Naming your daughter a boy's name, yes or no ?

[Momto2girliess]

My sibling named her baby girl a classic masculine name ( Think John, Robert , Thomas). I am never going to say anything to her. I am just curious to know people's opinion on it.

She always wanted a boy.This is baby girl n°5. Do you think it is a bit strange to name your girl a very masculine name?

Names only become related to sex and gender if society decides it does. We can quite easily decide it actually doesn't matter!
If you feel so strongly about this you (general you, not you specifically) should change your own name to a masculine one to further the cause, not force your child to be an unwitting trail blazer.

@UhtredRagnarson

Which would make perfect sense if it happened both ways

Like I said upthread- my son has a “girls” name.

Why?

Like I said upthread- my son has a “girls” name

And the fact you appear to be the only person so far who has come forward as an example of someone doing it that way rather proves point. It's very rare to happen the other way.

There are now multiple girls with masculine names that have been predominantly used for only boys for hundreds of years such as James, Harry, Matt, Scott etc and yet as a teacher I've never seen it done the other way round. Ellie's, Sophia's, Lily's and Rose's etc are never boys.

Why?

Why does any parent use a name for their child?

@GreenCrayon

Like I said upthread- my son has a “girls” name

And the fact you appear to be the only person so far who has come forward as an example of someone doing it that way rather proves point. It's very rare to happen the other way.

There are now multiple girls with masculine names that have been predominantly used for only boys for hundreds of years such as James, Harry, Matt, Scott etc and yet as a teacher I've never seen it done the other way round. Ellie's, Sophia's, Lily's and Rose's etc are never boys.

Blame the patriarchy. It won’t change itself. We have to make the changes we want to see. Which starts with removing the rules for applying names based on the child’s sex.

Why does any parent use a name for their child?

Well I'd hope it's because they loved the name but clearly sometimes it's done to prove a point.

Blame the patriarchy. It won’t change itself. We have to make the changes we want to see. Which starts with removing the rules for applying names based on the child’s sex.

Which is fab but as others have pointed out its never the parent changing their name is it? It's always some poor kid who is left to deal with the issues that come with being constantly presumed to be the opposite gender.

@UhtredRagnarson

Why?

Why does any parent use a name for their child?

Most people don't give their son's a girl's name 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes it's cruel. You can try and be 'quirky' or clever but everyone knows that John is traditionally a boys name and the kids at school will realise this aswell

That's just beyond cruel.
My partner is called Christopher and I still think to myself why his mum called him it.

If I was a female Christopher I'd be changing to Christie or Kitty (female version of Kit) pronto.

Well I'd hope it's because they loved the name but clearly sometimes it's done to prove a point.

You think I was trying to prove a point?

Most people don't give their son's a girl's name

Not sure what point you’re trying to make.

@PixieDust28

That's just beyond cruel. My partner is called Christopher and I still think to myself why his mum called him it.

You wonder why your partners mum called him Christopher? Why? Is it a very strange name where you’re from?

I'm Brian... and so's my wife.

I hate it. And apart from one person on here who claims to have done it the other way around, it’s always girls getting boys names.

It always smacks of parents who are desperate to be cool and alternative and/or they really wanted a boy. The parents aren’t the one who have to go through life as a girl called Christopher.

And apart from one person on here who claims to have done it the other way around

“Claims to”

“If I’ve never seen it, it’s never happened”

MN is so incredibly insular, conservative and dull when it comes to names. The girls names offered on this thread are a perfect example. Ellie!! FFS

@UhtredRagnarson

Well I'd hope it's because they loved the name but clearly sometimes it's done to prove a point.

You think I was trying to prove a point?

We just asked why? 😂. And you sound really defensive about it...

I’m asking if your “clearly sometimes it’s done to prove a point” is about me, because it’s what you wrote in your respond to me. How is that defensive?

@UhtredRagnarson

I’m asking if your “clearly sometimes it’s done to prove a point” is about me, because it’s what you wrote in your respond to me. How is that defensive?

I didn't say that, actually

Its just silly, thoughtless and ignorant. They could have given her a gender neutral name.

IMO Christopher isn't even a nice name!

There would be sooo many other names that could have been chosen!

I didn't say that, actually

Apologies, you answered a post I directed at another poster and called yourself “we” so I assumed it was fine to attribute the post to you as you seemed to be working as a pair. If you don’t want to answer questions directed at other posters, Umm, don’t answer questions directed at other posters.

I think it depends on the name.My grandad was asked to register my aunt.He decided to pop over to the pub first,lost the paper and decided he’d register as Julian.Apart from being called Gillian a few times,no one seems particularly bothered…atleast to her face.She’s 65 now