Are our top names too feminine?

[name_m]Hi[/name_m], All,

We have had a difficult time coming up with boys names that we both like and I am weeks away from delivering a little boy. His older sister is [name_f]Edith[/name_f], nn [name_f]Edie[/name_f], and we love the possibilities in her name as well as the old fashioned/not popular sense of it. We want a name that has a built in nickname that is modern/cute for a child. We don’t want a name in the current top 100 for our son.

Considering this, we found:

[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]
[name_u]Perry[/name_u]
[name_m]Clayton[/name_m]
[name_u]Leland[/name_u]
[name_m]Desmond[/name_m]

My favorite of these is [name_u]Sidney[/name_u], but I’m afraid it is too much of a female name now. What do you think of our top five? Any ideas for names we are missing? The middle name will either be Paul or Baron.

It might depend on where you live, but my feeling is that [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is pretty unisex these days, and it pairs well with [name_f]Edith[/name_f]. From your list, I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] and [name_u]Leland[/name_u], and both of those are very distinctly masculine, [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. Your other two are NMS< but I’d say also still very much “boy” names.

I don’t think they are too feminine! They are masculine or really unisex… Go for it.

I don’t think any of them are too feminine but I definitely love [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] the most!

I don’t think any of them are that feminine! If you spelled [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] “[name_u]Sydney[/name_u]” maybe, but [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is very unisex. Personally, I really like softer boys names that are often considered feminine. My favorites of your list are [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] and [name_m]Clayton[/name_m].

I love [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] and [name_u]Leland[/name_u]. [name_u]Perry[/name_u] is cute.

Not feminine. My faves are [name_u]Perry[/name_u] & [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] (nn [name_m]Dez[/name_m] or [name_u]Desi[/name_u]).
With the mn options, I like [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_m]Baron[/name_m] or [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] [name_m]Baron[/name_m]

None of these names is feminine!

I have never met a female [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] I could abide, but I love it for a boy. Think [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_u]Bechet[/name_u]! And [name_m]Sid[/name_m] ain’t a female sounding nn.

[name_u]Perry[/name_u] is my tie. A family name for me and I adore it.

[name_u]Leland[/name_u] is a great name even though I do think of [name_u]Leland[/name_u] [name_m]Palmer[/name_m] and [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] is super too.

All familiar but not overused.

The only odd note for me is [name_m]Clayton[/name_m], which to me sounds Western and macho in an unappealing way.

I vote for [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]. [name_m]Sid[/name_m] is a cute nn. Also have you considered [name_m]Clarence[/name_m]?

I like [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_m]Paul[/name_m], but [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] [name_m]Paul[/name_m] gets my vote. I know 1 [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] and he goes by [name_m]Clay[/name_m].

From your list [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] and [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] are my favorites. I would probably avoid [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] and [name_u]Perry[/name_u] because I know little girls named [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] and [name_u]Peri[/name_u].

Have your considered:

[name_u]Dexter[/name_u]
[name_m]Amos[/name_m]
[name_u]Paxton[/name_u]
[name_m]Otto[/name_m]
[name_m]Nelson[/name_m]
[name_m]Felix[/name_m]
[name_m]Jerome[/name_m]

[name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is the only one I find a bit androgynous, and [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] has always seemed the masculine spelling, to me. Plus, [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] seems to be going back to the boys these days. I think [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] are cute! [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is old-timey enough to fit in really well with [name_f]Edith[/name_f] “[name_f]Edie[/name_f]”. I especially love [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] from your list, and I adore [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] together, but if [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]'s your favorite, you should go for it! It’s lovely.

I think all five names are fine for a boy. I would never expect [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] to be a girl with a sister named [name_f]Edith[/name_f].

Warmest congratulations, @jessmbaron – excited for you!

[name_f]Edith[/name_f] is dignified and regal. For her brother, I would choose:

[name_f]Edith[/name_f] {and} [name_m]Desmond[/name_m] {or} [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] from your list.

Or, from Nameberry’s “yupster” lists: [name_f]Edith[/name_f] {and} [name_m]Alastair[/name_m], [name_m]Frederick[/name_m], [name_m]Hugh[/name_m], [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] {or} [name_m]Orson[/name_m].

I second this - I wouldnt expect a girl named [name_f]Edith[/name_f] to have a sister named [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] either!

[name_m]Desmond[/name_m] is 100% my favorite. I don’t think that any of the others are too feminine, though!

I loooove [name_m]Clayton[/name_m] the best out of your list by far. I’m not too crazy about [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] because, although I know it can be used as a male’s name, I know a handful of [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]'s and they’re all female.