I was wondering what everyone’s thoughts were on [name]Ellery[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name] for a boy.
They are both listed as unisex names, but does one sound more masculine than the other? Are they both too feminine for a boy to really use? Which sounds better in general? My husband likes [name]Ellery[/name] better, I like [name]Ellis[/name] better. Does one fit better with sister [name]Ainslea[/name]?
[name]Ellis[/name] is one of my faves. To me, [name]Ellery[/name] is distinctly feminine. I also love [name]Ellison[/name], but decided that it was too long-winded. But yes, I totally agree with you. [name]Love[/name] [name]Ellis[/name]!! It’s super cool.
I prefer [name]Ellis[/name] or [name]Ellison[/name].
[name]Ellery[/name] is one of my favorite girl names, so I pick [name]Ellis[/name] for a boy.
Yeah, I kind of agree with you guys that [name]Ellery[/name] sounds more feminine. I’ve also been shying away from Y ending names in general so they don’t rhyme-clash with [name]Ainslea[/name]. I don’t really like [name]Ellison[/name] as much, sounds a lot like [name]Allison[/name] to my ear. What about [name]Hollis[/name] vs. [name]Ellis[/name]? Does [name]Hollis[/name] sound masculine at all? Or is [name]Ellis[/name] still better?
I like [name]Hollis[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name] for a boy. I’ve only known men named [name]Ellis[/name] whereas I do know a woman named [name]Hollis[/name]. [name]Hollis[/name] bears her grandmother’s maiden name as a first name though, if that makes a difference. Between the two I prefer [name]Ellis[/name], mostly for its Welsh meaning.
With all the popular [name]El[/name]- names for girls out there ([name]Ella[/name], [name]Elle[/name], [name]Eliana[/name], etc.) [name]Ellery[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name] are both very feminine to my ears… [name]Ellery[/name] definitely more so. If I heard either in a set with [name]Ainslea[/name], I would assume they were both girls. But [name]Ellis[/name] is better than [name]Ellery[/name] at least for a boy.
Although I love the literary history of [name]Ellery[/name], I’m afraid today’s world will likely find it very feminine. I do know a little girl named [name]Ellis[/name] (and I cringe visibly every time her mother says her name), but I find it to be a very masculine name. If I heard [name]Ellery[/name] and [name]Ainslea[/name]/[name]Ellis[/name] and [name]Ainslea[/name], I would assume that [name]Ellery[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name] are boys, but in this culture of “[name]Ell[/name]-” and “-y”-heavy girls’ names, [name]Ellery[/name] will most likely be assumed to be a girl … though I really hate to admit it because I do love this name on a boy, but I’m realistic enough to realize that it would take an absurdly strong and self-confident boy to pull it off.
In short: [name]Ellis[/name] is such a handsome name. [name]Love[/name] it.
[name]Just[/name] read your post about [name]Hollis[/name]. I definitely prefer [name]Ellis[/name] to [name]Hollis[/name], but both sound very masculine to me. And to be honest (though I’m sorry to say it), I actually think [name]Hollis[/name] sounds a bit better with [name]Ainslea[/name] than [name]Ellis[/name].
Wait, so how is [name]Ainslea[/name] pronounced? It looks like ains-lee-uh. Is it the same as [name]Ainsley[/name]?
I like both [name]Ellis[/name] & [name]Ellery[/name]; so tired of the “[name]Ellie[/name]” trendy stealing all of these names. Never heard of a girl [name]Ellis[/name] and it doesn’t sound at all feminine to me. I prefer [name]Ellery[/name]. [name]Hollis[/name] is also a favorite.
Yes, [name]Ainslea[/name] is pronounced like [name]Ainsley[/name].
I am also kind of getting sick of names being “unisex” meaning that it’s only okay for girls. And a lot of the boys names that I like kind of ride that line. But I am a little bit concerned because, as lexikj and catheyc pointed out, with [name]Ainslea[/name] being a bit closer to the gender neutral line as well, that a name like [name]Ellery[/name] or [name]Ellis[/name] or [name]Hollis[/name] might look like they are both girls. I’ve never met anyone [name]IRL[/name] with any of these names so it’s hard to see how they will be perceived.
I’m love both [name]Ellery[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name]- I have them both on my girl’s list. But if I had to choose one for a boy I’d choose [name]Ellis[/name]. There’s a children’s book about a male elephant named [name]Ellis[/name] if that helps! haha
I like [name]Ellis[/name]. I actually like [name]Ellison[/name] better. [name]Ellery[/name] does sound very feminine to my ear, even though I know it’s a male name. I think ellis is more handsome than [name]Hollis[/name], though.
I know a girl named [name]Ellery[/name] so I’d go with [name]Ellis[/name]. And [name]Ellery[/name] reminds me of Celerie.
Sorry, just wanted to clarify. I meant that if I met a sibset of [name]Ainslea[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name] or [name]Ainslea[/name] and [name]Ellery[/name], I would assume [name]Ellis[/name] and [name]Ellery[/name] were both boys and [name]Ainslea[/name] was a girl. But [name]Hollis[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name], I think, would be better-received as boys’ names than would [name]Ellery[/name]. I have a niece named [name]Ainsley[/name], so it’s all girl to me. I can’t imagine it on a boy. [name]Nor[/name] can I imagine [name]Hollis[/name] on a girl, and even [name]Ellis[/name] seems so very wrong on the little girl I know. I hope that makes sense. I need to stop responding late at night when I’m making very little sense. 
I think [name]Ellis[/name] has a more masculine sound to it. It feels like a strong, relaxed name to me. I do know of one male [name]Ellery[/name]–[name]Ellery[/name] [name]Queen[/name], though. It was the pseudonym for a pair of detective story writers and later a lead character in a TV series. Of the two, though, I definitely suggest [name]Ellis[/name].
I prefer [name]Ellis[/name], but it’s sharing some similar sounds to [name]Ainslea[/name] that are turning me off from the combo. I actually love [name]Hollis[/name], but I’m quite sure I would wind up calling a son of mine who had that name, “[name]Holly[/name],” which could be embarrassing for a boy. My hubs nixed the name because he said it immediately made him think of the Hollister brand. Maybe we could think of another Scottish-ish name to match [name]Ainslea[/name].
[name]Ellis[/name]! I love that for a little boy!