Lynn for our son's middle name?

[Reddies2012]

What do you think? We will only be having one child. It was my mum's name. It's unisex, but obviously known as a female name. First name will be Tobias (Toby).

Tobias Lynn?

Will it be okay?

Sorry but Lynn is not unisex.

How about using your mum's maiden name?

A friends dad is called Lynn. When people talk about him and his wife people always assume it's a lesbian couple.

But I think it would be fine as a mn in memory of your dm. After all, the female version is also Lynne.

Well Gwen I can assure you the Lin I know is not Chinese nor female.

It is a male name, not necessarily the way OP is spelling it.

I have seen male Lyn more often. I did live near Wales though.

I remember Lynn Davies who was a famous (male) long jumper in the 60's/70's. I like it - it's unusual.

Lyn or Lin/Linne would be fine IMO. Depending on mother's maiden name perhaps that could work?

From namespedia:
"Lynn is rare as a baby name for boys. At the modest peak of its usage in 1941, 0.107% of baby boys were given the name Lynn. Its ranking then was #141. The baby name has since substantially fallen in popularity, and is currently of sporadic use. Out of all boy names in its group, Lynn was nonetheless the most widely used in 2015. Though Lynn is more popular as a girl name today, there was a period before 1941 that it was given more often to boys. From 1942 on, increasingly more girls than boys were named Lynn. In 1986, Lynn as a girl name outnumbered its use as a boy name by 6 times."
(I'm not sure if they're referencing UK or US but interesting anyway.)

Lyn is a welsh boys name although I prefer Lyr.

Lyn means lake in yer actual welsh. I meant to add that.

I know some Welsh male Lyns too and also Wyn. There's Lynton too you could consider. I don't see a problem with Lyn though, especially as a middle name.

I think Tobias Lynn is a beautiful name for a boy, particularly given the sentimental connections.

It's my dad's middle name, so it sounds quite normal to me.

Yes it was a unisex name till about the 50s. No I wouldn't use it for a boy. Maybe (if you're inflexible) you could go for Lyn?

Lynn Davies won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics (back when gold medals were few & far between).

I LOVE the name Tobias, I really wanted it for mine but it was the name of my partners beloved dog :/

Anyway! I knew a Lynn, two actually, both male... both about my grandads age when I was a wee sprog. I like it and the sentiment is lovely.. also you actually have to use a middle name for most things, my brother has his dads name and he doesn't use it, ever. So if for any reason little Tobias grows up and he doesnt like it (sure that won't be the case) he doesn't have to use it. :) go with your heart x

*DON'T HAVE TO use it. Stupid fingers.

What about the Welsh name Llyn?

My parents did a similar thing to one of my brothers using the 'unisex' name Courtney. Please don't-we still take the piss out of it now!

Lynn is a girls name. Lyn is a boys name.

I think it's a lovely idea and you should use it. If your mum's same was Lynn then I don't see the point in going for Glyn of Flyn. They aren't her name.
Plenty of people have random middle names.
It's not like you're using it for his first name. I would go for it. It's something for your son to have from his gm.

Interesting that on this thread it's a pretty unanimous "no" whereas loads of people on this thread think it's perfectly acceptable to use a boy's middle name for a girl.

If it's fine to use boys' names for girls, it's fine to use girls' names for boys. Personally I'm not a fan and would suggest using a different name to honour your mum instead (does she have a middle name with a male version? Would her maiden name work as a boy's middle name?)

I take my comment back about this thread being unanimous, have just read the more recent replies and it seems there are some people in favour as well!

My Dad had the middle name Lynn; it was his mothers maiden name. If you like it OP, use it.

In Wales, Lynn is considered a perfectly standard and conventional male name. I know several ranging from late teens right through to pensioners. If you like it and it has a special meaning for you, I'd go for it. People rarely use middle names on a day to day basis in any event.