"It's an iterative process," said facial recognition expert Marian Bartlett, a co-author of the study. "it starts out completely random and then gets feedback."

The process of changing a name can be intimidating, said Kit Yan, a 25-year-old poetry slam artist and performer with a hint of facial hair who was born Laura.

Women process emotions more quickly, have a more sophisticated level of emotional awareness, and can interpret facial expressions with greater ease.