Could [name_m]Idris[/name_m] work for a girl? I know it’s not typically a female name but it sounds very feminine to me. What do you think?
I think it is important to look at the meaning of the name because names aren’t just sounds, they have cultural roots and meanings. Some meanings are not gender specific, (think [name_u]Harper[/name_u] or [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]) so even though unisex names aren’t really my thing, I think go for it. Other names have really gender specific meanings…in this case, the meaning of [name_m]Idris[/name_m] is “[name_m]Lord[/name_m]”. In these cases I wouldn’t use on the opposite gender unless you’d be comfortable the other way round (i.e. would you use a girls name that meant queen for a boy?)
There are some similar names for girls, like [name_f]Idra[/name_f] and [name_f]Idony[/name_f]. Also some interesting feminine names that end in the “iss” sound like [name_f]Viridis[/name_f], [name_u]Damaris[/name_u], [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], and the very similar [name_f]Idalis[/name_f].
Maybe [name_m]Idris[/name_m] is one to keep for a boy 
1 Like
Yeah-- I’d vote for keeping this one in the male column too. As pointed out above, there are a lot of similar sounding female names-- [name_f]Iris[/name_f] and [name_f]Ida[/name_f] are a couple of more.
Masculine to me. And even if it sounds feminine, the name’s origin is masculine.
Irelys? Erilys? Isalis?
No, it is a masculine name. In arabic the name means “interpreter”. [name_m]Idris[/name_m] is a prophet in Islam and is the equivalent to Biblical [name_m]Enoch[/name_m]. He is father of Methusaleh and great grandfather to [name_u]Noah[/name_u]. It is a deeply rooted in many cultures around the world, originating and attributed to men.
Everything I was going to say. This needs to stay put firmly in the boy column.
I agree that it’s such an attractive name with its own gentle qualities, but I think it’s best to keep the name in the spirit with which it has developed. It seems to be as masculine a name as [name_m]William[/name_m] or [name_m]John[/name_m].
If you’re a [name_m]Doctor[/name_m] Who fan it’s an interesting name for a girl.
All of this.
[name_m]Idris[/name_m] is a boy’s name it doesn’t work for a girl, especially as there is the popular connotation of [name_m]Idris[/name_m] [name_f]Elba[/name_f] the fantastic actor, people will automatically assume it’s a boy. [name_m]Idris[/name_m] doesn’t work.
This is a Welsh name as well as an Arabic one and can be for a girl although it is less common. I had an aunty called [name_u]Idris[/name_u], we always knew her as Aunty Idy.
I prefer it on a boy to be honest but mainly because it’s associated with one of the prophets in the Qur’an.