddique, Z. (2017) The economic payoff of name Americanization. Journal of Labor Economics, 35 (4). pp. 1089-1116. ISSN 1537-5307 doi: 10.1086/692531

Abstract/Summary

We provide the first evidence on the magnitude and consequences of the Americanization of migrants names in the early 20th century. We construct a longitudinal dataset of naturalization records, tracking migrants and their naming choices over time. We consistently find that migrants who Americanized their names experienced larger occupational upgrading than those who did not. Name Americanization embodies an intention to assimilate among low-skilled migrants and reveals the existence of preferences for American names within the labor market. We conclude that the trade-off between individual identity and labor market success was present then, as it is today.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/67043
Identification Number/DOI	10.1086/692531
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > School of Politics, Economics and International Relations > Economics
Publisher	University of Chicago Press
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