Typically female names for boys

Here's a list of typically feminine names that can and ought to be used for boys as well. Most of them here actually were male names, so they're all fair game.
  1. Kit
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Christopher
    • Meaning:

      "bearer of Christ"
    • Description:

      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 Kit Connor of Heartstopper fame may have introduced it to a wider audience.
  2. Wren
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "small bird"
    • Description:

      Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable and fresh, with a gentle and earthy vibe.
  3. Emrys
    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Ambrose
    • Meaning:

      "immortal"
    • Description:

      Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin, it's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales Top 500 over all.
  4. Finley
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"
    • Description:

      A hugely popular choice for boys in England and Wales, Finley has been used for both sexes in the US since the early 2000s, and has since become one of the most popular unisex names. Until recently, it was tilting slightly towards the girl side, however, as of 2024, it leans more masculine.
  5. Quinn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"
    • Description:

      Quinn is an engaging Celtic surname that is still on the rise for girls but beginning to flag for boys. As a female name, Quinn is in the Top 100, used for over 3000 baby girls last year, but toward the bottom of the Top 500 for boys, given to 700 baby boys.
  6. Robin
    • Origin:

      Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Now that it's no longer fashionable for girls, Robin is rising for boys again. Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Christopher Robin, and Robin the Boy Wonder are all male namesakes, after all. It reentered the US Top 1000 boys names in 2015 for the first time since 1999 and continues to bounce around the lower end of the Top 1000.
  7. Arden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "valley of the eagle; high"
    • Description:

      Arden is a gender-neutral name that's sleek and stylish but always seems to bob just below the surface of popularity, despite ticking all the boxes with its fashionable two-syllable, N-ending shape and its awesome nature-inspired meanings. In recent US statistics, 51 percent of the babies named Arden were boys to 59 percent girls.
  8. Avery
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "ruler of the elves"
    • Description:

      Avery is a unisex name that is used four times as often today for girls as for boys. But while Avery's popularity is starting to soften for girls, it continues to get stronger for boys -- in keeping with our finding that gender neutral names are becoming more favored for boys than for girls.
  9. Lee
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "pasture, meadow"
    • Description:

      A name that has a bit of a shouldn't-I-be-a-middle-name sound, though still in use as a first for both genders. Lee might be a good choice if you want something that sounds at once traditional yet modern, unisex but not newly-minted.
  10. Eden
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "place of pleasure, delight"
    • Description:

      This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls in the US, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France, closing in on the Top 10.
  11. Sage
    • Origin:

      Herb name and also Latin
    • Meaning:

      "wise and knowing"
    • Description:

      A modern, multifaceted name, Sage is short, sweet, and strong. A unisex possibility, it is also a virtuous word name associated with wisdom, and a nature name linked to a fragrant herb.
  12. Riley
    • Origin:

      English, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rye clearing; courageous"
    • Description:

      Riley -- one of the most popular unisex names -- is trendier now for girls though for boys it's a classic, ALWAYS ranking in the US Top 1000.
  13. Emerson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Emery"
    • Description:

      Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable boys name.
  14. Romy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roman et al
    • Meaning:

      "citizen of Rome"
    • Description:

      Best known as a feminine diminutive, Romy is used now for boys too; has a lot of energy and bounce. Can be a short form of Roman or Romeo or a name in its own right. Remy is another related choice, or you might want to go all the way to Romulus.
  15. Oakley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "oak wood or clearing"
    • Description:

      As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee ending, it's not wonder Oakley is on the rise.
  16. Darcy
    • Origin:

      English, French, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "from Arcy; dark one"
    • Description:

      The ultimate Jane Austen hero name, Darcy makes a handsome, surname style choice. Predominantly used for girls in England and Wales, across the pond in Australia, it is a stylish Top 100 name for boys. In the US meanwhile, it does lean feminine, however, 30 boys were given the name in a recent year, suggesting it is on the up across the board.
  17. Taylor
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "tailor"
    • Description:

      Taylor was much more popular throughout the 1990s for both genders than it is today. Close to the Top 50 boys' names in the mid-1990s, Taylor recently fell out of the Top 500 for boys and out of the Top 100 for girls, and is predicted to continue on a downward trajectory for both genders. Similar but more stylish baby names today include Sawyer, Sayer and Thayer.
  18. Blaise
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "to lisp, stammer"
    • Description:

      As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a fiery feel. Amanda Beard named her baby boy Blaise Ray.
  19. Florence
    • Origin:

      English, French, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "flourishing"
    • Description:

      Florence is historically a unisex name, deriving both from Latin Florentius and Florentia. Although much more commonly feminine in modern times, it appeared in the US Top 1000 for boys until 1914.
  20. Nova
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "new"
    • Description:

      Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.