The Best of Male Names Turned Female

  1. Addison
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Adam"
    • Description:

      Despite its origin as a patronymic meaning "son of Adam", Addison really caught on for baby girls in the US around the turn of the millennium, following in Madison's footsteps to peak at #11 in 2007 and again in 2010.
  2. Aubrey
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "elf ruler"
    • Description:

      Once a popular choice in for boys in the Middle Ages and again during the 19th century, Aubrey has mostly been used for girls in the US since the 1970's. With its arty, surname-y, and sophisticated feel, however, it is rising up the UK charts for both boys and girls.
  3. Avery
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "ruler of the elves"
    • Description:

      Avery is a unisex name that is used four times as often today for girls as for boys. But while Avery's popularity is starting to soften for girls, it continues to get stronger for boys -- in keeping with our finding that gender neutral names are becoming more favored for boys than for girls.
  4. Bailey
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "law enforcer, bailiff"
    • Description:

      Extremely amiable, open-sounding surname that's gradually being taken over by the girls.
  5. Blair
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "dweller on the plain"
    • Description:

      One of the first generation of cool surname names, now largely used for girls in the US, but still popular for boys in its native Scotland. A prominent association for Brits is former prime minister Tony Blair, who was leader at the time of the Iraq War.
  6. Darcy
    • Origin:

      English from French, d'Arcy
    • Meaning:

      " from Arcy"
    • Description:

      Though Darcy is the ultimate Jane Austen hero name, it is rarely used for boys today though it's on the upswing for girls. A shame as it's a handsome, roguish kind of appellation that combines elements of French flair, aristocratic savoir faire, and a soft Irish brogue. And in terms of image, it's one of the quintessential English names for boys.
  7. Eden
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "place of pleasure, delight"
    • Description:

      This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.
  8. Evelyn
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "desired; or water, island"
    • Description:

      Renowned English author Evelyn Waugh pronounced his name "EEV-lin" (fun fact: his first wife, also named Evelyn, was referred to as "She-velyn"). But "EV-uh-lin" also works, and is probably the most familiar pronunciation of the name today.
  9. Harper
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "harp player"
    • Description:

      Harper got its start as a celebrity baby name when Paul Simon chose it for his now-grown son. Since then, other famous parents have followed suit: musician Tim Finn and actor Cecilia Peck both have sons called Harper.
  10. Kennedy
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "misshapen head"
    • Description:

      This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert Kennedy, Kennedy is now one of the most popular unisex names, particularly for girls. This is one name that manages to sound trendy and traditional at the same time.
  11. Meredith
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "great chief"
    • Description:

      Meredith has been considered primarily a girl's name since the fifties, before which it was more commonly used for boys. Comic actor Jay Mohr recently named his son Meredith, which might help it swing back into the blue column. The traditional Welsh pronunciation puts the stress on the middle syllable, making Red a cool nickname possibility.
  12. Robin
    • Origin:

      Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Now that it's no longer fashionable for girls, Robin is rising for boys again. Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Christopher Robin, and Robin the Boy Wonder are all male namesakes, after all. It reentered the US Top 1000 boys names in 2015 for the first time since 1999 and continues to bounce around the lower end of the Top 1000.
  13. Skyler
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Schuyler
    • Description:

      A name very much in the air, for both boys and girls, often seen in the casts and character lists of movies and TV shows. The Skylar spelling is used more for females.