gender neutral names I personally like

Kris

Short form of Kristof or Kristofer

"Christian"

Many European cultures spell Christopher with a K and thus the short form Kris. There were about 35 baby boys named Kris, just Kris, in the US last year, and only a handful of baby girls -- this…

Krys

Krys is a masculine name functioning as a shortened form of names like Krystian, Krzysztof (Polish variations of Christian and Christopher), or Kristopher. With its crisp, modern sound, Krys offers a…

Laine

Variation of Lane

"a small roadway or path"

Unisex Lane is a hit for boys in the last few decades, remaining around the 200s in popularity. Laine may lean a bit more feminine, but still has that unisex feel.

Lark

Bird name

In one recent year there were 60 baby girls in the US named Lark....and only eight baby boys. But there's no reason this bird name can't also be masculine, especially given that Robin is making a…

Leaf

Nature name

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.

Leander

Greek

"lion-man"

Leander was once an almost unknown name, however, with the popularity of Leo and the rise of Leandro, it now feels like a perfectly accessible alternative to Leon or Alexander. In Greek legend,…

Leandre

French form of Leander, Greek

"lion-man"

Leandre, the French form of the name of a Greek mythological figure, the doomed lover of Hero, is gaining modern notice in France. Leandre is one of many leonine names, including Leopold, Leo,…

Lex

Diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

Cool short form of Alexander, fresher than Alex and less trendy than Xander... for now.

Liberty

English word name

"freedom"

Much more common on girls, but this virtue is occasionally given to boys too. It has the option of Bert(ie) as a nickname.

Linden

Variation of Lyndon

"linden tree hill"

The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson. A sturdy tree that can live for centuries, Linden was actually quite a popular boys' name from…

Link

Word name or diminutive of Lincoln

"ring, loop, connection; town by the pool"

Perhaps best associated today with the character from The Legend of Zelda game franchise, Link also has ties to the retro crime drama, The Mod Squad , to the presidential surname Lincoln, and of…

Lior

Hebrew

"I have a light"

Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar,"…

Lou

Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German

"renowned warrior"

Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a…

Lowry

English and Scottish surname

"from Laurentum"

This artistic surname name derives from a diminutive of Laurence/Lawrence, and was famously borne by the English painter LS Lowry. Country singer Sam Hunt and his wife Hannah have a son named Lowry…

Lupin

Flower, animal, and literary name, from Latin

"pertaining to the wolf"

Lupin is an unusual flower name with roots in Old French, from the Latin lupinus , meaning "pertaining to the wolf". In the literary world, it's the surname of Remus Lupin, a popular character in the…