Boy Names for Girls

Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.

This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit.

Cool and contemporary, yet gentle and easy-going, Winslow blends the elements of other stylish choices, including Willow, Marlow, Winnie, Winter, Sloane, and Elowyn. Its most famous namesake is landscape painter Winslow Homer, which lends it a touch of creativity and fair.

This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow tree" in Navajo, "food" in Maori, and "earth" in Scandinavian. For girls, it debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2010.

While Micah is traditionally a boy name, it is now increasingly used for girls too, likely because it works as an alternative to Michaela, Maia, and McKenna. Still, Micaiah, the name from which Micah is derived, is a unisex name in the Bible, so it seems plausible that its contracted form might be used as such too.

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher named their daughter Wyatt in 2014, making it a viable option for girls, and more recently NFL player Jason Kelce and podcaster Kylie Kelce used it for their older daughter.

Although usually seen as a masculine name, Miles is sometimes seen as a feminine name in Australia, due to its literary association with female author Stella "Miles" Franklin. The s ending makes it especially trendy.

Levi was given to about 10,000 baby boys in the US last year, along with 67 baby girls.

Rudy hasn't yet enjoyed the comeback of cousin name Ruby, despite having been chosen by hip couple Sadie Frost and Jude Law, but it still could happen.

Beau, when used as a feminine name, represents an interesting gender crossover from its traditional masculine usage. Derived from the French word meaning 'handsome' or 'beautiful,' Beau originated as a masculine name but has gained some popularity as a female name in recent decades. This trend reflects the broader movement toward gender-neutral naming. As a feminine name, Beau maintains its elegant French associations while offering a concise, modern feel. The simplicity of its spelling and pronunciation (BOH) appeals to parents seeking minimalist names. While still predominantly used for boys overall, feminine Beau usage has increased particularly in English-speaking countries as parents embrace its stylish brevity and sophisticated sound.

Yes, there are baby girls named Benjamin — typically between 10-20 recorded in a given year. These numbers are likely inflated due to data entry error, but you still could encounter a female Benjamin out there.

Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. Breezy, cool and contemporary, it might equally put in mind country lanes and banks of wildflowers.

Eli is more often considered a Biblical classic for boys, with the name ranking in the Top 100 alongside Biblical choices for boys, like Elias, Elijah and Levi. Despite this, nearly 50 girls in the US were still called Eli last years. While some parents might have been following in the footsteps of those naming their daughters James, it could also be a spelling twist on familiar Ellie, or a short form of the Scandinavian names, Elisabet and Elin. Either way, with its similarity to Ellis, Ari, Elizabeth, Evie, Ivy, Riley, and Eden, there could be scope for Eli to be seen as a gender neutral option.

Asher is of course a very popular Biblical boys' name, but Australian actress Asher Keddie puts this in the girls' column too. Nearly 70 baby girls were named Asher in one recent year, about 1 percent of the total babies given the name. But if you've always loved Ashley and fear that now it's outdated, you might look to Asher as a worthy substitute.

The midcentury favorite boys' name Scott feels fresher when used for a girl. Scotty is a cute nickname.

The increasingly popular Irish boys' name Declan is crossing into the girls' column now as well, used for over 50 baby girls in the US last year.

Popular for boys, Griffin is both a Latinized form of the Welsh Gruffudd and the English name for a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. Sleek and stylish with a rugged edge, Griffin was also given to around 20 girls in the US

A tiny percentage -- a tenth of one percent -- of babies named Liam in the US are girls. But Liam has been so popular for baby boys for so long, not only in the US but around the western world, that it's hard to imagine it truly becoming a unisex name.

This surname gained momentum in the 1990s, when it was particularly in vogue for males. However, it seems to be experiencing a surge for females—it was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013, jumping 266 spots back into the Top 1000.

Yes, Spencer makes a plausible and powerful female choice these days, though it's still used four times as often for boys as for girls. But Spencer does not swim that far beneath the Top 1000, used for nearly 250 baby girls last year.