Okay, so before we found out we were even pregnant yet, I chose the name [name_u]Arden[/name_u] for our new baby whether it be a boy or girl. Hubby wasn’t loving it at first but changed his mind because of a new favorite character of his (go figure lol). Anyway, if we keep the name, he wants it spelled “[name_f]Ardyn[/name_f]” instead of “[name_u]Arden[/name_u]”. We’re having a boy. My concern is that the Y makes it look too feminine so I kind of want to scrap the name altogether, which is a shame because it’s a name we both really love.
So I guess my question is, does the Y make it look like too feminine?
(Not looking for opinions on the name itself, I’ve already argued back and forth with my [name_f]MIL[/name_f] about it )
I really like [name_u]Arden[/name_u] I’ve never met one of either gender, but I would probably assume [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] was a girl - I prefer the [name_u]Arden[/name_u] spelling, with its Shakespearean connotations!
I would definitely use [name_u]Arden[/name_u] for a boy, as so many names have been spelled with a Y when they’re used for girls. That said in general I would think [name_u]Arden[/name_u]/[name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] was a girl, but [name_u]Arden[/name_u] seems like a more wearable spelling for a boy.
I would definitely assume [name_u]Arden[/name_u] was a girl. Since this is a unisex name to begin with, I would go with the more traditional spelling since it does seem the more masculine of the two.
Definitely [name_u]Arden[/name_u]. It’s the forest in As You Like It and meant to be a combination of [name_f]Arcadia[/name_f] and [name_u]Eden[/name_u] - it totally loses that as [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f]. [name_u]Arden[/name_u] is much more timeless and unisex - [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] does read as female because it’s trendy to put Ys everywhere for girls.
I first heard [name_u]Arden[/name_u] as a girl’s name, so it’s a little hard for me to see either version as a boy name, But, a friend knows an older man with the name, so I do know that it can easily be used for either gender. If I were to choose a spelling for a boy, though, I’d say go with [name_u]Arden[/name_u]. It’s the traditional spelling, so to speak, and I agree with previous posters that the ‘y’ makes it seem more feminine. Someone earlier mentioned that y is often used to feminize a spelling of a name and I totally agree ie [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] vs [name_u]Jordyn[/name_u]. I also don’t like the y spelling because it makes it look kre8tiv and trendier. I don’t always mind that, but in this circumstance I don’t think it works.
When I see a correctly spelled unisex name, I can’t tell if the child is male or female. Misspelled names usually mean ‘girl’ (such a shame that parents do this) especially when a Y is used.
[name_u]Arden[/name_u] is one of my faves. [name_u]Love[/name_u] it equally for boys & girls
I would assume that [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] was a girl, while [name_u]Arden[/name_u] could work for either gender. A shame he doesn’t love the en spelling
I see [name_u]Arden[/name_u] as a unisex name, though it is currently more popular for girls and seems to be on the rise. I personally prefer the traditional e spelling. The changing of vowels to y’s is very trendy right now (think [name_u]Jordyn[/name_u], [name_u]Rylee[/name_u], and [name_u]Ayden[/name_u]/[name_u]Aidyn[/name_u]), and I think it will make the name seem dated. Not to mention all the problems you’d have with misspellings…
I definitely think [name_u]Arden[/name_u]. But if you or your hubby aren’t feeling it you could go [name_m]Ardan[/name_m], [name_u]Ardin[/name_u], Ardun or [name_u]Ardon[/name_u].
Thank you all! I definitely think the “yn” spelling ruins it, especially for a boy! I was trying to find a way to love it still, but I can’t. Looks like it’s “en” or not at all.
In various places, the ending of -yn signals masculinity. I personally don’t think it looks feminine at all but if you do, your best bet would go with [name_u]Arden[/name_u].
I much prefer [name_u]Arden[/name_u]. For me, it makes a slight pronunciation change. I don’t say ‘en’ and ‘yn’ exactly the same, though the difference is subtle. I say [name_u]Arden[/name_u] -AR-dn, and [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] - AR-din
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I’ve never met one of either gender, but I would probably assume [name_f]Ardyn[/name_f] was a girl - I prefer the [name_u]Arden[/name_u] spelling, with its Shakespearean connotations!