Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Harris…for a girl?

313 replies

tiramisufiend · 15/11/2025 09:38

AIBU?

I misheard the name “Karis” a few weeks ago and thought, ‘Harris as a girl’s name, how cool.’

I’ve done some superficial research and it seems that Harris is mostly used a boy’s first name, if at all, as it is a surname, really.

But I think it’s very fresh and cosmopolitan, and I like the unisex vibe.

What comes to mind when you think of a girl called Harris? Thoughts welcome!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Needmorelego · 16/11/2025 21:12

Laurmolonlabe · 16/11/2025 20:54

I bow to your superior knowledge of children's literature.

Everyone knows Enid books though.... don't they 🤔

Laurmolonlabe · 16/11/2025 20:54

Needmorelego · 16/11/2025 10:18

Malory Towers is a girls school.
And they had a girl called Darrell 😂😂😂

I bow to your superior knowledge of children's literature.

3beastiesandme · 16/11/2025 20:03

A friend had a female kune kune pig called Harris… hard pass for me as a human 😂

deste · 16/11/2025 19:43

My Daughter in laws surname was Harris and daughters partners son has a friend Harris. Saying that i like the idea of giving it to a girl.

Eurovisionwatcherbecauselol · 16/11/2025 19:16

ActYourAge · 15/11/2025 09:41

It's daft and made up

It's definitely not made up, popular Arabic boys name

Partypants83 · 16/11/2025 18:42

No.

Kittyloulou · 16/11/2025 18:35

Nope

Emmz1510 · 16/11/2025 18:33

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 15/11/2025 09:41

And a surname.

For a start, there are plenty of boys in Scotland who have Harris as a first name, it’s very popular.
And even it were traditionally a surname, plenty of surnames are finding popularity as first names. Think of Jackson, Hudson, Cooper, Harrison (also very popular in Scotland), Mason, Harper, Cameron…….

Wicked123 · 16/11/2025 18:32

There’s so many pretty girls names out there and you’d want to name a girl Harris 😩

CelestialCandyfloss · 16/11/2025 18:31

No because your 'Arris is your arse 😬

Emmz1510 · 16/11/2025 18:29

I quite like it! Even shortened to Harry it’s cute for a girl.
And for the people saying that it’s daft, made up or a surname even for a boy, there are thousands of boys called Harris in Scotland.

cha04 · 16/11/2025 18:20

OvenChick · 15/11/2025 09:42

Too close to arris I.e. arse

I thought that too 🤣🤣

cha04 · 16/11/2025 18:18

tiramisufiend · 15/11/2025 09:38

AIBU?

I misheard the name “Karis” a few weeks ago and thought, ‘Harris as a girl’s name, how cool.’

I’ve done some superficial research and it seems that Harris is mostly used a boy’s first name, if at all, as it is a surname, really.

But I think it’s very fresh and cosmopolitan, and I like the unisex vibe.

What comes to mind when you think of a girl called Harris? Thoughts welcome!

Harris is a surname, like mo Harris off Eastenders! Terrible name for boy or girl

DangerousAlchemy · 16/11/2025 18:18

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 15/11/2025 09:49

What a daft comment, they are not known unisex names.

Harris is not a unisex name 🤭

Dinomum79 · 16/11/2025 18:12

Harris is a popular boys name in Scotland. I love it 🥰

Needmorelego · 16/11/2025 18:02

@Emanwenym I was just curious that's all 🙂
The fact that you (and probably a zillion readers) didn't think there was anything unusual about the name Darrell shows that a girl called Harris probably wouldn't have other children thinking much about her name either.

Doggielovecharlotte · 16/11/2025 17:54

Don’t like it - too harsh for a girl

OSTMusTisNT · 16/11/2025 17:53

Good Scottish name but definitely for a boy.

Emanwenym · 16/11/2025 17:51

I don't understand why you asked it. When I read the books, I didn't think anything of it.
Most of the names weren't ones I knew so it seemed no stranger than Alicia or Felicity.
It's not like she was called Harris Rivers.

(It was Bill not Billie. My mistake)

I remember being puzzled by the four Famous Five children being called Kirrin because they were related via Aunt Fanny IIRC. My cousins had different surnames to mine.

eastegg · 16/11/2025 17:36

WarrenTofficier · 15/11/2025 10:21

Well first of all 'Arriet, 'Eather and 'Enry aren't rhyming slang for arse so it is less of an issue.
Secondly yes I did take into account that some accents pronounce certain sounds in ways that impact the whole sound of a name. I dropped Nathaniel/Nathan from my boy list because it would inevitably be pronounced Nayfun around here, which to me is a bad day out in Yorkshire rather than a name.

Love this reply 👏.

I felt similarly about Alexaaaarndra. Great name but that pronunciation, which is not how I would say it, would do my head in day in day out.

Needmorelego · 16/11/2025 17:33

Emanwenym · 16/11/2025 17:32

@Needmorelego, Why do you ask that? I've not posted anything to suggest it.

It was a question.
Not a statement.
I was just curious.

Emanwenym · 16/11/2025 17:32

@Needmorelego, Why do you ask that? I've not posted anything to suggest it.

Needmorelego · 16/11/2025 17:30

@Emanwenym so do you think Enid Blyton shouldn't have named her character Darrell?
Because it's a surname and/or a boys name?

Turnups · 16/11/2025 17:27

I’d think "Poor child, to have parents like that."

Emanwenym · 16/11/2025 17:25

Enid Blyton's husband was Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. The Darrell was probably a family surname.

Harris has been used for a girl. Baby name explorer. Doesn't make it right.