Boy's name - androgynous or too feminine?

[Jars11]

What are people's thoughts on Willow for a boy? When i first thought of it i thought it was very gender neutral, but there are a few old posts online that seem to sway towards it firmly being a girl's name. I know there will be people who think yes girl or no neutral, but what do you think the general consensus would be today? And is it really bad for the child that there may be that association? I'm conflicted because i love the name and just cannot think of anything to replace it.

Ooh, Willoughby is good. Had a pal at uni called William and he used to get called Willoughby as a nn.

Willoughby is good!

Hyphenating is not a good way to go.

While I think it was unisex, at the moment it is definitely more of a name for girls. In the latest stats (2015) it is unranked for boys but the 41st most popular name for girls.

I went out with a guy called Willow but his real name was William and his surname started with an O, hence Will-O.

Willoughby is nice or you could do any other Will name (William, Wilfred, Wilson, Wilbur or even just Will) with Willow as a nickname. If you want to legitimise it a bit more then you could give him an O middle name so Wilfred Oliver Surname, nicknamed Willow.

I actually feel Willow suits a boy more than a girl, and it's a lovely gender-neutral name. It's refreshing to see someone consider a name for a boy that's more commonly a girls name, as it's normally the other way around.

Definitely a girls name.

Too feminine for a boy

Sounds a bit girly to me. I think Wilbur would be an excellent alternative.

I would assume it was a girl if I heard the name, but think it is actually lovely for a boy. And once people know him it will just be his name, and won't matter. Maybe give him a traditional middle name to give him the option when he's older?

Willow - I definitely think of it as a girl's name. You could still go for it if you wanted, but your son might not thank you for it when he is older.

Wilbur is nice - bit American, maybe? Not that that is a bad thing, but I just mean it doesn't quite have the same vibe.

Willoughby is inspired! You've even got the O sound following Will so the nickname could easily be Willow. Of course, Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility was an out and out cad, but he was played by the gorgeous Greg Wise, so I don't think that need stop you. In fact, I'm adding it to my list of names to suggest to my children when they start procreating, since my childbearing days are over.

I immediately think of a boy (and parents on the hippier end of the scale but in a good way, not too twee).

I think it's a great name, especially as it can easily be shortened to the more conventional Will if he prefers later on. If you like it then go for it.

Definitely a girl's name. Oakley is nice and in a similar nature vein?

I prefer it as a boy's name, actually, but it doesn't scream HIGHLY GENDERED one way or another at me.

Girl.

Another vote for Willoughby.

It's a girls name. Please don't saddle your son with it.

HerOutdoors Salix is awesome! I'm adding that to my list of potential dog names.

I would definitely expect a Willow to be a girl. It's my DD's middle name and I think of Willow from Buffy.

It may have started out unisex but I'd say it's firmly a girl's name now. As someone else pointed out, it's in the top 50 for girls at the moment so currently very well used. It's quite a new name to the top of the rankings, hence why some people haven't heard it much yet/don't think of it as gendered either way, but there will be lots of (pretty much exclusively) female Willows in his peer group throughout his life. Not a problem per se, but I think it would likely cause a lot of mistakes/confusion/annoyance for him as most people will assume he's female from his name alone.

It does have a lovely sound. How about Yarrow?

I've met a baby boy called Arlo, similar sound?

Willow is definitely a girls' name to me. Willoughby is a great, unusual alternative

Willow feels very much like a girls name to me

Willoughby is a brilliant alternative!

When I suggested it to my DH as a girls name he assumed it was for a boy due to the film.

Will Oscar nn WillO?

A girls' name for me too.
How were you thinking of hyphenating it? John-Willow? I don't think that works. If you dropped the hyphen and used e.g. John Willow Surname it would be fine.