Unisex names / "boys" names for girls

[Afreshstartplease]

What are people's thoughts on giving girls what are usually "boys" names e.g. Dylan, Elliot etc ?

Or unisex names?

Have you given your dd a name like this and regretted it!

[Sophronia]

I don't like most of them, but I do like a few, e.g. Devon, Rowan, Morgan, Darrell, Aubrey...

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I dont think you should give a girl a boys name.

Or call a boy Sue.,

[Ilovewillow]

I think they can really work and would be only too happy to use a "boys" name for a girl or vice versa.

[DesertOrDessert]

Robyn, Kim, Lindsay all spring to mind, ontop of those in the original and Sophronia message.
Jo, Sam, Charlie, Alex are all unisex abbreviations, all be it from different Christian names.
Don't have an issue with any, but a girl called Kevin would be a step too far for me.

[Dinosaursdontgrowontrees]

Met s little girl called Rory the other day. I thought it really suited her. Very cool name.
I like Robyn a lot too.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

Since there are millions of girls names already why not use one of those and leave some names for boys?

[ArmfulOfRoses]

I once knew a girl called Jamie.
Really suited her.

[Winterbiscuit]

I don't like the way it seems to work only one way round. If it's supposedly cool for a girl to be more like a boy, by having a boys' name, why does the reverse not seem to apply?

[Luciferbox]

I've known a Robyn, Reese, Jamie, Sydney and a Frankie.

[TheDowagerCuntess]

Exactly Winterbiscuit.

[squoosh]

It makes me wonder why 'unisex' only works one way, girls being given boys names. I can't picture a thread where someone asks if they should call their son Lily.

[squoosh]

Or as Winter said hours ago

[Lucked]

Beverly 😀 Scout
Andy/Toni but would have to be MN got Antonia.
There is ace ale character on the good wife called Luca.
Bailey and Peyton are very American but unisex.

[MarthaCliffYouCunt]

and leave some names for boys?

The names dont run out. Boys can use them too.

[Lucked]

Ainsley -character on the West Wing
Darcy

[FarelyKnuts]

Among my female friends I have a Peta, Blaise, Robin, Toni, Cory and a James.
But also two male friends called Josie and Neesha.
So it's not always one way.

[TheDowagerCuntess]

An American friend recently called her DD Bryce.

DS goes to school with a Harper - probably more of a boyish name when he would've been given it in 2009, but now definitely seems like a girl's name...

[mrsschu]

I'm not a fan of unisex names generally and exactly for the reasons mentioned here - nobody ever thinks it's a good idea to give their boy a girl's name but it's somehow cool and "different" to give a girl a boy's name. When boys start being called Amelia and Jessica with the same reaction as girls being called Elliott and Flynn, then I'll feel fine with it.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

"Names don't run out"

Well actually they do. There is already a lesser variety of boys names and maybe parents of boys dont want to use what is now considered a girls name for their son so it limits their choice even further.

[LadyAntonella]

I think it can go both ways. I've met men called:

• Casey
  
• Jodie
  
• Kelly
  
• Kerry
  
• Lindsay
  
• Hilary
  
• Kim
  
• Liv (short for Olivier) and other French names like Michel (pronounced Michelle) and Nicholas (pronounced Nicola)
  

I like it. I also like Beau for a girl, though I don't think that's a popular one on MN (and yes I speak French and yes I know it isn't grammatically correct)!

[JingsAndCrivens]

Lindsay and Hilary both started out as boys' names.

[JingsAndCrivens]

They're good examples of names that are now perceived as belonging to girls.

[LadyAntonella]

"Lindsay and Hilary both started out as boys' names."

That's so interesting - I would have always said they were "girls'" names. Though the Lindsay I know of is in his 60s at least. The Hilary is in his 30s but everyone calls him Hill. It suits him. He's quite cool.

[LadyAntonella]

Sorry I meant to say the Lindsay I know is in his 60s at least so it makes sense that his name is traditionally 'male'.

[Oysterbabe]

What about a girls name that has a masculine nn, like Harriet / Harry?