User-created list
By coolauntieviolet · Updated September 2023
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Word name
Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
"ember, glowing coal or wood"
A contemporary word name that's been popular for girls in recent years, Ember refers to the still-glowing parts of a fire once much of it has gone out. Connected with hope, rekindling, and light in…
Scottish
"garden of holly"
This Scottish place name and surname was more popular for boys in the US until the mid-1940s; in the UK, the Leslie spelling is predominantly masculine, with Lesley widely used as the feminine…
Scottish contraction of surname Gregor, Latin
"alert, watchful"
Greer is typically used as a girl name in the US, particularly in this form. The spelling Grier is gender-neutral, given to boys about 43 percent of the time.
English from Latin tree name
"young"
Juniper is a nature name that we really like. While it's trendiest for girls -- about 2500 baby girls were named Juniper in 2022 versus 34 baby boys -- the most notable Juniper in history was the…
French
"of Thracia"
Almost always a girl's name now.
English
"dweller near the ash tree meadow"
It may have peaked at #1 for girls in 1991 and 1992 in the US, but Ashley actually has a long history as a male given name, as evidenced by the sensitive Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind . It's…
Nickname
Multipurpose pet name serving Isidore, Isaac, Israel, and -- increasingly -- Isabel.
"the hazelnut tree"
The charming vintage nature and color name Hazel has become popular for girls, but more than 30 baby boys were named Hazel in the US in a recent year. In fact, it's not a new thing for boys to be…
"son of Matthew"
Madison was at one time a strictly boys' presidential name, reaching as high as Number 311 at the end of the nineteenth century. That all changed in 1985 when it entered the girls' list, zooming up…
Hebrew
"behold, a son"
Ruby could be a short form of the Biblical name Reuben and especially its streamlined form, Ruben. As a gemstone name, it's currently enjoying a fresh boom of popularity for girls – nearing the US…
English surname
"Cenel's island"
Kelsey (ex-Frasier) Grammer is a famous male bearer, although most modern Kelseys are female (in the US at least). It derives from several English place names, possibly meaning "Cenel's island", from…
"son of Kenneth"
Derived from a Scottish surname, Mckenzie is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich , Coinnich being one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth. As a given name, it took off for girls in the…
Blaire as a masculine name represents an interesting gender crossover from what has become more commonly used for girls in recent decades. With Scottish and Gaelic origins, Blaire derives from a…
Place name, English
"landing place for chalk or limestone"
Chelsea for a boy? Yes — and we've got two maleberry Chelseas to prove it (one of whom even wrote a blog for us about his experience)! Boy Chelseas would more likely be named for the British football…
"wild boar in woodland clearing"
Evokes 1960s brotherly close harmony. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis named his son Everly Bear, and it is also an explosively popular choice for girls. We predict that all the "Ever" names…
Latin
"rose, a flower"
Rihanna put Rose on the map for baby boys when she used it as the middle name for her son Riot. If James is a modern favorite middle name for girls, why not Rose for boys?
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
