The never ending Avery question

emaddock

We are leaning towards Avery for this baby. The only issues are that while it is a totally legit boy name a lot of girls have this name. We also have a son named Brooks that often times gets confused for Brook. So I am wondering:

A. Has Avery gone too far female? (Recognizing that I know it is a boy name)

B. Are our boy names too gender neutral?

emaddock

I should clarify that this baby is a boy.

MixedBerries88

Reclaim Avery! Take it back! Use it! Brooks is not gender neutral...it's not your fault that people can't read.

bbiutmcph

As much as it pains me to say I do think Avery is at the unisex point. That being said it did increase in boy use last year as well. I would absolutely use it on boy still. It's classic on a boy and in another year or so it will be dated on a girl I think. I think Avery on a girl is like Ashley. It will have an insane usage then die off.

LizWhiz87

I mean this in the nicest, most empowering way: WHO CARES? If you love the name, use it. It is a correctly spelled, traditionally masculine name, and it pairs very nicely with your other son's name. If people comment that they think Avery is a girl's name, that is a good sign you don't need that ignorant person in your life (kidding, but for real, please educate them). The only way to keep names like this from boy name extinction is to use them as they were meant to be used. 

satuttle1014

I love the name Avery, on of my favorites. Actually every Avery I have met has been a girl. 

MixedBerries88

@satuttle1014 ...but that doesn't make it a girl's name. If every Taylor you met was a girl, would that mean it's not a traditionally masculine name? Please understand that I mean that very respectfully, not snarky. I'm just trying to point out that anecdotal experience doesn't make it so.

wassuphoes

You know, someone just shared an article on how no one names their daughters Tracy anymore. What was once a top 10 name has faded, fast from the top 1000.

The same will prove true of Avery.

emaddock

Thanks, everyone. I don't really care what people think but have struggled so much with this name decision! I needed a little empowerment

==N==

It's a great boy name! As is Brooks. Go for it.

MamaWren919

I'm in the minority, but think it has been taken over by the girls. Once it's in the top 20 for girls (and not nearly as common for boys), I just wouldn't use it. My husband is a Robin and hates his name.

emaddock

The other name we like is Archer but I am not super sold on it.

g8trkim

I wouldn't use it just because it's so popular in general.

Sassenach1743

emaddock said:

The other name we like is Archer but I am not super sold on it.

I also like the name Archer. I've liked it for years... ever since I saw Daniel Day Lewis play Newland Archer in The Age of Innocence. Unfortunately, my husband watches the animated series "Archer" on FX, so that's his association with it... so that kind of kills it. 

ETA, I'm also not crazy about the nickname Archie

KStar21

Go for Avery! It's still a great name for a boy IMO.

mrsgillham14

I know several (young) boys who are named Avery.  I think it works.

nurse714

Avery is a boy's name to me, no matter how many parents put it on a girl. I say use it.

emaddock

@g8trkim so curious that you say Avery is popular. I am an elementary teacher and don't know any boy or girl named Avery.

Daybird11Six

Lurking over from TTC board. Just wanted to add that I had a male student three years ago named Avery. I never blinked twice at it, so I say go for it. 

g8trkim

@emaddock It was the 13th most popular name for girls last year. I also teach elementary school and have only come across a couple at work, but I've had like 5 friends or acquaintances named their girls Avery in a past few years. My guess is that we'll start seeing a lot of them in school in the next few years.

g8trkim

I should have also added. I really like the name for a boy... not at all for a girl.

mollymargaret1

Avery is a great boys name! I hate all this gender switching of names.... 

emaddock

Thanks everyone! And thanks @g8trkim. I haven't even looked at popularity. I live in DC and haven't had any friends have an Avery or any students. But I am sure they are coming!

fitmama89

I clicked on this post since "Averie" is our top girl name. I love it! What i thought was hilarious was that "Brooks" is our top boy name! How funny. Cute names!

fitmama89

Also- I couldn't get my husband to agree on "Averie" for our daughter because he kept thinking of Jackson Avery, known as Avery on Grey's Anatomy. At the time he did not think Avery was feminine.

Sassenach1743

fitmama89 said:

Also- I couldn't get my husband to agree on "Averie" for our daughter because he kept thinking of Jackson Avery, known as Avery on Grey's Anatomy. At the time he did not think Avery was feminine.

Avery isn't feminine, at all. 

thefithuntress

Avery is a hot male character on Nashville. 

 I think Avery is a fine boy's name.

