In lieu of only perusing gender-neutral lists, many parents are opting to give their baby girls a name traditionally considered to be a boy's name, and we're sure the amount of girl Noahs, Jameses, and Wyatts will only continue to rise. It's a tactic that has long had a place in Hollywood.
As mothers and fathers strive to decide on something unique to make them stand out in a crowd, unisex names for boys and girls have grown in popularity. Some parents have even taken the gender-neutral naming trend a step further, opting to give their daughters conventionally masculine names.
A unisex name (also known as an epicene name, a gender-neutral name or an androgynous name) is a given name that is not gender-specific. Unisex names are common in the English-speaking world, especially in the United States.
Gender: James is traditionally used as a boy name, but it has become more common as a girl's name, too. For instance, the daughter of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively is named James. There is also a fairly equal split between girls and boys named Jamie, a derivative of James.
Gender: Thomas is traditionally the masculine form of the name. Thomasine, Thomasina, and Tamsin have been used as feminine variations.
Gender: Though John has been used predominantly as the masculine form of the name, girls have sometimes been called John or Johnnie. Feminine variants include Jackie, Jacqueline, Jana, Jane, Janet, Jeanne or Jeannie, Joan, Joanna or Johanna.
Ryan is an English-language given name of Irish origin. Traditionally a male name, it has been used increasingly by both males and females since the 1970s. It comes from the Irish surname Ryan, which in turn comes from the Old Irish name Rían or Rian.
Nonbinary names identify as neither male nor female but are free of gender identity. There is some crossover between unisex and gender-neutral names and nonbinary names, but names in the nonbinary group are used equally for babies of any sex and do not identify with either gender, such as Charlie and Lowen.
Unisex is an adjective indicating something is not sex-specific, i.e. is suitable for any type of sex. The term can also mean gender-blindness or gender neutrality. The term 'unisex' was coined as a neologism in the 1960s and was used fairly informally.
Gender: Milo is traditionally a masculine name. Mila or Myla may be used as feminine equivalents.
While Michael is most often a masculine name, it is also given to women, such as the actresses Michael Michele and Michael Learned, and Michael Steele, the former bassist for the Bangles.
Gender: Jack is traditionally the masculine form of the name and means "God is Gracious." However, both Jack and Jac are considered gender-neutral. Feminine variations, such as Jacklyn and Jacqueline are common.
Chase is a gender-neutral name of French origin. Once used as a family surname, it originated during the Middle Ages as a nickname for a "huntsman." While it is more popular for boys, Chase is emerging as an edgy choice for little girls.
Gender: Aaron has predominantly been a masculine name given to boys since its earliest use. However, the name Aaron can also be used in a feminine sense. It is typically spelled "Erin" when used for females.
Franklin is a masculine English given name.
While it can be used as a girl's name, very few girls are named Victor, with most parents preferring the feminine version, Victoria.
Saint is a gender-neutral name of Latin origin. Coming from the Latin word Sanctus, this name means “holy,” and is used in the Christian faith to recognize people as being close to God. This makes it a unique, meaningful way to share your faith with baby.
For girls' names, Angela, Kimberley Alexa and Nicole ranked as some of the least popular. Likewise, Ashley, Sophia, Lorraine, Kristen and Suzanne also made it onto the list as the least-desired names.