How long would it take for you to accept a boys name as unisex?

[me3452]

and then 100% feminine.

Do you still think Evelyn is a really masculine man's name?

Do you accept that some male names really do sound feminine and pretty, so the gender should just be swapped or the name should be unisex?

Do you think these names are manly, feminine or unisex?
Cassidy
Bailey
Alexis
Evelyn
Meredith
Skylar
Haven

[elisabeth rae]

The only of of those listed I would consider for a boy would be Bailey. People like to push back against male names turning female but the fact is, Evelyn, Kimberly, Meredith, Addison, etc.. are considered more feminine now.

[bex]

I agree with @elisabeth rae, the only name on the list that seems male to me is Bailey. Maybe Cassidy, but that's because I haven't met any little Cassidy's, girl or boy, and I think of Paul Newman

Re: 'How long would it take for you to accept a boys name as unisex?' I think it depends on the name. A lot of names on your list have been used by girls so often that it seems like a girls name, and many of the names are softer sonding and so maybe just sound more feminine to the ear. But I think it's also important to bear in mind that names are words at the end of the day, and are inherently gender neutral; society and we as individuals assign a gender to them. I think that this is especially prominent when we make comments, or even when kids make comments, about a girl having a 'boys' name or even when we see a baby boy in pink (like in 'The Office', when the Scranton and Stamford branches merge, and the baby boy is in pink, because 'it's his favourite colour' or in friends when Ross son Ben wants to play with the Barbie doll and Ross is upset) - there is a socially accepted paradigm that we tend to adhere to, because that is how society is structured, according to divisions; colours too are pretty gender neutral, but we assign a gender to them.

I think that the example of Jessica Simpson using Maxwell Drew for her daughter is great in this instance because even though she has used it on a girl, it seems so masculine; whereas Martha Stewart's daughter using Jude on a girl, while it is irritating to me and I hate it because I love Jude for a boy, seemed to be a bit more acceptable, because Jude is softer sounding, perhaps?

Personally, I think a lot of names, especially occupational surnames like Harper, Sawyer, Archer, and yes, Bailey are all boy to me, but for some reason people decided that Harper was a great name for a girl, forgetting the history of the name and the fact that women had feminine versions of occupations surnames (eg, Baker became Baxter on a woman, Weaver became Webster). So in my head they're all boy, but to others they're girl. My point is that we all see things differently because names are not inherently gendered.

[dantea]

It takes me a while if the name is really masculine (like Elliott or Maxwell or something) but if the name is Avery, Asa, things like that that sound girly already and have elements of popular girl name like A's and Y sounds, then it is a bit easier.

Cassidy -- girl
Bailey -- unisex
Alexis -- girl
Evelyn -- girl
Meredith -- girl
Skylar -- boy
Haven -- unisex

[frustratedauthor]

In most cases, I do not and probably will not accept boys names as unisex or as 100% feminine. Even when they become accepted by society in general as "girls names," I tend to not like them as such. I tend to like my girls names to be soft and feminine, and there are very few names used by boys that I consider to be soft and feminine--Kimberly is one name that I believe was used for boys at one time. I can't picture that as a boys name, and it's clearly not a name I would use for a boy now. Though I wouldn't bat an eyelash if I met a male Kim. Place names and nature names are more easily translatable in my eyes (though I do tend to have strong gender preferences on a name-by-name basis). In regards to the names you listed.

Cassidy - Unisex, though I don't like it much for either. To me, it's a surname.
Bailey - Boy. I would not use this for a girl. It's not remotely feminine to me.
Alexis - Boy. I have a female cousin name this, but for a girl, it's just too soap opera and brusque. I associate it with Alexis Denisof, the male actor.
Evelyn - Girl. Though I'd never use it. I prefer the more frou frou Evangeline.
Meredith - Neither? I strongly dislike this name for anyone.
Skylar - Boy.
Haven - Word name, so this is unisex. I've never thought of it as having a gender identity.

[bcl23]

Cassidy-All girl!
Bailey-Unisex
Alexis-Girl
Evelyn-Girl
Meredith-All female!
Skylar-Hate this name but girl
Haven-Girl

[stripedsocks]

Skylar varies a bit by spelling for me, but it always feels more boy than girl. Schuyler is the most masculine.

Haven my mom is trying to get me to consider for a boy. I don't really hear it but then I don't really like it for a girl either.

Bailey is girlier than it is boy for me.

Cassidy is unisex, I'd find either plausible. I would find Kassidy, however, to be girlier.

[nat108]

What does "sound feminine" even mean? It seems like any name with an A, Y, or "ee" is called girly. For the most part I think boy names on girls sound silly. There is nothing feminine about Addison, Emerson, Avery, Sawyer, Rory, Remy, Harper, Rowan, Elliott and just about every boy name the girls are taking

What really annoys me is when boy parents are discourage from giving a name to their son with the majority of the comments being "it's girly" or "it's sounds feminine" or "it's gone to the girls". Yet when someone wants to name their daughter Avery or Elliott the majority of the comments are positive.

Cassidy- don't like it but sounds better on a boy
Bailey- same as above
Alexis- boy, sounds trashy on a girl
Evelyn- don't like it on anyone
Meredith- same as above
Skylar- same as above
Haven- a word so fine for either

[hayley88]

Cassidy - I've never known a Cassidy,but I would say boy because of the Butch Cassidy link
Bailey - definitely boy
Alexis - boy as a pp said it sounds cheap on girls
Evelyn - it would depend on the pronounciation
Meredith - as above though if spelt Meredydd it would without a doubt be a boys name
Skylar - boy
Haven - either,it's a recently revived word name. I would ever so slightly prefer it on a boy though. Haven has been used as a rude slag term relating to women in the UK and I couldn't risk putting a daughter through the teasing. Wouldn't effect a boy.

In terms of accepting a name as unisex,I suppose it depends on how long it has been used as such. But when berries announce they want to use names such as Felix on a girl and that therefore makes it unisex,I don't agree. Because it isn't uni-sex,it is a boys name on a girl.

[pansy]

Cassidy - Unisex. I would consider Kassidy to only be for a girl though.
Bailey - I know that there are girls named this, but it sounds like a boy's name to me.
Alexis - Girl
Evelyn -Girl
Meredith - Girl
Skylar - Unisex, though I prefer it for a boy (and spelled Skyler)
Haven - Girl