Have you got a unisex name? Does it cause issues?

[birdofthenorth]

If bump is a DD I'm thinking of Jude, with Judith on the bc after MIL, but definitely Jude day to day, until/unless she chooses otherwise.

Just worried in case people assume she's male all the time. If you have a unisex name does this happen and does it bother you? Thanks.

I'm a bit meh about unisex names really. I don't have one but deal with small babies often, and saddling a child with a frankly " wrong gender" name is really mean. THe unisex ones are also a bit ummm, but it depends what the local usage is

eg Jordan Casey Taylor Riley Maddison Hillary (Ok apparently that's the male spelling?) Leslie etc

Jude is a nice name, but all the Judes I know are boys. If you truely love it, use it, but will be a bit of an issue. Don't use it if you want Jude because you hate Judith/Judy because I'm 90% sure she'll have taken on the feminine name by secondary school if not sooner....

DS is Samuel, almost always known as Sam. Never any confusion, although I don't think Samantha is a very popular name for his generation (he's 4).

DONT DO IT!!

I've got a unisex name and its ok now it was AWFUL as a kid. I had awful short hair and looked like a boy. Gave me massive esteem issues too which are still present. I like my full name which is female but constantly need to introduce myself as that to avoid any queries which is crazy as an adult woman.

My case wasnt helped by an older male sibling dying and making my parents nuts and made them treat me more and more like a boy but still.

Dont inflict that on your child

Love Jude for a boy but not allowed it (DP). I think it is fine for a girl - it is unisex rather than being a boys name. I think of a nurse (female) in Casualty called Jude, I really liked the character (going back quite a while!).

Do you have a boys name, or might he also be Jude for the MIL?!

I know many male and female children/adults called Alex, Sam, Chris, Rowan and Mel - once you know the person you just associate whatever name he/she has. Has never caused any problems that I'm aware.

I think Judith is a lovely name and Jude/Judy are great nicknames. Also, Jude is not a very popular boys name currently, so there won't be many male Judes around.

I never use my actual first name. My nn is a boys name that can be used as a unisex name as well but is far far more common for a boy. Especially as it has been creeping up the top names and is now a top 50.
The short version of my nn can't be female but people still call me it.

I like it.

Jude doesn't have that problem of being seen mainly as a male name at all (I don't think)

I have a unisex nn and love it! my nn is mainly associated with being a boys name but is becoming increasing used for girls. Its never bothered me or been a problem BUT i am and always have been a bit of a tomboy so i guess having a blokish name has suited my personality. i always introduce myself by my full name so there is no confusion as to what gender i am!!!

If you love the name i would say go for it.

I know a female Jude. I have always thought of it as a female name.

I have a unisex name. It is more common as a girls' name in the UK, so I don't have any problems with it there. In the US (where I am now) it is very rarely used as a woman's name, so I do quite often have problems with it - people are always giving me a did-I-hear-that-right look, and they often mishear it as a different name because they are not expecting me to have what sounds like a male name to them. Accent probably plays a part too. It is a right pain, to be honest. But don't let that put you off - you might not get that issue in the UK.

In 2011 Jude was 83rd in boy's name list (England and Wales) with 764 babies named that.

In 2011 Jude was 1438th in the girl's name list (England and Wales) with 21 babies named that.

Quite unwittingly (when we were naming them) both my dds have shortened names that can also be shortenings for boys names (and, among their generation more usually are).
I don't think it's ever bothered them - if they are there, it's apparent they are girls, and if it's written down, then it tends to be their full name - but I get people I'm talking to looking at me all confused, quite a lot.

I wouldn't give them a full name that was unisex, it's just the way their names seem to have been shortened.

I know a Jude, middle aged woman, she was deffo a Judy, she was just trying to be trendy - didn't work

Our DD is Robin. No issues so far, though we call her Bob and she runs around in her male cousins cast-offs too. We have a very 'whatever' attitude to gender though.

I was constantly mistaken for a boy and while it got a bit old at times, it's not something I was scarred by.

If you like Jude, use it.

The only Jude I know is a lady. And I.know a Judy. I wouldnt associate it with a male name.

Go for it.

I want Alex for if I have another girl, but wouldnt use it on a boy.

I've got a unisex name, so has my Dad, Grandad, G GRandad, GG Grandad, GGG Grandad...................
My DD was not given it the only problem that could have arisen was letters just addressed to X Surname. Since I wasn't often the recipient of a gas bill it didn't happen.
I love the name Judith with the NN Jude. Not keen on Judy.

I worked with a woman called Judith, NN Jude. The only male Jude I "know" is fairly Obscure.

Narked those figures aren't a simple like-for-like comparison, because Jude is a boy's name in its own right, not usually a NN for something else, whereas there will be more female Judes who were actually christened Judith.

I know an adult female Jude (short for Judith) and two primary school age boys called Jude.

In ds's primary school there were two Taylors in a class - one was a boy and one a girl. Very confusing! And in the same class there was a female Morgan and a female Reece (previously I had only met boys with these names).

I would say she is likely to have people thinking she is a boy if they have seen her name written down but not met her IYSWIM.

Thanks all. A mixed response, I am still on the fence! Oh well, think we will be finding out th gender in advance so we can stop over-thinking it!

I know a Jude (male) and a Jude (short for Judy).

My ds has a unisex name but is more commonly used for boys in the UK. A few people have been but as a pp said, you tend to associate the name with the person, male or female. I was a bit worried about it to begin with and nearly changed his name but am very glad I didn't as it is still quite uncommon and I love it!

Go for it OP!

No.

I have one and I hated it as a child, and still don't like it (problem compounded by its having an unusual spelling). I wouldn't give any child a unisex name.

Jude is a boys name. Judith is a girls name that gets shortened to Judy/Jude as a nn