New Name for New Gender Identity

Name Advice
1

I have recently started on a journey of gender questioning and am seeking advice on a new name for myself. Currently, I still exclusively use he/him pronouns and continue to use the name [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], which I was given upon my adoption to the United States. During my previous semester of college, I experimented with my birth name, Hyun-Shik, but found that some Americans had trouble spelling and pronouncing it correctly, and that no American including me knows the connotations of that name.

I’m looking for something classic, elegant, and above all, gender neutral. [name_f]My[/name_f] preference would be for something fairly uncommon but still recognizable as a name to an average person, although I don’t have a numeric metric in mind. I like word names because they have immediately obvious meanings and spellings without needing to be common as names, but it definitely isn’t a must. Initially I thought about [name_m]Robin[/name_m], but my grandfather was [name_m]Robert[/name_m] which would’ve made for awkward personal/family baggage considering who he was. Thank you for reading!

2

I’m thinking:

[name_m]Harbor[/name_m]
[name_f]Haven[/name_f]
[name_m]Justice[/name_m]
[name_f]True[/name_f]
[name_m]Truett[/name_m]
[name_f]Merit[/name_f]
[name_m]Laurie[/name_m]
[name_f]Harley[/name_f]
[name_f]Shay[/name_f]
[name_m]Kit[/name_m]
[name_m]Kai[/name_m]
[name_m]Pax[/name_m]
[name_m]Len[/name_m]
[name_m]Lennox[/name_m]
[name_m]Roscoe[/name_m]
[name_m]Jazz[/name_m]
[name_f]Lennon[/name_f]
[name_m]Kayce[/name_m]
[name_f]Blue[/name_f]
[name_f]Wren[/name_f]
[name_m]Misha[/name_m]
[name_m]Hartley[/name_m]

3

[name_m]Classic[/name_m] and gender neutral… hmm

[name_m]Jules[/name_m]
[name_f]Aubrey[/name_f]
Léonide
[name_m]Victory[/name_m] (not classic but similar enough to Victor/Victoria. Also a word!)
[name_f]Alexis[/name_f]
[name_f]Camille[/name_f]
[name_f]Morgan[/name_f]
[name_m]Valentine[/name_m]
[name_f]Meredith[/name_f]
[name_m]Quincy[/name_m]

Most surnames are gender neutral, here are some I think you might like:
[name_m]Auden[/name_m]
[name_m]Bellamy[/name_m]
[name_m]Quincy[/name_m]
[name_f]Campbell[/name_f]
[name_m]Adair[/name_m]
[name_f]Ellery[/name_f]
[name_f]Greer[/name_f]
[name_m]Merritt[/name_m]

Words:
[name_m]Silver[/name_m]
[name_f]Indigo[/name_f]
[name_f]Lark[/name_f]
[name_m]Alder[/name_m]
[name_m]Linden[/name_m]
[name_m]Brook[/name_m] / [name_f]Brooke[/name_f] / [name_m]Brooks[/name_m]
[name_m]River[/name_m]
[name_m]Ever[/name_m]
[name_f]Lake[/name_f]
[name_f]Maple[/name_f]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_m]Gray[/name_m]

4

You could initially start with [name_m]Drew[/name_m] as a baby step into your journey. To test the waters a bit rather than diving in head first. I do see [name_m]Drew[/name_m] as a very gender neutral name

[name_m]Andrew[/name_m] means strong and manly, looking solely at the meaning strong you could go with

[name_m]Beren[/name_m] (bear-en) meaning strong, clever

  • Could go by nickname [name_m]Bear[/name_m] or [name_m]Ren[/name_m]

[name_m]Valens[/name_m] (vay-lenz or val-ens) meaning strong, vigorous, healthy

  • Could go by nickname (nn) [name_m]Val[/name_m], [name_m]Len[/name_m], Lenny/Leni

[name_m]Auron[/name_m] which is similar in look and sound to Aaron/Erin and means exalted, strong

If you could find a meaning to Hyun-Shik you could possibly find a name with a similar meaning to have the connection to that. But searching names that look similar to it you could use

[name_m]Hyde[/name_m] (hide - not the best meaning I know)
[name_m]Hy[/name_m] (life) or [name_f]Hye[/name_f] (wisdom, intelligence)
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] (queen of the heavens)
[name_m]Munro[/name_m] (mouth if the [name_m]River[/name_m] [name_f]Ro[/name_f] - also [name_f]Ro[/name_f] as a nn)
[name_m]Shi[/name_m] (season, honest, history, stone)
[name_m]Shai[/name_m] (gift)
[name_f]Shay[/name_f] (stately, gift)
Shiloh/Shilo (tranquil)
[name_m]Silo[/name_m] (of the forest, or prayed for)

[name_m]Robin[/name_m] means bright fame so again with similar meanings you could do

[name_m]Albie[/name_m]
[name_m]Bright[/name_m] or [name_m]Brighton[/name_m]
[name_m]Callahan[/name_m] (nn [name_m]Cal[/name_m], [name_f]Calla[/name_f], Han)
Cyan/Cyane (sy-an) could go by [name_m]Cy[/name_m] (meaning sun)
[name_m]Eilo[/name_m]
Fynn/Finn
Laine/Lane
Neave/Neeve/Nev
[name_f]Nell[/name_f]

If you liked [name_m]Robin[/name_m] because it was an animal/nature name other options could be

