Character names that are Androgynous
- Eloi
Origin:
French, Catalan and Spanish from the Latin EligiusMeaning:
"the chosen"Description:
From the saintly name Eligius, Eloi is popular in Catalonia but rarely used by English speakers. There's potential for confusion with Eli - and with the Aramaic word eloi, said to mean "my God", which appears in the bible.
- Aaru
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"peaceful"Description:
Egyptian mythology place-name with an intriguing sound and appealingly peaceful meaning. Update for Aaron?
- Mauve
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"violet-colored"Description:
Mauve is an offbeat color name whose soft and sentimental Victorian spirit is conveyed by the name. One of the newer color names like Blue, Gray and Plum that are increasingly being used as novel middle names, Mauve has the added benefit of being similar to stylish Maeve and classic Maude.
- Carey
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark, black"Description:
Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders: Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy. Also spelled as Cary (as in Old-Hollywood actor, Cary Grant), it was popular for boys in the 50s and remained in the US charts from the 1880s to the 1990s.
- Cloud
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
- Lynx
Origin:
Animal nameDescription:
One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.
- Beryl
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"sea-green jewel"Description:
Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
- Dewey
Origin:
Anglicized variation of Welsh Dewi, nickname of DafyddMeaning:
"beloved"Description:
Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation to father name David . The name was borne by the fifth century St. Dewi, patron saint of Wales. Later references include the namesake of the library Dewey Decimal System, a Donald Duck nephew, the younger brother on Malcolm in the Middle and Lemony Snicket character Dewey Denouement. It has a strong but dewy feel and is appealing enough to be ripe for a modern revival.
- Rune
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"secret"Description:
Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery. As intriguing as that might be, the homonym ruin creates a lot of teasing potential.
- Maxwell
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"great stream"Description:
Maxwell may be thought of as one of the classic Scottish names for boys, but two celebrities have recently used Maxwell for their daughters - Jessica Simpson bestowed it upon her daughter, Maxwell Drew, in 2012, followed by Lindsay Sloane's daughter, also born in 2012, named Maxwell Lue. Sixty-six parents chose Maxwell for their little girls in 2017, but that's compared with over 3000 baby boys named Maxwell, so while this name is used for babies of both genders, it's not truly a unisex name.
- Aska
Description:
Aska is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'fragrance of the morning' or 'flying bird,' depending on the kanji characters used. In Nordic countries, particularly Iceland, Aska relates to 'ashes' or may connect to Norse mythology. The name also appears in some Slavic cultures. Aska's brevity and melodic quality make it appealing internationally, as it's easily pronounced across language boundaries. While uncommon in English-speaking countries, it offers a distinctive option with cross-cultural significance. The name carries a certain ethereal quality, evoking natural elements whether interpreted through its Japanese associations with morning and birds or Norse connections to elemental forces.
- Hunter
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who hunts"Description:
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.
- Arrow
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Words are not always easy to translate into baby names, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.
- Pendragon
Origin:
Literary nameMeaning:
"head dragon, chief warrior"Description:
The epithet of the legendary king's father Uther in Arthurian legend, later also applied to King Arthur himself. It literally means "head dragon" or "dragon's head", but the name appears in medieval Welsh mythology with the figurative meaning of "chief warrior". A truly daring name for a boy, in every sense!
- Obsidian
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
This rarely used boys name is one of the few gem names for a boy. Obsidian is actually a type of volcanic glass, formed when lava cools very quickly. This ultra-cool name might spark a love of volcanoes and geology in a little boy.
- Akiva
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"to protect, shelter"Description:
Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.
- Even
Origin:
NorwegianMeaning:
"gift or winner"Description:
Even is a popular boys' name in Norway, derived from the Old Norse Eivindr. Another popular variation is Eivind, which is pronounced like Ivan.
- Hero
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"demi-god"Description:
Though the mythological Hero was female, this name might prove too big a responsibility for a little guy to shoulder.
- Pollux
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"crown"Description:
Castor's twin in the constellation Gemini. That final x makes this name modern and cool.
- Dagger
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Dagger is one of the new badass baby names, a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.
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