In her Oz adventures, Dorothy encountered cyclones and earthquakes, witches and wizards, and all manner of miraculous happenings. She accepted the incredible with great aplomb. But one odd occurrence she simply could not accept: a woman named Bill. Even if that "woman" happened to be a talking chicken.
"But it's all wrong, you know," declared Dorothy, earnestly; "and, if you don't mind, I shall call you 'Billina.' Putting the 'eena' on the end makes it a girl's name, you see."
Dorothy met Bill the yellow hen in the wonderful Ozma of Oz back in 1907. Today androgynous names are much more common, with more and more male names adopted for girls' use every year. Addison, Skyler and Bailey are just a few of the many names that sounded solidly masculine a generation ago, but now rank in the "who can tell?" category. Yet a girl named Bill sounds just as unlikely today as she did in 1907.
Parents are selective in their gender flipping. Androgynous names make up a distinctive style with key elements in common. I tallied up 33 names that were in use exclusively for boys 40-50 years ago, but now sound androgynous or feminine. 23 of the 33 turn out to have surname origins--Parker, Kelsey, Peyton. The others include: names with sounds and rhythms typical of female names (Avery, Aubrey); names that seemed new and unusual 50 years ago and emerged into popularity for boys and girls simultaneously (Devin, Darian); and nicknames, a group which has always been more fluid with gender assignments (Drew, Alex).
Meanwhile the traditional English boys' names remain steadfastly masculine. If you look at the most popular names of 100 years ago, from #1 John to #200 Roscoe, only two names--Lee and Marion--would give you a moment's gender confusion.
For a quick gauge of a name's modern androgyny potential, picture a boy in a rough-and-tumble playground a century ago. Give him the name in question. Then ask yourself: "what are the chance this name gets the kid beaten up?" Today's androgynous names are yesterday's "fancy" names, the too-precious monikers that stood out in a field of Tom, Dick and Harrys. Even names that have become masculine standards in the ensuing years, such as Cameron, retain an echo of fanciness that leaves them open to reassignment. And as for the classic fancy-lad names, girls named Chauncey and Chesley are doubtless right around the corner.
But the classic boys will still be boys. And Bills will still be roosters, not hens.
Comments
How do Kyle and Ryan compare? How on the rise are they for girls? I'm writing a story involving a girl named Kyle.... not to mention a boy named Lindsay. Anyone know a female Kyle? I see a few on the Name Voyager....
hey Laura!awesome forum-i love reading all the cool interesting things there is to know about names. you seem to really like the Wizard of Oz series so as an idea for a new update: how common are wizard of Oz names in everyday life-are any on the rise? this might be especially interesting with the prevelance of Gregory Mcguire's Wicked book (one of the names in there is Nessa-Rose)thanks-keep up the amazing work!~Ellie
I just read The Price of Silence by Kate Wilhelm. The main character was a woman named Todd, with no explanation for why she had a man's name. The dichotomy was too strong for me and I kept forgetting that she was a woman.
Hi, there was a girl named Kyle on the UPN reality seriec, "America's Next Top Model," this season. She was eliminated a couple of weeks ago, but was a very pretty girl...I believe from a small town in the midwest.
Hi, there was a girl named Kyle on the UPN reality seriec, "America's Next Top Model," this season. She was eliminated a couple of weeks ago, but was a very pretty girl...I believe from a small town in the midwest.
Hi, there was a girl named Kyle on the UPN reality seriec, "America's Next Top Model," this season. She was eliminated a couple of weeks ago, but was a very pretty girl...I believe from a small town in the midwest.
