We are thinking about [name]Kenzie[/name] for a boy. My only concern is that according to nameberry it is “too girlish for the US”. Thoughts?
What are some possible nicknames for [name]Kenzie[/name] other than the obvious [name]Ken[/name]?
Which of the following middle names works best? (They are all family names.)
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Angelo[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Randolph[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Robert[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Leo[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Paul[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] (after a [name]Patricia[/name])
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Christopher[/name]
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Eli[/name]/[name]Elliot[/name]/[name]Elias[/name] (after an [name]Elizabeth[/name])
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Linden[/name]/[name]Lyndon[/name] (after a [name]Linda[/name])
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]John[/name]/[name]Jonah[/name] (after a [name]Jean[/name])
[name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Mark[/name]/[name]Martin[/name] (after a [name]Mary[/name])
What about [name]Mackenzie[/name]? Much as I am a huge fan of unisex names on boys and would love to see [name]Kenzie[/name] work on a boy, I think it’s way too far gone on the girls at this point. But I think [name]Mackenzie[/name] is more redeemable–with [name]Mac[/name], [name]Mick[/name], [name]Ken[/name], or the full [name]Mackenzie[/name], or even shortened to [name]Kenzie[/name]. I really like [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Leo[/name], [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Elliot[/name], and [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] (I love [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Leo[/name], [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Elliot[/name], and [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Patrick[/name], too!).
Good luck!
ETA: Just figured I should add the reason I suggested Mackenzie… I know a lot see it as a girls’ name, but I have never met a girl named Mackenzie, just boys (and I’ve met at least three boys with the name! All various ages…) so it still seems quite usable on a boy to me. As far as I know, none of them were ever teased about it. While it is much more used on girls, it still seems very usable for boys to me. I guess I could be alone in that, though!
Sorry, it’s way too far on the girls’ side now in the US than it is for the boys. I get the feeling he would always be mistaken for a girl and be teased for having a girls name. [name]Even[/name] [name]Mackenzie[/name] would have the same problem, tbh. What about something like [name]Kenyon[/name], [name]Kenley[/name], or Kentley?
It doesn’t sound too bad to me, but my brother’s name is [name]Kenny[/name], so I’m used to the sound on a boy. My first thought was girl, but I think it could work for a boy. Of course, I really like [name]Kelly[/name] on a boy too, and I’m sure most people would disagree with me on that, so I might not be the best person to ask.
Sorry but no it will never work. I know 3 girls named [name]Kenzie[/name] and 17 girls name [name]McKenzie[/name] (or other spelling variation) several of which go solely by [name]Kenzie[/name]. I am usually a fan of getting boys names back to boys but not this one! I actually love [name]McKenzie[/name] and [name]Kenzie[/name] on girls. I think it is so feminine and adorable. I think this one has way bypassed the unisex level and is now a full blown girls name.
I would go for [name]Kenzo[/name] nn [name]Kenzie[/name]. If I look at statistics then [name]Kenzo[/name] is the most popular ‘kenz’ name (97 in 2010) for boys and there were no girls called [name]Kenzo[/name]!
Also, in 2009 there were 31 [name]Kenzo[/name]'s, the year before that 25. So, it is becoming a bit more familiar, but not too popular.
There were already little [name]Kenzie[/name]'s and [name]Kenzo[/name]'s in 1918/1920. The name [name]Enzo[/name] is gaining popularity fast, and a little [name]Kenzo[/name] would fit right in!
If we want to see these unisex names tip back toward the boys’ side, SOMEONE has to start by naming their son [name]Mackenzie[/name]/[name]Kenzie[/name]. Discouraging parents from giving their sons “girl names” and then saying how much you’d like to see the name go back to the boys is not how change will occur.
If you love [name]Kenzie[/name], I say go for it. So what if he is mistaken for a girl? That will only happen on paper, and the people who see him and know him will know he is a boy. Having a “girly” name has not affected [name]Morgan[/name] [name]Freeman[/name], [name]Tracy[/name] [name]Morgan[/name], or [name]Kelsey[/name] Grammer.
My husband’s uncle’s name is [name]Kenzie[/name], but I’m not sure on the spelling. We call him [name]Boss[/name] because that was his nickname growing up and it followed him to adulthood, so I think it can work on a boy. it works for him, because other people, including his wife call him by [name]Kenzie[/name]. His brothers are named [name]Kelly[/name] and [name]Kenny[/name], and [name]Kelly[/name] never had a problem either, and we all call him [name]Kelly[/name].
