I think I might have a top 10. Thoughts?

General Name Discussion
1

I’m doing a list overhaul. I want to have one list full of unisex names that could be used both ways so I can practice what I preach about the gender binary. ([name_m]Long[/name_m] story)

I get that that’s not a lot of people’s thing, but please be nice. I had a hard time letting go of my gendered loves like [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] and [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m], but I think I’m doing the right thing for me.

Anyway, how would you rate these names, or just make comments on them, or say your favorites, whatever you are willing to do.

[name_m]Wesley[/name_m]
Truett
[name_u]Skylar[/name_u]
[name_u]Jesse[/name_u]
[name_u]Salem[/name_u]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m]
[name_u]Reid[/name_u]
[name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_u]Jordan[/name_u]

(I’m unconvinced on [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_u]Skylar[/name_u], [name_u]Jesse[/name_u], and [name_u]Jordan[/name_u]. I have friends who I’m close enough to that I think of them when I hear the name but not close enough to name a kid after them without seeming really weird. Probably will fall out touch by the time I have kids but it’s still a thing.)

2

Well, I think most of them are boys names and far from unisex.

3

I like:
[name_u]Jesse[/name_u] – I’ve been watching a lot of Full House re-runs lately, and I just love Uncle [name_u]Jesse[/name_u]. I’d spell it [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] for a girl, though.
[name_u]Salem[/name_u] – I guess this is technically unisex, but I much prefer it on a boy. It’s handsome and unique.
[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m] – So handsome! Reminds me of the character in Prison Break.
[name_u]Reid[/name_u] – I prefer the [name_u]Reed[/name_u] spelling.
[name_u]Owen[/name_u] – Nice.

Out of these, I actually only like [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] on a girl… Sorry! I have to agree with @ophelia that most of these names are boys’ names, not actual unisex names.

4

I like [name_u]Salem[/name_u], [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_m]Lincoln[/name_m] and [name_u]Reid[/name_u].

I think surnames and place names are suitable for either gender.

[name_u]Ariel[/name_u]
[name_u]Reese[/name_u]
Aven
[name_m]Sol[/name_m]
[name_m]Micaiah[/name_m]

5

[name_m]How[/name_m] about
[name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_u]Marlow[/name_u]
[name_f]Harlow[/name_f]
[name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_u]Wren[/name_u]
[name_u]Charlie[/name_u]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]

6

Thanks for your suggestions, I agree that many of these are boy’s names, actually. I think it’s much easier for a boy’s name to become a girl’s name then vice versa, and I think boy’s names on girls is really cute in all the instances I’ve seen. Also my partner is very masculine, and she’s insistent that her traditionally masculine name made her life much better and much less confusing when she questioned her gender. That’s sort of why I am revamping my list.

Anyway, one of my issues is that many unisex names are nicknames, i.e. [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_u]Max[/name_u], [name_u]Billie[/name_u], and I’m not a huge fan of nickname names. So I sort of fall towards traditionally male names.

Of the ten, which do you think would work best on a girl and which would you like most for a boy?

7

It’s very difficult for me to say which would work best on a boy or a girl, also TBH that kind of defeats the point of a unisex name.

Some of them are different in the sense that I don’t quite seem them as unisex, e.g. [name_m]Lincoln[/name_m], because if I met a [name_m]Lincoln[/name_m] I wouldn’t think he had an androgynous name.

8

I think that
Truett-never heard it before but pretty
[name_u]Jesse[/name_u]/[name_u]Jessie[/name_u]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]-a nice and not too out ther name
[name_u]Salem[/name_u]-a town near where I live, I can’t think of it as a name
[name_u]Jordan[/name_u]-not my personal taste but unisex
[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m]- cute for either gender
[name_u]Reid[/name_u]
And [name_u]Skylar[/name_u]
Are all perfectly fine unisex names in my opinion.
The rest…not so much.
Some suggestions:
[name_u]Marley[/name_u]
[name_u]Jameson[/name_u]
[name_u]Andy[/name_u]/[name_f]Andie[/name_f]
Good luck with your list!

9

The thing is, though, that your children probably won’t share your partner’s story. They will probably feel comfortable with their assigned gender, and even if not, your list makes it look like you only think about girls who question their gender and not boys.
What if your son feels more comfortable as a girl and then he is named [name_u]Owen[/name_u] or [name_m]Wesley[/name_m]? Maybe he’d feel better as a [name_f]Willow[/name_f] or as a [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] as these are more “girly” (if that works for a unisex name)?

