Traditionally Masculine

Alexis

Greek

"defender"

This name leapt into the female column via vixen Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty" in the 1980s. It's more popular for girls, but it's still a widely used boys' names and is one of the most popular…

Tracey

Variation of Tracy

"of Thracia"

Popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s, Tracey (and its spelling variation Tracy) have since fallen out of style. As a masculine name, it has been in use since at least the 19th century and was spotlighted…

Madison

English

"son of Matthew"

Madison was at one time a strictly boys' presidential name, reaching as high as Number 311 at the end of the nineteenth century. That all changed in 1985 when it entered the girls' list, zooming up…

Carmen

Spanish variation of Carmel or Latin

"garden or song"

While the variation Carmine is more familiar for boys, Carmen has also been used as a masculine name; consider the very macho Carmen Basilio — the American boxer famous for defeating the great Sugar…

Addison

English

"son of Adam"

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…

Joyce

Yes, the poet Joyce Kilmer ("Trees") was a man, the very last male named Joyce. And even for women, it's been in limbo for several generations.

Kelly

Irish

"war"

A predominantly male name in the US until the late 1950s, the name continued to rise for both sexes for both sexes for a further decade, before starting to decline for boys. Despite dropping out of…

Shelby

English

"estate on the ledge"

Southern name still occasionally heard in a male context (author Shelby Foote and the son of singer/sitcom star Reba McEntire), but it's much more associated with girls.

Whitney

English

"white island"

Deriving from an English locational surname meaning "white island", Whitney was in rare but regular use for boys in the US until the early 1960s, when actress Whitney Blake popularized it for girls.…

Sheridan

Irish

"searcher"

Sheridan is one surname-name that hasn't come into style for either gender, though it was lightly used for boys around the turn of the 20th century and girls 100 years later. The name does have an…

Darcy

English, French, Irish

"from Arcy; dark one"

The ultimate Jane Austen hero name, Darcy makes a handsome, surname style choice. Predominantly used for girls in England and Wales, across the pond in Australia, it is a stylish Top 100 name for…

Courtney

English from French

"short nose; courteous, from the court"

This courtly old Southern name has several cool male bearers: NFL player Courtney Brown, British jazz musician Courtney Pine, and Barbados-born economist Courtney Blackman, to name but a few.

Sandy

Scottish and English diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

A sweet Scottish short form of Alexander which is feeling newly appealing now the era of Sandra is far behind us. Sandy would also work well as a nickname for a child with pale red or dark blond hair.

Vivian

Latin

"life"

Deriving from the Roman cognomen Vivianus , Vivian was originally a masculine name, with Vivien being a feminine soundalike coined by Alfred Lord Tennyson for the Lady of the Lake in his famous…

Gale

Nature name

Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games , it has new force for boys.

Kelsey

English surname

"Cenel's island"

Kelsey (ex-Frasier) Grammer is a famous male bearer, although most modern Kelseys are female (in the US at least). It derives from several English place names, possibly meaning "Cenel's island", from…

Shelly

Shelly as a masculine name is relatively uncommon, as it's more frequently used for girls. For boys, it typically functions as a nickname rather than a formal given name. It may be short for names…

Lesley

Scottish

"garden of holly"

Lesley as a masculine name derives from Scottish habitational surname origins, combining elements meaning "garden of holly" or "holly meadow." Though now more commonly used for girls in the United…

Jean

French variation of John

"God is gracious"

One of the most enduring French names, this form of John has been borne by philosophers (Rousseau and Sartre), artists (Millet, Arp) and fashion designers (Gaultier) alike. Often used in a double…

Leigh

Variation of Lee, English

"pasture, meadow"

Leigh as a masculine name has Anglo-Saxon origins, derived from the Old English 'leah' meaning 'clearing' or 'meadow.' While Leigh has become increasingly popular as a feminine name in recent…