[Severus]

I would dispute that Anne was ever an established male name

It most definitely was in the Netherlands, not more than 2 or 3 generations before mine you find 'plenty' of male Annes. Maybe it was always unisex, I don't know, but it was definitely established for males. Now only the most daring parents use it - for a MN at most.

[4kidlets]

Perhaps the Netherlands used Anne as a male name until relatively recently - but it is originally a female name and has remained so for most of the times and most of the places of its life.
Anne certainly doesnt fit the standard 'male name gone to the girls' pattern.


I dont think Marion would either - being a derivative of Mary.
I know it was sometimes used for males in the past but would think has been a predominately female name for most of its life - there was Maid Marian back in the Robin Hood legends - yes, I know it is only a legend, not a real person - but the female has featured in the legend for many centuries.

[la di dah]

Exactly my point upthread - many names like Michael, Joseph,Peter, Daniel etc etc have long established female equivalents - but I dont think the likes of Michelle, Josephine, Peta, Danielle have ruined the names for boys - given the female versions have been around long time this is hardly likely to happen either.


Cant see why modern versions like Rylee should ruin Riley for boys either.

Those others aren't only have similar, not identical pronunciations to the male ones, though. Rylee is said just the same as Riley, isn't it? That'd be the main difference, I think.

Unless Rylee is said differently or a different accent on the syllables, as in Gabrielle vs. Gabriel, in which case yeah it is exactly the same.

[Saecularis Angel...]

I noticed that when I was compiling a name list, I tended to like, not unisex names or using names typically given to one gender for the other, but still strong names for girls, and gentle names for boys (which perhaps reflects something of my hopes for daughters and sons!) I did find, though, that when I posted those names for feedback, I got a lot of negative response; people wanted me to go softer for girls and stronger for boys (it wasn't universal but was a noticeable trend). I found that interesting if a little sad.

[libbylu]

Marlowe with an 'e' has been a girls name for a long time. I know a new baby Marlo.
I have never met a girl with any of those names unless it is a nickname or a female derivation (i.e. Jude from Judith, Michaela rather than Michael.)

[la di dah]

I noticed that when I was compiling a name list, I tended to like, not unisex names or using names typically given to one gender for the other, but still strong names for girls, and gentle names for boys (which perhaps reflects something of my hopes for daughters and sons!) I did find, though, that when I posted those names for feedback, I got a lot of negative response; people wanted me to go softer for girls and stronger for boys (it wasn't universal but was a noticeable trend). I found that interesting if a little sad.

That's interesting. I'm not sure we're talking about the same names but I tend to like relatively un-frilly, non-a ending girls names: Esther, Judith, Lilith, Vivien, Imogen, Ivy, etc. I like a number of -a ending boys names though, probably out of nostalgia for names like Ezra, Josiah, Judah.

Anyway I get some similar reactions, my girls names are too sharp and my boys names are too ambiguous. I admit I don't hear the gender ambiguity for the boys because I'm used to those all being male, so I wasn't looking to make a gender-neutral statement, but it's probably sad that the worst thing many people can say about a boys name is it isn't macho enough.

I mean there's also a matter of what you're used to. I'd never heard Gabriel to be considered effeminate or not strongly masculine before EB.

This post has been edited by la di dah: 19/04/2012, 11:12 PM

[Saecularis Angel...]

Probably not quite the same names. I liked a lot of girls' names ending with -n sounds; Perrine was a good example. And French or European boys' names like Laurian which was "too close to Lauren."

The -a ending boys' names is probably a bit cultural. I recognise the ones you've listed as male names, but I look at my (lengthy!) list and the only such name I liked at all enough to include was Joshua. The ones you've listed come across to me as, if not feminine, very dated; a throwback to a previous century.

I liked Gabriel, though, and would have thought of it as a "gentler" name, so perhaps that's a difference in cultural background.

[mjaler]

I know a lady in her 30's called Scott

The little girl in the movie 'The Descendants' is called Scotty, I must admit I watched with my 'only in America' hat on

My daughter has a female version of a popular male name and my son has a fairly soft sounding name that is trending towards unisex. I kind of regret using his name as he is rather gentle and would now prefer if his name was more masculine. If I had my time again I would not have given him a unisex name unless it was a predominantly male name or a stronger sounding male name. i.e. I wouldn't have used a name like Ashley or Charlie/ee but would use a name like Mason or Carter.

[prettypenny]

I met a little girl called Archer the other day. Until then I always thought of it as purely a boy's name.

Naming trends evolve and continually change which I think is great. My only concern is that there seems to be a perception that if you want to give your daughter a strong name then it has to be a unisex or predominately male name. Do people really think that strong feminine names are oxymoronic?

[4kidlets]

Those others aren't only have similar, not identical pronunciations to the male ones, though. Rylee is said just the same as Riley, isn't it? That'd be the main difference, I think.

Unless Rylee is said differently or a different accent on the syllables, as in Gabrielle vs. Gabriel, in which case yeah it is exactly the same.

Yes, pronounciation is same as Riley and other spelling variations used on boys or girls.

So, I see your point that a name that is only different in spelling but is pronounced the same is different to a name like Daniel/Danielle, Paul/Paula,Pauline/ Colin/Colleen, Joseph/Josephine etc which are very similar but pronounced slightly differently or additions like a or ine to feminise.

However the concept of names pronouced the same but spelt differently is not a new concept either - Robyn/Robin, Frances/Francis to name a couple of long established ones.

And of course some names are truly unisex such as Shannon.


I guess what I am saying is that just because a name or a very similar or just spelt differently name is used by girls doesnt mean it is lost or ruined for boys (although I concede it is sometimes the case that a name is so taken over by girls that it is no longer a boys name - not all that often though)