Is this really a girl's name?

monlyn9

I was just playing around on nymbler and came across the name Astor, which was listed as a girls name. It's NMS either way but it sounds more boy to me. Do you agree?

Meggiemuggins

An aster is a flower, so maybe...?

cellison1986

The only Astor I know is male so it sounds masculine to me.

strawberrytree

It does sound masculine to me, and Behindthename agrees: https://www.behindthename.com/name/astor.

I find Nymbler to be sketchy about the backgrounds of names. If it's uncommon/made up it usually just lists it as both feminine and masculine and gives the meaning as 'very unique'. Maybe I could see Aster as a feminine name, since it's a flower. 

austenreader85

I think of it as a last name as in John Jacob Astor, founder of Macy's.  So then I'd say most surnames enter the first name realm as boy names before switching to girl names (looking at you Taylor, Riley and Madison, among others).  This one is truly odd because it's unusal as a last name, let alone boy first name. 

ETA:  Ok, I need to go to bed.  Um, Macy would be the founder of Macy's.  Astor was just super rich and died on the Titanic.  I knew that.  History degree fail!

monlyn9

strawberrytree:

It does sound masculine to me, and Behindthename agrees: https://www.behindthename.com/name/astor.

I find Nymbler to be sketchy about the backgrounds of names. If it's uncommon/made up it usually just lists it as both feminine and masculine and gives the meaning as 'very unique'. Maybe I could see Aster as a feminine name, since it's a flower. 

I do side-eye a lot of the names on there but I like the format. I don't like looking through most baby books or online lists because they are alphabetical but I don't care about the first initial. Also, so many of those lists have an over abundance of ethnic names that we wouldn't use, such as Indian or traditional African.  

austenreader85

Moidonna:

austenreader85:

I think of it as a last name as in John Jacob Astor, founder of Macy's.  So then I'd say most surnames enter the first name realm as boy names before switching to girl names (looking at you Taylor, Riley and Madison, among others).  This one is truly odd because it's unusal as a last name, let alone boy first name. 

ETA:  Ok, I need to go to bed.  Um, Macy would be the founder of Macy's.  Astor was just super rich and died on the Titanic.  I knew that.  History degree fail!

 You are thinking of Isidor And Ida Straus who own Macy's and died on the Titsnic as well.

Thank you!  Really need to go to bed.  I'm going to try to redeem myself by stating that my degree is in European history, mostly ancient and classical.  DH is a Titanic (actual ship, not movie) fanatic so if he ever finds this post he'll never let me live it down though.  It's coming back to me now, they were one of the other big stories of the time because they were older and decided to go down together.  Astor's wife was young. 

misscarter87

It sounds masculine to me

BrittRMere

Moidonna:

Yes, I think this is the name of Rita's daughter on Dexter.

Yeah, the only time I've ever heard of anyone with this name was on Dexter, so I associate it as feminine.

Todd&Laura

Isn't Astor the name of the daughter on Dexter? I think it is, but it's been a while since I saw it.

Todd&Laura

Oops...that's what I get when I don't read the posts before adding mine!!

oliversmom03

I've heard of it before on Dexter, but it's not my cup of tea.

ObLaDi

Moidonna:

Yes, I think this is the name of Rita's daughter on Dexter.

This.

I want to like it, but can't get my mind past the "ass" part. 

kmichln

Other than Dexter I've only seen it once and it was a man's name. 

526SadieSadie

Moidonna:

Yes, I think this is the name of Rita's daughter on Dexter.

This is what I thought of, too.  In season one I thought they were saying Astrid for a while but its definitely Astor.  I actually like it in a "I would never ever use it, but it's cute" kind of way

LoCarb

It's feminine to me and NMS.

ThatWasAHoot

I've never heard the name before but I'd think Astor is a girls name and Aster is a boys.