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Baby names

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

Original poster

Giving a 'boys' name as a middle name for a girl?

70 replies

FrancoisLaPrune · 21/11/2015 20:21

I'm looking for some opinions on using the name Roy as a middle name for my DD who is due in March. Roy is my father's middle name and was my grandfather's first name and I'd like to carry on the tradition but not to the detriment of my DD!!

I'm thinking something along the lines of:

Louisa Roy L......
Evie Roy L.....
Georgia Roy L....
Sydney Roy L....

I've looked for girls names that start with Roy like Roya but I don't really like them!! I love the sound of Roy but not sure if it's off for a girl.

I'd love to hear some honest opinions Smile

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eatyourveg · 22/11/2015 10:05

Not little house on the prairie Pipbin - Michael Learned was the mother in the Waltons. LHOTP was Karen Grassle.

I like Roya as suggested upthread

NorbertDentressangle · 22/11/2015 09:47

I would say go for it, it's a middle name and it has meaning for you so why not.

My Gran had her mother's maiden surname ( a name that these days is used as a boys first name) as her middle name - something along the lines of Harrison or Taylor IYSWIM, so she was for example Dorothy (first name) Harrison (middle name) Smith (surname)

Pipbin · 22/11/2015 09:47

Looks like I made that up about the actress.

Pipbin · 22/11/2015 09:45

Michael was the name of the actress who played the mother in Little House on the Prairie and the drummer in the Bangles.

Pipbin · 22/11/2015 09:43

I've known a female Peta. It caused confusion.
It seems girls can have boy names provided they end in an 'ee' sound. Sydney, Toni, Billy.

timelytess · 22/11/2015 09:40

I understand there was a coalman with a horse called Roy in Oldham in the early 1930s.

Not many people will be aware of that.

RoganJosh · 22/11/2015 09:40

Is there a family surname you could use instead?

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 22/11/2015 09:40

No don't do it.

I have a boys middle name, and the fact is I never use it. I would have loved to use my middle name but won't, I find it too embarrassing.

OVienna · 22/11/2015 09:39

Roy sounds like it could be a surname. I really like the idea and I think the names sound nice together. Go for it!

rogueantimatter · 22/11/2015 09:35

I'd assume it was a family surname.

BertrandRussell · 22/11/2015 09:30

Definitely not with Sydney or Georgia. And I think it's worth considering if your grandmother was called Daisy would you call your son Matthew Daisy L..... And if not, why not?

sassytheFIRST · 22/11/2015 09:18

I offer you Billy Paul Piper.

Not my choice, but it's well within acceptable.

myotherusernameisbetter · 22/11/2015 09:16

I know a guy with the middle name of Hannah as it's his mum's maiden name. I think they just saw it as a surname and they didn't see that it was also a girl's first name too.

squoosh · 22/11/2015 00:32

That's true. Girls called James are semi-acceptable, but boys called Lily?

nooka · 22/11/2015 00:27

My mother has her fathers name as her middle name. It's slightly odd but she doesn't mind (she adored her dad which I am sure helped!).

Roy is pretty neutral I guess, although a bit dated - I have a lovely friend Roy but can't imagine it on a child somehow. I can't help but think that no one would ever give their boy an obviously female name though.

BikeRunSki · 22/11/2015 00:14

I'd use Roy as a second middle name, with unambiguously female first and second names.

HerbieRidesAgain · 22/11/2015 00:04

My sister is called Pamela Duncan surname i think it is lovely

celtictoast · 21/11/2015 23:07

I vote no.

squoosh · 21/11/2015 22:48

I don't see the problem. I'd assume she'd been given a family surname as a middle name. A Scottish female friend of mine has the middle name Blair, as it used to be her mother's surname.

twinjocks · 21/11/2015 22:06

My daughter has a traditionally male name (think Scottish royal family) as her middle name. It's a family tradition, being a great-great-somebody-or-other's surname, and is given to at least one girl in each generation. She loves it. Her first name is a flower name.

I think you should go with Roy, but perhaps steer away from the more masculine sounding first names like Sydney or Georgie. Of your list, I like Louisa best.

myotherusernameisbetter · 21/11/2015 21:07

I used to work with a woman called Kevin and wasn't one of Sting's daughters called Michael?

Focusfocus · 21/11/2015 21:01

The only one example I know is Meg John Barker. They are an academic who identify as of neither or both genders and are a part of the UK bisexual activist and academic community. In their case Meg John are conscious choices representing female and male aspects by choice in the name.

Cannot think of anyone else.

Knitella · 21/11/2015 21:01

I think it's fine - I would assume it was a family surname.

I googled the meaning - "King" - so an alternative could be to go for a female name such as Regina, Gina etc which mean Queen.

TrinityForce · 21/11/2015 20:55

Roya sounds great! Nice suggestion, what do you think of it OP?

originalmavis · 21/11/2015 20:54

I knew a woman whose middle name was Stephen. She chose it herself (not quite sure but is it a cathoic thing to choose a saints name at confirmation?).