The Baby Name Wizard

My name is Molly. My mother told me had I been a boy, I would have been Matthew. I think that name might have suited me well. Not Matt. Matt is strange to me, but Matthew, yes, I could have been Matthew.

Interesting topic, Laura! I don't see you as an Evan either!

I was the eldest child in my family and, if I had been a boy, I would have been Thomas John. Thomas for my mother's father and John for my father. A few years after my birth, my parents actually had a premee, to whom they gave that name, but he didn't survive. Unlike historical custom, they decided that name would not be given to any future children, so my brother was named Philip John. We then discovered that my grandfather's name was not really Thomas (VERY long story). So I think it is not so likely now to be a family name, although some other ancestors bear the name. But as a name, I like it, and would be very happy to be Tom!

Having been born in Israel, I have a modern Hebrew name - Inbal. Since I spent much of my childhood in the US, I came to resent my foreign, hard-to-pronounce name and would fantasize about being called by a variety of trendy, commong names used in the US at the time (Jennifer and Jessica were a personal favorite for me as a kid in the 80's).

Had I been born a boy, my parents were going to name me either Ron or the biblical name Yoav (Joan - the head of David's army). My sister was eventually given the unisex name of Ron (unisex names are big in Israel these days) and she loves it, but I think her experience as a female Ron is far different from what I'd experience as a male.

I do think, however, that Joab is a better male counterpart to Inbal since it still sounds foreign (especially spelled in the Israeli manner of Yoav) and as a boy, I probably would have resented is just as much as I did Inbal (I don't resent it anymore, by the way).

But as a male Ron, growing up in the US would probably have been a very different experience.

Joan = Joab. Sorry about the typo.

I would have been Peter Matthew, had I been a boy. Very in keeping with my brother's NT-filled name, T!mothy 4ndr3w. I don't resonate to Peter or Pete, though.

In the previous thread there was discussion about how Amy and David both mean beloved. I think I could happily have been a David. It feels like it would suit me, and it was a common choice for babies when I was born.

I would have been Kevin, and really, that probably would have worked just fine for me. My family and friends would have called me "Kev" instead of "Kar" and I can see identifying with that. I think that my connection with the letter "K" is quite salient in my mind, so any other initial doesn't feel right.

*
If my boyfriend, Brian John, had been a girl, he would have been named Stephanie Lorraine. That is SO not him that I tease him about it whenever given the opportunity. Briana would suit him a lot more. But that is a cheap way out, isn't it?

If either my sister or I had been boys we would have been Jeffrey, which I've never particularly liked. I've known for as long as I can remember that Jeffrey was the other name option so I wonder if part of the reason I don't like it is that sort of little-girl rebellion against boys? There's certainly nothing fundamentally wrong with the name.

If I could choose a name I also like Matthew (as someone else did above), it's similar in popularity to my name which I'm sure shaped me as a person. I also just like the sound. I could also be Kenneth. This was my grandfather's name and my cousin named after him, a bit more unusual but a good name (and I'm sure I'd have survived the Barbie issues:).

I am Meegan but would have been Matthew. The thought of being male is so foreign to me, though (obviously), that I wouldn't even know how to begin choosing the right name for me as a boy!

Wow -- lots of Matthews who turned out to be girls on this board.

To respond to some things on the last thread:

Re: Sienna. The Italian spelling is Siena and it's a wonderful place! I went there a few years ago and it's similar to Florence, but has a smaller town feel. Less touristy. We only spent a little while, but it's definitely worth a visit. As a side note I had no idea when we went there in College that Florence was Firenze in Italian and was so confused cause they really sound very different!

@zoerhenne thanks for the naming story, that's certainly amusing, although I definitely feel bad for the Mom. Maybe she's ok with it? Although if so why would he have had to sneak in and change the name. As an aside I always think it's a little dangerous to name your child after a living politician/moviestar what-have-you. Never know what crazy things they'll do next!

I am a female Blake. If I were to have been a boy, no my name would not have been Blake, it would have been Patrick.

I am not sure how I feel about that. I like the name Patrick. But I am not sure if I would have made a good Patrick myself.

