I was trying to create a list of formerly boy names that “went pink,” but should be revived for girls, but I couldn’t think of many! I don’t think anything rampantly popular for girls, like [name_u]Vivian[/name_u] or [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], stands a chance at the moment, but what about names like [name_u]Leslie[/name_u]? I also don’t want to include names like [name_u]Logan[/name_u] or [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] that haven’t completely lost use on boys. What do you think?
I’m glad I came across this topic because I have had such a crush on the name [name_u]Addison[/name_u] for a boy lately, haha. I feel like the majority of -son names could make a comeback for boys, considering the ‘son’ part is right there in the name. However, I don’t know if that logic would register with the vast majority of the not-name-lover population, but hey, one can hope, right?
It’s a very subjective question that you’re asking. What’s a masculine-name-gone-pink to one person is completely feminine to the next. I think nickname-y names like [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], and [name_u]Alex[/name_u] are pretty much fair game for either gender. Surname names that are used majorly for girls like [name_u]Presley[/name_u] and [name_u]Emery[/name_u] you could probably get away with using for a boy because they’re still exactly that to most people: surnames. So [name_u]Marley[/name_u] as in [name_m]Bob[/name_m] [name_u]Marley[/name_u], [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u], [name_u]Harper[/name_u], etc. I think are all still usable for boys.
Aside from those, the names of famous actors and characters with “feminine” names can shine a different light on said names. [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] [name_m]Freeman[/name_m], [name_u]Sacha[/name_u] [name_m]Baron[/name_m] [name_m]Cohen[/name_m], [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u] [name_m]Graham[/name_m] AKA [name_m]Drake[/name_m], [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_m]Williams[/name_m]… They all have names that can be considered feminine, but they make them work.
[name_u]Taylor[/name_u]'s always been truly unisex for me, as well as [name_u]Jordan[/name_u]. I think both could be revived as entirely masculine though, based on their sound.
[name_u]Brett[/name_u] I rather like on a girl, though I haven’t heard that much lately (anyone remember [name_u]Brett[/name_u] [name_f]Summers[/name_f]?). That’s a success story for boy revivers - in my generation, I’ve only ever heard it on boys!
:::bump:::
The one I think that is the best example is [name_u]Riley[/name_u]! But there is also [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Eden[/name_u], [name_u]Finley[/name_u], [name_u]Harper[/name_u], [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u], [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_u]Paris[/name_u], [name_u]Peyton[/name_u], [name_u]Presley[/name_u], [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] and [name_u]Skylar[/name_u].
Interesting topic!
[name_m]How[/name_m] about…
[name_u]Kelly[/name_u]
[name_u]Dana[/name_u]
[name_u]Drew[/name_u]
[name_u]Corey[/name_u]
[name_u]Nicky[/name_u]
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_u]Bailey[/name_u]
[name_u]Casey[/name_u]
[name_u]Jamie[/name_u]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_u]Frankie[/name_u]
[name_u]Charlie[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u]
[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]
I’m a little biased in this department, because when I consider unisex names I tend to prefer them for one gender or the other. My brother is named [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] but I haven’t heard of many people nowadays naming their sons [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], so I think it could be revived for boys. I also adore [name_u]Harper[/name_u] and [name_u]Avery[/name_u] on boys. I don’t really like [name_u]Billie[/name_u], [name_u]Stevie[/name_u], or [name_u]Frankie[/name_u] on boys because I like them too much for girls.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about…
[name_u]Alexis[/name_u]
[name_u]Allison[/name_u]
[name_u]Bailey[/name_u]
[name_u]Cassidy[/name_u]
[name_u]Darcy[/name_u]
[name_u]Hadley[/name_u]
[name_u]Madison[/name_u] (I really like this for a boy)
Mckenzie
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_u]Peyton[/name_u]
[name_u]Reagan[/name_u]
[name_u]Shannon[/name_u]
[name_u]Sydney[/name_u]
[name_u]Whitney[/name_u]
The ‘gone to the girls’ names I would definitely use for a son would be [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u] (after illustrator [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u] Beardsley), [name_u]Sacha[/name_u] and [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]. There’s a famous surfer by the name of [name_u]Kelly[/name_u] [name_m]Slater[/name_m], so I’ve always thought of [name_u]Kelly[/name_u] as something that’s wearable on boys anyway.
In theory, they all can and should work well for boys, because that was the sex 99.9% of unisex names, and a fair percentage of now’feminine’ names were designed for. But people make such a fuss. Whether it be an old-time classic like [name_u]Meredith[/name_u], or a new-age one like [name_u]Riley[/name_u], at the end of the day a lot of people throw tantrums over ANY boy name that has been used by girls, is currently picking up popularity with girls, or is even just similar sounding to a girl name.
