Prior research has shown that individuals’ facial appearance can be indicative of their given names. The present study probes the origins of this face–name matching effect: whether names are given based on innate facial characteristics or whether individuals’ facial appearance changes to match their name over time. Using both humans and machine learning algorithms, our findings indicate that while adults demonstrate congruence between their facial appearance and name, this pattern is not observed in children nor in children’s faces digitally aged to adult appearance. This discrepancy signifies a developmental process whereby individuals acquire face–name congruency as they mature. It suggests that characteristics associated with stereotypes are not necessarily innate but may develop through a self-fulfilling prophecy.