Gender Neutral Names Mega List
- Dallas
Origin:
Place name, surnamed and IrishMeaning:
"skilled"Description:
A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.
- Damaris
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"dominant woman"Description:
In the New Testament, Damaris was an Athenian woman converted to Christianity by St. Paul. Known for her charitable work, her name was a favorite among the Puritans. Having slid off the bottom of the Top 1000 in 2012, Damaris might be deserving of more attention by parents in search of a New Testament name that is unusual but accessible, especially since girls' names ending in 's' are coming back into fashion.
- Dana
Origin:
English, Slavic, Persian, ArabicMeaning:
"from Denmark, gift, or wise"Description:
This name found in both Celtic and Scandinavian mythology has gone from all-boy to almost all-girl, retaining a strong, unisex quality. However, it has dropped following its three-decade heyday from the 1960s to the 1990s.
- Dara
Origin:
Hebrew, Slavic or IrishMeaning:
"pearl of wisdom; gift; or oak tree"Description:
Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.
- Demeter
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"earth mother"Description:
Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest, growth and nourishment, was Zeus's sister and Persephone's mother. Variation Demetria is the full name of actress Demi Moore. Though familiar, Demeter is not one of the Greek goddess namesthat's finding widespread modern favor.
- Dexter
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"right-handed, skillful"Description:
Dexter turned ultracool for a girl when Diane Keaton named her daughter Dexter Dean. Dexter is getting a new style gloss for both genders thanks to (unlikely) baby name role model, television's Dexter the genial serial killer.
- Diaz
Origin:
Spanish from LatinMeaning:
"days"Description:
If Cameron's first name could start a girl's name craze, why not her second.
- Dillon
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"loyal"Description:
With both the Dillon and Dylan spellings, usage of this gender-neutral names runs about ten to one boys to girls. But Dylan is used about 20 times as often as Dillon for both genders. Which might be a vote in favor of Dillon, though for better or worse, this spellings distances the name from singer Bob and poet Thomas.
- Dominique
Origin:
French, feminine variation of DominicMeaning:
"belonging to a lord"Description:
Had a surge of popularity in the Dynasty days, now has subsided in the wake of fresher French choices like Destry and Delphine, though it retains its sense of sophistication. It's one of the most truly gender-neutral baby names right now.
- Domino
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lord, master"Description:
One of those ultimate cool-girl names, played by Keira Knightley in a movie about a supermodel-turned-bounty hunter, but kids might associate it with the game. High profile British designer India Hicks used it for her daughter. As a girls' nameit's still very rare, used in 2015 in the US for only seven baby girls.
- Dorian
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"from Doris"Description:
A male name occasionally borrowed by the girls, as in Dorian Cramer, a long-running female character on the soap One Life to Live and famous midcentury model Dorian Leigh.
- Drew
Origin:
Diminutive of AndrewMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name legitimately: it was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana 'Georgie' Drew Barrymore, one of many esteemed actors in her family history.
- Dustin
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"brave warrior"Description:
Just a few years ago, Dustin, Dylan, and Daryl seemed like radical, edgy names for girls; now even Great-aunt Alberta wouldn't raise an eyebrow.
- Dylan
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"son of the sea"Description:
Boys' favorite retains more of its poetic, windswept quality when used for a girl, as Robin Wright and Sean Penn did. Alyssa Milano gave her daughter Elizabella Dylan as a middle name.
- Easton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"eastern town"Description:
Easton is a stylish Waspy-sounding surname that's climbing up the popularity charts. TV actress Elisabeth Rohm named her daughter Easton August Anthony, which seemed like a real gender bender, and now Rachel Leigh Cook has made it the middle name of her baby Charlotte. Note that Easton is now in the Top 100 for boys--for whom directional names are a real trend-- but we won't be surprised to see more and more little lady Eastons arriving.
- Egypt
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
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.
- Elias
Origin:
Feminine variation of ElijahMeaning:
"Yahweh is my God"Description:
Like its parent name Elijah and the related Elliot, this has potential for girls. It shares sounds with Eliza, Delilah, and Iris, along with established unisex choices, like Ellis, Emery, and Eden. Given to only a small handful of girls every year, it is not a popular choice just yet. If you do enjoy the idea, Lilias, Eirlys, Clovis, Micah, or Micaiah might appeal too.
- Elliot
Origin:
Anglicization of Elijah or EliasMeaning:
"Jehovah is God"Description:
Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls", a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth.
- Ellis
Origin:
English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or WelshMeaning:
"benevolent"Description:
Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.
- Elm
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
For tree huggers.