My name is [name_u]Sasha[/name_u].
It isn’t a girls name traditionally. I’m a girl but I’m also from [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u]. In Europe it’s a masculine name and moreso a nickname for [name_m]Alexander[/name_m].
I think this name is wholly unisexual at this point. 
[name_f]Jade[/name_f]
[name_u]Noel[/name_u]
[name_u]Ellery[/name_u]
[name_u]Aubrey[/name_u]
[name_u]Harper[/name_u]
[name_u]Hadley[/name_u]
[name_u]Sky[/name_u]
[name_m]Everley[/name_m]
[name_u]Rain[/name_u]
[name_u]Winter[/name_u]
[name_u]Ashley[/name_u]
[name_u]Kelly[/name_u]
[name_u]Shea[/name_u]
[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_u]Eden[/name_u]
[name_f]Faith[/name_f]
[name_f]Hope[/name_f]
[name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u]
[name_u]Ocean[/name_u]
[name_u]Allison[/name_u]
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Diamond[/name_f]
[name_f]Jewel[/name_f]
And probably a lot more but that’s all I could think of off the top of my head…
I know a girl that was named a boy name bc her mom thought it would help her in the business world. It actually really fits her and doesn’t make her masculine at all.
The only “girl” name that I like for a boy would be [name_m]Kayson[/name_m].
I also like [name_u]Keegan[/name_u] for a little boy, even tho its it’s a unisex name.
Some feminine names I like for boys are:
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] with the nn [name_f]Rosie[/name_f]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_f]Greer[/name_f]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Summer[/name_f]
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m] with the nn [name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_u]Sydney[/name_u]
But what makes a name unisex? Most unisex names were girl or boy names until they started being used on the other gender, now they are considered unisex-like [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], [name_u]Skylar[/name_u], [name_u]Peyton[/name_u], or [name_u]Taylor[/name_u]. If people started naming their sons [name_f]Rose[/name_f], it would then be unisex.
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] really does work on a boy, [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_f]Brynn[/name_f]! [name_f]Paige[/name_f]
Good job:D
Silly reason not to use the name you like best. You have absolutely no control over how your child feels about their given name no matter what it is. Doesn’t matter if you name him [name_u]Madison[/name_u] or [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] or [name_u]Angel[/name_u] or [name_m]Giuseppe[/name_m], there’s a chance he won’t like it or that it will embarrass him in some way.
The thing about this is that word names as far as I feel at least are words and not super make or female outside of their usage, like girls have gotten flower names, boys more named for their fathers …
[name_u]Ashley[/name_u] for example took a hard turn for girls from boys and [name_u]Ash[/name_u] still held on on the boys side.
But it’s been used for both boys and girls.
I heard someone say something once that resonated … Unless he’s a football player of something …
In reference to his son carrying a name with more feminine associations. He didn’t feel the child could carry it unless he was really tough. Your thoughts are good… Why? Are we teaching that anything feminine in any way even by association is ‘bad’ and unfit for a boy? Is it just cultural? Can girls play with trucks but boys can’t play with dolls? A lot of this is more recent, there was a time when kids played with ‘toys’ all colors were fair game and if you met an [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] he was more than likely a boy. Many names had feminine forms, [name_u]Eden[/name_u] w as a word and likely a boy… You may choose qualities to give in their name… [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] meaning pure… And you might call your first 10 kids after your parents and siblings and yourselves… With cultural connections and not living in a town where men are 50% [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], 40% [name_m]John[/name_m] and 10% something like [name_m]William[/name_m] and [name_m]George[/name_m]… We see the options… There have even been times when a parent may flip open the Bible and choose the word of name they found there.
