[name_m]Hi[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f]- new here, hope this is the right category. I’m a horror/fantasy author looking for a pen name. As a trans man, it’s fairly important to me that it read as masculine. I quite like [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f], though feel it may be too feminine (perfect for a quirky, nature-y lady, perhaps), so I am curious for others’ opinions on its gendered vibes (or just general vibes).
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I would also be interested in hearing other first name suggestions, if people have any! Should start with the letter S, please. I like names that are unusual and perhaps unheard of (though [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m] is also on my list). Thanks!
To me, it feels quite feminine, maybe the spelling [name_m]Sorel[/name_m] would feel more masculine? [name_f]In[/name_f] all honesty, I feel like what matters most is that you like it, but if the name reading masculine is a very important factor to you, I think [name_m]Soren[/name_m] sounds very similar, but much more masculine.
There are a few potential spellings; I’m not sure how each is typically gendered (Wikipedia results for Sorels and Sorrels seem to skew feminine though).
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I like [name_m]Soren[/name_m], but for me it is too associated with the protagonist of the book series Guardians of Ga’Hoole!
[name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] feels neutral leaning masculine to me. I would expect a [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] to be male, but it wouldn’t surprise me to meet a woman/girl named [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] (well, it would surprise me to meet a [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] of any gender since it’s rare, but talking just about the gender element it wouldn’t surprise me either way). I do prefer the [name_m]Sorrel[/name_m] spelling, and I also think that looks more masculine!
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Similar ideas could be: [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sewell[/name_m] / [name_m]Sewall[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sol[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sorin[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sylvan[/name_m] / [name_m]Silvan[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Spruce[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sutter[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sander[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sayer[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sonder[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Shaw[/name_m]
i love Sorrel!! [name_m]Sorrel[/name_m] / [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] / [name_m]Sorel[/name_m] all seem unisex to me, which might be a problem if you want masculinity specifically. to me, [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] leans a little more feminine than [name_m]Sorrel[/name_m] (the double L makes me want to pronounce it so it rhymes with [name_f]Elle[/name_f], but i’m not sure if that’s how it’s meant to be pronounced), but both spellings feel gender-neutral.
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i’m unclear on gender discrepancy in its actual usage (or how much nameberry rankings mean, lol), but on nameberry it does rank significantly higher for boys than for girls (877 vs 1939)
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@/eagleeyes’s suggestions are all terrific! maybe… [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sable[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sparrow[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Silas[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sterling[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Salem[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Saul[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Simeon[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Stetson[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_f]Solstice[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Selwyn[/name_m] [name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sholto[/name_m]
It reads as very masculine to me, but I first saw it on another thread as [name_m]Abe[/name_m] [name_f]Sorrell[/name_f] (I think), and I thought it was so cool! [name_f][/name_f] There’s also the similar sounding [name_m]Soren[/name_m] if you’re concerned about Sorrell’s ambiguity. [name_f][/name_f] A few other S names:
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[name_m]Sullivan[/name_m]
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[name_m]Seamus[/name_m]
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[name_m]Silas[/name_m]
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[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m]
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[name_m]Simeon[/name_m]
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[name_m]Simon[/name_m]
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[name_m]Sylvester[/name_m]
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[name_m]Samuel[/name_m]
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[name_m]Samson[/name_m]
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[name_m]Seth[/name_m]
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[name_m]Sidney[/name_m] (not really helping in the gendered department though)
I know a Sorrel - one L - and so it now has a strong masc association but it took me a while for his name to click and had I been introduced to the name somehow else, I would have assumed unisex - being Sorr-Elle (so there’s an Elle ending even without the extra L). I do think in print, the single L ending Sorrel looks masculine and is a great name for a writer.
Meanwhile, Sebastian is my fave boys’ name, but I don’t know if I’d have as long a name on a book cover and I think there are other names that could give a more quietly authoritative, literary feel and to better match your genre:
Sylvan
Stellan
Soren
Silas
Stanley
Sol
Samuel
Simon
Solomon
Sinclair
I think the main name that seems possibly trans man to me is any version of Elliot (speaking of Elle names like Sorrel).