Edited 'cuz I read the post wrong. Meow.

MixedBerries88

brita722 said:

fitmama89 said:

Also- I couldn't get my husband to agree on "Averie" for our daughter because he kept thinking of Jackson Avery, known as Avery on Grey's Anatomy. At the time he did not think Avery was feminine.

Avery isn't feminine, at all. 

...and spelling it with an "ie" will not make you a lot of friends around here.

LizWhiz87

fitmama89 said:

Also- I couldn't get my husband to agree on "Averie" for our daughter because he kept thinking of Jackson Avery, known as Avery on Grey's Anatomy. At the time he did not think Avery was feminine.

It's not. Adding a 'cute' little -ie to the end doesn't help. I would reconsider.

LizWhiz87

thefithuntress said:

Avery is a hot male character on Nashville.
Brooks is a gross guy on Real Housewives. I think Avery is a fine boy's name.

Brooks is her son's name, and it is a great name. Just because there is one guy on TV with this name who isn't the greatest doesn't ruin the name.

thefithuntress

LizWhiz87 said:

thefithuntress said:

Brooks is her son's name, and it is a great name. Just because there is one guy on TV with this name who isn't the greatest doesn't ruin the name.

Edited, my apologies for offending.

gracefulruby33

Avery will always be a male name for me. DH and I considered Avery for DD and for this little one (when we didn't know the sex yet), but the fact that it is so popular with girls these days makes us hesitate on the name because I don't want them to be surrounded by girl Averys. That said, we love the name. I also love Brooks with the s.

LizWhiz87

thefithuntress said:

LizWhiz87 said:

thefithuntress said:

Avery is a hot male character on Nashville.
Brooks is a gross guy on Real Housewives. I think Avery is a fine boy's name.

Brooks is her son's name, and it is a great name. Just because there is one guy on TV with this name who isn't the greatest doesn't ruin the name.

Real Housewives OC.. Vicky's boyfriend. And it would ruin it for me so I'm just throwing it out there. But I also don't care for the name and prefer Brook without the s.

Yes, I am aware of the man you are speaking of. I have seen every episode of every Housewives franchise. I just didn't find that necessary when she has ALREADY named her son that. As in, he exists and is walking (or crawling) around with this perfectly fine name, so there is no need to insult the name. She didn't ask for opinions about this name.

thefithuntress

LizWhiz87 said:

thefithuntress said:

LizWhiz87 said:

thefithuntress said:

Avery is a hot male character on Nashville.
Brooks is a gross guy on Real Housewives. I think Avery is a fine boy's name.

Brooks is her son's name, and it is a great name. Just because there is one guy on TV with this name who isn't the greatest doesn't ruin the name.

Real Housewives OC.. Vicky's boyfriend. And it would ruin it for me so I'm just throwing it out there. But I also don't care for the name and prefer Brook without the s.

Yes, I am aware of the man you are speaking of. I have seen every episode of every Housewives franchise. I just didn't find that necessary when she has ALREADY named her son that. As in, he exists and is walking (or crawling) around with this perfectly fine name, so there is no need to insult the name. She didn't ask for opinions about this name.

Blah, sorry, read the post wrong. 

MixedBerries88

Brooks can't be associated with a creepy old man who repeats the phrase "eeeeval ahhhh" (evil eye) over and over. I chose to focus on cute baby Brooks, dang it!

emaddock

thefithuntress said:

Avery is a hot male character on Nashville.
Brooks is a gross guy on Real Housewives. I think Avery is a fine boy's name.

Yes, had my Brooks been born before that Brooks appeared on RHOC I may have had some second thoughts...But I love the name. RHOC won't last forever

g8trkim

fitmama89 said:

I clicked on this post since "Averie" is our top girl name. I love it! What i thought was hilarious was that "Brooks" is our top boy name! How funny. Cute names!

Avery = masculine. Averie is not a name .

astrat017

Brooks was also the name of a very cute man on the bachelorette a couple seasons ago:). I love the name and wanted it but couldn't use it.

lmcvicar1990

@fitmama89 This was my same problem with my hubby! I loved the name for a girl but my husband insisted that it is a boys name because of Grey's. I pointed out that it is his last name; but we couldn't get over it so it went off our list lol It seems that the name Avery is still pretty evenly split as gender neutral.

4N6s

I wouldn't use it... I know it's a boys name, but it annoys me that there are so many girls named Avery.

BBeninate

I say A and B. I automatically think of Avery and Brooks as girls names. I've  two girls with those names.