How do you feel about "unisex" names?

Personally, there are some "unisex" names that I like.





But I've noticed that some people get badgered on here when they like a unisex name for a girl. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, obviously.





Example: Nameberry has this under Ashley...





"When a name has been on the girls' most-popular list for decades, it's no longer a viable option for a boy. Try Asher instead."





I think it makes a lot of sense...but I guess if you reeeally wanted to use it for a boy, it would be alright too. After all, it is your kid :P





How do you feel about this?

How do you feel about "unisex" names?
I don't personally care for them, my way of thinking is that, as a parent, you have the right to name your child whatever you're going to love at the end of the day, so I'm not going to criticize you for having the same right every mother and father should have. However, if you ask my opinion I will say that I don't like unisex names because in ten years there will be no clearly masculine names for boy's. Even names that mean "son of" have found their way to little girls and authors of baby name books have even gone so far as to create alternate meanings for them when they're placed on girls!





My son's name is Kendall, a so-called unisex name, I don't feel that Kendall is at all feminine, but if you do, I accept that, if my little boy has a girl in his class named Kendall I won't judge her or her mother any differently than I would a friend, people are entitled to their own opinions, so, while I accept unisex names and their popularity, they do irritate me.
Reply:They are horrible and in my opinion no such thing as "unisex" names, just masculine boy names being used on females.





My brother had several male Ashleys in his third grade class and the other third grade classes of that year also had a few male Ashleys. For that year there was only one female Ashlee. All those male Ashleys are nineteen or twenty now.





I would love to see a male Ashley in this day and time.





[Edit] Alexis is a male's name. It is only the idiots over here in America that uses it wrongly as a female's name. In Greece it is strictly a male's name, as it should be.
Reply:For me, it depends on the name. Overall, though, I usually don't like unisex names.


Some that I don't mind on either gender are: Avery, Mackenzie, Addison, Riley, Emerson, Taylor


Some that I can't stand as unisex names: Evan, Dylan, Ryan, Charlie, Ezra (I still don't understand how this can be used on girls), Parker, Micah, Michael (I've met two girls named Michael), Noah





Some names, especially the set-in-stone, biblical ones, should stay with their original gender, but it's understandable for others (especially surnames) to crossover to the other.
Reply:I personally don't like unisex names. I do feel that sometimes girls encroach upon boy "territory". I know that in the past names like, Ashley, Aubrey,etc were boys' names that have become girls' names.





I would feel sorry for a boy named "Cameron" or "Taylor" or "Dylan" who has a girl classmate with the same name. Kids get teased about their names a lot.
Reply:Personally, I'm not a big fan of unisex names. Just because of when the kids are older and in school. There are alot of mean children in the school. They might get made fun of. People might say that a boy has a girls name, or a girl has a boys name. Especially with the name Charlie, or Drew for a girl, and Ashlee for a boy. There is a child in my school and his name is Addison, and he gets made fun of for having a "girls" name, sometimes people mistake that name for Maddison.
Reply:I think it's awful! I knew an Ashley in elementary and that kid got picked on big time! The parents need to consider that! I really hate the name Alexis for a boy. I work at a school and the boys with that name just get laughed at! It's sad, it hapens more often than not. It might be that persons kid but the kid has to go though life with that name.


Casey is fine, jordan, jamie is too anything else is just sad





[EDIT] First of all, it's USE not "uses" I guess American's are not that stupid. Alexis is a horrible name either way I really don't give a s**t if it is a male name in Greece. I'm in America and that is my opinion.
Reply:i like unisex names. . . .l really like riley for a girl but alot of people say that its much better for a boy. . . . .also i love the name reagen but people say its way to masculine. . . .maybe because of the president?? but anyways. . .i think if you like a name. . . .don't listen to what other people say. . .when they have a kid they can name it what they want : )
Reply:i dont like them


people get confused all the time


a few days ago at our school we had to vote for field day capitains,the names were all written on a piece of paper; there was a girl that had a boy or "unisex" name and there were ppl that voted for 2 girls instead of a boy and a girl cuz they thought that that girl was a boy. we ended up having to vote all over again :S


and i would just feel horrible if i was a guy with a girl name or a girl with a guy name


id hate it and i would get a nickname the first second im able to think for myself :P
Reply:Some unisex names, like Ashley, Dana, Gale (Gail), since they are more commonly used for girls, seem more feminine, so yes, I agree, they would not be viable for MY male child. Other, less common unisex names remain gender neutral and I'd consider them for a boy:


