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

Feelings on now feminine names for boys?

134 replies

user1489577919 · 16/03/2017 18:04

Previous post... Selwyn didn't seem too popular.

Now I'm thinking about names that lean a bit more feminine these days:

Vivian

Hilary

Kelly

Thoughts? Also any other suggestions of feminine names for boys?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
deste · 19/03/2017 22:31

Jordan or J'aime.

MyNameIsAlexDrake · 19/03/2017 22:09

I have known male
Taylor
Morgan
Brooke

Though I think they're more commonly used as female names now.

NotYoda · 19/03/2017 21:44

Flappy

I wonder if Kelly was a common girls' name at that point, whereas less so now?

captainproton · 19/03/2017 19:40

What about Joe? Lots of Josephs and Joannes get call Joe. It's gender neutral IMO.

I like Jesse and Kit too.

DumbledoresApprentice · 19/03/2017 19:39

When I was on teaching placement I taught a boy called Kelly. He was definitely one of the cool kids and not teased at all. IME of secondary schools children aren't teased for their names. Some kids with fairly run-of-the-mill names get teased, including with horrible puns on their names and jokes about them. Others with names that lots of people claim will attract ridicule have no trouble at all.

MrsLettuce · 19/03/2017 19:36

Oh, is Fabian prn Fay-bee-N in English? I fear it is and am not keen. Sorry. I'm used to Fab-ee-aN which I do quite like.

FlappyRose · 19/03/2017 19:29

As a child, I knew a boy called Kelly. He was so badly bullied he changed it at 11. Kids can be cruel.

MrsLettuce · 19/03/2017 19:26

Vivian is good.

Would Fabian or Florian (often nn Floris) work in English?

NotYoda · 19/03/2017 19:24

I also like Jodie

The names I prefer for girls are:

Robyn
Stevie
Billie (although Billy is OK for a young boy)

NotYoda · 19/03/2017 19:22

I would also say;

Adults often mention children being teased about their names. I work in a school (admittedly a multi-cultural one with a wide array of names) but I really don't think children tease each other for things (names) that are outside their own realm of experience - if at all.

You average Primary schoolchild has probably not heard the name Hilary. It's not a very commonplace name now. So I doubt they'd bat an eye when their new (male) friend is introduced to them

If a boy was called Katie than might have an impact.

NotYoda · 19/03/2017 19:16

The ones I like are:

Jesse
Kelly
Kit
Sacha

I don't like Hilary (boys or girl)

or Vivian (but I do like (Vivienne for a girl)

TheShapeofYou · 19/03/2017 19:16

I've known of a male Jody, Dorian, Kelly and Stacey.

What about Casey OP?

Alisvolatpropiis · 19/03/2017 19:06

I know a male Vivian in his early 30's. I don't think he's overly keen on his name but also isn't traumatised by it either.

Sophronia · 19/03/2017 18:49

Oh I like Jody for a boy

Usanayme · 19/03/2017 18:36

NotYoda I definitely think there's some internalised sexism here. However, I'm not trying to, and wouldn't, make a political statement out of a child's name

This is OP but I changed my username so it's more easily identifiable

NotYoda · 19/03/2017 18:02

I think there's an interesting philosophical point here:

Lots of people say:

When girls are given 'boys' names, it's kind of strong and cool

But when a boys is given a 'girls' name : it makes him look soft or ridiculous. It devalues him as a boy in some way

So, are we to conclude that being mistaken for a girl is a worse thng than being mistaken for a boy?

Dunno. Throwing it out there

SquirmOfEels · 19/03/2017 17:42

Sasha is the Russian pet form of Alexander. And with the changes to the rules that permitted increased immigration from Eastern Europe, it's a common boy's name here too. All my DC have (male) classmates called Sasha (and would see it as a but peculiar on a girl)

But it is occasionally used for girls as pet name for Alexandra (a bit like Charlie for Charlotte in English)

BigGreenOlives · 19/03/2017 08:18

Sasha is used as an abbreviated form of Alexander in German speaking countries.

HotSince82 · 19/03/2017 08:16

My DS is an Eden but I've only ever met male ones although its suggested for girls on here

Occadodo · 19/03/2017 08:09

Tara is also Irish boys name and u went to school with a Jody!!! I can say I'm with David Mitchell

PetalMettle · 19/03/2017 07:11

I like Jocelyn and alexis the best

Izzyathome · 19/03/2017 04:29

I know men called Stacey and Tracey. Hasn't seemed to have held either of them back.

janie2 · 18/03/2017 23:21

I went to school with a lad called Jodie, and taught a boy called Courtney. There was recently a Scotland rugby player called Kelly.
I'm finding myself unusually drawn to some if these!

beebee82 · 18/03/2017 20:36

Eden or Wren are beautiful names for boys

NoArmaniNoPunani · 18/03/2017 18:53

I was at sixth form in the nineties with a super hot guy called Stacey. He did, however, have a surname than rendered him fairly masculine (without outing him!) No one batted an eyelid (lashes, maybe!)

Stacey Boner?