Boy Names for Girls

Quincy is a Presidential surname name that actually sounds both cute and strong when used for a girl. For the first time ever, Quincy joined the Top 1000 roster for girls in 2023, given to over 250 baby girls that year.

Popular for boys, Griffin is both a Latinized form of the Welsh Gruffudd and the English name for a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. Sleek and stylish with a rugged edge, Griffin was also given to around 20 girls in the US

Gabriel is given to a small but consistent number of girls each year. Whether it’s used as an equivalent to the masculine Gabriel or as a variant of Gabrielle is up to the parents’ discretion.

Connor is an ancient Irish mythological name in the US Top 100 for boys but also used in increasing numbers for baby girls.

Rudy hasn't yet enjoyed the comeback of cousin name Ruby, despite having been chosen by hip couple Sadie Frost and Jude Law, but it still could happen.

Hayes is a stylish surname name given to more and more baby girls -- nearly 100 in the US last year. That's a considerable number, but many fewer than the nearly 1800 baby boys named Hayes.

If Sam can make it as a girl's name, why not Max? Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's eldest daughter Maxima goes by Max, but you could also use it as a short form for Maxine, Maximilienne or even Margaux.

The popularity of the Biblical Noah has led to a rise in Koa for boys, and since it boosted Noa up the charts for girls too, it was only so long before the rhyming Koa caught on as a unisex possibility. While it remains predominantly masculine and is given to boys 10 times more often in the states, a not insubstantial 114 girls were called Koa in a recent year.

The increasingly popular Irish boys' name Declan is crossing into the girls' column now as well, used for over 50 baby girls in the US last year.

This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls and can be used as a short form of Lena, Helena, Magdalena, Lennon or Lennox. The pan-European Leni is identical in sound yet feels a little lighter and fresher, and is a fashionable favorite in Germany.

Though Tate is used almost exclusively for boys, we can see Tate as a stronger surname alternative to Kate or a clipped form of Tatum.

The midcentury favorite boys' name Scott feels fresher when used for a girl. Scotty is a cute nickname.

Everett is a male name that's a prime crossover candidate, much like Eliot, Ellis, and Ellery.

Climbing the charts for boys, and has just begun to cross over for girls, despite the macho "hud" sound followed by the "son" syllable.

Bodhi relates to the Buddhist concept of enlightenment and has been a hot baby name in recent years.

Callan is a Top 100 name for boys in Scotland and is on the rise in the US too, however, it has a unisex feel to it, thanks to nickname Callie.

The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt, Finn established its hipness for girls as well.

Archer is among the next wave of masculine-leaning occupational names rediscovered for girls.

Music legend David Bowie lends his adopted surname considerable charisma to this stylish Scottish name for girls and boys. Born David Robert Jones, he changed his name to avoid confusion with The Monkees' Davy Jones.

Sean may be off its peak for boys, but there were still 1300 baby boys named Sean in the US in the most recent year counted, versus only five baby girls. In fact, there were fewer than 30 baby girls given the spellings Sean, Shaun, and Shawn combined. So while this name has been long used for girls, it remains in only occasional use as a feminine name and is not truly unisex in the way that names such as Rory and River are.