I was reminded of this fine tradition last week by the story of Bernie Madoff (pronounced Made-off). If one's occupation involves making off with $50bn of investors' money, then it is quite proper that one's name should reflect that.

Mr Madoff is not alone among disgraced businessmen in having a name that gives the game away. Take the case of Anurag Dikshit, co-founder of PartyGaming, who last week agreed to plead guilty to an internet betting charge. Think too of the Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. His name suggests that blagging is something that came naturally to him.

Could there be a trend here? Last week I spent a day researching financiers and business people that had got into trouble and decided there definitely could. According to my findings, what unites them is not a troubled childhood, alcohol abuse or a narcissistic personality disorder but having a name that hints at trouble.