Boys names that would never "go to the girls"
Helenahhandbasket
member
While I personally don't think I would ever use a traditionally masculine name for a daughter, I sometimes do like the way some of the softer boys names sound on little girls like Ryan, Evan, Cameron etc sound.
I used to think that there were some names that would never cross over, but yesterday I met a new co worker that has a 6 YO daughter named Harvee (pron like the man's name Harvey). Harvey would have been one of the names that I could never have imagined on a little girl, but I guess I am wrong. The little girl is an adorable tomboyish girl, and her mom strikes me as a bit of a hipster, so it does seem to fit.
What kinds of boys names do you think will never go to the girls? I used to think that old man sounding names were impervious to this trend, but again I am wrong!
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Re: Boys names that would never "go to the girls"
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Brian is so close to Ryan. I could totally picture a female Brian.
BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12
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Yeah, I know more than one Stevie.
That is a great list-- and you are totally right about names that have a feminine form-- I didn't even think about that.
I also think you hit on something else -- names that don't "sound cool" will probably never cross over. Although everyone has a different opinion on what sounds cool-- ie my co-worker with the daughter named Harvee.
BFP 1- EDD 2/09/11 Missed MC DX @11 weeks D&C- 7/25/10 BFP 2- EDD 12/22/11 Natural MC @ 5w 2d BFP 3- EDD 1/25/12 DD Josephine born 1/16/12
I agree about Harvey. That's a new one on me.
Richard
Matthew
Paul
Frederick
Henry---you never know though, with the popularity
Duncan
I could be wrong though. Seeing Evan, Logan, Dylan, Emerson, and Avery on girls absolutely confounds me, so Richard may be next.
I don't think that one'll happen. Bertram! Roger! Donald just reminded me of all the Mad Men names, the vast majority of which aren't at risk for switching, either.
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Tons, like William, David, Stephen, Lionel, Paul (there are plenty of feminine variations on this one), Albert, Brian, Charles, Edward, Edmund, Eamonn, Frederick, Henry, Ian, John, James, Matthew, Rex, Simon, Sebastian, Victor, Vincent. I could go on...
I wouldn't have guessed someone would use Harvey, either. It's not a "cool" name. But in general, if it ends in the /ee/ sound, it's at risk. If it's a surname, it's also at risk (surnames are cool, the tendency to use family names on either sex is trending, and since everybody has a surname, they're arguably accessible to both sexes, even if they ARE technically masculine, since we pass names down through our fathers). ETA: also if a celebrity has the name or used it (Hayden, Blake, Reese, Evan). It's hard not to reconsider a boy name on a girl when there's a beautiful, successful woman rocking it.
I don't personally count boyish NNs for feminine names. Even if you're Charlotte and you go by Charlie, that's not the same as being named Charles. Nicknames are pretty amorphous and flexible. It's not the same as your parents intentionally choosing a boy's name. (That said, a lot of girls have masculine NNs for full names, like Charlie, Frankie, Stevie. Billie, etc. That's why I stuck to the formal versions of those names. Even if you like Bobby, it's unlikely you'll give her the formal name Robert).
Oh, I agree. I'm now imaging Roni being a Ronald instead of a Veronica. It definitely is a different scenario.
Yes, that was sort of my thinking too. I would never think that any of the really classic boys names could go girl-- but I have known females named both James and Michael (those were their given names) so it makes me sort of feel like antything is game.
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Yes, that was sort of my thinking too. I would never think that any of the really classic boys names could go girl-- but I have known females named both James and Michael (those were their given names) so it makes me sort of feel like antything is game.
That just makes me sad. Sad for the female David's, Michaels's and James' of the world. It's one reason I do not like any boy names on girls - if you start, then how do you know where to draw the line and then all names become fair game.Although, historically there are names that have transitioned boy to girl and I now view as solidly girl names. So I'll be the first to call myself a hyprocrate
I just wonder if in x number of years there will be any exclusively boy names left. The imbalance of that with my sense that no girl names ever transition to boys makes me wonder what the future mix of names will look like
Yes, that was sort of my thinking too. I would never think that any of the really classic boys names could go girl-- but I have known females named both James and Michael (those were their given names) so it makes me sort of feel like antything is game.
I have also met a girl named Michael, which was weird.Charlotte born at 28w3d due to severe IUGR on 12.24.2012 Merry Christmas!
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Bobbi, Robbi, and Stevie are all accepted "unisex" names. This was a whole thing in the '50's. it's not the same as women named Robert or Steven. I also think defining what "going to the girls" means. One celebrity naming her daughter Maxwell doesn't make it unisex. I would think that statistics would have to point to a roughly equal usage across sexes to constitute "unisex" usage, and a transition from majority male to majority female usage to constitute "crossing over." Thus, PP, knowing a few women named James doesn't make it unisex. Cultural acceptance would be the biggest factor.
Sebastian or Sebastienne? There's a legit female French counterpart to Sebastian, and it's possible that (like Adrienne) English-speakers might muck up the pronunciation a bit. Not saying it's impossible that her name was Sebastian; just clarifying.
I've heard of women named Michael before, but without seeing their names on paper, I'm never sure if they actually have the masculine name Michael or the Hebrew girl's name, Michal, which can be pronounced the same way.
Sadly enough, according to ourbabynamer.com (seriously fun timewaster, BTW), many of the names listed in this thread have been given to some unfortunate girls. For example, in the last 30 years, roughly 200 girls have been given the name Ronald.
*sigh* I don't think anything is off-limits anymore.
I love that site! But I still don't think a slim minority of people using a name on the opposite sex makes it arguably "unisex" or "gone girl." DD1's name was used on some boys in the 1900's. That doesn't make Monica remotely unisex. Etymologically speaking, all of the above names are still completely masculine, but cultural shifts obviously play a role in usage. If etymology was all that mattered, no one would have ever used Ashley on a girl. I think the more important thing is watching how certain names trend, and how likely certain characteristics are to trend. Mortimer is unlikely to be used on a child of either sex right now, but it's even less likely to be used on a girl. Just because a few dingbats will slap Harold on their daughter doesn't mean it's going to catch on.
S&G-- really great points. I don't think the name Harvee / Harvey will ever catch fire like Ashley, Courtney or Allison have. I was sort of just trying to work it out if there was a particular style that seemed immune to the trend.
One of the styles that seemed immune to me were sort of crusty sounding old man names-- so I was really suprised to hear of a girl named Harvee. You are right though-- a name like this would never be a mainstream "boy name on a girl".
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Missed M/C discovered 12.22.2014 at 8w1d measuring 6w3d
2015 was a year to test strength of both body and character, but it led us to this... BFP 01.26.2016 EDD 9.30.2016
#2 - EDD Nov. 15, '14
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