Too Girly?

Hello again Nameberry experts,

We are narrowing down a name for our second son as his due date rapidly approaches… We have just about decided definitely to call him [name]Finlay[/name], which is to honor my [name]MIL[/name] (last name Finlayson). I thought it would be great to have my mom’s name in there, too, but wonder if you think the following looks too feminine (or you simply don’t like it) for a boy’s name:

[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name] McMaster

I know more people are naming their daughters [name]Finlay[/name] these days, and [name]Bly[/name] is supposedly a name for either gender–so maybe together they look too girlie? And if you do think it’s too feminine (or simply don’t like it), I’d love to hear any of your middle name suggestions. Thanks again.

Separately I don’t think either name is too girly. I love [name]Finlay[/name] for a boy (I wish it weren’t being used for girls). But reading the names together, you can’t tell what gender the person is. That may be ok with you. I wouldn’t automatically think girl but nor would I be sure it was a boys’ name. Is there another name that could honor your mom? Or would you consider using two middles?

Personally, if I saw [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name] I would think boy.

I think it has a handsome quirky sound to it (like [name]Jasper[/name] or [name]Felix[/name]) and I love the family connection it has.

Overall, it gets a thumbs up from me :slight_smile:

I second this!

I like it. To me, [name]Bly[/name] is very strong. If I were to learn that a person with this name were female, I wouldn’t exactly be shocked, but I definitely think of it as a male name first. It would be a very masculine name for a female. As a male name, it’s not hyper-masculine, but I don’t find it at all feminine either.

I’m not sure that its “girly” I just think its very gender neutral. You can’t tell what sex the child is from the name.

Hmmmm, thanks for the comments. It is surprisingly hard to honor mothers when you have two boys (this will be our last child). Did any of you select “gender neutral” names for your sons? Or for that matter, for your daughters? Does it bother you that someone (future employer, etc.) down the line might read the name on paper and not know if your son/daughter is male or female? I don’t know that it bothers me–obviously, those who meet him will know he’s a boy, and in my experience middle names don’t come into play very much-- but my husband may be another story.

Does [name]Bligh[/name] (as in [name]Captain[/name] [name]Bligh[/name]) read more masculine? I kind of like the repetitive “Y” in [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name], but someone suggested elsewhere that “Y” appears more feminine.

Thanks for all the heads up :slight_smile:

[name]Hi[/name], again!

I do think that, when paired with the unisex [name]Finlay[/name], [name]Bly[/name] looks a bit off, so I would encourage you to go with a more sturdy masculine name for the middle name. Perhaps something Scottish like [name]Finlay[/name] would be nice?

[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Callum[/name] McMaster (is this the correct last name?)
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Cameron[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Glenn[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Ross[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Stuart[/name] McMaster

I really like [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Ross[/name], personally, or even [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Callum[/name]! GL!

I posted before I read your response! Personally, I think [name]Bligh[/name] looks like blight, blegh, etc, so I wouldn’t even be tempted to use that spelling! I’m assuming that your mother’s name is [name]Blythe[/name]. Is that a correct assumption? If so, [name]Blythe[/name] means “happy,” and I think a nice way of honoring your mom could be to use a masculine name that has the same meaning! According to babynames.com, [name]Bly[/name] was originally an English surname, but it is now a female name meaning “gentle” and “happy”.

I honestly couldn’t find any names meaning “happy” that sounded right with both [name]Finlay[/name] and McMaster ([name]Asher[/name] doesn’t work with McMaster and [name]Seeley[/name] doesn’t work with [name]Finlay[/name]!), so maybe an English B name, like [name]Bly[/name]?

[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Baldwin[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Barrett[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Beckett[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Blake[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Boone[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Brent[/name] McMaster
[name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bryce[/name] McMaster

Any of the names I’ve suggested suit your fancy?

Well, [name]Finlay[/name] is technically a boy’s name, so it’s not too girly at all! I like it! :slight_smile:

[name]Finlay[/name] is all boy to me, but because it’s used on girls, too, I’d personally stick with a clearly masculine name in the middle. To be honest, if I saw [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name], my first instinct would be to assume that [name]Bly[/name] was meant to read “[name]Blythe[/name].” Hmm…

Are their other names that could honor your mom?

I like the name, i think its really pretty.

IrisRose, it is the spelling, though. [name]Findlay[/name] is the male spelling, whereas [name]Finlay[/name] and [name]Finley[/name] are both unisex spellings.

Not that I think you should change it, poster. I love the idea of honoring your mother-in-law’s name, Finlayson! Perfect!

I think both are very much male names, however the combination makes it more femaleish than if they were alone. I wouldn’t go with it myself but I don’t think it’s going to be a major issue if you do.

It’s more about how you think of it than anything since we are influenced more by our parent’s impressions even when they are unvoiced than people realize. I kind of think if you completely think of it as very masculine yourself he’ll be fine about it but if you have nagging doubts they’ll probably sink through into his impressions too eventually.

I don’t think that [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name] is too girly. [name]Finlay[/name] is all-boy to me; I don’t think it has caught on in a big way with the girls. Together, [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name] might lean a little to the feminine side for me, just because when I see [name]Bly[/name] I think of [name]Nellie[/name] [name]Bly[/name] (an admirable association, nonetheless!). However, because of the strong family meaning, I think you should choose it if you love it!

I think if it was perceived as feminine, that could lead to teasing from his peers. As a middle-schooler myself, I know that kids can be pretty cruel. Still, people aren’t going to call him by both his first and middle name all the time. Most people won’t even know his middle name! Not that it isn’t important, but it just isn’t as obvious.

Sorry for my confusing post! Basically my viewpoint is that I love the name, don’t think it is too feminine, and think that you should use it if you love it.

[name]Finlay[/name] is all boy to me, [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Bly[/name] is lovely to honour :slight_smile:

I associate [name]Bly[/name] with the author, [name]Robert[/name] [name]Bly[/name], who, coincidentally, wrote a book about men called “Iron [name]John[/name]”. Never read it, though.

I would definitely think boy if I saw [name]Finley[/name] [name]Bly[/name]. Great name and good luck!

Oh, wow, thanks once again for all your replies. My mom’s name is—really!–[name]Nelly[/name] [name]Bly[/name] (after two beloved aunts. When she worked at Disneyland before college everyone thought the park gave her that name), and though she goes by that double name a lot of people call her [name]Bly[/name]. I was actually hoping to have a girl simply so I could use it :), either as a first or middle name. Anyway, her last name (maiden) is nothing we really want to use, so that’s out.

I suppose I’ll have to decide whether honoring her or choosing a perfect-sounding-&-more-masculine name ([name]Finlay[/name] [name]Glenn[/name] sounded nice of the ones you suggested, [name]Lemon[/name]–thanks) is more important to me. It is strange how once you think of passing on the name of someone you love to your child it is hard to see some random name as better, even when it might be.

Oh, SloppyArt, maybe this will make you reconsider having another child once little [name]Finlay[/name] arrives? Who knows, but either way, I understand and sympathize with your perplexing situation. I’m glad you liked [name]Finlay[/name] [name]Glenn[/name], and I hope you and your family arrive at a pleasing decision soon! [name]Do[/name] you perhaps want to honor a father or grandfather with your son’s middle name, or even your name (which, after all, would be honoring your mother since she likely chose the name, right?). I don’t think I know your first name. Anyways, [name]Wyatt[/name] and [name]Finlay[/name] are too cute together, and I hope you find the perfect middle name!

By the way, I just love the name [name]Nell[/name] (from your mother’s name, [name]Nelly[/name] [name]Bly[/name]). I just wanted to say that. Not for a son, of course.