I would have been Richard after my dad -- Ricky for short.

I can't imagine myself as a Richard, Rick, or Ricky.

Giving myself a male name, I would be a Zane. something a little out of the ordinary. (The year I was born it was in the top 1000, but less than 500). I am just too unconventional to be a Richard, John, David, Andrew or William (the family names of my generation).

Of course, my parents would never have gone along with it... what would the neighbors think?

@Jennifer from last thread.

So many great name suggestions for sisters to Julianna and Elise! There were a lot I liked but Amelia stuck out to me when I said the three together. I also wanted to suggest Margaret. I think it's a great classic and while longer it has a crisp sound so it doesn't sound too girly IMO.

Congratulations btw!

I actually really identify with my brother's name, Michael. I think that would be a good name for me if I was a boy. (I didn't actually have a boy name. My mom had amniocentesis and an ultrasound before they were common, being an older mom with me, and had not picked out names when she found out I was a girl. My brother's girl name was Sarah.)

Count me as another would-have-been Matthew. My parents were actually going to name me Matthew or Daniel had I been a boy. Agreed- I have no idea what I'd be like as a man, so it would be hard to name myself. Also, popular boys names like Matt and Dan are specific people to me now, so that makes it weirder.

I do know as a kid I loved the name Luke. It was the name of all my male dolls, and I have no idea why. I can't see me being a Luke though-- maybe a Brian or Benjamin? This is hard!

My real name is Erin, but my mother also considered Leann and Susan. I would have been a fitting Leann, but definitely not a Susan. If I was born a boy, my name would have been Christopher, which is one of my least favorite boy names!

Funny, I would have been Michael (no middle, parents were still fighting over it when I came out girl). I cannot picture being a Mike (and at my age, Mike would have been as inevitable as Steve for Stephen/Steven, which is my kid brother's name, with Michael being his middle).

I could see Laurence (as a female Laura, it would transalte well in my head) or since I always wanted something more exotic (Cleopatra was always my favorite, I'd make a wicked cool Cleo!), maybe Cassius, Apollo or Lucius. I can see Cassius on me, easily, with the other two being likely.
If my brother had been a girl, he ws to have been Lilian, for Grandma. My sister Kathleen would have been James.

(hey, my captcha is Nathaniel later!)

Also, as a sort of tangentially- related topic-- there was a documentary on the other night about people who have had sex changes. While this is a bit different, i thought it was interesting that some stuck with names that were somewhat comparable to their birth name (one person went from Jennifer to James), others departed from their names completely (can't remember the names...but think the equivalent of Bob to Jessica).

I would have been Greg or Craig if I was a boy (b. 1966). Craig doesn't feel right to me at all, but I could see Greg. I really dislike both names. My parents said the name Eric was also a consideration, but since it's what I named MY son, and his personality is so... forceful (ha ha), I don't think it fits me. I don't know how I would choose a male name for myself *right now*, but I like the idea of something like Dax-- short, hard sounds, nick-namey, without being frivolous. Hm, that's kind of MY personality! LOL

I had names for both sexes picked out for my kids. Eric would have been Ashley, Kevin would have been Catherine, McKenna would have been Jack. Jack is the only one I would actually use for another child. I no longer love Ashley, and Catherine doesn't fit me either (even though I LOVE it and the nn Kate) anymore.

Remembering the renaming-ourselves discussion from the past months, I would love to be Kate. I just think it is one of the most perfect names. But I dislike my own name, so that might color my preferences.

I would have been Scott Patrick had I been born a boy. (I am Janet Patricia). My little sister was also slated to be Scott Patrick; turns out my parents never did get to use that name. I could see myself being a Scott, or perhaps my husband's name, Andrew. Scott, Andrew and Janet all are nickname free (for us) and somewhat plain-ish sounding to me.

I believe I would have been Colin instead of Colleen if I'd been a boy. Not surprisingly, I think I would have done quite well as a Colin--it's celtic and sounds almost exactly like the name I do have, and I think it's subdued but substantial. I actually like the name a lot, but could never give it to a son--too similar to my own.