I know a three-year old girl named Kyelar. She is named for two of her dad's cousins: Kyle and Tyler (both male).--Elizabeth
I also had a female student a few years ago named Ryan Jordan (first and middle names). She was a college freshman then so is about 23 now.--Elizabeth
well the main character of prime was named Raphael nn Raphi....which was really sad for me-i kept imagining all the people in the movie theatre admiring the character's personality and then deciding that the name Raphael for a girl was really pretty. for me this is a distintly boys name...i guess because its one of the angels (raphael, uriel,michael,gabriel)
I knew a couple of female Camerons my age (I was born in 1958) in high school, but years later met a male child named Cameron -- his dad was a sports nut and named him after Cam Neely. I have also met a female Chauncey (who is within 10 or so years of my age), but never a male, but then again, I don't live in England.My name is Beverly, and I hated hated HATED it when I was a kid. I was one of those girly-girl anti-tomboys who wore dresses even on weekends, and I would have preferred something superfeminine like Lisa or Clarissa. In fifth grade I discovered a historical figure named Narcissa Whitman and decided that was the best name EVER!Of course, my name is one of those technically unisex names that would get a boy beaten up on the playground these days, like Lynn, Leslie, Shirley and Marion. There is an actor named Leslie Jordan who has guest starred in "Will & Grace" as a character named Beverley Leslie. Yes, he's a guy, but the actor, if not the character, is openly gay.Can we actually predict what gender direction a name is going to take, though? Forty years ago it was unheard of to name a girl Ashley. That name belonged to Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With the Wind" -- OK, he was a wuss, but he wasn't effeminate. These days a male Ashley would have a terrible time on the playground.There are certain names that seem to have remained acceptable for both sexes: Dale, Lee, Morgan, Dorian (thanks, "One Life to Live"), the aforementioned Cameron, and -- provided they're spelled with an I not a Y -- Robin and Sidney. While others, like Ashley and Courtney, have become "nomen non grata" for the sex they originally were associated with.Much as I hated my name as a child, I went through a phase of loving unisex names, especially for girls, thinking they would free my future daughter from gender stereotyping. I never had kids, but remain partial to "strong" names for girls, such as Carol and Barbara, which I will forever associate with strong, self-assured females (maybe because I have met so many Carols and Barbaras over the years who were like that).Then again, if you want to give a girl a "feminine" name, there's the whole subsphere of feminine names with androgynous nicknames: Louise (Lou), Christine (Chris), Alexandra/-ia (Alex), Denise (Denny), Lisa (Lee), Joanne/Josephine (Jo, Jody, Joey), Roberta (Bobbie), Georgia/Georgina (Georgie), Judith (Jude) ... I could go on, but I won't, having already rambled much too long. Great post, Laura!
I worked in a company with a girl named Kyle. I have found Kyla more common though. I also went to school with twin girls named Erin and Rian. You don't get more androgynous sounding than that.
All these comments ar very interesting, particularly the last one. I've never never NEVER thought of Erin as anything other than a feminine name.
Erin sounds like Aaron, a distinctly male name.
Actually, I know a couple of men named Ashley (in their mid-30's) and one boy (4). I doubt these guys had much trouble on the playground (esp. the former college football player) but one of them does go by Ash most of the time. Here are some more androgenous names of people I know: Gamble, Chilton, Morgan, McCray, Laurence, Michael, Scott, Keenan.
I had a work contact once whose name was Adair. We emailed back and forth for months, and I didn't realize until an eventual phone call that she was a she.Different but related: I also knew someone called Bill. This was less than ten years ago and he was maybe 16. I don't think I ever did manage to call him by his name; the temporal dissonance was too great....
"Erin sounds like Aaron, a distinctly male name."Depends on how you pronounce it. To me, EH-rin sounds very different from AIR-un.I knew a female Rian, though she pronounced it to rhyme with Ian, not Ryan.
I taught high school for a few years, and one very small private school where I taught had an Aaron and an Erin. Because of the particular regionalism of the area (eastern upstate NY), and also the fact that Erin was an unofficial foster kid in Aaron's family, the kids did not differentiate between the pronunciations and referred to them as Aaron Boy and Erin Girl. Or just Boy and Girl for short.This drove me a little crazy, as I could clearly hear the difference between Aaron and Erin, but then again, I was born/raised in the Boston area, and cannot hear the difference between the male name Don and the female name Dawn.
Yes, well, to my accent Erin and Aaron sound extremely different (I'm Australian). However, I can see why some people from the US would think they were practically the same name (er and aar would both be pronounced something like air). For me, though, Erin is pronounced e (as in pet) - rin (i as in pick) or -run, whereas Aaron would be pronounced a (as in cat) - run.
Cool post and thread!I know a young woman named Kyle. And about 10 years ago I met a young woman named Travis. (I must admit, in both cases they threw me, having only before encountered these as "boys' names".Erin/Aaron: to my (midwestern)ear, they're the same name. As are Don and Dawn. My husband (who's from the Northeast), completely disagrees.
