Am I a Walker because I'm a 'Walker'? What's up with Nominative Determinism?

I've heard it many times over the years, and to be frank it always gladdens my heart - I walk so much because my last name's 'Walker.' This is an example of nominative determinism - who we are is a consequence of our name, like if you meet a guy in a bakery whose name is Baker...
But is it real? Or is it just wishful thinking?
In this video I discuss the concept of nominative determinism, and compare it to what I know of the etymology of the surname 'Walker.'
And what about you? Do you know the origins of your family name?

[@CrawfordGrimaldi]

Great vid and info, surnames were also given to people to help with taxation, before surnames most people just had a first name, also the surname Walker was also given to those who guarded land and forests, it is an English, Scottish and German surname, the highest density being in North England especially Yorkshire and Durham.

[@przemysawkorta5760]

Hi Christopher! Thank you for taking my comment as the subject of your video and expanding on it so deeply. I did some research into the etymology of my surname and discovered that "Korta" used to mean... a type of fabric. Well, quite distant from what I do on everyday as database developer :) But first of all I didn't know nominative determinism is (or was rather) such a serious hypothesis.
Thank you and all best!

[@CloselyObservedWorld]

And thank you too for inspiring this video! Your etymology of Korta is fascinating - thanks for sharing!

[@tomkrzyt]

"Walker" is a kind of whisky. I believe your ancestor made such alcohol and got this surname. Quite nice surname :)

[@frankgradus9474]

"In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration", O'Mara Shane. Dig it.
By the by, you might just as well be named Talker - you're quite a talker, Mr Walker. This is not an idle compliment as much as you're not an idle talker. I'm impressed.

[@awalk56]

Good video. I too am Walker. My family came to the Colonies in 1767, Irony is, walking for me these days is a bit problematic. Broke my back when I was a kid in 1970. Have always had issues. Worked construction & auto manufacturing, never missed a day. Paying for it now. Just grateful I wasn't born a Koch or Cox. Along with my family Walker aboard the Donegal was my family Ballantine. Walker: Gaelic Mac an Fhucadair. Ballantine is a surname of Scottish Gaelic origin. It is first found in Lanarkshire, where the family had been settled since ancient times. The name has also been variously spelled Ballantyne, Bannatyne, Ballanden, and Ballentine. Origin of the name Ballentine: The etymology, given in William Arthur's An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names with an Essay on their Derivation and Import (1857), derives the name from Bal, the name of a deity, and teine, meaning fire, and relating to a place where Belenus, or Bal, was worshiped by the Celts.

[@l6omega]

I wanted to change my name to Pishwalker when I discovered where our name came from. I thought it was hilarious. The family wasn’t impressed.

[@jurekprzychodzen6454]

Nominative determinism is good only for explaining the origin of last names. Other than that, it’s too easy to poke holes in it. If it had any validity, half of the people in the US would have a last name having to do with a fat posterior.