Two of my sisters (Sh@nnon & M@ura) would have been named Brendan if they'd been boys. My sister Casey would have been named...Casey.

I'm a Sarah. Had I been a boy, I would have been named Ben Trovato. From the American Heritage Dictionary: "ben trovato: adj. Appropriate even if untrue; happily invented: a story that is ben trovato." I think we can all agree that I dodged a bullet on that one.

I would have been Paul William if I was a boy. I am glad I was a girl and was named Fiona Clare instead. My sister born 2 1/2 years later was almost meant to be Paul William, 5 years later my parents had a son and he was named Hamish. If he was a girl he would have been Victoria.

My husband would have been Jodie if born a girl, Steve is 100 times better!

If I were a boy, I would have been called Ryan Edward.

Blame my mother for being a daytime soap fan circa 1982. Ryan ala Ryan's Hope & Brooke as in Brooke English of All my Children. I do not think Ryan would have suited me.

Now Edward, my father's name, seems more fitting. Growing up, I could have been an Eddie(annoying)and now an Edward(sophisticated).

I would have been Joshua. Both Tirzah and Joshua are Old Testament names, but one is far far more popular. I went through elementary school with 4 Joshes; I would have been the 5th. Josh fits the smart, somewhat nerdy, image I have of myself. But I'm very used to having an unusual and striking name.

Well it's funny when your parents are divorced, you can get two different stories about the circumstances of your naming. My mother claims I would have been named for my father, if I had been a boy; but my father seems not to like such names, and when he did get a son, didn't choose a name-after. So.... ? I'll never know. I'm just glad I landed with the name I got.

My son would have been Julia instead of James; my daughter would have been Isaac or Simon instead of Helen. I do keep those names in a special pocket of my mind, not to be used, but to be remembered, anyway.

I'm a Catherine who would have been either Kevin or Christopher (my brother's names). I can see it; I'm pretty nondescript.

I think I'd make a good Paul.

Interesting post. If I were born a boy (in 1979), my parents tell me that I would have been a Barney. Did I dodge a bullet or what?! Luckily, that name is not what they used for my younger brother. If I had to pick a male name that would suit me, I think maybe Paul. Or Stephen, which is my dad's name.

My parents hadn't selected a name for either gender by the time I was born-- it took a whole day and some nagging from nurses before they settled on Emily. I arrived more than a little ahead of schedule, though, so I think they can be forgiven for being unprepared. =) Judging from what I know of their name preferences, I think I'd have ended up an Adam or an Aaron.

If I gave myself a male name, it would be Miles. I like it because it looks a lot like my real name, without being just an obviously masculinized version. But my parents never would have picked it; they thought even Emily was a bit daring! They refuse to believe me when I tell them that Emily was perfectly mainstream in the 1980s.

I would have been Ryan Daniel. My two younger sisters would have both been Ryan Michael. I think Ryan would suit me pretty well, actually.

I know that my parents had decided on the name Adam if I had been a boy. It is very similar to my name, in terms of letter usage. I think it would have been a good fit.

*By the time my brother was born three years later, though, they had moved on to Austin.

If would have been born a boy my name would have been Robert Ross.

There are 6 generations of men named Robert on my dad's side descending from the first Robert to arrive in America from Scotland; my father being Robert #5 and grandfather being Robert #4.

Ross was the name of my mother's father.

My mother wasn't really thrilled with the name Robert, but with that type of history there was no way around it. My mother told me I would have been called Robby/Rob.

I can't even imagine Robert being my name because it has been bestowed on a later child. My parents divorced and my father remarried. I have a half brother named Robert David (my stepmother's father's name).

I am happy with my name. Being a female allowed me to have my own identity without the expectations of a family legacy.

I would have been Marco Antonio instead of Sofia Elena. Marco is okay, I'm not crazy about Antonio.

I think Daniel would suit me better, though.

My parents never could agree on a boy name...they joked about Wolfgang, but wouldn't have used it I'm sure. My mom wanted to use the name "Jay", but didn't know that it could just be used on it's own, so she liked Jacob (my dad didn't). When I was pregnant with my first son she finally decided what she would've called me if I were a boy: Carter (it's a family name on my dad's side). Carter was very uncommon 30 years ago, so it would've been nice.

