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gender neutral names I personally like

  1. March

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "month name"

    • Description:

      Along with August, March is one of the month names perfectly suited to boys. This brisk single-syllable name – which derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war – is worth considering as either a first or middle option. As a surname, it brings warm memories of the girls of Little Women, and of twentieth century actor Fredric.
  2. Ori

    • Description:

      Ori is a delicate feminine name with multicultural roots. In Hebrew, it means "my light" derived from "or" (light), symbolizing enlightenment and hope. In Finnish mythology, Ori refers to a majestic wild mountain reindeer. The name also appears in Japanese as a variant of "Hori," meaning "ditch or canal." As a feminine name, Ori has gained modest popularity in recent years among parents seeking short, meaningful names with cross-cultural appeal. Its simplicity and melodic quality make it versatile across different languages and cultures, while its connections to light and nature give it a spiritual and ethereal quality that resonates with modern naming trends.

  3. Reece

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "ardor"

    • Description:

      Reece is a less popular respelling of Reese, made famous by actress Witherspoon. Reese is the most popular spelling for girls and Rhys for boys, with Reece given to about four times as many boys as girls.
  4. Calloway

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "pebbly place"

    • Description:

      Calloway is one of those irresistibly jaunty, animated three-syllable surnames, like Sullivan and Finnegan — but this one has the added attraction of jazzy ties to the immortal "Dean of American Jive," Cab Calloway. For a girl, this could be an unconventional route to the cool nickname Callie.
  5. Kasey

    • Origin:

      Variation of Casey, Irish

    • Meaning:

      "brave in battle"

    • Description:

      Casey-with-a-K never quite reached the heights of the original, but it broke the Top 500 for boys in the late '80s and early '90s.
  6. Laurel

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "laurel or bay tree"

    • Description:

      Laurel puts the natural meanings of all the Laur- names front and center, making it a gentle, botanical option. Laurel relates back to the laurel wreath, signifying success and peace in ancient Greece.
  7. Revere

    • Origin:

      English and French word name and surname

    • Description:

      Revere is a word name meaning to admire or esteem, an appealing meaning. In the USA, however, Revere attracts further connotation as the surname of Paul Revere, one of the celebrated patriots of the American Revolution. As a surname, the meaning of Revere might be river or robber.
  8. Clarke

    • Origin:

      Variation of Clark

    • Meaning:

      "scribe, clerk"

    • Description:

      While Clark ranks in the Top 500 for boys, the Clarke spelling leans towards the girls' side. Regardless, the name works well for either sex.
  9. Brook

    • Origin:

      English nature name

    • Meaning:

      "small stream"

    • Description:

      Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.
  10. Yuri

    • Origin:

      Russian variation of George

    • Description:

      Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago, but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.
  11. Auden

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "old friend"

    • Description:

      A softly poetic surname name, associated with poet W.H., Auden is enjoying quiet but marked fashion status. It was chosen for his daughter by Noah Wyle and is definitely one to watch.
  12. Vale

    • Origin:

      Geographical name

    • Description:

      Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman. Vale might be considered part nature name, part place name: A vale is a kind of valley, often used in poetry. This truly unique choice doesn't even register on the US extended list of names given to five babies or more, but we expect Vale to register as parents are inspired by Guthrie and husband Mike Feldman's creative choice. More prosaicly, Vale might be a short form of Valerie or Valentina.
  13. Jessie

    • Origin:

      Variation of Jesse

    • Description:

      The -ie version is usually for girls, with the simple e ending—pronounced the same as Jessie—for boys, though the spellings sometimes cross gender lines.
  14. Rebel

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Meaning:

      "rebel"

    • Description:

      Asking for trouble. Rebel Wilson is a hilarious Australian actress who puts a female spin on this contemporary badass baby name. Still, we think this name is truly gender neutral – though hardly neutral in any other way. Rebel is undoubtedly one of the edgiest girls' names starting with the letter R.
  15. Brighton

    • Origin:

      English place-name

    • Description:

      Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.
  16. Moon

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      The original oddball celebrity baby name, via Frank Zappa's daughter Moon Unit, who claims she's always liked it.
  17. Laika

    • Origin:

      Russian

    • Meaning:

      "little barking one"

    • Description:

      The name of the first dog in space is the quintessential Russian dog name, equivalent to Fido or Rover. Fittingly, it derives from the verb layat', meaning "to bark".
  18. Bay

    • Origin:

      English word, Old English

    • Meaning:

      "an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"

    • Description:

      Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"
  19. Devin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "poet"

    • Description:

      Used far more for boys with this spelling, but still has a nice impish Irish feel for a girl.
  20. Dee

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of any girl name that starts with D

    • Description:

      Dee is a slight midcentury nickname that might be short for Deanna or Denise, but might be too slight for today's strong, independent female.