I wanted to ask everyone’s opinion on this. I hope I am explaining the thought correctly.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think there is a difference between names that are currently considered unisex ([name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], etc.) or even gender bending (I am looking at you [name_u]Elliot[/name_u]) and names that are gender ambiguous? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you know of any names that you feel fit in the 2 categories? Example: For me, I do look at the concepts differently. I considering names like [name_u]Evan[/name_u] and [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] (and sadly [name_u]Ashley[/name_u]…love this on a boy) to be “unisex”, however I see most nature names as being gender ambiguous as they do not really denote a gender - other than the obvious [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and the like. I see unisex as being names that are established as being for either gender through historical use. Gender ambiguous names are not assigned to either gender and can be used either way because of that - if that makes sense.
I consider unisex names to be original boy names that have been slapped onto girls and hence dubbed unisex as a way to justify it. One name I see as truly ambiguous is [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]. I know it’s a tad more popular on boys (I think…?) but I’ve heard it used on both sexes. It seems neither masculine nor feminine, just neutral. Not sure if I answered the question, just my two cents
It’s an interesting distinction, and I think I understand what you mean. “Unisex” means that at one point in time the name had a distinct gender associated with it-- [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] and [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] being great examples-- but over time, the name was given to enough people of both sexes to make it unisex.
“Gender ambiguous,” by your thought, is a name that is new enough that it doesn’t readily connote one or the other-- something like [name_u]River[/name_u] or [name_u]Sage[/name_u].
Names aren’t inherently masculine or feminine. What sounds like it is masculine or feminine changes through time or culture. English likes to put -a at the end of girl names but in other languages the -a ending means boy. At one point people thought pink was masculine and blue feminine! To me the only truly gender neutral names are word names that are mostly recent introductions, because they have little association based on use. Like [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]. Surname names have historically been boy names, sometimes some of them cross over but there aren’t many that are truly unisex. Maybe [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], mostly once it becomes popular for girls it falls off for boys.
We discussed a similar thing at my uni the other day (we even brought up the pink was for boys and blue was for girls thing!) - the ideas of masculinity and feminity aren’t changing, but perceptions of the two are. Gender (which is different to sex) is slowly being recognised as a social construct rather then a biological one. As well as that, the perception of what it is to be female in particular is changing, which is why we’re probably seeing a growing trend in more “masculine” names for girls ( by that I just mean ones that aren’t so frilly and lacey and delicate - not that there’s anything wrong with those traits of course) and traditionally boys’ names becoming more unisex. There have also been studies showing that the more liberal parents (when I say liberal, I mean the traditional meaning, not the Australian political party, which is an ironically named conservative government) actually prefer boys names with softer, lighter sounds - which would probably have been called feminine only a couple of decades ago. (If I can be bothered to find the article again, I’ll try and post it. I think it was also based on American parents, so it might not apply to everyone).
Anyway, back to the op. I can sort of see what you’re saying, but I think for me personally, it’s just easier to say unisex, since it means almost the same thing.
We loved the name [name_u]Peyton[/name_u] up until a few weeks ago (I’m 32 weeks pregnant and we live in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f]) but one have been told its ‘chavvy’ and/or a male name (we are having a girl) and we have now struck it off the list because of this but still love it.
We also loved [name_u]Dani[/name_u] for a girl but again decided against this due to being predominantly a male name.
I think its sad that this happens but I do think the two names I’ve mentioned can be used both ways
I get told my kids names spesh my daughters name is chavvy all the time its not… but hey ho how people like to think is up to them.
Bailey< BOY - Not girl.
Peyton <Girl- not boy
Ashton< That is unisex if spelt different i.e Ashtyn (would say that was a fem version)
There are many unisex names i see as being 1 gender not both
but as eliot /elliott goes i can actually see this as being 2 genders but it has been made that was through the series scrubs i believe as the charater called elliot on there. I went through likeing hte name dsplet Elliette as can be used as Ellie for a girl- But mrs nephew is an Elliott.
Oh and P.S Dani/ Danie/ Danni is girls nickname of danielle name Danny/dan boys nickname of daniel.
As i am a dani and have a male friend called Danny (yes it can get a bit confuzzling) but at the end of the day danny is a boy and dani a girl to me… dani as a boy looks wrong.
I just wanted to say that [name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] is a symbol that is designated as a feminine symbol in [name_f]China[/name_f], so that is a female only name for me.
The [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] in Scrubs was given her name specifically because it was a boy name and her parents wanted a boy. [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] has only recently been used as a girl name in the US, it showed up on the charts two years ago. It’s been popular as a boy’s name as long as we’ve had records, and not at the bottom either. It’s hovered around 300 the whole time.
The Elliot in Scrubs was given her name specifically because it was a boy name and her parents wanted a boy. Elliott has only recently been used as a girl name in the US, it showed up on the charts two years ago. It’s been popular as a boy’s name as long as we’ve had records, and not at the bottom either. It’s hovered around 300 the whole time.
Some really rigid berries here would tell you there’s no unisex names, but I disagree.
Unisex - currently used for both genders. Gender ambiguous = unisex.
Some word names are nothing but unisex, ([name_u]River[/name_u], [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]).
[name_m]Just[/name_m] because [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] was once a only a male name, doesn’t mean it is still only a male name. Culture changes like I change socks.