Jamie


Corey


Casey


Kerry


Rory
Reply:Well, I feel that certain "unisex" names are better suited to one gender than the other. For example, "Hilary" and "Jackie" are not great for boys but work for girls. I personally don't like "Morgan" "Shaun" or Devon" on girls.
Reply:I personally have a "unisex" name....and I have never liked it. Girls should be named GIRL names and boys should be named BOY names.


Ashley is a GIRLS name and I feel sorry for any poor boy with that name. Just like Dylan is a BOYS name and not proper for a girl.
Reply:I like unisex names.. but sum are really plain like jordan or taylor.... i think unisex names go to far when girls have guy names ( i knew a girl names Bobby and Charles) and when guys have girl names ( like Ashley, Tiff, or Brittany) %26lt; yes i know people with those names
Reply:I love them my son's name is Skyler and he has never been picked on. My fav girl name is Taylor Morgan I also like Corey and Ryan for girls As well as Raven Dylan and Shawn for either. I do have a friend Male named Alexis. We just call him Lexi or Sexy Lexi. hehehe
Reply:i like unisex names


like .. alex , charlie , audre , or dylan


but it depends on the person i guess =)
Reply:I like some and i dont like some, i like Riley, Drew, Ryan, ect.
Reply:Adrian is good name, but all the other unisex names are usualy lame
Reply:i like unisex names and i know a lot of people who have them.


(Logan, Jordan, Rylie, Hayden)
Reply:I have a unisex name.


They're fine!


My name's Cameo.
Reply:i love them... FOR GIRLS!!!
Reply:I love boys names for girls, but yea, it does tend to shrink the list of names for boys. You don't meet many boys with names like Ashley, Whitney, Lindsey, or Kelly (although I know a few boy Ashley's and Kelly's and I think they make fine boys names). I like boys names for girls when there is a precedence that people are familiar with. Like Hayden (Hayden Panettiere), Carson (Carson McCullers) or Blair (Facts of Life %26amp; Gossip Girl). Names like Nathanial or Jack sound like boys names because they've never been known as girl's names. Although if people started using them as girls names I guess they would start to sound like unisex names as well.





I like unisex names for girls because I think there's still a lot of sexism in the world and I think it gives you an edge when you have a name that you can't tell if it's a boy or a girl. People tend to expect men to be more serious and powerful than women. You don't expect someone named Isabella to be very shrewd businesswoman. But someone with a more masculine name is taken more seriously. It sucks, but that's the way the world is.
Reply:The rule of thumb I would use. If it's a top 50 name for a boy, I would NEVER use it on a girl. If it's a top 50 for a girl, I would NEVER use it on a boy.





There are die hard people that will tell you that Ashley, Madison, Kendal, Addison, Leslie, Casey, Lindsay, are all still male names.





I have never come across one male that carries any of these names.








Parents will chose whatever name they would like for a child, and that is fine. But parents have to realize when 99% of the female population have a name like I described above, chances are they will be made fun of because kids are cruel, and we can't control what someone elses child is going to say to our own.





I think unisex names are fine to use on either gender as long as they are balanced out.





Being that Addison is ranked number 11 for females for 2008, and in the 500's for males, no, I would never ever ever use that for my son. Being that Ashley is in the top 20, and has been for years, I would never ever ever use that for my son. If Riley, is in the 200's for boys, and 200's for girls, then it can go either way.








And don't listen to those that are criticizing American names...this is baby name section in THE USA. Go to your own BABY name section if you don't like the names we choose!


IMHO.
Reply:I like uni-sex names for girls. Not so much for boys. I knew an Ashley (boy) in elementary and he did NOT get picked on for it. In fact, he was a very popular kid.
Reply:I love unisex names. For a boy, I love Ashlee, Morgan...and i love "boyish" names for girls...Charlie, Georgie, Drew...etc.
Reply:i love them. I am having twins and we want to name them Riley ann and call her rian and the other carter or karter. I love them!

lady slipper