Eden - is it too 'feminine'?

[namechange097]

DP and I both loved the name Eden for a boy (I've loved it for years), but have had several comments that it's a girls name and that a boy would be made fun of with it.

Opinions? Would it cause confusion/bullying? It is a unisex name.

I know three - all girls - so, whilst I know it's technically a unisex name, it doesn't feel it to me.

I think Ellis and Morgan are genuinely unisex but I've known equal numbers of each sex of those...

Eden is very feminine to me.
Lovely for a girl

I love the name, to me it’s a girls name but as others have pointed out that’s probably because the ones I know are women!

I think it's a gorgeous name... I've only ever heard it used for a girl but I dont see why it shouldnt be used for a boy. Theres nothing frilly about it or anything. I think it would be fine. Boys names that are trendy now days are quit out there. There is a Florian and an Aubrey in my sons nursery! No one bats an eyelid. And I think those names sound a bit more feminine than Eden.

My eldest son is Eden.
I had only met one other Eden at the point I named him and he would be pushing thirty now.
Since then I have met one other (boy) and one other (girl).
It was in the boy section of the baby name book in 2004, but its definitely been adopted as 'unisex' fifteen years later.

Oh and my Eden is fourteen and has never been teased, and he is at an all boys grammar where their unoffical passtime seems to be taking the piss out of each other...
I've also met with nothing but positive comments about his name.

I know a male Eden in his 30s. To me, the name is unisex. I love it!

Great name - works well for a boy.

I only found out recently on Mumsnet that Eden was a unisex name! I’ve only ever heard of girls with the name. No reason not to use though, there are plenty of girls with unisex/ boys’ names.

Sounds like a girls name to me.

I know a boy called Eden and a girl called Eden so it seems unisex to me.

My understanding is that over time unisex names stop being used for boys and become de facto girls names.
Think about: Shirley, Hillary, Courtney.

I wouldn't use Eden for a boy.

A word is not masculine or feminine. It's just our associations. Max is no more male sounding than Kate is female. Blue used to be the colour for girls. Eden is not a name I have heard of so I pre conceived connection to male or female. Therefore it sounds unisex to me.

Going steadily up the charts for both- but nearly 4 times as many girls to boys. The ratio is staying the same.

I think Eden is a beautiful name for a boy. :) XXX

DD2 (13) is Eden. When we chose her name it was in the baby books under 'boys', with Edan as a variation.

I'd use it for either tbh.

I know a now adult sib set - Eden, Ellis, Taylor and Kendall. Taylor is a boy, all the others are girls. None have them have been teased and I think Eden is a beautiful name, albeit I prefer it for a girl.

Eden is no way a feminine name. I've never come across a girl caled Eden. Good name!

First time I heard the name was when I heard about footballer Eden Hazard (a guy).

These things can be weird. My own name is feminine in western europe and masculine in eastern Europe. My brother's name Alexis is apparently féminine in the UK...

If you like it go for it.

I also think that it being so uncommon doesn’t really help it being seen by most people commenting as a unisex name - I’ve only ever met two Edens, one would have been born late 1990s and the other about 4 years a go. Both were girls so I assumed it was a girls’ name.

This is probably quite helpful to you if you use it though as it will then be a unisex name or a boys’ name to everyone who then meets your Eden, if you choose it.

I know two male Eden's, yet I feel it's a girls name.

I know both so wouldn't presume either way.
I also know an Aden (boy).

I would assume it was a girl but ok as a boys names i guess.

Yes absolutely a girl's name to me.

I honestly think that you should go with the stats on this one - it's becoming only more popular as a girl's name and will end up as one - a bit like Lindsey, Hilary etc.

I love it for both a girl and a boy. My dd’s middle name is Eden and if she’d been a boy it would have been his first name.