gender neutral names I personally like

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

An unusual Hebrew name which feels familiar, thanks to its similarity to Katherine and related names. It was originally a masculine name, but is now used for both sexes.

Ocie is antiquated ie-ending nickname that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and has seen a slight uptake in interest in recent years.

Oakland is a place name associated mainly with the city near San Francisco, pretty obviously meaning "oak land". Theoretically unisex but used mainly for boys, Oakland is one of a trending group of oak-related names, led by Oakley for both genders, with Oakland and Oaklen trending for boys while baby girls are more often given spellings Oaklynn and Oaklyn.

Men may be from Mars as the saying goes, and the name may derive from the Latin maris meaning male, but soul singer Erykah Badu and Workaholics star Blake Anderson have given it potential as a unisex name after they both used it for their daughters.

A male name occasionally borrowed by the girls, as in Dorian Cramer, a long-running female character on the soap One Life to Live and famous midcentury model Dorian Leigh.

Irish surnames are hot, and this one can successfully cross the line to work for girls, replacing the outdated Casey. And only a dozen girls were named Clancy in the US in one recent year (along with 27 boys), making it one of those rare Irish names that are both accessible and distinctive, classic and cool. Clancy is a winner for either gender.

More familiar to English speakers in the Italian Elio form.

Fresh and surprising on a boy – and how can you not love the cool classic nickname Will?

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

Jupiter may be known as the father of all the gods, but it's baby girls who have claimed his name for their own. Mythological and celestial baby names are hot across the board, so Jupiter was bound to rise in popularity. But the reason it's currently mostly female in the US is thanks to its similarities to the trendy feminine name Juniper.

Vy is a beautiful feminine name of Vietnamese origin, meaning 'grand' or 'excellent.' This short but meaningful name embodies elegance and simplicity while carrying significant cultural depth. In Vietnam, Vy is often given to girls with hopes they will live up to its meaning of greatness and distinction. Though relatively uncommon in Western countries, the name has gained some international recognition for its brevity and melodic quality. Vy is easy to pronounce across different languages and cultures, making it a practical yet distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with Asian roots and universal appeal. Its simplicity belies its strong meaning, representing aspiration and excellence.

Trippy variation on Hayes, popular enough to have been given to 135 baby boys in the US last year.

Appearing in the Polish New Testament and possibly working to honor a Sylvester, Sylas has been climbing back up the rankings in recent years. Previously peaking in 2013 at #520, it has since overtaken that, entering the Top 500 in 2022. While the classic spelling is six times more popular in the US, that trendy Y is nevertheless capturing parents' attention.

Rayne is the unique name used for one of the girl sextuplets on the Sweet Home TV show.

Brighton has long been known as a holiday resort town on the south coast of England. A cheery unisex name, it was used for his daughter by Jon Favreau, but was a boy on the TV show The Nanny.

Sleek, unisex surname rarely heard for girls -- which could be seen as an asset.

Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.

The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.