Lately I’ve been thinking that it’s really wrong to give someone a name that announces to the world the shape of their genitalia, so I’ve been thinking about androgynous/unisex names.
The trouble is, no matter how many toddler girls named [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] I met, I can’t think of [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] as an androgynous name. And Ryans are only one of many names like that.
And some more androgynous names are surnames - that makes sense, right? There are some cultures where there are feminine and masculine forms of surnames, but at least in English, surnames are part of everyone’s name, regardless of gender. But for the most part, I can’t say I really like surnames being used at first names.
And nicknames. [name_u]Franky[/name_u]'s a fine nickname, but I do think [name_f]Francesca[/name_f] or [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] (I know [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] is a surname/firstname, but since it’s been used as a first name for over 100 years, it doesn’t strike me the same way and anyways this isn’t about my opinion of the name [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] anyways) are better full names. Nicknames are great and wonderful, but I’m talking about androgynous full names.
There are very few unisex names that I like for [name_m]BOTH[/name_m] genders… In fact I can’t really think of one.
However these are some unisex names I would use on a boy:
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]
[name_u]Cassidy[/name_u]
[name_u]Devon[/name_u]
[name_u]Sidney[/name_u] / [name_u]Sydney[/name_u]
And on girls:
[name_u]Casey[/name_u] / [name_u]Kacey[/name_u]
[name_u]Logan[/name_u]
[name_u]Peyton[/name_u]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
I have a thing for one syllable names, so: Keat, [name_u]Teal[/name_u], [name_u]Tal[/name_u], [name_u]Jazz[/name_u], [name_u]Pax[/name_u], [name_m]Seal[/name_m] and [name_m]Coy[/name_m]
Also: [name_m]Cobie[/name_m], [name_u]Tristan[/name_u], [name_m]Malachi[/name_m], [name_u]Micah[/name_u] and [name_u]Alfie[/name_u]
I think [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u], [name_u]Devon[/name_u], [name_u]Harley[/name_u], [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_f]Tiegan[/name_f] & [name_u]Reagan[/name_u] are names that can be used for both sexes…
However I personally would say for boys
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_u]Logan[/name_u], [name_u]Harley[/name_u], [name_u]Ashton[/name_u], [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] & A few others
And for girls i would use names like
[name_u]Peyton[/name_u], [name_u]Reese[/name_u], [name_u]Teagan[/name_u]/[name_f]Tiegan[/name_f], [name_u]Piper[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], [name_u]Emerson[/name_u] (with [name_u]Emery[/name_u] as a nn)
I dont see [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] as a girls name… it appears to be odd to me…
I also struggled with the idea of naming my child according to the appearance of their genitalia. If I could, I would raise my children entirely gender-free.
But I can’t. It’s just not possible for me in this society at this time. The best I can do is raise a child as free from stereotypes as possible, and to support them in expressing their own gender (or lack of) in whatever way they wish as they grow. That includes a potential name change.
So, I have resigned myself to giving my child the usual gender according to the shape of their genitals at birth, and naming them accordingly. I do love unisex names, but I’m also aware of the trend where unisex names generally shift from masculine to feminine as parents try to avoid giving their sons anything even mildly associated with girls.
Now I’m comfortable with giving a female-designated child an unambiguously feminine name. [name_f]My[/name_f] favorites are [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] and [name_f]Lucinda[/name_f].
It’s for a male-designated child that I tend towards unisex names - and I don’t shy away from the more feminine options! I absolutely love: [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u], [name_u]Sasha[/name_u], [name_u]Bryn[/name_u], [name_u]Lindsay[/name_u], [name_u]Indiana[/name_u], [name_u]Sidney[/name_u], [name_f]Indigo[/name_f], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_u]River[/name_u] and more
