to use James on a girl?

[AyGirl]

Am overdue. Baby has not arrived. Do not know gender. Have finally after much indecision, decided a girl will be Iris James. Mentioned to DB who got very upset and kept on saying it's not a girls name. Mother has rang me this morning and said he was so upset because he wants to name a son of his James. Keep in mind he is not married or having a child. I do think they are TTC. But I want to use Iris James!!!!! She said that I shouldn't and should save it for him because it will be his first child and a son. So what, the two beautiful little girls I've delivered into our family are nothing. A boy will probably be Gage Theodore.

My older DDs are Hattie Juniper and Cleo Annika so we use quite different names.

Who is Isis Jones?

Your brother is totally right - you can't possibly use it as a middle name.

Go for James Iris instead I think it flows much better! :)

My DDs middle name is James. Nothing to do with celebrities and it isn't my maiden name.

Love how quick people are to say certain names are 'ridiculous'. a name like James is a solid, traditional name. Absolutely nothing ridiculous about it.

Go for it, and ignore your DB, you're the one actually having a baby!

James can be used for a girls name but it was more popular in yesteryear.

Your DB and DM ABU. You can't bagsey a name. It has significance for your husband. Tough cookie. Use it.

James is a nice traditional name but in society generally its seen as primarily a male name, not a female one.

Call your baby whatever you like OP.
Your DB, may never have a Son, but if he does, then he too, can call him James. I really don't see a problem, just petty mindedness.
I love your choice of names, especially Gage. 😄

Speaking as a girl with a "male surname" type 2nd middle name it took me to about age 40 to use it with pride ( it's a family name ) my sis has the same name and doesn't use it al all ...
I'd say if you must you must and use James not a compromise. Have a good reason to give your daughter though so she. An understand it

Tell your brother it is tough titty. The child will be Iris not james anyhow.

God, being that influenced by pop culture is just disgusting

Really.....disgusting? possibly a touch over dramatic there

My daughter was named after my favourite author - she loves is. In fact I was discussing with her teacher at parent's evening just now how proud she was.

OP - if you like it, then use it. Using what could be a surname as a girl's middle name is hardly a revolutionary idea - people won't bat an eyelid. And as for the imaginary boy child trumping your wishes? Nope

I think you should go for it if you like it because your brother doesn't even know if he'll ever have a boy!

If you were thinking of naming your son James then I could kind of understand him feeling a bit miffed but it would be your daughter's middle name!

Of course he could still use James.

If we had another girl (we already have two) her name will be Ava Jaymes. My husband is called James so it would be perfect.

James is the name of my awful ex husband so you can't use it. Or your brother.

I don't know why you'd want to copy a celebrity.

I wouldn't personally want a boy's name for a middle name, I have a unisex name as a first name and being relentlessly called Mr is an enormous irritation.

And I would still go ahead and use it. Though we never announced the name of our second daughter after being told that our eldest daughter shouldn't be called by her name as it was a "black" name and she is a white girl.

To say I was furious was an understatement and we didn't change her name!

My brother is James, my husband is James, my father and father in law are James, four generations going back on my father's side were James, my son is a variation of it as is his only male cousin. I am just really bloody glad I didn't read this when I was pregnant with my daughter or I might have had a little girl called James. I really like it as a female name, is very chic, but I think she could have a lot of issues with people being openly rude (my daughter has an unusual, possibly unique first name) and we get a lot of stupid comments. But if it's a middle name I don't see what the issue is. In actual fact, I like it so much I'd be tempted to use Iris James on a daily basis (although my inlaws and mother, all teachers, said kids hate double monickers - I have no clue if this is true)

I think you need to call your baby want you want to call her. Did think of Pet Sematary when I read the name Gage but by the time your boy is an adult I am not sure too many of his contemporaries will have read it.

Good luck with it all

YANBU
Iris James is lovely and your brother doesn't own the name. First come first served. As it will be the middle name, there's nothing stopping him from using it as a first name if he has a son.

James, , Blake, Cameron and Mackenzie are all boys names and tbh sound ridiculous when used as girls names. And Gage is bloody awful sorry!

He can't bagsy a name. I like it. My middle name is a boys name, no one has ever said a negative thing about it. Mostly people don't parade their middle names about anyway.

Children's names are too personal to ask opinions on. If you like it you use it.

Gage is awful, James for a girl is awful. Your other girls have lovely names. Iris is lovely too. Don't spoil it.

Can't you both use the name?
Middle names are rarely used...

Your DB and DM don't get to veto names. My personal opinion is not to use a male (or almost always male) name for a girl. I think it will just make life difficult for your DD in the future. I don't agree with the sentiment that it's "just" a middle name. It will be there on passports and in formal situations. I have an unusual name for the U.K. and hospital staff ask about it - it is just to make conversation but gets abig wearing.

The thing is when your daughter is looking for female role models with her name, what will she find.

You've said "So what, the two beautiful little girls I've delivered into our family are nothing." And of course this is not true, they are brilliant girls.

Why give a girl a boy's name. It doesn't send a good message to me.