Apparently these are girls' names

[AndHarry]

Soren (Norwegian boy?)
Kendal (mint cake)
Stevie (Wonder)
Darcy (shouldn't that be Darcey?)
Avanti (?)
Beau (masculine form of Belle)
Riley (boy)

Are my reactions weird or are these actual, accepted girls' names? They popped up as suggestions on a FB group, along with JezAbel

I know at least one girl/woman with one of these names bar Stevie which is my favourite girls name.

Oh I missed Avanti, I don't know anyone personally with that name but dp does.

I know a girl darcy and a girl riley. I dont know any boys with any of those names

Oh no hang on! I know some stevies That are men

Steve nicks - awesome voice!
They are unusual but I've heard worse.

Sorry that should be Stevie nicks! Not Steve!

I know two female Steve's

Stevie has been a nn for Stephanie for yonks, and although I'd expect the spelling Darcey, I think it's a girls name now (like Courtney).

I'd see all the others to be boys.

Except Avanti, which I've never come across in RL or literature and I wouldn't know which to expect.

Amazing. I had never heard of any of those used for a girl before. Except Darcy, which I've always assumed to be a mis-spelling of Darcey.

Sister Steve was the nun in Father Dowling on tv eons ago !!

I'd forgotten about Sister Steve! And yes to Paul Temple's wife. There was Stevie Smith the poet too.

I met 3 friends called Armani, Chanel and L'Oreal.

I've heard of Riley, Stevie, Kendal and Darcy for girls. Isn't Avanti a condom brand?

JezAbel

I know a little boy Riley.

Is there not a Stevie on Miranda? I don't watch it but have a vague idea that the little blonde woman is Stevie. That would possibly explain any increase in popularity.

I've seen the FB thread you're talking about,and there are some far, far worse names on there than the ones you've listed here...

:o FRIGG I know but I'm trying to channel my shock and confusion into the names that I had no idea anyone would give to a girl.

I just went back for another read. It feels voyeuristic.

Kendall/Kendal, Darcy/Darcey and Riley are definitely girls' names.

Kendall and Riley are very American and the former is almost uniquely a girls' name, while Riley is fast heading to all girl land.

Stevie Nicks is definitely a girl.

Names like Bobbie, Billie, Georgie, and Willie-May have a long history as girls' names in black America.

I have heard of Beau as a girl's name but I think it is mostly an unusual boys' name.

Avanti -- probably girl name, has characteristics that are not masculine.

Soren - boy name.
(Seren - girl name).

Avanti means 'come forward', 'come in' or 'hurry up' in a couple of languages :)

Stevie Nicks is the only female Steve i've heard of, but it makes sense as a nn for Stephanie. Darcey is pretty well known surely? Darcey Bussell?

The other names are a bit ... 'out there', as they say.

I have never heard of a female Riley or Beau.
The others sound feminine though, in general there seems to be less distinction between boys and girls names than there used to be.

I've recently met a five year old girl called Beau. Only heard it as a boy's name before, so I was a bit surprised for all of 30 seconds, and now it's just who she is iyswim.

I know a female toddler Beau. I was a bit when her mother announced it because my first thought was "Beau is masculine, shouldn't it be Belle?" (didn't say it, just thought it) but it seems to be accepted as a girl's name.

Kendal is definitely female and American, Sarah Michelle Gellar played a character called Kendal in a US soap opera before she starred as Buffy. Darcy would make me think of Darcey Bussell regardless of spelling, so female.

I would still think of Riley as a male name and Stevie as unisex. No idea re Siren as I've never encountered one, and Avanti is the Italian for "come on" or "forward"! That's like calling your child "Keepup"!

Soren - stupid autocorrect (although maybe Siren appears on that list too, just down from JezAbel..)

I'm trying not to look again AndHarry as you say....feels voyeristic...