[name_f]My[/name_f] feeling is that if you have to ask, ‘Would this be a burden to the child,’ then the possibility alone nixes the name. Maybe there are no burden-proof names, but I think a [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_f]Cleo[/name_f], or [name_f]Thea[/name_f] is not going to have the same problems girl-[name_u]Theo[/name_u] has.
The two problems are [name_u]Theo[/name_u]‘s male popularity and its female equivalent [name_f]Thea[/name_f]. People will either mistake her as [name_f]Thea[/name_f] all the time, or girl-[name_u]Theo[/name_u] will get tired of being, well, girl-[name_u]Theo[/name_u]. as others pointed out, boys’ names on girls work better when it’s an out-of-use name.
I have mixed feelings. It’s not terrible and it’s usable, although it might be a bit burdensome.
Personally, if my name was [name_u]Theo[/name_u] I wouldn’t like it. I am a girl and I. ouldn’t want people thinking otherwise. It would also get tiresome explaining to people that it’s not short for anything.
[name_f]My[/name_f] other issue with it is this: I really love masculine names on boys, and when people start using strong boy’s names on girls it causes those names to seem less masculine.
I actually really love it. I’m generally against ‘unisex’ names (ie boy names on girls) but I think when it comes to names that are short/diminutives it just isn’t a big deal, when you could claim classically-longer form for either gender ([name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]/[name_f]Theodora[/name_f] would be traditional female forms, whereas [name_u]Theo[/name_u] for a boy comes from [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] obviously).
I have [name_u]Billie[/name_u] on my list, by itself and for a girl.
I know a girl called [name_u]Rocio[/name_u] (roh-[name_u]THEO[/name_u], said the Spanish way rather than the Latin-American way) who goes by [name_u]Theo[/name_u] and it’s cute. She’s the kind of person who could pull that sort of thing off.
I would use it as a nickname only and not as her actual name. I have a unisex name (although it’s spelled the feminine way) and I got called “he” a lot growing up. Although I like my name, it was super annoying. I love [name_f]Thea[/name_f]!
Thank you everyone for your responses…and interesting mix of answers here and certainly some things to consider.
My name where I am from is unconventional…and I constantly have to correct pronunciation and spelling…but if anything, it has helped me become a person who can speak up and stand up for myself. So ‘correcting people’ isn’t really an issue.
To those people (actually person) who misunderstood, and answered in a sarcastic and defensive way; I believe that gender is socially constructed, and so that ideas of femininity and masculinity are as well. For this reason, I don’t have a problem with
a) my child being mistaken for the ‘wrong’ sex/gender
b) using a name that is traditionally for one or the other
My question arose because no matter what I believe, I cannot stop others from questioning my choice and perhaps stating their opinions to my child- which could lead them towards resenting their name. I don’t believe that Theo is too ‘boy’ personally…I was asking whether or not people think that society would cause problems for a female with that name.
[name_u]Theo[/name_u] is unisex name, so [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] is right that you could always make [name_u]Theo[/name_u] her nickname instead because to be honest it sounds a lot like more of a boy’s name or nickname for [name_m]Theodore[/name_m].
[name_m]Even[/name_m] if you don’t like [name_f]Thea[/name_f]/[name_f]Theadora[/name_f], your little girl will probably like it more than [name_u]Theo[/name_u]. If you don’t like [name_f]Thea[/name_f] or [name_f]Theadora[/name_f] you should consider [name_f]Cynthia[/name_f] and [name_f]Althea[/name_f], nn [name_f]Thia[/name_f] and [name_u]Allie[/name_u].
Good luck choosing a name!
Suggestions:
[name_f]Cynthia[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]
or
[name_f]Theadora[/name_f] [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f]
