We all know those names that used to belong to the male persuasion, names that have masculine meanings and biblical roots. [name]Ashley[/name], [name]Alexis[/name], [name]Aubrey[/name], [name]Auden[/name], [name]Addison[/name], [name]Evelyn[/name], [name]Ruby[/name], and [name]Mackenzie[/name] all come to mind. What do they all have in common? They were all at one time popular boys’ names that are now considered to be girls’ names. The gender switch seems very common today-but only for male to female transformations. I cannot even imagine how bad someone would be flamed if they proposed naming their son, say, [name]Allison[/name]. I was wondering why this is-and also, is it acceptable in modern society to give a boy one of these “boy gone girl” names?
Because our society still sees being a woman as inferior and degrading. Which is why it’s mostly okay - even encouraged - for daughters to have masculine characteristics (a name, a profession, or a hobby) but the opposite isn’t true. People are terrified that their precious boys can be mistaken by a girl - which is why once a male name starts being used on girls it almost gets dropped by the “right” gender.
Oddly enough in English names used to be much more fluid than they are today. Much like in French, there are many English names that are traditionally unisex and were used by both genders more or less equally - [name]Christian[/name], [name]Julian[/name], [name]Bennett[/name], [name]Hilary[/name], [name]Vivian[/name], [name]Joyce[/name], [name]Ellery[/name], to name a few.
I have known more than a couple male Ashleys and Alexises.
I would use some names that have “gone girl” on boys. I have no interest in abandoning old family/cultural names because they’ve been applied to girls. Besides, I do not like for my own family [name]William[/name], [name]Thomas[/name], [name]James[/name] (I’ve known girl Jameses though… and too many [name]Jamies[/name] to count…) or other stock-standard Anglo names, and once you leave that little pool, plenty of traditionally male names are appropriated for mainstream use by girls, and there’d be very few that are safe now and even fewer you could project as safe for in two decades.
I have been told I shouldn’t name a boy [name]Gabriel[/name], [name]Asher[/name], [name]Ezra[/name], [name]Eli[/name], [name]Aaron[/name], [name]Ari[/name], [name]Ariel[/name], [name]Angel[/name], [name]Quentin[/name]… the list is too long to take seriously.
I feel very lucky to be teacher in the UK where this trend really hasn’t arrived, and I hope it doesn’t.
I always laugh when I see [name]Alexis[/name] on a girl because in my mind it is so masculine, and generally in the UK and across Europe [name]Alexis[/name] is a boy’s name so female [name]Alexis[/name]’ visiting Europe be prepared to be mistaken for a boy. It appears many people in the US don’t seem to think outside of the US and what be a problem anywhere else, I want my children to have names that are accepted worldwide. You send a female [name]Ronan[/name], [name]Rory[/name], [name]Finley[/name], [name]Rowan[/name] to [name]Ireland[/name] and they’ll be many raised eyebrows.
I’ve met a female [name]Finleigh[/name], severeal female [name]Brogan[/name]'s and I know of a female [name]Elliot[/name] but they are few and far between and I hope it stays that way. Obviously, the -aden names are up for grabs because they lack real history and meaning anywhere so the -aden lovers will use them as they like.
I would name a son [name]Harper[/name], [name]Aubrey[/name], [name]Avery[/name], [name]Sidney[/name], [name]Addison[/name], [name]Morgan[/name], [name]Riley[/name] etc. It doesn’t both me that people use them on girl’s because I love those names and I am using them in the intended way and I would explain that to my son, if he were ever to ask. People who question my choice, I’d tell them to go and research the name! Luckily, last year there was about 12 male and 12 female [name]Avery[/name]'s, 21 male [name]Aubrey[/name]'s and fewer females so I’m not too worried.
Like @sheflieswithherownwings, I live in the UK too and names like [name]Riley[/name], [name]Avery[/name], [name]Finley[/name], [name]Rory[/name], [name]Aubrey[/name], [name]Addison[/name] (although I’ve never actually heard this on anyone irl, apart from as a surname) et al are all predominantly boys’ names. With the exception of perhaps [name]Rory[/name], which I’ve heard as a nn for [name]Victoria[/name], you’d probably receive quite a few raised eyebrows. The only ones I can really think of in the UK that would be thought of as girls’ names are ones like [name]Hilary[/name], [name]Meredith[/name], [name]Vivian[/name], [name]Tracy[/name]…and recently, [name]Madison[/name] and possibly [name]Morgan[/name].
I don’t see why the trend only works one way, either. I find it so irritating and perhaps mildly insulting that a person would be all for naming their daughter [name]Addison[/name] but wouldn’t name their son [name]Penelope[/name]…it’s sending out a subliminal message that masculinity is much more desirable and kind of telling their daughters that to get anywhere in life, they have to be as masculine as possible. I think it’s a reflection of today’s society, really.