Great site, though that ad banner along the right hand side makes it incredibly hard to read/navigate!Can you post the list of 33 names?
I am an Erin who gre up in California and until I went to college, I always thought my name was pronounced the same as Aaron. In college my roomate from Hawaii pronounced them differently and I loved it!
What's wrong with Bill for a 16-year-old? I've known several who would have been around that age ten years ago.
My daughter's name is Ryan Claire.... She's 13 months old and ALL GIRL.
My daughter's name is Ryan also. Ryan Lindsay. She is a newborn
My daughter's name is Ryan also. Ryan Lindsay. She is a newborn
Hey I m an Indian And currently residing in USA and i put my son name Ashley and he is born in India!i was not aware that ashley is female name !And i cant evn change his name now!becoz 2 countries are involved !is it a really big issue
Great site. Are there any androgynous names that you think will become predominately girls names in the future (i.e. Madison, Courtney)?
My daughter is Ryan Mary. Ryan is a great name for a girl but unusual enough that I get many raised eyebrows.
You parents who name your daughters Ryan Claire, Ryan Lindsay and Ryan Mary, how come you would never name a boy Claire, Lindsay or Mary? Is this not a double standard? Or would he not be ALL BOY then?First you take a boy's name and use it for girls. Then you say the boy's name is too "girly" for a boy. I hate this sexism!
I am so with the last comment. I have two boys - one aged 10 who I named Madison Kendall, and the other boy aged 7 who I named Ashley Campbell. I really wanted to name my boys using "unisex/androgynous" names. Now I am expecting my third child and as I look at the so-called unisex names I find more and more resistance with people telling me that I can't use such and such a name because it's now almost exclusively female.
What I am studying right now is taking less common/unusual names that have been used by girls in the past and seeing if they will work on a boy. Right now Fallon is my number one choice. If I name my son Fallon, he is much less likelt to meet another girl of that name, than Madison or Ashley have.
Melissa
I am a 26 year old and my name is Ryan. Ryan Elizabeth. I love it. I hated it as a little girl. I wanted a girly name. I love introducing myself now and seeing people's face. It's great. "Nice to meet you, Im Ryan." I usually get a double take or a suprprised look. They never forget me or my name!
I'm a 20 year old girl named Shane, and I love my name! People generally don't believe they've heard me correctly when I introduce myself and say something like "Excuse me, you said Jane?" I'd never heard of another woman named Shane until that character on the tv show The L Word.
Man, I'm feeling left out. Whenever I introduce myself, saying, "Hi, I'm Christina!" nobody does a double take with me.
I suspect it might have to do with the fact that I'm female, and Christina's a female name.
Maybe I should change it to Roland.
I am curious, too, what androgynous names will become 'girl' down the road... I'm particularly interested in what will happen with the name Rowan, given Brooke Shield's daughter. Now there are far more male Rowan's than girl Rowan's, but I wonder if this recent celeb baby will sway the name to the girls side. Thoughts, Laura? :)
Im a 19 yr old female and my name is Shane Daniella. I love it. I dont think there is any problem with androgynous names for both genders. I dont see why things have to be complicated. If a parent wants to name their son Madison or their daughter Ryan.. that is their business and I am all for it. I personally love having an androgynous name and I intend on giving my children androgynous names as well.
My great-grandmother and her sisters all had boyish names. She was Billye Frances, with sisters named Jean and Georgia, George and William were two of their great grandfathers. Billye married Karl and named one of their daughters Karla Jayne. I think people have realized if they don't have a son, they can name their little girl after dear old dad.
