Boy names on girls- a realization

austenreader85

Mobile users:  Boy names on girls- a realization.

Last night during pregnancy induced insomnia, I was thinking about the fact that I like the middle name Jo paired with a feminine first name.  Particularly Elizabeth Josephine called Eliza Jo is on our list.  I've always like Jo March from Little Women.   And while if I used Josephine as a first name I'd go with Josie, I think paired with a feminine name Jo it's great.  Which I realize sounds fairly hypocritical.

And it dawned on me that I am resistant to these names in other situations because in the book Jo intentionally uses that as a nickname because she doesn't like Josephine and doesn't like being a girl in 1860s standards.  She later grows into her own as a woman in spite of not living to 1860 standards.  And so I've always associated boy names on girls/unisex names that do this as intentionally wanting to be boyish and practically hating the girl side.

I don't think I'm any closer to wanting to use them for myself but I can appreciate more that other people might not come from that point of view.

LemonBlush

Sadly I think most people choose boy names on girls bc they think its cute or spunky.

MySallyGirl

Agreed - I think those who name their children boy names when they are little girls aren't thinking about bucking the culture's standards for women.  Growing up my friend was Jennifer Jo.  Her name would have been Joe if she was a boy.

Blondangel

LemonBlush:

Sadly I think most people choose boy names on girls bc they think its cute or spunky.

This.

Also, they think they're being clever and original. I especially like when they use a boy name and misspell it adding n's and y's to make it more "girly". 

LemonBlush

Blondangel:

LemonBlush:

Sadly I think most people choose boy names on girls bc they think its cute or spunky.

This.

Also, they think they're being clever and original. I especially like when they use a boy name and misspell it adding n's and y's to make it more "girly". 

Yes !!

cottingham3

I am not a hater of boy names on girls. I am a true believer that ppl should give their child a name for a reason. To me, it starts the child's life-story. I think if there is a good reason/story for it...more power to them. My daughter's MN is Jo. My Dh's g-mother's name is Jo Carol; his aunt is Melissa Jo; cousin Olivia Jo; and great aunt Doris Jo. Not to mention I have a very special great-uncle named Joe. At 8, my daughter takes lots of pride in the "story" of her name. I have a dear friend with 4 daughters. Her husband's name is Michael and he is a 3rd generation Michael. They named their 4th daughter (and final child) Mychael. I know this will make some of your cringe (and I would have spelled it the ususal way), but this is very special for their family. Also know an Anna Michael...which I personally think sounds much better for a girl. Also, the nurse at my kids school has 4 girls her first two are named Rikki (Dad's name is Richard) and Ryan while the last two (twins) are Megan and Morgan!