[name_m]Aire[/name_m] (air)
[name_m]Alder[/name_m] (alder tree)
Anoa (small wild ox and similar to Noah/Noa)
[name_f]Ashby[/name_f] (ash tree farm)
[name_m]Bayou[/name_m]
[name_m]Clay[/name_m]
[name_m]Eldon[/name_m] (sacred hill)
Gray/Grey or the longer Grayson/Greyson (mean son a bailiff/steward)
[name_f]Lark[/name_f] (bird name)
[name_m]Oleander[/name_m] (type of shrub, could go by nn Ollie/Olly/Lee/Leander/Anders)
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m] (meaning traveler - falcon - nn Pear/Per/Perry)
[name_m]Poe[/name_m] (peacock)
[name_m]Rowan[/name_m] (Rowan tree - nn Rowe)
Shore/Shor
[name_m]Willoughby[/name_m] (farm near the willows - nn Will/Willy/Willow/Lo/Lowe/B/Bee)
[name_f]Wren[/name_f] (small bird)

Other gender neutral names I like are

[name_m]Alden[/name_m] (old, wise friend)
[name_m]Asher[/name_m] (fortunate, blessed, happy one)
[name_m]Auden[/name_m] (old friend)
[name_m]Beau[/name_m] (beautiful/handsome) or [name_m]Bo[/name_m] (to live)
[name_m]Diem[/name_m] (day - Carpe [name_m]Diem[/name_m] from Dead Poet’s Society)
[name_m]Emerson[/name_m] (son of [name_f]Emery[/name_f] - nn Em/Emme/ Emmy/Sonny/Sunny)
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] (immortal)
Greer/Grier (watchful)
[name_m]Hutton[/name_m] (ridge, enclosure)
Judah/Jude (praised)
[name_m]Kai[/name_m] (sea)
[name_m]Locke[/name_m] (enclosure, fortified place)
[name_m]Osias[/name_m] (salvation - nn Osi/Ossi/Si/Sias/Silas)
Quill/Quillo (scribe, writer, crossing swords, strong)
[name_f]Revel[/name_f] (rejoice)
[name_m]Rome[/name_m]
[name_m]Seeley[/name_m] (blessed, happy)
Sonny/Sunny
[name_m]Soren[/name_m] (stern)
[name_m]Sumner[/name_m] (summoner)
[name_f]Sutton[/name_f] (from the southern homestead)
Tullen (solidarity - nn [name_m]Tully[/name_m] like Sully)
[name_m]Valor[/name_m] (virtue name - honour and bravery)

I’m sure I gave you way more than you needed but I hope something in this helps you find the name you’re looking for :slight_smile:

1 Like
5

Something tied to your name like [name_m]Andy[/name_m] or [name_m]Drew[/name_m] is nice, or maybe just staring with a significant letter.
[name_f]Avery[/name_f]
[name_m]Ari[/name_m]
[name_m]Ashton[/name_m]
[name_f]Harlow[/name_f]
[name_f]Harley[/name_f]
[name_f]Haven[/name_f]

6

I like the idea of [name_f]Andie[/name_f] or [name_m]Drew[/name_m], assuming you have some fondness for the name. It’ll be an easy change for you and other people - and they’re both spunky, unisex names!

If not, how about:

[name_f]Annie[/name_f] - not unisex but close to [name_m]Andrew[/name_m]
[name_m]Auden[/name_m]
[name_m]August[/name_m]
[name_m]Asa[/name_m]
[name_f]Aster[/name_f]
[name_m]Charlie[/name_m]
[name_m]Rowan[/name_m]
[name_m]Kai[/name_m]
[name_f]Reese[/name_f]
[name_m]Bellamy[/name_m]
[name_f]Ashby[/name_f]
[name_f]Quinn[/name_f]
[name_m]Sam[/name_m]
[name_f]Shiloh[/name_f]
[name_f]Skylar[/name_f]
[name_m]Dylan[/name_m]
[name_m]Wyatt[/name_m]
[name_m]Finley[/name_m]
[name_m]Casey[/name_m]
[name_f]Madison[/name_f]
[name_m]Jesse[/name_m]
[name_m]Hartley[/name_m]

[name_m]Or[/name_m] word /last names:

[name_m]Ash[/name_m]
[name_f]Avery[/name_f]
[name_m]Cyan[/name_m]
[name_m]Fox[/name_m]
[name_m]Sky[/name_m]
[name_f]Everly[/name_f]
[name_f]Aspen[/name_f]
[name_m]Ames[/name_m]
[name_f]Ember[/name_f]
[name_m]Cedar[/name_m]
[name_f]Halliday[/name_f]
[name_f]Riley[/name_f]
[name_f]Delaney[/name_f]
[name_f]Morgan[/name_f]
[name_f]Gem[/name_f]
[name_f]Indigo[/name_f]
[name_f]Harper[/name_f]
[name_f]Marlowe[/name_f]
[name_f]Meadow[/name_f]

7

[name_m]Sacha[/name_m]
[name_m]Andy[/name_m]
[name_m]Joey[/name_m]
[name_f]Corliss[/name_f]
[name_m]Jemison[/name_m]
[name_m]Bellamy[/name_m]
[name_f]Campbell[/name_f]
[name_m]Louison[/name_m]
[name_m]Charlie[/name_m]
[name_m]Greyson[/name_m]
[name_f]Emery[/name_f]
[name_m]Logan[/name_m]
[name_f]Taylor[/name_f]
[name_m]Elliott[/name_m]
[name_m]Valentine[/name_m]
[name_f]Collins[/name_f]
[name_m]Kit[/name_m]

8

[name_m]Casey[/name_m]
[name_m]Remy[/name_m]
[name_f]Sasha[/name_f]
[name_f]Leslie[/name_f]
[name_f]Ariel[/name_f] (esp. with the rr-ee-ll pronunciation)
[name_f]Vesper[/name_f]