Personally I really like [name_f]Grace[/name_f] for a boy [name_m]Grayson[/name_m] has a similar sound and BOY feel with the son ending but why not just the word if you’re so inclined. So good subject… My answer is name your child the name that you feel is theirs and don’t win for any gender but do allow yourself to consider it fully. Does he really want to be [name_f]Betsy[/name_f]? Probably that would envoke teasing, consider that… Because the world’s impression of him will affect him… [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]? Might be ok… There are names that are so anciently only to one gender like [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] that you get the boy named [name_f]Sue[/name_f] thing… In that type of case I would recommend against trying to shift things… But [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] & [name_u]Paris[/name_u] which are both unisex are totally fair game… And [name_f]Rose[/name_f] is a word/ flower name… I personally think it’s fine
I am with this and found myself reacting surprisingly more strongly than I expected to micahpaige26’s comment. In 2019 i amongst all the fights for equality there is still a lack of name equality. Sure, girls can be given boys names and this is accepted (to some degree) but boys can’t be given girl’s names. it’s a bit like wearing pants. It was okay for women to follow in men’s footsteps and wear pants in the office but of course no man could wear a skirt to work. We still teach girls that it’s okay to imitate men (and in many cases then be compared with the men as some lesser version of) but not the other way around.
So many girls have been given unisex or more traditional boy names. Did no one think about their feelings? Are they going to be scarred for life or will it be something that is just normalized in the future because so many girls have such names. Why would the same not happen with boys having girl’s names if the whole stigma around it was removed and it just became more common. Then everyone can just choose names they like and everyone and the underlying attitudes that go with it would just go away.
I don’t think boys are suddenly going to inherit girlish traits if they have a more traditional girl name and nor do I think girls having boys names suddenly act like boys. But they may grow up seeing that there is no negative stigma attached to such traits. And is it so bad if a boy grows up more compassionate or empathetic? We all exhibit so called masculine and feminine traits in our lives every day. No one is 100% one way or the other.
I agree with this. And if children want to tease someone it can be over a first name or family name, or the way they look or the way they act or something they say. There are so many variables. And even if it is a most perfectly normal boring name then they still might not like it. I can remember in particular one [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] who hated that her name was so common and it really made her sad.
I appreciate your voice and participation. [name_m]Just[/name_m] so you know I did not pull that information out of nowhere. I have read articles and spoken to people and they say they love the androgyny, they like the masculine qualities of names. I’ve asked my own mother! So we’re hearing the bigger pallet, it’s all good.
I feel you [name_m]Cassius[/name_m] and [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u] are so cute
I heard skye for the first time on a boy the other day and I loved it. [name_u]Ocean[/name_u], [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u], [name_u]Shea[/name_u], [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], [name_u]Noel[/name_u] ugh so cute 
This whole concept massively confuses me, and I have always been baffled by how so many people just default to “it must be because they think girls are weak”. Yes, SOME studies have been done to say this, but truly, studies can be manipulated to prove any point you’d like, and using the fact-checking skills I developed during my Journalism degree, I’ve found that you can’t easily validate psychology studies, so I tend to take them with a grain of salt.
I’m just as likely to name my future son [name_u]Addison[/name_u] or [name_u]Remington[/name_u] or [name_u]Hadley[/name_u] or [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] as I am to name my daughter. It’s the gender-neutral imagery I’m drawn to, not the supposed strength.
My parents named me a gender-neutral name, but gave my sister a more feminine choice - I’ve never in my life felt like I’ve had more of an advantage in the workplace due to a unisex name, or like my parents found femininity to be a sign of weakness, or slighted because my sister’s name is obviously a traditional girl’s name.
ETA: I’d also like to point out that while the boys names on girls debate can go back and forth and be claimed as sexism, as women, there are SO many more important issues affecting us than something arbitrary like what someone else is naming their kid.
Differences in pay, issues with fair parental leave, lack of women in positions of power, trouble accessing education, oversexualization - and that’s literally all happening in everyone’s backyard. If people only put as much passion and fire into those issues as they have done on this site in regards to the “GIRLS ARE STEALING BOYS NAMES!!!” arguments that have appeared on this site so often.
[name_u]Paris[/name_u] is one I like for boys too! I also like [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_u]Sage[/name_u], [name_u]Wren[/name_u], [name_u]Lake[/name_u], [name_u]River[/name_u], [name_u]Raven[/name_u], [name_u]Robin[/name_u] (–a lot of nature names!), [name_u]Vivian[/name_u], [name_u]Arden[/name_u], [name_f]Valen[/name_f]… That’s all I can think of!
Yes, I respect that. This is what I am referring to. Those names were all male names first because female also started wearing them they became feminine? I’m not judging. There is a push against feminine qualities on boys that is unfair.
