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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is wren a gender less name

84 replies

catsareme14 · 06/09/2025 09:06

As in the title . Would you use Wren for a girl or boy ?

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user9064385631 · 06/09/2025 12:53

I think girls - Jenny Wren.
Ren I would assume male if I saw it written down.

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 06/09/2025 12:50

I’d use it for a kitchen.

helpfulperson · 06/09/2025 12:48

Halfquarterbag · 06/09/2025 11:18

Don’t give a boy a girls’ name.

It’s an unkind thing to do.

But most of the people who have said they actually know someone called wren have said they are male so why is it a girls name.

40andlovelife · 06/09/2025 11:26

Halfquarterbag · 06/09/2025 11:18

Don’t give a boy a girls’ name.

It’s an unkind thing to do.

Agree 100%

Baby26 · 06/09/2025 11:26

I would assume girl, as I've only ever known a girl called Wren. But it's a unisex name. Not the same ofc, but I have a male cat called Nova, who I named before it became more of a girl name! Doesn't put me off of using unisex names because they are more commonly used for one sex.

40andlovelife · 06/09/2025 11:26

It’s very feminine. Definitely a girls name

Needspaceforlego · 06/09/2025 11:23

Female, it also reminds me of the WRNS
And I have no military associations beyond watching the Festival of Remembrance in November

Halfquarterbag · 06/09/2025 11:18

Don’t give a boy a girls’ name.

It’s an unkind thing to do.

GloryFades · 06/09/2025 11:11

HotBathwater · 06/09/2025 09:08

Sex. You mean sex. And it’s overwhelmingly used for girls.

I actually think she might mean gender, because there’s nothing about a name that has any link to sex. Just the social construct about whether a name is perceived to be feminine or masculine, which is pretty much what gender is.

imsorryihaventaclue · 06/09/2025 11:10

My (female) dog's name

DuchessOfNarcissex · 06/09/2025 10:56

Wren - darkgreener
What started the trend?

Was it from Star Wars?

LetsTryAgainNowThen · 06/09/2025 10:53

Well there were 63 male Wrens born in 2024 so I suppose it can be used for boys. I've only ever heard it as a girl's name though.

ProfoundlyPeculiarAndWeird · 06/09/2025 10:48

It's a lovely name. It is genderless in itself but quite likely to be experienced by some as female.

I wouldn't worry about other people's perception of its gender. I'd be more worried about the fact that a wren is known above all for its tiny size. Great when the person is a baby but quite likely to be discordant and a constant embarrassment from tweens onwards, especially in adult life.

niadainud · 06/09/2025 10:44

Would you use Wren for a girl or boy?

No I wouldn't.

Horribly twee imo.

PestoHoliday · 06/09/2025 10:43

Ren is a boy's name. Wren is a girl's name.

Or for a boy with the type of parent who would also name a boy River or Leaf, wear art nouveau jewellery because they think it makes them look elven, keep crystals around the place or tragically had a stillborn baby with Tom Archer

JaninaDuszejko · 06/09/2025 10:42

I'd think of it as a girls name but don't know any. Robin is a boys name though if you like the bird theme.

Menonut · 06/09/2025 10:41

Coming from a navy city a wren will always be a female.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 06/09/2025 10:39

Wren and Harper are surnames. Both are nice as surnames.

UnbeatenMum · 06/09/2025 10:37

The Wrens was a nickname for the Women's Royal Naval Service in the UK for most of the previous century, which might be why there's a female association in this country at least.

Dutchhouse14 · 06/09/2025 10:32

I would have assumed it to be a girls name, as wrens are small birds (stereotyping I know!) but I haven't come across anyone irl called wten

Tam285 · 06/09/2025 10:31

To me it's a girls name because it's a cute little bird and the saying Jenny wren. But I love wrens because they're so tiny and the way their tail stands up is very cute IMO. I've never met anyone actually called wren though.

honeylulu · 06/09/2025 10:30

I don't know any Wrens but it feels more feminine to me. My sister is called Jennifer and people often called her Jenny Wren when she was little.

I'm not keen on it. It doesn't sound like a proper name, more like a nickname/diminutive because the parents couldn't be bothered to think of an actual name. It also seems a bit "trendy" and well probably date badly after a few years.

OneWilde · 06/09/2025 10:25

I’ve met 3 Wren’s in my life and all boys/ men!
I’d have said unisex but mostly male leaning

BoleynMemories13 · 06/09/2025 10:21

I've never been keen for a girl as it sounds too masculine (I know Wren is a delicate little bird, but 'ren' is a very masculine sound). However, I wouldn't use it for a boy as it's predominantly a girls name these days.

Same with Harper. It sounds quite masculine and use to be quite unisex but it now very popular for girls.

Digdongdoo · 06/09/2025 10:20

Can go either way, but to me it's a girls name or a kitchen shop. And the bird of course.