Scott Alexander examines the prevalence of people going by initials, particularly those starting with 'J', and explores various theories to explain this trend.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the peculiar trend of people going by their first and middle initials, particularly those with 'J' as their first initial. He notes that about 50% of such cases are 'JD', 49% are other J-combinations (JT, JR, AJ, CJ, RJ), and only 1% are anything else. He explores various theories to explain this phenomenon, including the commonality of J names, the melodiousness of certain combinations, and potential cultural influences. However, he finds each explanation lacking when examined closely. Scott concludes that it might be a combination of multiple factors, including conservative naming traditions, but invites input from readers who go by their initials.
Shorter summary