Typically female names for boys

  1. Presley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "priest's meadow"
    • Description:

      More universal than Elvis...and more conventionally attractive, too. Cindy Crawford used it for her son, though it's on the rise mainly for girls. The last time Presley ranked in the Top 1000 for boys was 1903, 120 years ago. Today, it's used for girls 14 times as often as for boys, mainly because of the -ley ending.
  2. Quinn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"
    • Description:

      Quinn is an engaging Celtic surname that is still on the rise for girls but beginning to flag for boys. As a female name, Quinn is in the Top 100, used for over 3000 baby girls last year, but toward the bottom of the Top 500 for boys, given to 700 baby boys.
  3. Rain
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Mostly feminine, though "Office" star Rainn Wilson gives it a slight masculine twist. You might also use this as a short form of Raines.
  4. Rainy
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "rainy"
    • Description:

      In Colonial America, Rainy was commonly used among enslaved people of both genders. The practice of giving children names that relate to their birth — such as the day, weather, or time — is common in West Africa.
  5. Raven
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
  6. Reagan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little king"
    • Description:

      Inextricably tied to the former president, Reagan is a handsome surname name with a cool, current sound. Gender-neutral nickname Ray/Rae is also very on-trend right now.
  7. Reese
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Rhys
    • Description:

      An Anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, this traditional boys' name got a big boost for girls in the early 2000s, thanks to the high-profile Ms. Witherspoon (who was actually born Laura Jeanne Reese, her second middle being her mother's maiden name). This spelling has been on the decline for boys since 2003, possibly for the same reason, but remains a strong, simple choice which might pose fewer spelling and pronunciation issues outside of the UK than the Welsh original.
  8. Remi
    • Origin:

      French, variation of Remy
    • Meaning:

      "oarsman"
    • Description:

      Makes the jaunty Remy a little more nicknamey and feminine. Remi is on the rise for both girls and boys, having entered the Top 1000 for boys in 2019.
  9. Riley
    • Origin:

      English, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rye clearing; courageous"
    • Description:

      Riley -- one of the most popular unisex names -- is trendier now for girls though for boys it's a classic, ALWAYS ranking in the US Top 1000.
  10. Robin
    • Origin:

      Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Now that it's no longer fashionable for girls, Robin is rising for boys again. Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Christopher Robin, and Robin the Boy Wonder are all male namesakes, after all. It reentered the US Top 1000 boys names in 2015 for the first time since 1999 and continues to bounce around the lower end of the Top 1000.
  11. Romy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roman et al
    • Meaning:

      "citizen of Rome"
    • Description:

      Best known as a feminine diminutive, Romy is used now for boys too; has a lot of energy and bounce. Can be a short form of Roman or Romeo or a name in its own right. Remy is another related choice, or you might want to go all the way to Romulus.
  12. Rose
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "rose, a flower"
    • Description:

      Rihanna put Rose on the map for baby boys when she used it as the middle name for her son Riot. If James is a modern favorite middle name for girls, why not Rose for boys?
  13. Rue
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Meaning:

      "herb; regret"
    • Description:

      Botanical choice that can work for either gender. Simple and straightforward. Caveats: rue means "regret" in English, and "street" in French.
  14. Saffron
    • Origin:

      Spice name
    • Description:

      This spice name is typically used for girls, but we see no reason it couldn't join the growing list of gender-neutral nature names.
  15. Sage
    • Origin:

      Herb name and also Latin
    • Meaning:

      "wise and knowing"
    • Description:

      Fits many criteria sought by modern parents: it's short and strong, with intimations of wisdom as well as fragrant herbal properties. At this point, Sage is given about a third of the time to boys.
  16. Sailor
    • Origin:

      Occupational word name
    • Description:

      A word name that has sailed onto birth certificates of both genders, especially since Liv Tyler used it for her son. For boys, Saylor and Sailor are used about equally, but were together given to about 100 baby boys last year....and 1000 baby girls.
  17. Sandy
    • Origin:

      Scottish and English diminutive of Alexander
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      A sweet Scottish short form of Alexander which is feeling newly appealing now the era of Sandra is far behind us. Sandy would also work well as a nickname for a child with pale red or dark blond hair.
  18. Saro
    • Origin:

      Armenian; Italian; Nigerian
    • Description:

      As a masculine name Saro has three origins:
  19. Shannon
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "old and wise"
    • Description:

      The name of the longest river in the British Isles rose to the US Top 25 for girls in the 1970s and the Top 100 for boys, but has fallen off the Top 1000 for both genders. At the latest count, the name Shannon was given to about 200 babies in the US, about a third of those boys. As a favorite Irish name, Shannon has now been supplanted by newcomers such as Saoirse and Seanan.
  20. Shelby
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "estate on the ledge"
    • Description:

      Southern name still occasionally heard in a male context (author Shelby Foote and the son of singer/sitcom star Reba McEntire), but it's much more associated with girls.