I wish we'd get away from "boy names/girl names" all together. A name is just a name. It shouldn't matter if it's on a boy or a girl. We'll always have personal preferences but that's with anything in life. I love the names Ashley, Courtney, Kelly, Kerry, Shannon, Madison, & Lindsey for boys. I named my son Kendall which to me is very masculine yet ever since he was born, I've heard the name used for girls. Personally, I don't like it for a girl but it doesn't make girls anymore masculine then it makes my son feminine, and believe me....he's all boy! I don't know any boys named Jane but hey, it's only a letter different from Dane & close to Shane and Wayne. So, why not Jane :)
I'm Kyle - a 37 year old female, and i've met less than a handful of female Kyles in my lifetime. In fact, I only knew of two other Kyles (both male) during my entire life in Texas. Now that I live in the Northwest, I find that Kyles (males0 are a dime a dozen. I've always appreciated having a "boy's name." By the way, I've got a sister named Luke, a mom named Andy, and a step sister named Keith...crazy? nope, interesting. I named my daughter Michael and am in search of an evenly matched name for daughter #2. This is a great thread...thank you!
My name is also Kyle and I am a young woman. I use to hate being mistaken for a male but now I love my name. People never forget me after a first meeting. It's always, "You're the girl that's named Kyle, that's so cool." Also, a lot of guys think my name is "hot." Go figure.
My son is due in September. My husband and I have selected the name Morgan for him and have had some pretty negative reactions from friends and family because they believe it's a "girl's" name.
I am female, and my middle name is Ian. I've gotten funny looks, especially going to the UK, and my voter reg card has no gender marked cos my first name is very feminine. It's so funny, and I love it :) I like having a man's name.
I'm 30, female, and my name is Rowan. I love it, and am very happy with my name.
i wanna name my daughter Rowan but i cant think of a middle name. any ideas?
My name is Toni people always expect a man when they call my house even though my name is spelled in the female way. I am used to it by now. I named my son Logan which I also found out can be for a girl too and am most likely going to name my daughter Fallon which I have heard for a boy. Growing up with a mainly male name never bothered me nor will it my kids now doubt. I mean a name is a name. And sbout the whole Kyle thing I wanted to name my daughter Kyle for the longest when I was a teen but of course my tastes changed but it was mainly because her father won't let me name her that. But I need help with a middle name for Fallon??
I am 27 and a female Kyle. I was ambivalent about my name growing up. Now, I love it. People always expect a male when i go for interviews. Nobody forgets my name. I feel like my unique name has contributed to my success. I have met one other female Kyle. Incidentally, Lee Meriwether appeared with her daughter named Kyle in a commercial many years ago. Kyle was also the first name of Jodie Foster's character in Flightplan.
My mom named me kyle after one of her best girlfriends in high school and my dad absolutly loved the name kyle for a girl. I have grown up with people questioning my nam many times. kyle? isnt that a boy name they would ask? well i'm 18 now and i guess thats still a never ending question. It doesnt bother me, but when a substitute teacher went as far as calling me a liar for not believing me that my name was Kyle, i got pretty upset.
My mom named me kyle after one of her best girlfriends in high school and my dad absolutly loved the name kyle for a girl. I have grown up with people questioning my nam many times. kyle? isnt that a boy name they would ask? well i'm 18 now and i guess thats still a never ending question. It doesnt bother me, but when a substitute teacher went as far as calling me a liar for not believing me that my name was Kyle, i got pretty upset.
My name is Ashley and I went to high school with close to 10 other Ashleys, two of which were boys. I also went to college with two girls named kyle. I have a good friend named Jamie that goes mostly by James, and I think James alone would be a good name for a girl. I've also known girls named Charley, Ryan and Joey. I like names that are unique and stand out to people and I think that sometimes using a "boys" name for a "girls" name can do just that. However,I also think a name is just a name though, and it's more in the way a person presents themselves that we assosciate characteristics with a particular name.
I'm not so sure how popular the name Kyle is becoming for girls but not only have I heard it on America's next Top Model (one of the competitor's names) but I am also pregnant and expecting a girl in March whose name will be Khyle Charissa- Marie. I love unique, uncommon names ( not so uncommon that they've never been heard but enough so that not everyone else will have it) I named my other 2 children both boys Gavin and Brayden and both names are now in the top 20 ranked names, so I expect that Kyle, for a girl, will soon become more and more popular as well. At least this seems to have been the trend in my life so far! :) I wish it weren't because I'd like for my children's names to stay somewhat uncommon but at least I know I have good taste!
I am also very keen on the name Rowan for my daughter (due in 3 months. My only concern is the comments that it's traditionally a boys name. Having a fairly unusual name myself I liked the individuality of it and not having a host of people with the same name, hopefully my daughter will feel the same way!
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