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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Maxwell too masculine?

94 replies

othership · 06/11/2017 02:47

I love Maxwell (nickname Max) for our girl, but is it too masculine?
I do prefer more unisex names (Ryan, Rhuaridh, Blair) but worry they might be too masculine

OP posts:
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guest477337 · 06/11/2017 02:49

Maxwell is quite masculine but max is lovely for a girl and you would usually call her max for short?

If you like the name go for it, it's a lovely name and it doesn't really matter what others think xx

Battleax · 06/11/2017 02:51

I do prefer more unisex names (Ryan, Rhuaridh, Blair) but worry they might be too masculine

That's because they are. They're boys' names. But you knew that, didn't you?

Cavender · 06/11/2017 02:53

I think that’s not going to be an easy name for a girl to live with tbh.

Battleax · 06/11/2017 02:55

I think OP is pulling our legs.

Ryan or Rory unisex? ShockConfused

othership · 06/11/2017 03:00

You’ve obviously never watched Gilmore girls battleaxe. Also according to most baby name sites they’re all classed as unisex names.

OP posts:
AnotherRoadsideAttraction · 06/11/2017 03:00

Maxine is much cooler.

Cavender · 06/11/2017 03:06

I’m in the US and Ryan isn’t particularly uncommon for a girl these days (bearing in mind that naming children after their Mother's maiden name is popular) however the “an” sound does make it less jarring as a unisex name.
Rory is used as a nickname in the (dreadful) Gilmore Girls, but I’m not personally aware of any female Rhuaridhs.

Obviously the OP and her partner can call their baby what they like but I think a lifetime of people saying Confused at you name (and not in a good way) might be very difficult.

Having just googled apparently Jessica Simpson called her DD Maxwell. It doesn’t help endorse the name IMO, but I’m sure others will disagree.

Pemba · 06/11/2017 03:23

The names you have suggested are not 'gender neutral' , they're male. Maxwell is particularly strongly masculine, but I have seen Blair used for girls in the US.

A niece of mine has a baby girl known as 'Max' but in her case it's short for Maxima. (The name of the Queen of the Netherlands apparently). I don't see them much (they live abroad). She is referred to as Max by her parents, but I do find that very clearly masculine and try to fudge it a bit myself by referring to her as Maxie or Maxima. We will have to see what she prefers herself when she is old enough to have an opinion.

Bunnychopz · 06/11/2017 03:42

Maxine

SuperBeagle · 06/11/2017 06:11

You’ve obviously never watched Gilmore girls battleaxe. Also according to most baby name sites they’re all classed as unisex names.

Her name is Lorelei, not Rory.

Being nicknamed something masculine is different than being named something masculine. Maxine shortened to Max is different from Maxwell. Jemima shortened to Jimmy is different from James.

MargaretRiver · 06/11/2017 06:33

I think when parents give a baby girl a boy's name, at some sub-concious level they picture the name contrasting with her petite, feminine self and being adorable.

That don't seem to consider that she might end up six-foot two, or broad-shouldered, or a bit masculine-faced. And wear a lot of jeans & hoodies.
She might spend her life having people do a double-take when they meet her, and even having to correct people who think she's a man or transgendered

May50 · 06/11/2017 06:35

Maxine shortened to Max is better.

pipilangstrumpf · 06/11/2017 06:51

Maxine, Maxima or Maximiliana are better imo and she can still be known as Max.

I think Mark Zuckerberg has a dd Max?

Coconutspongexo · 06/11/2017 06:53

Being nicknamed something masculine is different than being named something masculine. Maxine shortened to Max is different from Maxwell. Jemima shortened to Jimmy is different from James.

This

Springbreeze · 06/11/2017 06:59

Agree with Margaret. Can you imagine how Cameron Diaz would have suffered had she been a large girl? Very hard to pull off imo.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 06/11/2017 07:01

A lifetime of having to explain when you apply for something or fill in a form yeh great!

Reppin · 06/11/2017 07:03

Like Jessica Simpson's daughter? I don't dislike the name but I think you will just look like you have no personality of your own and are a bit star struck!

AliPfefferman · 06/11/2017 07:22

I don’t have a strong feeling that boys’ and girls’ names need to be different, but your poor little DD is going to be sick to death of teachers, employers, and others assuming she is a boy/man from seeing her name before meeting her. My DS has an unusual name (cultural) that people sometimes assume is a girl’s name and he is at the age where he finds that very embarrassing. His name could go either way but Maxwell will always be thought of as a boy’s name.

The only name on your list I would even consider giving a girl is Blair, cf. Blair Warner from the 80s sitcom Facts of Life. I’m not sure if that show was popular in the UK as I didn’t grow up here but there was a female character named Blair. She was extremely posh.

Go with Maxine or Blair or go back to the drawing board. I get the desire to be different but don’t inflict a name on your DD that is going to cause annoyance throughout her life.

AliPfefferman · 06/11/2017 07:26

*You’ve obviously never watched Gilmore girls battleaxe. Also according to most baby name sites they’re all classed as unisex names.

Her name is Lorelei, not Rory.*

Actually the mother is Lorelei and the daughter is Rory. One is not a nickname for the other, they are separate people. As far as I’m aware Rory is the daughter’s given name but it’s been many years since I’ve watched that show.

TheUrbanBush · 06/11/2017 07:26

Are you in the UK or the US? In the Us there is a fashio for using boys names for girls but it’s much less common here and likely to get more reactions from confused people.

As a PP said it’s one thing calling anperite little girl a boys name, the juxtaposition is sort of cute, but if she turns out to be larger of frame then it will be a hard cross to bare.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 06/11/2017 07:27

Far far too masculine. How about Maxine nn Max.

AliPfefferman · 06/11/2017 07:27

Bold fail. Why does that happen??

harrietm87 · 06/11/2017 07:39

@AliPfefferman she's named Lorelai after her mother, Rory is a nn.

Rhuaridh isn't a name op - get the spelling right. If you mean Ruaridh (Scottish) or Ruaidhri/Ruairi (Irish) then those are boys names.

Maxwell, Blair and Ryan are also boys names in the UK. Unless you are American/want to sound like you are then I wouldn't.

If you love Max for a girl then call her Maxine, Max for short.

SpareASquare · 06/11/2017 07:54

They're boys names. Of course they are masculine Confused

Is this a trick question?

Coconutspongexo · 06/11/2017 08:19

AliPfefferman

No her name is Lorelai too

Lorelai Leigh Gilmore nn Rory

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