User-created list
Boys Names That Work On Girls
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Jamie
Diminutive of James
"supplanter"
Jamie is typical of the relaxed unisex names starting with J that seemed so cool in the sixties after decades of Jeans and Joans, though now pretty tepid. Jaime and even Jamey and Jayme are alternate…
Micah
Hebrew
"who is like the Lord"
While Micah is traditionally a boy name, it is now increasingly used for girls too, likely because it works as an alternative to Michaela, Maia, and McKenna. Still, Micaiah, the name from which Micah…
Bennett
English medieval form of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
Bennett, with its 'ett' ending, has a softer feel compared to some other Ben- names, and with celebrity style Benny and Beni catching attention, this variation of Benedict with its gentle meaning has…
August
Latin
"majestic, venerable"
Though associated traditionally (and fashionably) with boys, it has been used occasionally for girls as well – by Garth Brooks, Nicolas Cage, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, for example. But…
Karter
Spelling variation of Carter
"transporter of goods by cart"
The K-spelling of Carter has been in the boys' Top 1000 since 2005. In 2014, Karter cracked the girls' Top 1000, too. Karter joins the plethora of surnames turned boys' names that are now entering…
Troy
Greek, French
"of Troyes"
Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy , receded back to…
Ashton
English
"ash tree place"
Hot star Ashton Kutcher is pushing this unisex choice toward the boys' camp, but its variation Ashtyn is on the rise.
Bobbie
Diminutive of Roberta or Barbara, English
"bright fame; stranger"
A vintage nickname for Roberta or Barbara, most famously borne by Roberta "Bobbie" in Edith Nesbit's classic The Railway Children . Bobbie is one of the adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable…
Shane
Irish variation of Sean or Shannon
As a boy's name, Shane is related more directly to the 50s movie cowboy and the Irish name Sean; for a girl, it might be a variation on Shannon, Shana, or Shawn. Parenthood star Erika Christensen…
Toby
Female diminutive of Tobias, Greek from Hebrew
"God is good"
Toby is an early unisex name with a Shakespearean pedigree; when used for a girl it retains its tomboyish quality. Fits well with the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls -- alongside rising…
Robbie
Diminutive of Roberta, English from German
"bright fame"
Roberta and Robert may be so far out they're...still out, but Robbie might make one of the trendy new boyish nicknames for girls a la Scottie and Charlie. Actress Margot Robbie gave it a surname…
Ollie
Short form of Olive or Olivia, Latin
"olive tree"
Less used than Liv or Livvy, Ollie is a boyish nickname for girls, sometimes used for Olivia and Olive. Currently out of the US charts, you might be surprised to learn that Ollie actually ranked more…
Carson
English and Scottish surname
"son of the marsh dwellers"
Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
Tristan
Celtic
"noise or sorrowful"
Though Tristan was the male figure in the romantic legend and his name has become trendy for boys, it's used now for girls, too: About 15 percent of the baby Tristans are female. And about three…
Marty
Short form of Martha or Martina, Aramaic or Latin
"lady or warlike"
Marty and Martie are old-fashioned gender-neutral nickname names, boyish nicknames not heard much since the middle of the last century. That could change, though, with the rise of vintage boyish…
Kayden
Variation of Caden
More feminine than the male Caden, which came in at Number 192 in 2015. We still think Cadence is a prettier version of the "Kay-" group of names which are so popular at present.
Joey
Diminutive of Joanna or Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Fun, friendly and fresher than Jo or Josie as a nickname for Joanna or Josephine. Joey can be thought of as one of the Stevie/Billie/Frankie boyish nicknames for girls so fashionable today.
Tyler
Occupational name
"maker of tiles"
This once-trendy name has been fading for both boys and girls. A Top 10 name from 1992 to 2000, it is now at Number 38 and falling. It was the surname of the tenth U.S. president.
Chris
English diminutive of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
Chris is one of the longest-running and still most appealing unisex short forms, still used nearly equally for boys and girls. Though no longer fashionable, Chris still feels crisp and appropriate…
Tobi
Tobi is a feminine name that can serve as a diminutive form of Tobias, though it functions as a standalone name as well. With Hebrew origins, it derives from 'Toviyah' meaning 'God is good.' As a…