Gender neutral names

[dustysidetable]

My husband is insistent on a gender neutral name for our twins, I’m happy with it in principle and there’s so many gender neutral boys names I love but I’m really struggling for girls!. The only one I like is Shelby but he doesn’t like it at all. My favourite girls name is Sylvia but obviously that isn’t gender neutral, I like soft sounding names and not a fan of the nick names like Stevie, Bobby, Riley etc. Any ideas?

As I said, I know they’re gender neutral and can imagine them on a girl I just don’t like the name for my daughter.

Jordan
Frances/Francis
Hillary
Leslie/Leslie
Marion (John Wayne's real name)
Terry/Terri
Danny/Danni

I do like Leslie actually! Another name I like is Shiloh but am I being completely mad with that name? Is it too Brangelina?

If you do choose a name that is used for both girls and boys, please choose the conventional spelling.

Please not Patsy!!! That's a girls name (and a horrid one)

Eden
Talyor
Alex
Sam
Chris
Riley
Robin
River
Quinn
Sawyer
Avery
Rowan
Mackenzie
Sidney
Ashleigh
Emerson
Phoenix
Blake
Reese
Kyle
Dorian
Sage
Noa/Noah
Cameron
Addison

Avery is a popular girls name.

It’s also a boys name. It’s gender neutral, although it’s used more commonly for girls.

Why are you letting him insist on getting his way on this?

I’m aware of that, but it’s a bit odd that you can’t see it on a girl when it’s a very popular girls name.

Leslie is male, Lesley is female.
Similarly Billy is male, Billie is female.

Jordan, Eden, Paris, Taylor.

I don't really like any gender neutral names.

And as a pp said above, once a boys name starts being used for girls, boys stop using it.

this is wierd
you are having 2 girls, yes?
and your husband is insisting that they both have gender neutral names- its hard enough naming twins of the same sex but your husband has just made it x100 harder by setting such a narrow criterion.

A lot of gender neutral names were already on my list for boys so I didn’t mind it, and I just didn’t realise how many I didn’t like when I imagined it on a girl, even though they are used on girls. And I understand why he wants a gender neutral name and agree with him, but he seems so dead set on it that I feel like it’s easier for me to find a name that I like rather than have an argument over it. I sound like such a push over, and he probably sounds awful but he’s not!.

No we don’t know what we’re having. So could he 2 boys, 2 girls or one of each.

It is annoying me that he won’t go for the names I like though. If he wants gender neutral names that fine, and I have a few that I really like but then he doesn’t like them so we aren’t using them. But I think if they’re gender neutral then his criteria is met and I get a name I like so it’s a win win!.

Regina and Veronica

Frankie
Pax
Pat
Rowan
Jude
Sam
Jams
Midge
Star

(I know a fair few non binary kids)

I have a colleague whose parents are Lesley (F) and Leslie (M)!!

Noa and Rowan

Why though? Can he articulate it?

Doesn't sound like you're on board then? Don't force yourself if you can't find one you like, it has to be a compromise.

I'd look to American names for more gender neutral ones. Rowan and Quinn are good ones on girls. Bobbie too.

For what it's worth, I think Sylvia is gorgeous.

Bobbie and Jackie

Taylor
Jamie
Charlie

I always think Roxy is a cool name for a girl but not unisex (AFAIK)

Christina and Patricia - Chris and Pat.
Alexandra and Daniela

I think if you have one of each and use gender neutral names people will be forever getting them the wrong way around.

I would go for sensible names that can have gender neutral abbreviations.
Alexander/Alexandra and Samuel/Samantha spring to mind - Alex & Sam/Sammy.
Best of both worlds.

Hilary
Leslie/Lesley
Wesley
Leigh
Ashleigh
Reece
Val
Gwyn
Mel
Min
Mo
Ellis
Bunny
Francis Frances
Flame
Blaise
Rian

(Be prepared for your DD to hate her gender neutral name tho!)