Unisex/Gender neutral names - opinions???

The only staceys I have known have been boys!
I love unisex nicknames for girls such as Charlie, frankie, George, etc. But would always use the full name on bc.

Well quite upstairs. Just because you name your son 'sue' doesn't make it a boy's name!

I don't regard shortenings and nicknames as true gender-neutral names. eg Jo = Joseph or Josephine, Sam - Sam or Samantha etc.

'Surname' names are overwhelmingly masculine in my view, and I would never give them to girls as a first name.

Doesn't leave that many, really. Interesting how some have crossed over, eg Marion, Shirley (although I did once meet a very masculine male Shirley, and it wasn't Big Daddy either!) There are also some boy's names which were once used for girls, eg Denis, Christian ...

noah?!?!?! as a girls name - Wow. That is just..... and I like unisex and boys names used for girls. But don't really like girls names for boys.

Ooops, didn't realise putting stars around words made it look like I was shouting. I wasn't, honest!

I think Robin sounds friendly...? Mumbles defensively

That's a sweeping statement, Shouty!

Shortened forms of full m/f names ok (e.g. Sam, Jo, Jude)

but I find that full names that are unisex just tend to be a bit odd or boring sounding or just a bit made up. They are just never particularly nice sounds.

I don't get this 'getting put into the girls part of the school' - surely that is why there is a question asking for a child's gender. Lots of foreign names may be ambiguous as to the gender, hence the question.

I know a 40 yo man called Stacey. You have to have a strong personality to get through life with that sort of name. Robin was always a boy's name when I was growing up, but I only know girls under the age of 15 or so, usually Robyn.

I like Robin and Rowan; most other gender neutral names are hideous (I have one myself so know this)

Bunty, each to their own as you say :)
Stacey for a boy, hmm!

I really don't like gender neutral names. I have a fairly common name generally used for girls, but in some areas it is a boys name as well. I did once get put in the boys' register at secondary school. It was quite humiliating (I was 12).

If people must use neutral names why not make sure the middle name is obviously for a girl/ boy, like Ashley Elizabeth or Eden John, so there is no confusion.

Patsy is a common name for men in Ireland. I went to school with a male Lauren. It was years later before I realised it was more common as a girls name.

I have a Robin. She gets dressed in red, orange and green. I really don't care if people think she's a boy at first meeting.

I met a 10 month old baby, dressed in blue trousers and plain top, called Sam, I actually had to ask was it a boy or a girl, there was no way I could tell. It was a girl.

It would have helped if she had either been dressed in girly clothes or had a girl's name.

Not all the names you listed are unisex, the parents however may be 'original'.

Agree with Lonnie - avoid it if you can. Some of the now popular nature names are less obviously gendered, but the child is still saddled with a name that some people will automatically assume belongs to the other gender.

I have met men called Tracy, Leslie, Kimberley, and Hillary - all of them have have bulked up at the gym and act very tough - school must have been hell!

Maybe there's a difference between a truly unisex name, though Lonnie, and one which is most normally associated with one sex?

If you're a boy named Sue, everyone is likely to assume you're a girl. If you're a man named Rowan, or a woman called Sam, its not quite the same.

Have realised that no-one has mentioned one of my favourite unisex names - Robin/Robyn.

My name is unisex I hate it. no it hasnt affected me at all!! you know apart from when i hae some smart allick try to tell me that their computer says im wrong about being MRS when I arrived for a residential thing to find I had been put in the mens area when I receive letters to MR and when people ask me if I know about Lonnie Donnovan (yes I do no he is not good why are you mentioning a singer most people below 30 wont have heard off and really are better of not knowing off)
its also mildly annoying when I have people look at me go " oh your a girl" well yes last I checked..

please dont do it.. no it hasnt shaped my life but its a pain in the proverbial. It was one of my huge no gos when we picked names NO unisex names

Love Stevie and frankie for girls

Thanks vividginger ; I know the native rowan is not the sad little supermarket car park tree. Sorbus aucuparia is still a lot smaller than the average British woodland tree though, and known for it's blossom and fruit, so doesn't seem very masculine to me.
However, each to their own. I know a boy called Stacey..

I know a female Jude, presumably a Judith but she is a Jude and couldn't ever be anything else.

My youngest is Indy, although as he is only 4 months old we have no idea if having a unisex name will disadvantage him.