Unisex Names for Girls

Perrin has been in long use as a surname, derived from Peter, and is now used quietly as a first name. It was given to 37 boys and 12 girls in the US in 2022, an increase over the year before. It has an attractive sound and feel and seems equally usable for both sexes.

Kenya is fairly commonly heard as a girl's name, but its capital city makes a much more exceptional choice. The name comes from the Maasai phrase "Enkare Nairobi," which translates to "cold water." Nairobi is popularly known as the Green City.

We can't account for the popularity of this name, for either a boy or a girl, given the first syllable, the tacky connotations with a luxury car, and the range of other options which are more harmonious to the ear. Nonetheless, nearly 200 girls were names Bentley in the US in 2015.

With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem can't be far behind. It's already been picked by one celebrity, and it certainly has a strong historical and cultural identity -- not to mention its similarity to other popular choices like Harley and Harper.

Somewhat surprisingly, this old-school David nickname is now used for baby girls in the US more than 80% of the time. In fact, Davie is really heating up for baby girls, in the same style as Frankie and Scottie and Stevie.

Gentry is a word name that's gaining ground for girls as a kind of updated Jennifer, especially in the Jentry (or Jentri or Jentree) spelling.

Ever since Little Egypt practically invented the belly dance in the 1890s, this name has had a suggestive aura. Astonishingly, Egypt is now among the Top 1000 names for girls in the US. Cairo is a related option.

An established place name, associated with a sunny island in the English Channel, the Garden State in the US, knitted pullovers, reality TV, and a Broadway musical. It peaked in the late 2000s and though it is now in decline, 130 girls and nearly 50 boys received the name in 2023.

-ey meaning "island". Alternative theories suggest it comes from jarl ,meaning "earl" or hjǫr meaning "sword".

Seinfeld's George threatened to name his future child Seven, and then singer Erykah Badu actually did it.

Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.

Though it was derived from a feminine name, Kamari is more popular among baby boys in the US. However, with the rise of unisex Amari on the girl's charts, Kamari is feeling stylish as well.

A recent favorite among boy names, now a top riser for girls.

This Italian boys name has started to be used on girls, with 251 girls in the US being given this appellation in 2021. Beware that the gender neutral names trend isn't international, and a female Gianni travelling through Europe is likely to be given a lot more grief. May we suggest the feminine Gianna or modern Giann as alternatives? For whatever gender, Gianni is one of the most popular Italian baby names around.

Y is often used to feminize a variant spelling of a name, though of course there's nothing intrinsically gendered about it. The Karsyn spelling is slightly off its peak for girls, but rising for boys.

Jaycee is a modern invented name, likely inspired by the similar sounding Casey and Macy.

Fresh and fragrant nature name more apt to be used for a boy.

With Henley and Kinsley two of the most popular new ley-ending baby names for girls, why not Hensley? We can think of several reasons, but if you like this style of name, Hensley is as attractive as any.

Neo, indeed--though it was a male character in "The Matrix."

While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.

Modern parents tend to reject Puritan names, but Noble was a Puritan favorite worth revival. Integrity and generosity are attractive qualities in anyone, so it's apparent why parents are starting to notice Noble once again, along with other virtue names like Wisdom and Loyal.