Growing My List

Gender Neutral Names
1

I find there’s a dearth of fanciful names that have a gender neutral “feel”. I’ve been obsessively searching to grow my list but keep coming upon the same category of names that feel very modern and almost Southern to me (obvious surnames, boy-names-on-girls, etc which just aren’t exciting to me). Where are the names fit for a mischievous sprite, a friendly cryptid, a run-of-the-mill bleeding heart? Does anyone have any gems that fall into this fun niche?

My current list: Thomasin, Vivendel, Ardith, Caspian, Dorian, Mischa, Bellamy, August, Kit, Rhys, Laurie, Romilly, Asa, Vale

In the case of Bellamy, I was tickled to find how many people feel it is too masculine for a girl and too feminine for a boy. That’s exactly how I think of gender neutral names - a perfect blend where someone wouldn’t automatically assume the wearer’s gender. Of course, this applies to names like Alex and Morgan too but I’m a sucker for pizazz.

3 Likes
3

I’m in love with your list, and with this phrase:

[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]

Maybe…

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Alyosha[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Floris[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Puck[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Meriwether[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Auren
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Wilmot[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ethelwyn[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Luciel[/name_f] / [name_f]Ciel[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Averil[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Artemis[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Katriel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Alician[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Hester[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Cleo[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Seneca[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Estel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Cleanth[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Nikola[/name_m] / [name_m]Nicol[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Mattia[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Augustine[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Mariglen[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Winifred[/name_f] / [name_f]Winfred[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Louka[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Felician[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Arliss[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lydian[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Merle[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ilya[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Georgie[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Gwynedd[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sheridan[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Loren[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Matisse[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lind[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ruthven[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rosen[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Elwyn[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rosario[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Alva[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Merrigan[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Elisha[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Vanya[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Irinel[/name_m]

1 Like
7

I do think of some of the names on your list as strictly gendered (Thomasin is a girl name, [name_m]Rhys[/name_m] a boy name, etc.) so I’m also going to make a few strictly gendered suggestions if they fit the vibe you seem to be going for, I hope that’s okay! But still most of these are unisex:

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Elya[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lavender[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sidney[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Valentine[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Vyvyan[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Georgie[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Solaris[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Oleander[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Florian[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Noé[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Lucien[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sascha[/name_m] / [name_f]Sasha[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jem[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Flick[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Frankie[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Cléanthe
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Amaranth[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jules[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Valya[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Nikola[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Endellion[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Louie[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Yves[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Marian[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Marin[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Élisée
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Claude[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Louison[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Angel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Teddy[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Beck[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Emile[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Honor[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]January[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ollie[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Charlie[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Cassian[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Wynn[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Bryn[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rafa[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rosario[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sanya[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Toma[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Percy[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Matija[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Ilia[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Elian[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Liliom
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Mika[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Vieno[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Faraday[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ira[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Manu[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Olivet[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Loren[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rune[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Azul[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Azure[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Paz[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lux[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Andrea[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Reyes[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Darcy[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Dove[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Cove[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Harvest[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Mio[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Mino[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Serafim[/name_m] & [name_m]Serafin[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]True[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Izzy[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Bernie[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sage[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ever[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Alder[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Aster[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Easter[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Halle[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Belisent[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Fennel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Yarrow[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Agatho
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Corliss[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Evren[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Linden[/name_m]

8

[name_m]Irinel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sosa[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Philomel[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Saibh
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Melisande[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Dagmar[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Apollo[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Olin[/name_m]

9

Ooh, fun niche :heart:

[name_f][/name_f]

Maybe…

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Meridian[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f]Neirin or Nerin
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Hero[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Aubrey[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Ziggy[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Adair[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Aven[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sequoia[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Solace[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Zennor[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Laramie[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Lazuli[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Kosma[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rosario[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Solaris[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Averill[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Lowen[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Aderyn[/name_f] / [name_f]Deryn[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Mazni[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Acton[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Severn
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Verve[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Lyndall[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Tamlin[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Laurien[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Iggy[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Solaire[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Somerset[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Averick[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Llewellyn[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Tierney[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sophio[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Menai[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Kiffin[/name_m] / [name_m]Kyffin[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lenya[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Tully[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Waverley[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Samsa[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Salish[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Pasha[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Sulwyn[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Marinell[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Somerset[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Leni[/name_f]

10

I’m loving Floris, Luciel, Katriel, Rosen, and Alician! They all have a blend of traditionally feminine and traditionally masculine sounds without feeling “made up”. They feel solid and historic without being heavily associated with anyone in particular - you really understood what I was going for!

Russian diminutives seem to have a certain romantic flair in general. Alyosha and Vanya were both characters in a series I read last year and each use of their respective nicknames felt tinged with magic.

1 Like
11

I’m so glad you like them! “Gender-neutral yet non-modern feeling” is definitely one of my favourite name categories, so this was a fun exercise.

12

Less gender coded names with some pizazz (hopefully!) for you:
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Persimmon[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Celandine[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Melilot[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Bramwell[/name_m], Bramley
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Lydian[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Tavi[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Vetiver[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Mirabeau[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Elouan[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Polaris[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Arcturus[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rasalas[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rook[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Josian[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Jemmett[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Frey[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f]Mayes
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Cymbeline[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Bensiabel[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Idris[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Seren[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Dagney[/name_f]
[name_f][/name_f][name_m]Rivers[/name_m]
[name_f][/name_f][name_f]Sommers[/name_f], [name_f]Summers[/name_f], Somerby

13

[name_f]Philomel[/name_f] and [name_f]Melisande[/name_f] are perfect! [name_f]Philomena[/name_f] is one of my favorite girl names but that “-mel” ending brings the mellifluous back down to earth.

1 Like
14

Honestly I only just discovered [name_f]Philomel[/name_f] and I’m in love!