What do you think of Ainsley for a girl's name?

psychgal · January 2011

DH is of Scottish heritage (both sides) and our last name is a common Scottish name beginning with H. We came across the name Ainsley when we were looking at Scottish origin names and we really like it but are wondering if it's too unusual or weird. Our other possibilities are not unusual names at all. I guess it can be a boy or girl name but I've only known one Ainsley and she was a girl. Just wondering what people's initial reactions are to the name. Thanks!

Mrs.Leah.Maria · January 2011

I think it's a beautiful legit name that will go well with your last name.

azuremama · January 2011

I like it. I know a couple of little Ainsleys, so I think it's not too popular, but not too weird either.

Phillychickadee · January 2011

I love that name! I met an Ainsley a few years back, and the first thing I said to her was "I love your name!" I think it is so feminine and unique without being weird. Gorgeous!

(Can you tell it was on my list :-))

braveangel2 · January 2011

Ainsley - I see a British, boys name. Whether you agree with my British impression or not (it has Scottish roots), it's a boys name that's recently gone girl in the States because of our apparent inability to respect gender lines when it comes to other cultures.

So you can probably tell I don't like it. I suppose that if I had to say anything nice about it at all, it's spelled properly. But that's as much as I can muster for this surname/boy name.

This is the Ainsley I know ^

scoutkate · January 2011

As with any other surname as first name . . . I dislike it unless it's a family name.

[lu?ia] · January 2011

Ainsley is trendy to me, not weird or unusual.

Ainsley isn't really my style. It's too 'cutesy' for me on a girl, but it's fine.

ETA: read that it's a surname/masculine... I'd like it much more on a boy.

alliejo725 · January 2011

Ainsley is NMS, but I don't think it's a strange name. I don't hear it all the time, but I hear it frequently enough. I think it would be a very fitting name for your Scottish LN.

psychgal · January 2011

braveangel2:

Ainsley - I see a British, boys name. Whether you agree with my British impression or not (it has Scottish roots), it's a boys name that's recently gone girl in the States because of our apparent inability to respect gender lines when it comes to other cultures.

So you can probably tell I don't like it. I suppose that if I had to say anything nice about it at all, it's spelled properly. But that's as much as I can muster for this surname/boy name.

This is the Ainsley I know ^

As I said, DH is of Scottish heritage. He has traveled several times to Scotland to research his genealogy and ancestry. The name was his idea. We just thought this name was a nice nod to his Scottish heritage without pretending that we actually are from Scotland, which we are not. I respect numerous cultures. FWIW, Ainsley is not the "correct" spelling as you say either. The original surname is spelled Ainslie. I am a mutt (half Mexican, half French Canadian) and I have a French maiden name that is pronounced incorrectly all the time and the spelling has changed numerous times over the centuries. So I guess I'm not as freaked out about smushing together a few cultures to create something pretty. I realize people feel very strongly about messing with other culture's names to make it their own, I guess I'm not that offended by it. I just wanted to clarify that I didn't mean to disrespect all Scots/Brits by thinking about possibly picking this name for our daughter, which you seemed to imply. Obviously, some may take it that way if we do choose it and that's something for us to consider. Thanks for everyone's thoughts!

alohamora · January 2011

I don't like the way it sounds - too nasally or something.

MrsVo · January 2011

It is NMS, but I know two Ainsley's born in the last 4 years and they are both female.

ajoym23 · January 2011

I love Ainsley, very cute.

braveangel2 · January 2011

psychgal:
braveangel2:

Ainsley - I see a British, boys name. Whether you agree with my British impression or not (it has Scottish roots), it's a boys name that's recently gone girl in the States because of our apparent inability to respect gender lines when it comes to other cultures.

So you can probably tell I don't like it. I suppose that if I had to say anything nice about it at all, it's spelled properly. But that's as much as I can muster for this surname/boy name.

This is the Ainsley I know ^

As I said, DH is of Scottish heritage. He has traveled several times to Scotland to research his genealogy and ancestry. The name was his idea. We just thought this name was a nice nod to his Scottish heritage without pretending that we actually are from Scotland, which we are not. I respect numerous cultures. FWIW, Ainsley is not the "correct" spelling as you say either. The original surname is spelled Ainslie. I am a mutt (half Mexican, half French Canadian) and I have a French maiden name that is pronounced incorrectly all the time and the spelling has changed numerous times over the centuries. So I guess I'm not as freaked out about smushing together a few cultures to create something pretty. I realize people feel very strongly about messing with other culture's names to make it their own, I guess I'm not that offended by it. I just wanted to clarify that I didn't mean to disrespect all Scots/Brits by thinking about possibly picking this name for our daughter, which you seemed to imply. Obviously, some may take it that way if we do choose it and that's something for us to consider. Thanks for everyone's thoughts!

Yeah, most of my reply is stand-alone dislike for the name. It's been getting a lot of play on this board, and there are now several spellings that pop up (which I won't list lest I give someone an idea). There's only so many times I can say it's a boys name in response to a post before it's suddenly no longer just a boys name, and then it's not a boys name at all. *shrugs* I don't really see an argument for or against culture/heritage here...most of that comes up with with non-Latin based languages or rather...cultures are that are really different from the posters (German to Japanese as an example). I think honoring your ancestry and background is awesome...but you asked for opinions on this name, and that's what I thought.

And another Bumpie pointed out something about surnames...there are several spellings for any given surname, which makes it tough to argue for a 'correct' spelling, but I do think there is a popular spelling, and since Ainsley is popular right now as a given name, it's what I'll probably continue to refer to.

metzy144 · January 2011

I think it's cute!

kmpls · January 2011

Love it!

AsOctoberFalls · January 2011

My DH loves this name, but I am not a fan, to put it mildly. I actually like the way it looks, but I HATE the way it sounds... reminds me of anus. And I don't usually have a 12 year old boy mentality.