Boys Names That Work On Girls

Parker

English occupational name

"park keeper"

Indie actress Parker Posey put a female imprint on this sophisticated surname that's still about three times as common for boys but rising for both sexes. Parker has the advantage of its nature…

Scottie

English nickname

"Scot"

With its sassy, old school vibes, its cheerful, snappy sounds, and its fresh, unisex image, Scottie was one of the fastest rising names for girls in the US in 2023, and then again in 2024. Managing…

Charlie

English diminutive of Charles or Charlotte, French from German

"free man"

Charlie is a friendly, boyish nickname name now used slightly more frequently for girls than boys, with over 2200 baby girls named Charlie last year versus about 2100 boys. That makes Charlie one of…

Stevie

Short form of Stephanie, Greek

"garland, crown"

Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014. It is now leading the…

Noa

Hebrew, Japanese

"motion; my love, affection"

This Old Testament name has been one of the most popular girls names in Israel over the last decade and is also a favorite in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. First appearing in the US charts…

Sawyer

English occupational name

"woodcutter"

Sawyer is one of the top unisex names , used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne , currently on The Conners . Sawyer is is one of…

Blake

English

"fair-haired, dark"

The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a boys’ name , epitomized by the…

Murphy

Irish

"sea warrior"

This surname name was popularized for girls in the 80s and 90s by TV's Murphy Brown and it maintains that cool breezy energy today, while also having an appealing sea-related meaning. Ultimately…

Logan

Scottish surname

"little hollow"

Logan, with its appealing Scottish burr, is a very hot boys' name—it's in the national Top 10 and heading for Number 1 in some states—and can also make a rich and resonant choice for a girl. Jason…

Charlee

Variation of Charlie, English diminutive of Charlotte, French "free man"

"free man"

Charlie in all its forms has been a popular gender neutral name since the early 2000s and is now given almost equally to girls and boys. While it did once lean more (statistically) masculine, it has…

Carter

English occupational name

"cart maker or driver"

One of the surname names for boys on its way to becoming unisex, this name broke into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013 for girls. While it sounds masculine to us, because of its two-syllable…

Charli

Variation of Charlie, English diminutive of Charlotte, French "free man"

"free man"

Charli may be the new Charlie, which is the cooler Charlotte. British singer-songwriter Charli (born Charlotte) XCX, creator of the hit album Brat, and TikTok star Charli D'Amelio popularized the…

Frankie

Diminutive of Frances, Latin

"from France; free man"

Frankie is a vintage nickname name for girls, with a down-to-earth country feel. It's one of the hottest boyish nicknames for girls, in the forefront of that trend. This renewed interest placed…

Noah

Hebrew

"motion"

There is a female figure in the Old Testament named Noa or Noah, whose name derives from the Hebrew No'ah, meaning "motion". The popular Biblical male name Noah (sometimes spelled as the streamlined…

Drew

English diminutive of Andrew, Greek

"strong and manly"

Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name…

Dani

Hebrew and Italian, diminutive of Daniella, Danielle, Danita

Short form occasionally used on its own, with an open and friendly androgynous quality.

Charley

Spelling variation of Charlie, French

"free man"

Charlie and its many forms are on the rise -- including Charley, which relates more directly to the male formal name Charles. Surprisingly, though, while the number of girls and boys named Charlie…

Dylan

Welsh

"son of the sea"

Boys' favorite retains more of its poetic, windswept quality when used for a girl, as Robin Wright and Sean Penn did. Alyssa Milano gave her daughter Elizabella Dylan as a middle name.

Ezra

Hebrew

"help"

Ezra is a biblical favorite for boys that's been making inroads into the girls' Top 1000 since 2018 and it's easy to see why. With its soft sounds and -a ending, it holds the same appeal as Noa,…

Hunter

English

"one who hunts"

This surname gained momentum in the 1990s, when it was particularly in vogue for males. However, it seems to be experiencing a surge for females—it was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013,…