Unisex Baby Names · International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated October 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Irish
"a devotee of Saint John"
Classic Irish surname with a lot of character and some interesting associations: the title character of a Samuel Beckett novel and basketball great Karl Malone. Malone is a popular name for baby boys…
"searcher"
Upper crust-y surname Sheridan gains some energy when used for a girl.
"little king"
A spelling variant of presidential surname Regan that briefly entered the Top 1000 for boys in the 1960s, but hasn't rejoined the list since. Shakespeare also used the name for a daughter of King…
"dark, dark-haired"
Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.
"yellow"
She's the bff of Blair, Blake, and Brooke who shop at Bergdorf's, Bonwits and Bendel's.
Irish, Scottish
"flood, peaceful; hill"
Tully is a relaxed, rarely used Irish surname possibility which might provide an alternative to Tommy, Eli, or Troy. It has a long history of usage and a number of meanings, depending on which root…
"little champion"
While the lin ending is more commonly found in girls' names, Carlin is an authentic Irish male choice and was used just about evenly for both sexes in the US last year.
Norse
"from the deer estate"
Spirited and bubbly, but handsome and preppy too, Darby is a surname style choice that fits in well with the likes of Alby and Lennox. Derived ultimately from Old Norse, as a surname, it likely…
"white, fair"
The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt , Finn established its…
"descendant of the red-haired one"
A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn…
"descendent of a lord"
An uncommon Irish-accented surname that seems particularly well suited to a girl. Tierney Sutton is a well-known jazz singer. Tierney, in its original Tiarnach form, was the name of several saints.…
Spelling variation of Sean
"God is gracious"
Shawn is one name that's become less unisex and more distinctly male over time in all its spellings, given to only 14 baby girls and over 500 boys in the US in the most recent year counted. But at…
"oak tree"
Also Anglicized as Dara and also spelled Daire in its native form, Darragh has an undeniably rugged appeal. It's used for both girls and boys in Ireland, but it's very popular in particular for boys.
"red-haired warrior"
Irish surnames are hot, and this one can successfully cross the line to work for girls, replacing the outdated Casey. And only a dozen girls were named Clancy in the US in one recent year (along with…
"from the island"
An appealing Irish placename with a unisex feel, Ennis would be a fresh alternative to Dennis and Ellis. It's little-used for boys and even rarer for girls, but since Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons…
"love, friendship"
Connelly is an open, inviting, and rarely used Irish surname that can make a perfect alternative to the overused Connor or Colin for a boy.
"descendant of Flannghal"
Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending…
"son of Hugh"
Magee became one of the first gender-bending Irish surname names so popular today thanks to New York television newswoman Magee Hickey. In case you don't know, the g is hard, as in Maggie, but with…
"world, light, white; rock"
Ailbhe is a unisex Irish name that has appeared throughout Irish history, borne by a 6th-century (male) saint, and by a female warrior of Fianna, a legendary group of women warriors, led by Fionn…
Ailin is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Irish tradition, it's derived from Ailín, a diminutive of Ailill, meaning 'elf' or 'noble.' In Chinese, Ailin (爱林) can mean 'love of…
