For many of us singletons, Valentine’s Day is a kick in the teeth. Our loved-up friends gushing over their flowers, chocolates and slushy texts from their partners are just another reminder of how unromantic our lives are. But do not fear, online dating is here! And a new study provides some tips that could help you find the love of your life.

Share on Pinterest A username beginning with a letter in the first half of the alphabet could bring you closer to finding a date online, according to the study.

More than 40 million Americans have tried online dating. While some people are lucky enough to get a date within days of signing up, it can be weeks or months before other users even generate any interest. So where are they going wrong?

Many of you may be thinking that an attractive photo and a good headline message are bound to gain interest on dating sites, and you are right. But according to new research published in Evidence Based Medicine – a journal of The BMJ – your username is just as important.

The research team, including Prof. Khalid Khan of the Queen Mary University of London in the UK, found that choosing a screen name that begins with a letter in the first half of the alphabet may lead to greater success with online dating.

According to the researchers – who reached their findings by analyzing almost 4,000 studies that investigated the art of attraction and persuasion – this is because people associate names beginning with letters higher in the alphabet with measures of success, such as income and educational attainment.

“Search engine listings are also sorted alphabetically: screen names starting with a letter near the top of the alphabet are presented ﬁrst,” the authors note. “Those in the lower quarter of the alphabet will be lost in the bottom of the pile if you start at the top.”

The researchers also found that people are more likely to respond to positive usernames, such as “Fun2bwith,” but are more likely to avoid usernames associated with negativity. “Names with negative connotations – such as ‘Little’ or ‘Bugg’ – are often associated with inferiority,” they explain. “Playful screen names are universally attractive.”

In addition, the team found that men are more likely to be drawn to usernames that indicate physical attractiveness, such as “Cutie” or “Blondie,” while women are more attracted to usernames that suggest intelligence, such as “Cultured.”