The Nameberry 9: Newer oldies and bolder boys

I would love to see Ashley return to the males. Also, I’m bugged that so many people I’ve talked to sees Kimball as a girl name (I’m considering it for my soon-to-arrive baby boy). However, it has gotten to the point, I think, that you can’t really count on any name staying in the solidly male category so I’m thinking I might give up and go with Kimball anyway.

As for Rocky–it doesn’t sound macho, it sounds like a pet.

Jane was a very manly male character on Joss Whedon’s drama, Firefly.

nativoyoung, I agree on seeing Ashley on boys! I don’t mind it on girls, but I can see it as an equally unisex name. Along with Aubrey! I met a little boy named Aubrey and it suited him nicely.

Fiona and Mabel are an adorable sib set! I wish I could talk my man into using Mabel someday… I really love it <3 And I adore Phoebe, I think I might use it! I have Gwendolyn Phoebe on my list <3

Loving todays post!

I like June, Joan and Matteo from the list. I don’t like Irene or Phardra. If boy names are taking back their rights, I sappose Sabastian will be nice again. I have always like it but it just didn’t seem to fit the times.

I’m excited Irene is becoming more acceptable again. It’s my mom’s name and she hates the English prn so she’s been trying to teach everyone a “more” German one – Eh-reh-neh. But I actually kind of like it.

Also @samantha-bianca. It’s actually spelled Jayne (which has the slightly more masculine Jay in it) and he does consistently get teased for having a girls name, so I’m not quite sure that’s a good example. lol.

Just met a newborn baby girl named Esther!

I’m curious about Phaedra/Phedre and if either spelling is seeing more of a boost than the other. “Phedre” is the heroine of Jacqueline Carey’s series, Kushiel’s Legacy. She is an amazing character, and the books are really well-written (and are set in an alternate history of our own). Phedre says she is named for the Phaedra of “Greek” history (forgot what it was in the book), and she herself is a courtesan in the service of two of her people’s gods. She’s also a spymaster and anguisette, meaning she *likes* physical pain.

I wonder if these books have had anything to do with the name’s popularity? They’re pretty well-known in the fantasy world, and Phedre is even starring on a new fantasy heroines as pin-ups calendar.

Also, I don’t like this name being used for a boy.

There are two one year old girls on my street: Irene and Ruth.

I always wonder about using some of these ancient names, because while they are really great names, the stories of the characters are often less than nice (to put it mildly). Medea? Murdered her children. Phaedra? Shamed and humiliated–ultimately kills herself after falling desperately in love with her stepson. Circe? Turned people into pigs and then ate them. (Okay, I’m being a little reductive in my descriptions, but it’s the gist)

Perhaps the meaning wears off, perhaps a character has come up in the meantime to ward off the association, but I’d have a really hard time giving my kid a name with a famous and deeply tragic origin, especially when it’s not a one-of-many-and-one-was-a-bad-apple situation; there’s only one Oedipus.

Aghhhhh! Nameberry and Abby, stop announcing the names I have frittered away for my future hypothetical children!

Imagine the minor heart attack I had when my super secret future daughter’s name (in succession, first and middle) was sitting there in my mailbox.

I know a Ruth who is 8, she’s lovely, I didn’t even think of it being an ‘old’ name!

One of my friends has her heart set on having a little Esther nn Tess.

As for Jane, as Samantha-Bianca said, Jayne on Joss Whedon’s Firefly is about as manly as they come!
I’ve always thought, then removed from the concepts of traditional gender, Jayne for a boy would be pretty cool. Jay for short.
I figure if you messed with the spelling enough it could be done, but I’m not a fan of messing with spellings too much. The most manly spelling I can think of would be Jayn or Jain.

@melissaintlouis – So sorry! But now I’m trying to pair up your super secret name … I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the names on this list.

Oh, goodness…I was excited to see Phaedra, which I love, until you said she is using it on a boy. ugh!

I vote yes for Geraldine & Joan. I would use either! Goodbye frilly, flowery grandma names, hello stronger, harder grandma names!

Miranda has always been a favorite of mine. Such a pretty combination of sounds! And so many nicknames if you wanted.

Sometimes in English class, I imagine some of the boys in my class as having feminine names. Sometimes it’s silly, but sometimes I think that a girl name just seems so right as a male name. Like this one kid in my class that I can picture as a Lillian and another that I envision as Kendra. Don’t those just sound so right? And you’re right, Jane seems like it could be a boy name.

I would love to see Geraldine come back. It is on my top 20 girls list. It still seems a bit fusty to make it to the top 10, but that could change. I don’t think I will ever love Joan though.

I think Phaedra is cool for a boy or girl. I really started liking Phaedrus after reading Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance — odd, but captivating book. It could be an alternative to the up-and-coming Phineas.

Irene & Miranda are both beautiful!