Monday, January 7, 2013

Alexis, Parker & Jordan too, which is it for: pink or blue?

It's quite obvious that unisex names have increased in popularity over the past decade. A unisex name is defined as a name given to a boy or a girl. There are many reasons why parents might decide to go with a unisex name for their bundle of joy:
  • It is a family name
    • Example: Mother's maiden name
  • Honoring a family member
    • Example: Baby girl Charlie to honor Grandpa Charles
  • The gender is not found out ahead of time
    • Some parents decide to find out the gender of their baby before he / she is born and others like the surprise. These parents may decide to use a unisex name so that they will have a name picked out regardless of what the baby turns out to be.
Most, if not all, unisex names originally began as masculine names. These include Ashley, Lynne, Vivian and Evelyn. Now a days, people would label those names as being feminine. Other names like Jordan, Riley and Devon, which are popular for both genders, often result in a split decision when a group of people is asked which gender they prefer them on.
In the top 50 names for girls for 2011, there were 9 unisex names: 
  • Madison (#8)
  • Addison (#13)
  • Avery (#18)
  • Aubrey (#20)
  • Brooklyn (#21)
  • Alexis (#26)
  • Ashley (#42)
  • Taylor (#44)
  • Riley (#47)
On the same list for boys, there were 11 unisex names:
  • Jayden (#4)
  • Noah (#5)
  • Aiden (#9)
  • Logan (#20)
  • Ryan (#25)
  • Christian (#30)
  • Dylan (#33)
  • Tyler (#38)
  • Evan (#40)
  • Carter (#41)
  • Jordan (#46)
I, myself, LOVE unisex names. On my favorites list for girls, I have Addison, Ashley, Aubree, Hadley, Mackenzie, Madison & Presley. For boys there are Aidan (which I LOATHE calling unisex), Greyson, Jace, Jayden, Jordan, Logan, Noah, Parker & Riley. Of the boys names I just listed, I also like Greyson, Jordan, Parker & Riley on girls, I just prefer them on boys.
Today's post is going to be interactive. I want to know what YOU think. 
The following names are some of my favorite unisex names. Next to them, I have listed the gender I prefer that name on. Comment below and let me know what gender YOU prefer them on!
  • Adrian (girl)
  • Alexis (girl)
  • Aubrey (girl)
  • Bay (both)
  • Casey (boy)
  • Charlie (boy)
  • Dakota (boy)
  • Drew (both)
  • Dylan (boy)
  • Emerson (both)
  • Hartley (both)
  • Jamie (boy)
  • Jordan (both)
  • Lane (both)
  • Parker (both)
  • Riley (both)
  • Rory (girl)
  • Sky (girl)
  • Taylor (boy)
Thank you for reading and participating! Enjoy your week!
~Ali
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4 comments:

  1. millerherselfJanuary 8, 2013 at 12:22 AM

    First comment! In my humble opinion:

    ♀ -- Adrienne, Alexis, Bailey, Jamie, Sky, Taylor
    ♂ -- Adrian, Aubrey, Casey, Charlie, Dakota, Drew, Dylan, Emerson, James, Jordan, Lane, Parker, Riley, Rory
    Neither -- Bay, Hartley

    Wahoo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJanuary 9, 2013 at 10:41 AM

    Adrian - defo boy! Adrienne is cute on a girl but I prefer Adrian on a boy
    Alexis - I prefer it pronounced the French way, so boy.
    Aubrey - girl. but Michael Myers from Halloween has Aubrey as a middle name..
    Bay - boy.
    Casey - boy.
    Charlie - soo adorable on a boy!
    Dakota - boy :D
    Drew - boy. I can usually see unisex names as working for both even if I prefer it on one over the other, but Drew is 100% boy.
    Dylan - boy.
    Emerson - I used to love it on a girl but I prefer it on a boy now :)
    Hartley - boy.
    Jamie - I think it's super cute as a nickname for a boy but as a full name I'd say girl.
    Jordan - boy. same as Drew.
    Lane - boy.
    Parker - boy.
    Riley - boy. I absolutely love it for a boy. Kiley is better for a girl :)
    Rory - boy. I love Rory Gilmore but it's more boy for me, though I don't like it at all.
    Sky - soooo cute and handsome for a boy!!
    Taylor - girl. I've known too many girls named Taylor and only maybe 2 boys. one of them was even trying to change his name because he didn't want a girl name :/ I can see it going either way for sure but I prefer girl just a TINY bit more.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2013 at 11:30 PM

    Adrian - boy
    Alexis - girl
    Aubrey - boy
    Bay - I've never heard this as a name at all, but I'll say boy (like as a nickname for Bailey)
    Casey - both
    Charlie - boy
    Dakota - girl (the only Dakota I've met is a girl)
    Drew - boy
    Dylan - boy (never seen it on a girl before)
    Emerson - boy
    Hartley - never heard it before, but I'll say boy (like Hart)
    Jamie - boy (but it's very unisex)
    Jordan - slightly prefer on a boy
    Lane - haven't heard it as a name, but I'll say girl
    Parker - boy (never seen it on a girl)
    Riley - boy
    Rory - boy
    Sky - girl
    Taylor - slightly prefer it on a boy

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2013 at 8:25 PM

    My preferences for these:
    ~ Adrian << Girl
    ~ Alexis << GIRL!!!
    ~ Aubrey << Girl
    ~ Bay << Both <3 I slightly prefer it on a girl though =)
    ~ Casey << Both, though I lean more towards it being masculine
    ~ Charlie << Girl <3
    ~ Dakota << Boy
    ~ Drew << Girl (though I don't mind it on a boy either)
    ~ Dylan << Both
    ~ Emerson << Both
    ~ Hartley << Boy
    ~ Jamie << GIRL!!! I can't stand it on a boy >.<
    ~ Jordan << Both
    ~ Lane << Girl
    ~ Parker << Boy, though I don't mind it on a girl
    ~ Riley << Both
    ~ Rory << Boy
    ~ Sky << BOY <333 I like it on both genders, but I LOOOOOOVE it on a boy ^.^ Sky is my #3 favorite boys name =)
    ~ Taylor << Both

    ^.^

    ReplyDelete

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