Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
French and English
"ruler of the land"
A rising surname, perhaps inspired by legendary Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry, this name is historically associated with St. Landry, a 7th-century bishop of Paris and founder of the city's…
Place-name
"home on a forested dune"
With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been…
Catalan, Occitan variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
There are now more boys than girls given the name Joan each year in the US, although the two are distinct names. The masculine version, pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, is among…
Variation of Lake, English
"lake"
Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai, pronounced like shy, might morph to rhyme with may among native English speakers. This simple and attractive name is sometimes confused with or anglicized as Shay or even the Irish Shea.
Spanish place-name
"mountainous"
Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
Japanese, Latin
"water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"
A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on…
Word name
"true"
Many parents seeking a return to more basic values and a simpler lifestyle are turning to such virtuous girls' names as Grace, Faith, and Hope, but there are a handful that work just as well on boys,…
Diminutive of Oliver, Latin
"olive tree"
Ollie is the versatile go-to nickname for the hugely popular Oliver, though the large majority of parents prefer to have the more formal name on the birth certificate. Even in the UK where nickname…
English, diminutive of Christopher
"bearer of Christ"
Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones , has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son back in the 2000s, while actor…
English word name
"the quality of being just, impartial, or fair"
Justice, one of the rare virtue names for boys, entered the popularity ranks in 1992, and remained in the charts until the 2020s. While it has fallen out of favor in more recent years, it remains a…
Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus,…
Latin
"light"
Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys…
French variation of John
One of the most enduring French names, this form of John has been borne by philosophers (Rousseau and Sartre), artists (Millet, Arp) and fashion designers (Gaultier) alike. Often used in a double…
"always, constantly, eternally"
Similar in sound to Evan and Everett, Ever is an evocative word name that's currently on the rise. Used by Alanis Morissette and Souleye back in 2010, Ever was given to more than 200 boys in 2024,…
Scottish
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
"little king"
More authentic and original form of Ryan, but far less common of the two spellings in the US. There were about 170 baby boys named Rian in the US last year, versus over 4000 named Ryan. In its native…
English, Norwegian, and Frisian surname
"agreeable and handsome; from Ave; son of Ave"
Aven is used as a surname in various countries across the globe, and occasionally as an Anglicized variant of the Irish girl name, Aoibheann. In the US, Aven only started to see significant use in…
Modern Greek spelling of Ares or short form of Aristotelis, Dutch variation of Adriaan
"ruin, bane; the best purpose; man of Adria"
With Ares trending upwards, this modern spelling is following in its footsteps, most notably in the UK where it climbed 200 places in a recent year. Also in the charts in France, it can be considered…
Modern invented name
A newly coined unisex name that, for boys, feels like a cross between Talon and Taylor. One of the many unique unisex names invented from elements popular in other names.