A lot of kids end up embarrassed by their name, laughed at even. Kids with basic names. You can always hope you end up in the same classroom as [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]West[/name_u], that way they will get all the attention. :D:p Gender-neutral names become gender-neutral because both genders use it. I’m not blurring the lines the genders are separate what I am asking is, “Why does it bother parents to have feminine sounding names on their children.” As if they imply weakness, softness or………… what?
[name_u]August[/name_u], [name_f]Monday[/name_f] & [name_f]Hedwig[/name_f]
I can’t think of a “straight” girl name -such as Zoe, Mia or Rose- that I like. Most of the names I love are either:
For instance, I appreciate/like/love Cézanne, Nova, Jade, Avery, Amber, Acacia, Hazel, Sailor, Sloan, Aspen, Dov, Sparrow, Indigo, Harlow, Elisha, Sapphire, Sequoia, River, Rosario, Sage, Fable, Emery, Wren, Atlantis, Epicea, Juniper, Juno, Willo, Swan, Winter, Summer, Solaris, Ocean, Peridot, Lazuli, Alix.
We are personally considering Everest, and I love the nicknames Evie.
Now, about the debate, I have to agree with Tfzolghadr. I always read/hear that people want their girl to have a masculine name because it looks cool, badass and stronger. Which I find sad and very sexist.
We definitely live in a society where people find not-so-feminine women very/more attractive. What do people hear by “not-so-feminine”? Boxing, killing it at the gym, showing abs, being an adventurer, being able to drive a manual. Stuff that are perceived as more masculine by our society. However a man who likes flowers, pink, dancing, romance movies is not considered as “attractive” but is called “gay”. Little story, I met my husband in college. When I talked to my teammates about him they told me “I’m in class with him, forget about it, he is gay”. They based their opinion on his appearance. According to them, he had manners and didn’t walk like a straight guy. Also they said that he likes to do his hair, take care of himself and dress well too much. So he was gay.
I have to admit that it blows my mind when I see names like August or Elliott mentioned on a thread that says “girl’s names for boys”. They have been given to men for decades, they are historically masculine, and in 10 years they became “feminine names” or “gender neutral names”. They are not feminine and neither gender neutral in my opinion. It’s a masculine name on a girl and I don’t know why people don’t want to accept it this way. There is nothing wrong with it. Just like there is nothing wrong with girl’s names on boys. I feel like we call everything “gender neutral” and it’s just a trend at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally for new names to not have a specific gender, but I think changing the gender of old names and trying to make everything “gender neutral” is just making it worse. Because once again, only masculine names are called gender neutral. I also think that it’s not respectful, but that’s another story.
I don’t want my children to feel trap in a gender. In our house boys can have long hair, wear pink, take a dancing class, play with dolls and girls can love blue, have short hair, hate dresses, play soccer or play with cars. For me, this has nothing to do with genders though, it’s just… normal. But I do not forget that we live in a binary world, we are not unisex. We daily use he, she, his, hers and nobody would question the use of these gendered words. I think there is nothing wrong with it, just like I feel like there is nothing wrong with old names being gendered.
That being said, I like Emerson, Charlie, Emery, Remi, Sutton, Parker, Reese or Presley for a girl. I would not use them as a first name though.
Names are, in essence, genderless - it’s just that society is gendered so we apply it to names.
For a boy, I love:
[name_u]Ruby[/name_u]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]
[name_f]Jasmine[/name_f]
[name_u]Clare[/name_u]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
I’m sure I could think of more!
I think there are some internal and external biases that stop people using girls names on boys, for fear or making them seem ‘weak’ or ‘gay’ - as if that’s a thing that really happens.
Although it does seem that in our society the chance of being mis-gendered (mistaken for a girl if you are a boy, or a boy if you are a girl) seems to be taken as being really scary? Which is strange. And it also seems to be worse for a boy to be seen as feminine, because femininity is devalued more than masculinity. But none of that means someone who uses a unisex/boys name on a girl/girls name on a boy is necessarily sexist. I’m sure some people who do are sexist, but that’s not related to their name choices. In the same way that I’m sure some people who like cats are terrible people, but those facts aren’t related to each other.