Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

What is the most gender neutral name?

61 replies

foreverastudent · 03/10/2010 22:56

There are a lot of unisex names, but in practice they tend to be associated with one gender or the other.

So what do you think are genuine neutral names?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Fimbo · 07/10/2010 14:40

Telsa - I also know a female Shane.

telsa · 07/10/2010 14:32

I met a female Shaun recently - is that common?

runningrach · 06/10/2010 22:28

oops someone mentioned that way back!

runningrach · 06/10/2010 22:24

Kim

mopsyflopsy · 05/10/2010 12:23

Sasha (although probably still more of a boys' name - nickname for Alexander)

wildstrawberryplace · 04/10/2010 19:28

Kay

Manda25 · 04/10/2010 19:19

Mel
Taylor
Tyler
Sidney
Devon
Reece
Eden

thereisalightanditnevergoesout · 04/10/2010 16:47

I'm not sure it's time to revive those for girls, let alone boys!

KittyFoyle · 04/10/2010 15:13

John Wayne's real name was Marion. And Big Daddy's was Shirley.

Time to revive those for the lads?

KittyFoyle · 04/10/2010 15:12

DH was called Helen for a month because the in laws were expecting a girl and hadn't thought of anything else. I imagine he wore it well despite his baby boy bald head and scowl.

Original poster
foreverastudent · 04/10/2010 15:10

Interesting.

I'm quite surprised at some of these. Some of the names above eg Jamie, Vivian, Lesley, Kelly, Jacky I would only ever think of with one gender.

It seems that a lot of the other are only gender neutral when spoken, though. They are either spelled differently according to sex or are nicknames.

For instance how many girls actually have Sam or Alex on their birth certificate?

The only ones that seems to pass these tests are Rowan and Morgan.

I'm also surprised that Tyler wasn't mentioned.

OP posts:
eaglewings · 04/10/2010 13:26

Vivien & Morgan

LisMcA · 04/10/2010 13:23

Jamie/Jaime

However if you are looking for a genderless name you may have to come up with something completely unique.

You may wan tot have a look at some of ArizonaGirls threads, there is one on the go at the mo :o the name Beauden is in the title

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 04/10/2010 12:03

Alex, Chris, Jo,

Psammead · 04/10/2010 11:59

Rowan for me too, upon seeing the thread title.

zozzle · 04/10/2010 10:51

I think in terms of little ones nowadays most little Sams in the UK would be male. Could be either gender if referring to an adult Sam though.

Great name.

Eglu · 04/10/2010 10:37

Blair is also one that can be either, and I wouldn't immediately associate it with either sex.

Habbibu · 04/10/2010 10:28

Rowan is the one that sprang to mind for me too.

sophiesmummie · 04/10/2010 10:26

Alex
Sam
Robin
Morgan
Pat

mamadiva · 04/10/2010 08:32

Stacy? Although I do find it odd when I hear males called it.

MadAboutQuavers · 04/10/2010 08:30

Lesley

I genuinely wouldn't have a clue if that referred to a boy or girl

Not a great name though

mamadiva · 04/10/2010 08:29

Taylor for me is the only truly genderless name.

toddlerama · 04/10/2010 08:27

booboo they were Swedes. Calling their poor child Pop.

telsa · 04/10/2010 08:24

Rowan and definitely Alex - but that is a shortened name, once lengthened you know for sure.

5DollarShake · 04/10/2010 08:19

Most of the names listed here are just unisex names - not particularly gender neutral.

I mean Stevie and Billie? Clearly way more associated with boys than girls.

Jo/Joe is, but they're two different spellings, plus the full versions are totally different names.

I think Alex probably is the most gender neutral, but again, the full versions are different.