Geezer Names for Girls

Emmett has had an interesting and unusual gender history. A long-obscure masculinization of Emma, Emmett is now rising as a boys' name as a companion to the very popular Emma and Emily. And at the same time, Emmett itself is seen by a handful of parents as a new spin for girls on those uber-popular choices. While the Emmet spelling might still seem most masculine, the extra T in Emmett does make it seem girl-appropriate. Emmette is an even more feminine spelling. But don't be too alarmed: There were over 3000 boys named Emmett in one recent year compared to only 13 girls.

Sonny is one of the term of endearment names on the rise, and it feels like a fresh option for girls as an alternative spelling of bright nature name Sunny or a cute gender-bending nickname name.

An early unisex nature name that has been surpassed by others, Dale is still a simple, sylvan and serene option.

Yes, we tend to think of Claude as a male name and Claudia and Claudette as the female, but this ancient clan name is used in France for girls as well as boys, and could make a distinctively chic boy name for girls here too. You may be surprised to know that Claude was in fairly regular use for American girls in the 1880's and nineties, reaching as high as 553 in 1880.

Less than ten percent of the babies named Rhys are girls, whereas Reese is given five times more often to girls than to boys, thanks to Ms. Witherspoon. It's a sleek and attractive name, but one that benefits from two accepted spellings that help clarify its gender identity.

Vintage nickname for Roberta or Barbara, most famously borne by Roberta "Bobbie" in Edith Nesbit's classic The Railway Children.

Sam as a name standing on its own was given to only 18 girls in 2021, versus over 400 boys. But as a short form it's appealing and down-to-earth for both sexes, and heard far more often: There were over 2500 baby girls named Samantha in the US in one recent year and more than 8500 boys named Samuel, so you will hear the name Sam a lot more often than you might guess judging by the numbers for this short form. Like the wildly popular Charlie, Sam is a nickname that works equally well as a girls' name as a boys'. All forms considered, Sam is still one of the most popular names that start with S.

Freddie, especially with the ie ending, is one of the old-school boy-names-for-girls that came into vogue at the turn of the last century. Freddie, all on its own, ranked among the Top 1000 girl names until 1958, but in 2021 it was given to just 8 baby girls. Maybe that makes it prime for a comeback, ala Billie?

Cute boyish nickname for Thomasina, Thomasin or Tamsin.

A name halfway between its old milquetoast image and a more jovial Irish-sounding contemporary one. Sounds more feminine than masculine these days.

An old-timey boyish nickname that works as a diminutive of Leona or Leonie, Alondra, Lorna or any female name with strong L and N sounds.

Davis may seem an unlikely choice for a girl, but over 50 baby girls received the name in the US last year, perhaps in honor of an ancestral David. Viola Davis is a notable female namesake.

Androgynous nickname for Veronica, Rhonda or Rona.

Walker is an outdoorsy, Old Western-style name that leapt into the US Top 100 for boys back in 2022. Now, like a number of occupational names before it (think Sawyer, Palmer, and Parker), Walker is being used for an increasing number of girls.

The J spelling of this nickname name has always skewed more masculine, perhaps because it relates directly to Jerome but not to Geraldine. But supermodel Jerry Hall, whose full name is Jerry and who has a twin sister named Terry, pulls it off in glamorous style.

Sweet old-school nickname name currently trending for boys in the UK, but could also be short for Alba, Alberta or Albertine.

The Wylie spelling (with that feminine Y) is much more common among girls than Wiley, but both have been climbing the ranks. Could Wiley be the next Riley?

Actor Pierce Brosnan made his sharp-sounding name famous, and now it's given to a couple dozen baby girls per year too.

Unlike Sam or even Max, Gus -- short for Augusta or Gusta -- feels a bit too butch to work for a girl.

Ddiminutive of Montague or Montgomery that has long been used as a standalone for boys – and for a few girls too, especially during the middle years of the 20th century.