Boys Names That Work On Girls

Perry

English

"pear tree"

Perry fits right in with rising boyish nicknames for girls and cool picks like Frankie and Scottie. This relaxed name sounds novel compared to such former favorites as Kerry and Sherry. Perry is the…

Devin

Irish

"poet"

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

Bentley

English Surname

"meadow with coarse grass"

We can't account for the popularity of this name, for either a boy or a girl, given the first syllable, the tacky connotations with a luxury car, and the range of other options which are more…

Brett

Celtic

"from Brittany"

One of a number of single-syllable unisex B-names, Brett was first spotted as a female name in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises , via the dashing and seductive Lady Brett Ashley, who was a captivating…

Lennie

Diminutive of Leonard, Eleanor, or Helen

"brave lion; light, shining torch"

An "old-man" nickname for girls, Lennie could feel as fresh as Billie, Scottie, and Stevie — and if the 100 Year Rule is anything to go by, it may well be time for it to come back round, having been…

Kris

English diminutive of Kristen or Kristina, Scandinavian from Greek

"a Christian"

Kris was once the ultimate cool cheerleader name, but now she's more likely to be a matriarch ala Kris Jenner. Only five baby girls were named Kris in the US last year, though there are still several…

Georgie

Greek

"farmer"

A spunky boyish diminutive in the vein of Frankie, Billie and Charlie, but far less popular in the US. Georgie could be a nickname for Georgia, Georgette, Georgina or Georgiana – or just use it as it…

Kai

Hawaiian

"sea"

This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow…

Dennie

Dennie is primarily a feminine name in modern usage, though it has historical use as a masculine name as well. It originated as a diminutive form of Dennis or Denise, names derived from Dionysus, the…

Bennie

Diminutive of Benjamina, Benedicte, or Bernadette

"son of the right hand; blessed; brave bear"

Boyish nicknames for girls are in! With Leni rising, Bennie may appeal. Kylie & Jason Kelce use Bennie as a nickname for their third daughter - full name Bennett Llewellyn. After decades of no…

Chase

French

"to hunt"

Chase is starting to be seen on a handful of girls each year, and has been heard as a nickname to Chelsea. Reminiscent of Casey and Charlie, around 40 girls were given the name in a recent count.

Bobby

Diminutive of Roberta, English

"bright fame"

Bobby is a nickname-name that's long been used on its own for both girls and boys, though the Bobby spelling is more usually masculine while the girls' version is usually Bobbie. There were just over…

Ricki

Feminization of Ricky, English, or English diminutive of Frederica, German

"dominant ruler; peaceful ruler"

One of the earliest of the relaxed, unisex names, now relegated to oldies rock stations. Ricki is a spirited, retro nickname traditionally short for Frederica but now stands strong on its own.…

Sammie

Sammie is a charming feminine name that originated as a diminutive nickname for Samantha or Samuel, though it now often stands as an independent given name. With Hebrew roots meaning 'name of God' or…

Devon

English place-name

This spelling of Devon, as opposed to Devin or Devan, makes it a pretty and popular British place-name, evoking the beautiful county of farmlands and dramatic seascapes and moors in southwest…

Cody

English

"helpful, pillow"

Cody is a once-trendy boys' name occasionally used for girls. The Cody trend has now given way to other nickname-y names such as Rory and Ruby.

Mickey

Diminutive of Michelle or Michaela

Mickey is a nickname-name redolent of the mid-20th century and best-known as a mouse name. While this spelling works for either gender, the girls' version is more often spelled Micki.

Dannie

Dannie is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Daniel or Danielle, though it's used independently as well. With Hebrew roots, it relates to the meaning "God is my judge." As a…

Cory

English variation of Corey, Irish, or diminutive of any Cor-beginning name

"from the hollow"

This Corey variation is getting a fresh shot of style juice thanks to young It Girl Cory Kennedy (not to be confused with RFK daughter, filmmaker Rory Kennedy).

Billy

Billy is an unexpectedly feminine usage of what is traditionally a masculine nickname for William. When used for girls, Billy typically represents a diminutive of feminine names like Wilhelmina,…