Almost gender neutral names for siblings?

29 replies

SallyStarbuck · 23/01/2015 10:23

DD1 is called the classic English 'A' name (four syllables), but is almost always known as the common shortening, which is one of those names which is used for boys and girls.

We are expecting DD2 and the name we like most at the moment is Joanna. However I know we'd end up saying Jo most of the time.

Is it going to look a bit silly, or try hard, if both names are gender neutral - I mean, if you said "my kids are called XXXX and XX" you wouldn't know whether you meant two girls, two boys, a boy or a girl?

I'm worried as well because DD1 dresses a little bit like a tomboy - well, no dresses or skirts, very little pink or pastel etc - so DD2 will end up in the same clothes for the first few years. I can't help think that the name plus a lack of pink might make it look like we're desperately trying to make some sort of point

Yes or no?

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SallyStarbuck · 23/01/2015 10:53

Just prefer less frilly clothes - nothing sinister there at all! Prefer DD t-shirts and sweaters and leggings rather than dresses. Or at least while I still exercise some control over what she wears

The one thing that got me thinking about it was a convo with another mum recently where we realised that pretty much all the toddler girls we know, especially in our town, both have very feminine names as they are the popular ones at the moment (Sophie, Amelia, Florence etc) and are dressed in quite a feminine way, lots of pastels and dresses. I can see just looking around nursery that DD stands out a tiny bit in terms of her clothes and her hair (as in, we aren't letting it grow very long at the moment). Which lead to clearly overthinking the names, but it might look a bit too much to other people that we're Trying Very Hard to push a sort of tomboy thing.

Well aware that it doesn't matter at all! Just... wondering.

Josephine is pretty but wouldn't work at all with our surname. I don't mind Alannah but there's an old joke relating to DH which means all his friends and family would find that name hilarious!

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myotherusernameisbetter · 23/01/2015 10:40

should add, yes, I realise that Josephine is also based on a boys name but I've never heard it shortened to Joseph either :)

myotherusernameisbetter · 23/01/2015 10:39

I can definitely see where you are coming from but is it that you are feeling like because you do want a boy and hence why you noticed?

DD2 might be the opposite to DD1 and i'm guessing that it wasa few years before DD1 expressed an intereste in what she wanted to wear and therefore there must be a reasonable gap so will you really be nading down clothes?

Presumably given your comments, you initially bought more girly clothes and therefore DD2 will (if you do pass them on) be dressed more girly initially too? Or is it that you prefer less frilly clothes anyway (not necessarily indicating a craving for a boy :o just simply personal preference)?

I can't say I would let it bother me, your daughter may prefer to use Joanna anyway despite you shortening it yourself.

Or you could go for something similar where the shortened version is not quite so neutral? e.g Josephine (Josie) or Alannah? I know the latter is based on boys name but I've never heard it shortened to Alan! :)

loislines · 23/01/2015 10:37

I think you're over thinking it. DD2 might only want to wear pink dresses! And I don't think it matters if people think they're boys when you introduce them, it will become obvious. Nice for them both to have a more feminine name they can use if it suits them or the more neutral nickname.

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