In my opinion, ANY name name - from [name_f]Jamie[/name_f], to [name_u]Madison[/name_u], to [name_u]Nicky[/name_u], to [name_u]Quinn[/name_u], that started off as male, is still appropriate for males, still good for males, and should be treated respectfully as such. I’m not saying people can’t have their opinions but the whole; “Oh! I like this name for a girl so it’s no good for a boy!” mindset is incredibly sexist and unfair. Femininity is not a fault that will taint boys. So even if a boy name is as far gone as [name_f]Shirley[/name_f] is, it should still be seen as a viable option for boys, should anyone want to use it for its originally intended sex.
I think [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] and [name_u]Sasha[/name_u] / [name_u]Sacha[/name_u] are due a comeback for boys even in families who aren’t part of a culture where they are typically used for boys
I’d also enjoy seeing more of [name_u]Kerry[/name_u] and [name_u]Kelly[/name_u] on boys
I completely agree with your sentiment, and Nameberry recently ran a [name_u]Berry[/name_u] Juice post about the subtle sexism in “unisex” names, which was great. I do think that for the general population that it would be easier for some names that have become more popular for girls to get popular again for boys than others: e.g., maybe [name_f]Shirley[/name_f], which isn’t popular anymore for girls would be more likely than [name_u]Vivian[/name_u], which is huge for girls right now, to get revived.
I love [name_u]Riley[/name_u] for a boy. I’m not too fond of it on girls, but that’s only because I love it so much on a boy. I really hope that people won’t give up on naming their sons [name_u]Riley[/name_u] just because it’s popular for girls right now.
Additionally, there’s a bunch of gone to the girls names that aren’t popular for girls anymore that think would be ‘safe’ to use on a boy. [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], [name_u]Courtney[/name_u], [name_u]Sidney[/name_u], [name_u]Gale[/name_u], [name_u]Tracy[/name_u], etc. There was a boy in my high school named [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] (I graduated in 2008) and he was the only [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] in the entire school.
[name_m]Even[/name_m] names like [name_u]Avery[/name_u] or McKenzie, both of which are in the top 50 for girls, are still wearable for boys in my opinion.
Really, the only blue turned pink name that I can’t see on a boy no matter how hard I try is [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], and that’s because I adore it on girls. [name_u]Madison[/name_u] is a bit iffy, but I think the right type of guy could pull it off.
I don’t think [name_u]Riley[/name_u] is “lost” to the girls. I know boys and girls named [name_u]Riley[/name_u], and all wear the name very well. It could easily be used for both genders, and I like it on both.
I heard a little boy named [name_u]Avery[/name_u] last summer. Not sure it worked for him but I think [name_u]Avery[/name_u] can be taken back. I also like [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_u]Quinn[/name_u], [name_u]Peyton[/name_u], [name_u]Harper[/name_u], [name_u]Marley[/name_u], [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], and [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] more for boys. Names aren’t lost to the girls until people stop using them for boys.
I knew a boy named [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] once and he wore the name very well. I never witnessed him being teased at all, in fact he was relatively popular in school. It takes the right name on the right person and I think anything could work.
This is such an interesting topic!
I’ve wondered if there’s any hope for [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] coming back as a boy’s name. [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] is huge right now, and [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] is definitely gaining interest, so maybe the Gone With the Wind popularity could continue with [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]? It may be wishful thinking, since it has the “ley” ending that is indicative of a girls name these days. Still, it’s similar to [name_m]Asher[/name_m] and shares the nn [name_u]Ash[/name_u], so that could be a plus too, right?
I’ve noticed that if I know a man with a last name that went to the girls, I instantly have an easier time seeing it coming back for girls. For example, my husband has a mission buddy with the last name of [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]. On the mission, he referred to him as “[name_m]Elder[/name_m] [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]” and after returning home it shortened easily to “[name_u]Kelly[/name_u].”
Based off of how they sound, I like [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], and [name_u]Addison[/name_u] for boys.
This is such an interesting topic!
I’ve wondered if there’s any hope for [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] coming back as a boy’s name. [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] is huge right now, and [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] is definitely gaining interest, so maybe the Gone With the Wind popularity could continue with [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]? It may be wishful thinking, since it has the “ley” ending that is indicative of a girls name these days. Still, it’s similar to [name_m]Asher[/name_m] and shares the nn [name_u]Ash[/name_u], so that could be a plus too, right?
I’ve noticed that if I know a man with a last name that went to the girls, I instantly have an easier time seeing it coming back for girls. For example, my husband has a mission buddy with the last name of [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]. On the mission, he referred to him as “[name_m]Elder[/name_m] [name_u]Kelly[/name_u]” and after returning home it shortened easily to “[name_u]Kelly[/name_u].”
Based off of how they sound, I like [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], [name_u]Madison[/name_u], and [name_u]Addison[/name_u] for boys.