I personally think that it’s a noble thought to want to use unisex names but then I find it a bit odd when you say “I really like boys names on girls” because that goes againts “unisex” names. (as you would probably choose the same names for your sons).

10

[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] - I like it for a boy, can’t wrap my head around it for a girl

Truett - doesn’t do anything for me, but could be a boy or a girl

[name_u]Skylar[/name_u] - cute unisex name, also [name_u]Skye[/name_u]

[name_u]Jesse[/name_u] - one of my favorites, biblical yet contemporary, good unisex name, also [name_u]Jessie[/name_u] or [name_u]Jess[/name_u]

[name_u]Salem[/name_u] - This is a new one for me; I wouldn’t know the sex if I saw this name on a roster so I guess that makes it a good unisex name. [name_f]Do[/name_f] I like it? hmmm….

[name_u]Morgan[/name_u] - A little overdone these days and I think it’s still more common for a girl, although clearly a boy’s name too - [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] [name_m]Freeman[/name_m]

[name_m]Lincoln[/name_m] - I have known 2 Lincolns, both of them male, and considering this was the name of one our most illustrious presidents I have a hard time with this as a girl’s name.

[name_u]Reid[/name_u] - another of my favorites and also my brother’s name (spelled [name_u]Reed[/name_u]). I could see this for a girl though, now that I’ve gotten used to the name [name_u]Reese[/name_u] Witherspoon.

[name_u]Owen[/name_u] - I actually prefer this for a girl than for a boy, sounds classy

[name_u]Jordan[/name_u] - good unisex name, although perhaps a bit overdone

[name_f]May[/name_f] I also suggest for a girl the name of [name_u]Allyn[/name_u]? I’m not fond of [name_m]Allen[/name_m] or [name_m]Alan[/name_m] for a boy, not that it’s a bad name, but it just doesn’t grab me. But for a girl - love it! It’s unusual and sophisticated.

I also think [name_u]Rory[/name_u] is a great unisex name. I like it for a boy, love it for a girl!

And last but not least [name_u]Riley[/name_u]. I know in recent years it’s been done a lot for a girl, but I like it for a boy too!

11

Firstly I’d like to say I really respect what you are doing! Gender neutral names are a really great idea and I’d really like to encourage that. One thing I’m thinking you could do is pick two unisex names, one that people feel is more traditionally male for the first name and then a more femanine unisex name (if that makes sense) for a middle name. Then if the child feels they prefer a certain gender they have two names to pick from.

I really like Truett (I’m into Norse names haha) and think this works for both boys and girls.
I would associate all the rest on the list more with boys than with girls even though they are unisex apart from [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] and [name_u]Skylar[/name_u].

Have you thought about…
[name_u]Sage[/name_u] (if you liked [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] this is a similar style but unisex. You could also go with [name_f]Thyme[/name_f])
[name_f]Mallory[/name_f] (one of my favourite names but also has the same beginning as [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m])
[name_u]Marley[/name_u]
[name_u]Ariel[/name_u]
[name_u]Reese[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_u]Blair[/name_u]
[name_u]Casey[/name_u]
[name_u]Rory[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_u]Kelsey[/name_u]
[name_u]Lane[/name_u]
[name_u]Noel[/name_u]
[name_u]Noah[/name_u] ([name_u]Billy[/name_u] [name_u]Ray[/name_u] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] chose this for a girl)
[name_f]Phaedra[/name_f] (traditionally a girl’s name but [name_f]Peaches[/name_f] Geldof used it for her son)
[name_u]Carey[/name_u]
[name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_u]Finley[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u]
[name_u]Rene[/name_u]

One thing to think about is the fact that a lot of the names we now associate with girls used to be boys name less than 100 years ago. It’s usually the person that makes an impression, coincidentally why I think of [name_u]Jordan[/name_u] and [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] as more feminine as I only know a girl with that name. And with a parent as supportive of gender fluidity as you are I don’t think your child will feel pushed a certain way even if their name is slightly more masculine or feminine sounding. So don’t worry to much what other people think and don’t forget to pick names that you like as that’s part of what makes the name special.