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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is Frankie gender neutral?

45 replies

Icannotdecideaboyname · 06/02/2023 19:25

DP favourite name is Frankie but for a boy.
I have expressed concerns that it is a girls name to me and should go for Frank on BC and Frankie day to day whilst he is young. DP says Frank is too harsh for a tiny baby

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Springis · 06/02/2023 20:42

Yes

obvs

DisforDarkChocolate · 06/02/2023 20:07

Yabado · 06/02/2023 19:52

My brothers daughter is Francis but we all call her Frankie since she was tiny

I do hope you mean Frances.

SirChenjins · 06/02/2023 20:04

It’s unisex, although I think of Frankie Boyle when I hear it so a male name for me.

Yabado · 06/02/2023 19:52

My brothers daughter is Francis but we all call her Frankie since she was tiny

YourWinter · 06/02/2023 19:48

FFS give the child a sensible adult name, they’re grown-up for a lot longer than they’re kids.

Frank or Francesca, you can call it Frankie for the rest of your life but don’t put that on the birth certificate.

Twizbe · 06/02/2023 19:45

My mum is Frankie nn for Frances.

I think of it as a girls name but it is unisex.

Agree, you're not naming a tiny baby. You're naming an adult.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 06/02/2023 19:43

Here's a whole page of famous Frankies, of both sexes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie

I knew a very senior public sector official whose first name was always given as Frankie. No idea what was on her birth certificate.

I second those who point out you are not looking for a cute name that works for a baby, you're looking for a name that your child will use until old age. I'd go for Frank on the birth certificate. Good solid name.

Luredbyapomegranate · 06/02/2023 19:41

Francis or Franklin

Frankie is cute but not really a full name

Original poster
Icannotdecideaboyname · 06/02/2023 19:40

Thank you for suggestions. It’s a no for Franklin but I do quite like Francis as a formal version

OP posts:
OliviaFlaversham · 06/02/2023 19:37

I would have said it 100% is for girls until I read the above comments! I thought it was short for Francesca or Frances (as only ever met Frankies for which this is true).

Either way, definitely wouldn’t put Frankie on a birth certificate.

NuffSaidSam · 06/02/2023 19:36

Frankie is gender neutral.

But I would go for something else on the birth certificate personally. I think Frankie is a bit twee for all occasions and I like a choice!

I'd probably go for Franklyn/Franklin, but could also use Francis or Francisco/Francesco if you've got Italian/Spanish heritage.

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 06/02/2023 19:35

Nothing wrong with Frank. I know a really cool one (boy).

LynneBenfield · 06/02/2023 19:35

It’s a boy to me, unless a nn for Francesca or Frances.

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 06/02/2023 19:34

Your DP needs to forget about naming a tiny baby - you’re naming a person for the next 80+ years. So I would go Francis or Frank on the BC. If you call them Frankie I can almost be certain they will be Frank by the age of 10.

HerbalTeaAndCake · 06/02/2023 19:34

It's both.
Give him a longer version though for when he grows up!
Franklin
Francisco

Original poster
Icannotdecideaboyname · 06/02/2023 19:31

@Hotelfoxtrot is your son Frankie on the BC?

OP posts:
Hotelfoxtrot · 06/02/2023 19:28

Absolutely. I have a boy Frankie, always think it doesn’t sound like a girls name but I’m probably biased.

AnneLovesGilbert · 06/02/2023 19:27

The one I know is a girl.

Theylastedwell · 06/02/2023 19:27

I associate it more with boys but I know a Francesca whose nickname is Frankie. Francis is a lovely name, that can be shortened to both Frank and Frankie as suits you now and your son when he’s older

Coffeellama · 06/02/2023 19:26

First thing to bare in mind with any name is you aren’t naming a ‘tiny baby’, you are naming a human who will be an adult for far longer than they will be a baby. Frankie is unisex though, I no a few boy Frankies but I’ve not met a girl one personally.