Unisex Baby Names
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Boy Names for Girls
Some of the coolest baby girl names are not girls' names at all but boys' names -- many of which have officially become unisex names. We're seeing more and more fomerly 100% boy names being used for girls, from nicknames like Sam and Charlie (now 50-50 by gender!), to occupational or surnames such as Sawyer or McKinley to formerly masculine names such as Quincy and Jude that have become truly unisex. Here, some boy names that can work for girls.
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Color Names for Babies
Color names for babies have been around for a while, with Amber, Violet, and Rose the longest-standing members of the genre. Today, though, there are a rainbow of color names for both girls and boys, many of them gender-neutral names. Color names for babies range from the obvious -- Blue and Scarlett -- to the most exotic, from Azure to Zinc. Color names, especially relating to something meaningful to you such as red (hair) or a favorite hue, also work great in the middle. The full spectrum of color names for babies:
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Cool Unique Unisex Names
Unisex baby names are both popular and stylish, true, but there are also hundreds of cool names that work equally well for boys and girls. Along with Nico and True, other cool unique unisex names ranking in the US Top 1000 include River, Justice, Bowie, and Scout. Other cool unique baby names used more for both boys and girls include Story, Indigo, and Royal. Here, some of our favorite unique baby names that are gender neutral.
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Geezer Names for Girls
Blame it on Sidney. This name, which conjures up images of thick glasses, a snowfall of dandruff on shoulders, and plaid polyester pants pulled up to the sternum, sounds (strangely enough) nothing less than charming, nothing short of cool when applied to a little girl. And so too can the other geezer names here. Caution: Most of these names should not be bestowed on a boy. The world is not yet ready for another generation of male Seymours and Sheldons, although keep in mind that among the hottest boys' names in the UK now are Harvey and Leon.
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Gender-Neutral Baby Names
Gender neutral baby names and unisex baby names are similar, but not exactly the same. We think of gender-neutral names as names that are truly free of a specific gender identity, while unisex names are names that are used for both sexes but may nevertheless skew more masculine or feminine. Names that we consider gender-neutral include the following.
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Irish Surname Names
Many of the best Irish baby names did not start life as first names at all but are Irish surname names. An astonishing number of these Irish surname names used as firsts make the US Top 1000, especially for girls.
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Nature Names for Babies
Nature names have become more popular for babies with the rise of both the green movement and the quest for new kinds of unique names. Many of the best nature names, such as Sage and River, can work for either gender and also carry the advantage of being easily recognized and spelled and pronounced while at the same time moving beyond the tradition lexicon of names.
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Occupational Baby Names
Most occupational baby names were originally surnames that described a person’s job. Names related to jobs have taken on significant style value over the past years and are destined to rise even further.
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Place Names for Babies
Place names for babies come from all over the globe and can include city names, state names, country names, even mountain and ocean names.
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Son Baby Names
Baby names that end in son originated just the way you think: they designated that the person—Jackson, say, or Jefferson—was the son of Jack or Jeffery. Son makes a stylish first name ending today, mostly for boys but since the era of Allison, also for girls. Son baby names can make for an original way to honor an ancestor or relative while slightly varying the name. Some prime examples:
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Surname Baby Names
Surname baby names have been growing in popularity for boys and girls too over the past few decades, making them one of the prime classes of gender neutral names. Now, anything goes, so look for a long-lost surname in your family or even search the phone book for something you love. Or look through this list for more unusual surname baby names.
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Surname Favorites
Surname names have been on the rise as baby names for a couple of decades now. Here are some of the most popular, for girls as well as boys.
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Top Unisex Baby Names
The top unisex baby names are widely-used these days for both girls and boys. The most popular unisex names for girls include Avery, Riley, and Harper. For boys, the top unisex names are Carter, Dylan, and Lincoln. Most unisex names lean at least slightly towards one gender or the other, though there are some names that feel unisex but are really used nearly exclusively for girls or boys: Addison and Madison are examples of popular names for girls that may have started out as boys' names and moved into the unisex category, but are now squarely on the girls' side. The names on this list are given to at least 10 percent of the minority sex and rank among the most popular gender neutral names today.
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Unique Unisex Middle Names
Gender neutral baby names are red-hot right now, and the middle spot is the perfect place to venture beyond popular unisex picks like Aubrey and Avery to more unique names. This trend is all about thinking outside the box! From novel nature names like Auburn and Zephyr, to intriguing international gems like Adair and Zennor, here are 50 of the freshest gender neutral middle names right now. Or expand your horizons with our master list of more than 900 prime middle names.
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Unisex Names for Girls
Unisex names for girls encompass those that originated as male names but migrated to the girls' side, names that feel gender-neutral but in fact are used mostly for girls, and truly unisex names that work as well for girls as for boys. On this list we have not included boys' names that are now used occasionally for girls, such as James or Owen, or once-unisex names that have become predominantly male, such as Kyrie. The unisex names here are among the most popular for baby girls.
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Unisex Names for Girls
Unisex names for girls encompass those that originated as male names but migrated to the girls' side, names that feel gender-neutral but in fact are used mostly for girls, and truly unisex names that work as well for girls as for boys. On this list we have not included boys' names that are now used occasionally for girls, such as James or Owen, or once-unisex names that have become predominantly male, such as Kyrie. The unisex names here are among the most popular for baby girls.