I think [name]Kenzie[/name] itself is too feminine. But I love [name]Mackenzie[/name] for a boy (I have a grown male cousin named [name]Mackenzie[/name] and it suits him perfectly). When I first read the post about [name]Kenzo[/name], I wasn’t sure, but it is growing on me quickly.
[name]Jamie[/name] Foxx’s real name is [name]Eric[/name]. When he started out as a comedian doing open mic nights at clubs, women would get on the list first and men would get whatever spots were left. He changed his name so people would assume he was a woman on paper. Being a male [name]Jamie[/name] is what made him stand out
Thanks for all the great responses so far! I’ve been checking the site every few hours for updates. The debate continues. For those of you who are strongly in the “no” column, I would love some more thoughts. The “yes” posts have been more convincing so far. [name]How[/name] would naming my son [name]Kenzie[/name] be harmful to him?
I love all the examples of famous men with “girls’” names. If we do select [name]Kenzie[/name], then I will save those examples to share with my son someday should he have an issue with his name.
I also liked the stats listing the number of girls and boys with [name]MacKenzie[/name] and [name]Kenzie[/name] as given names. Also very helpful!
I don’t think I can get behind [name]Kenzo[/name], but I appreciate the suggested alternative.
A number of people suggested [name]MacKenzie[/name] with [name]Kenzie[/name] as a nickname. I like that [name]MacKenzie[/name] has more male sounding nicknames, but I feel [name]MacKenzie[/name] is even more feminine than [name]Kenzie[/name]. I also think it is important to note that [name]Kenzie[/name] and [name]MacKenzie[/name] are two distinct given names with their own meanings. [name]Kenzie[/name] means “light-skinned” where as [name]MacKenzie[/name] means “son of [name]Kenneth[/name],” which says to me that [name]MacKenzie[/name] should belong to the boys. [name]Kenzie[/name] is not a derivative of [name]MacKenzie[/name] even though [name]MacKenzie[/name] can be shortened to [name]Kenzie[/name].
Thanks for all the great responses so far! I’ve been checking the site every few hours for updates. The debate continues. For those of you who are strongly in the “no” column, I would love some more thoughts. The “yes” posts have been more convincing so far. [name]How[/name] would naming my son [name]Kenzie[/name] be harmful to him?
I love all the examples of famous men with “girls’” names. If we do select [name]Kenzie[/name], then I will save those examples to share with my son someday should he have an issue with his name.
I also liked the stats listing the number of girls and boys with [name]MacKenzie[/name] and [name]Kenzie[/name] as given names. Also very helpful!
I don’t think I can get behind [name]Kenzo[/name], but I appreciate the suggested alternative.
A number of people suggested [name]MacKenzie[/name] with [name]Kenzie[/name] as a nickname. I like that [name]MacKenzie[/name] has more male sounding nicknames, but I feel [name]MacKenzie[/name] is even more feminine than [name]Kenzie[/name]. I also think it is important to note that [name]Kenzie[/name] and [name]MacKenzie[/name] are two distinct given names with their own meanings. [name]Kenzie[/name] means “light-skinned” where as [name]MacKenzie[/name] means “son of [name]Kenneth[/name],” which says to me that [name]MacKenzie[/name] should belong to the boys. [name]Kenzie[/name] is not a derivative of [name]MacKenzie[/name] even though [name]MacKenzie[/name] can be shortened to [name]Kenzie[/name].
He is going to get made fun of and it sounds like a childish name anyway. Seeing an older male named [name]Kenzie[/name] makes me gag. I’d be embarrassed if I fell for a man named [name]Kenzie[/name].
But I think [name]Mackenzie[/name] is more redeemable–with [name]Mac[/name], [name]Mick[/name], [name]Ken[/name], or the full [name]Mackenzie[/name], or even shortened to [name]Kenzie[/name]. I really like [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Leo[/name], [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Elliot[/name], and [name]Kenzie[/name] [name]Patrick[/name] (I love [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Leo[/name], [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Elliot[/name], and [name]Mackenzie[/name] [name]Patrick[/name], too!).