Gender-Neutral Celebrity Baby Names
- Scout
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Chosen for their daughter by Bruce and Demi (inspired by the To Kill a Mockingbirdcharacter), and for her son by Tai Babilonia, an interesting choice for either sex, with overtones of a "good scout" and the upstanding qualities of a Boy/Girl Scout.
- Dakota
Origin:
Native American tribe and place name; SiouxMeaning:
"friendly one"Description:
A Native American tribe name which is found in the names of two US states, Dakota was one of the first trendy nineties place names, but is now flagging a little in popularity. The cultural question around using a Native American tribe name as a baby name may be partly to blame.
- Stevie
Origin:
Short form of Stephanie, GreekMeaning:
"garland, crown"Description:
Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014.
- George
Origin:
English variation of Georgios, GreekMeaning:
"farmer"Description:
For girls, typically used as a nickname for names such as Georgia and Georgiana, although Orange is the New Black stars Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli recently used it as a full name for their daughter George Elizabeth.
- Lucky
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"having good fortune"Description:
Recently chosen by singer Elle King for her son. Lucky is a name that could see a considerable rise in the near future, as word names continue to heat up.
- Laurie
Origin:
English diminutive of LaurenceMeaning:
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"Description:
A sweet and sophisticated nickname which feels fresh again after many years in style limbo. For literature lovers, it brings to mind Theodore "Laurie" Laurence from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Another famous bearer is English actor Hugh Laurie.
- August
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"majestic, venerable"Description:
Though associated traditionally (and fashionably) with boys, it has been used occasionally for girls as well – by Garth Brooks, Nicolas Cage, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, for example. But August is used significantly more often for girls these days than traditional feminine variations Augusta and Augustina, and makes for a fresh twist on traditional month names like April and May, as well as an updated spin on season name Autumn.
- Reign
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"rule"Description:
Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble. We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign. Reign is as appropriate for girls as for boys. The female version is often spelled Rain -- or Raine or Rayne -- though that makes is more nature and less royal word name. Reign entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Ryan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little king"Description:
This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit.
- Reign
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"rule"Description:
Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble. We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign.
- Winter
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
The girls have dibs on Spring, Summer, and Autumn, leaving this name evocative of snowy landscapes as the one possible seasonal choice for boys. And naturally, it's one of the most obvious names for winter babies.
- Wyatt
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"brave in war"Description:
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher named their daughter Wyatt in 2014, making it a viable option for girls. It hasn’t gained widespread traction though — at most it has been given to 107 baby girls in a single year.
- Ripley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"strip of clearing in the woods"Description:
With its surname-style, literary feel, and similarity in sound to Finley, Juniper, Pippa, Riley, and Presley, Ripley is an unexpected choice that was given to more than 200 girls in each recent year. First used back in the 80s, thanks to the powerful character played by Sigourney Weaver in the Alien films, it began to be used more substantially in the 2000s, after it was chosen by actress Thandiwe Newton for her daughter.
- Onyx
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"gem stone; claw, nail"Description:
Onyx is a fresh and trending gemstone name for boys, currently in the US Top 500, having climbed the charts rapidly since 2018. Now, an increasing number of girls are receiving the name, with a recent count revealing nearly 200 baby girls were called Onyx in 2023.
- Lincoln
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"town by the pool"Description:
Lincoln might be considered one of the quintessential American names, calling to mind the great president who freed enslaved people and is memorialized in Washington.
- Memphis
Origin:
Greek and Coptic place-nameMeaning:
"Enduring and beautiful"Description:
A place name with plenty of history, Memphis is associated with the place in Ancient Egypt where many of the pyramids were built, and with the bluesy US city that was named after it. With its lovely meaning and cool, musical vibe, it is currently in the US Top 500 names for boys.
Deriving from the Greek form of the Egyptian name Men-nefer, Memphis has been notably borne by rapper Memphis Bleek and by Dutch footballer, known mononymously as Memphis (who likely inspired its brief appearance in The Netherlands Top 1000 in 2015). In the US, it is a unisex name, however, it is used three times more often for boys, with 610 receiving the name in 2023.
- Hartley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"stag meadow"Description:
Smart and sharp but with a touch of heart and charm, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to Harley, Harvey, Artie, or Harry. Quietly used as a masculine name throughout the 20th century, the arrival of two celebrity-baby girl Hartleys in 2010 has meant the name has been used as a predominantly feminine one in recent years. However, since 2020, Hartley has doubled in use for boys too, and was give to a modest 30 in 2023. .
- Vale
Origin:
Geographical nameDescription:
Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman. Vale might be considered part nature name, part place name: A vale is a kind of valley, often used in poetry. This truly unique choice doesn't even register on the US extended list of names given to five babies or more, but we expect Vale to register as parents are inspired by Guthrie and husband Mike Feldman's creative choice. More prosaicly, Vale might be a short form of Valerie or Valentina.
- Lyric
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lyre"Description:
A musical name with Greek roots, appealing to parents who like such other names as Harmony, Melody, and Cadence.
- Ray
Origin:
Diminutive of Rachel or Raymond; word nameDescription:
Most female Rays used to spell their names Rae, but now the Ray Charles, ray-of-sunshine way is cool for both genders.