Hello,
We thought we were sold in naming our second son [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] but not getting much love from family.
We also love [name_u]Tierney[/name_u], [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] (our last name ends in “son” so not sure about the nan and son combo).
The concern is the unisex names. Are they that feminine for a boy???
We ruled out [name_m]Callum[/name_m], [name_m]Torin[/name_m] and [name_m]Otto[/name_m].
Any help and suggestions would be appreciated 
Thanks!!
Firstly, your baby is your baby - is it really that important that everyone else loves it? I understand your point, darling, but I’d caution against giving up your favourite name just coz grandma wrinkles her nose. You might regret it later.
Unisex names are not necessarily too feminine. They’re designed to go either way, after all. None of the name you listen are overtly feminine.
Some Unisex names that err on the side of masculine…
[name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_u]Addison[/name_u]
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m]
[name_u]Blair[/name_u]
[name_m]Caden[/name_m]
[name_u]Carson[/name_u]
[name_u]Cassidy[/name_u]
[name_u]Devon[/name_u]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_u]Hadley[/name_u]
[name_u]Hunter[/name_u]
[name_u]Ira[/name_u]
[name_m]Kadin[/name_m]
[name_u]Kendall[/name_u]
[name_u]Lane[/name_u]
[name_u]Marley[/name_u]
[name_u]Mason[/name_u]
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_u]Parker[/name_u]
[name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_u]Riley[/name_u]
[name_u]Reese[/name_u]
[name_u]Spencer[/name_u]
[name_u]Sydney[/name_u]
I am not a big fan of unisex names for boys… Why make you child’s life any harder than it might otherwise be if you don’t need to.
Since you like [name_u]Hollis[/name_u], what about [name_m]Harris[/name_m]? Or [name_m]Horace[/name_m] though that may be drought with problems as well giving how old fashioned it is.
You are right!! We are still leaning towards hollis but I can’t help but question.
The big comment is people wil call him “holli”.
I dont think people will call him [name_f]Holli[/name_f], [name_m]Ive[/name_m] met a boy named [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] and he went by [name_u]Hollis[/name_u]. I had never heard anyone call him [name_f]Holli[/name_f]. Maybe [name_m]Hall[/name_m] once or twice, but never [name_f]Holli[/name_f].
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u] is so nice. I [name_u]Love[/name_u] it. Please use it. Family will come around, and if they don’t, just say that the topic of his name is a no go any more. That is his name and they may as well get used to it. For a middle name what have you decided to use? I’d love to know what his middle name would be.
I don’t think any of those names are feminine…I think of [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] as a place name so unisex and Teirnan as a male name.
I don’t care for the name [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] at all and I still don’t think family saying its feminine is a good reason not to use it.
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u] is amazing! Use it, it’s your baby.
Also, My daughter’s name is [name_u]Holland[/name_u] and no one ever calls her [name_f]Holly[/name_f]. I wouldn’t even consider that an issue for [name_u]Hollis[/name_u].
Thank you everyone!!
For a middle name we are between [name_m]Ford[/name_m] and [name_f]Zanne[/name_f]
[name_u]Love[/name_u], love, love [name_u]Hollis[/name_u]!! You should definitely use it. No one will bat an eyelid once they get used to it, since that will just be his name.
I think [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] is a perfectly masculine name - I think of it as a surname first, and I know it’s considered unisex, but it’s always sounded really masculine to me ([name_m]Kiernan[/name_m], too). I feel similarly about [name_u]Tierney[/name_u], and if you’re concerned about the flow with your surname it might fit better.
As to [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] with a “-son” surname, I think it could sound really different depending on the sounds and the number of syllables in the surname. [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] [name_m]Hanson[/name_m] doesn’t sound as good to me as, say, [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] Olafson. The “-nan” and “-son” combo isn’t necessarily a fatal flaw. I wouldn’t put a “-son” first name with a “-son” surname ([name_m]Harrison[/name_m] [name_m]Olson[/name_m]; [name_u]Carson[/name_u] [name_m]Henderson[/name_m]), but two names ending in “n” usually don’t trouble me.
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u] feels more feminine to me and more likely to be mistaken for a girl name because of [name_f]Holly[/name_f] being fairly well-known. I’ve never encountered a [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] in real life and I don’t love it as a name, but if you do and your family hasn’t tainted it for you, go for it.
Hmm. I don’t believe I’ve ever known a [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] in real life, but I’ve run across the name in one or two books & it’s been on female characters. To me, [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] is truly a unisex name, though…not originally a boy’s name that became used for girls or vice versa.
If you’re looking for something similar to [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] but that’s more obviously masculine, what about [name_m]Holden[/name_m]?
[name_m]Just[/name_m] me, but I differentiate [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] as masculine & [name_u]Tierney[/name_u] as feminine.
Overall, I say that if you really like [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] then use it. Good luck! 
I love [name_u]Hollis[/name_u]! I have never known a [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] It’s unique without being weird. And i would never think it was at all feminine. I say use it. And yes your family will love it once they associate the child they love with it.
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] is one handsome sounding little fella. I really love that combo. We have a [name_f]Lilla[/name_f] and no one has tried to shorten her name, I feel like that is only an issue with names that are 3+ syllables
I also differentiate [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] as masculine & [name_u]Tierney[/name_u] as feminine.
Good luck!
I love the name [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] [name_m]Ford[/name_m]! So handsome! I don’t think [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] is overly feminine at all! And I don’t think anyone would call him [name_f]Holly[/name_f] and If they did, you could always correct them if it really does bother you that much.
I also differentiate [name_u]Tiernan[/name_u] as male and [name_u]Tierney[/name_u] as female.
I think [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] is a great name and if you love it you should do it because once there is a little face to go with the name they will all end up loving it anyway. And [name_u]Hollis[/name_u] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] --son sounds fabulous.
However, if you are looking for other ideas, the name makes me think of another name that you may like: [name_u]Ellis[/name_u]. [name_u]Ellis[/name_u] is not a unisex name and has lot of the same sounds. I also think [name_u]Ellis[/name_u] [name_m]Ford[/name_m] —son sound great. Good luck and definitely don’t share any more of your ideas with your family if they are going to ruin names you love on you!