I really, really love [name]Harper[/name] on a boy (especially after putting an image to the name), but I see [name]Harper[/name] all over name forums as a consideration for a girl. Is [name]Harper[/name] acceptable for a boy? Too girly? I mean, [name]Bailey[/name] and [name]Avery[/name] are both on my top 10 boys’ list, too, so I don’t think it’s that out-of-the ordinary for my list, but I’m just afraid that people will see this as way too girly and that it will be more trouble than it’s worth. :*(
I don’t have a combo picked out yet, but I do really like [name]Harper[/name] [name]Edward[/name] and [name]Harper[/name] [name]Isaiah[/name].
If you saw the names [name]Caleb[/name], [name]Jack[/name], [name]Henry[/name], [name]Holden[/name], [name]Avery[/name], [name]Grayson[/name], [name]Boone[/name], and [name]Harper[/name], would you assume [name]Harper[/name] was a girl or a boy?
Are you living in the US? According to the SSA website, there were 2601 baby girls named [name]Harper[/name] last year, and only 336 baby boys named [name]Harper[/name]. To me that makes it a girl name, but that’s just my opinion.
I also think [name]Bailey[/name] and [name]Avery[/name] are girl names now, according to the SSA statistics:
[name]Bailey[/name] - 3563 girls, 194 boys
[name]Avery[/name]- 6633 girls, 1686 boys
If I saw your list, I would assume both [name]Avery[/name] and [name]Harper[/name] were girls.
i’m more partial to girls names for boys than i am for boys names to girls. I might be old fashioned but i want my son’s names to be manly. I want people to know right away that he is a boy. It also might cause a little teasing on the playground if he has the same name as a little girl in his school.
I say go for it!
What does it matter if he shares his name with a girl? I went to school with girls AND boys called [name]Jamie[/name], [name]Robin[/name] and [name]Laurie[/name] and I don’t remember anybody being teased for having a name that “belonged” to the opposite gender.
I think it works for a boy, and I like it. If I saw your list I wouldn’t make assumptions about gender, though if the list included some girl names I might.
I would definitely assume that [name]Harper[/name] is a girl. This name feels super trendy for girls right now, and I have to agree with a previous poster who said she would want her sons to have names with a masculine feel. I just don’t think it would be fair to saddle a little boy with a name that so many people are using for girls right now.
I would say as my first reaction that this is a girls name … but my daughter has a name that could be used for either and I think it makes it kind of quirky.
I love the name [name]Harper[/name] … and if you love it - use it!
I automatically associate [name]Harper[/name] with a boy but only because its a family name and my Uncle has it has a middle name - but his old friends sometime still call him [name]Harper[/name]. However… I’m considering using it as a middle name for my future daughter.
It’s way more common for girls right now as mentioned. In addition, it just has a feminine feel to it; when I picture a harpist, I picture a beautiful woman with long flowing hair or a little sweet cherub. Finally, the only famous [name]Harper[/name] is [name]Harper[/name] [name]Lee[/name]. I’m surprised it’s used on boys at all and I would stay away. Sorry, obviously just my opinion!
I agree with viviana on all points. [name]Even[/name] though it’s used on more girls than boys, I think its a unisex name. Plus, the name on a girl looks and sounds masculine anyway, which I think shows that it’s got a masculine vibe. I think of [name]Paul[/name] [name]Newman[/name], he played [name]Harper[/name] in a movie called [name]Harper[/name], I think it was his last name maybe, but the association makes it very manly to me. But I’m a huge [name]Paul[/name] [name]Newman[/name] fan, so maybe it’s just me.
Go for it! I am probably going to use it as a middle name for one of my daughters, and my sister plans to use it as a first name for her daughter, but that’s just because it’s my moms maiden name. I could see it used on a boy, definately.
Honestly, to me this name is completely unisex. If I heard the name I would assume one way or the other on gender. I know it’s more popular for girls right now but…eh. I think it’s unisex. If it bothers you though that someone might originally think girl then I wouldn’t use it. However in my school there was a [name]Harper[/name] about four grades below me - a boy - and he was honestly the coolest kid in the world. Everybody loved him, and nobody blinked twice at his name. Sometimes you just need to own your name. But if you’re hesitant about it my guess is your son will sense that. I know it sounds weird but I really think what you think of your child’s name can rub off on them - if you think it’s a strong male name then they will feel that and think so too.