Of course, I was supposed to be Betsy and they immediately decided that I was too "contemplative" to be a Betsy and switched to Julia a day after I was born. I'm definitely not a Betsy. Julia and Carter seem like acceptable choices for me.

I'm Rebecca Joy, and if I'd been a boy, I would have been Matthew John. They went on to name my brother that though, so I'm finding it hard to picture myself as one.

I'm having a hard time picking a name for myself as a man - but I imagine I would Benjamin (Ben), Christopher (Chris), or Nicholas (Nick) suit me best.

My name is Sarah; classic, traditional and very common. Had I been a boy, I would have been named Israel.

While they are both OT names they have a very different feel, with Israel having more of a Jewish or Hispanic vibe, neither of which describe our ethnicity.

My parents did use the name Israel (for their 4th child and 1st son) and the name fits him well...he has a much different and stronger personality than I.

If I were to pick a boy's name similar in style/popularity to Sarah I would go with Andrew. I think it has matches the popularity and style well.

If I had been a boy my name would've been James Brandon. That is the name my parents used for my little brother. I can't imagine myself as a James or Jim - maybe a Jay?

I would choose Will for my male identity - I have always loved the name.

My parents originally had chosen the name Kristin for me but changed their mind after I was born. I've sometimes wondered if my life would've been different as Kristin - for some reason I imagine I would've been blonder / more outgoing / more popular and possibly a cheerleader instead of the quiet bookish girl I was. Who knows.

I'm a Jennifer and would have been Michael William-- a name which was subsequently given to my brother 5 yrs later. Jennifer and Michael go hand-in-hand; both overwhelmingly popular, formal names.

Of course I would prefer something a bit more distinctive... perhaps Augustine Gregory after my grandfather and father?

I know that my parents considered Myra and Myrna for me, but happily they chose Miriam. I never heard them mention any male name under consideration. However, had I been a boy I still would have been named for my grandfather Meyer Wolf. I rather doubt that they would have used Meyer for my civil name. Maybe Myron (ick! or maybe something popular like Michael. I would have hoped that they would have included Wolf in the name. I think Wolf (a la Wolf Blitzer) is way cool, and I could definitely see myself as Wolf. Unfortunately there is no special term for a female wolf like vixen for a fox (at least that I know of), so I have no vulpine middle name.

When my sister was expected, I heard my parents debating between Suzanne (what was ultimately chosen) and Bonnie Cheryl. I never heard anything about a boy's name (this was of course well before it was possible to determine sex during gestation). My sister was named for our great-grandmother. I don't have any idea whether my parents would have adapted her name (which was Shayna Liebe) for a boy (maybe Sheldon Leonard, although maybe not since my cousin Leonard Sidney, named after a great-uncle, had just been born), or whether they would have chosen to honor a male relative, and, if co, which one.

I'm Cynthi@ and my twin sister is C@therine. If we were boys, we would have been Ph!lip and J@son. I'm not sure which would have been which, but I'd much prefer J@son.

If my sister were a boy, she was going to be named Logos, as in the Greek term for "The Word" (The Bible). If that weren't odd enough, they were going to pronounce it "LOG-us" (first syllable rhymes with SMOG). It's supposed to be pronounced "LO-gos". They ended up naming my sister Liberty.

(Now you can see that I got my penchant for word names from my folks.)

My name is Phoebe (b. 1972), and if I had been a boy I would have been Jesse. Very different style to my mind! I have no idea what they were thinking. My siblings are Jane and Nathaniel, which go better with my name.

I can't imagine being a man, but today I'm going with Jeremiah as my alternate-reality name - it's unusual, like Phoebe, and is a family name (something my mother likes).

Funny you should mention...

I found this entry particularly interesting, being trans (born and raise female, now male). I was named Alexandra, but always went by 'Alex' since I abhorred my full name. Seeing no reason to fix what wasn't broke, I am now Alexander.

While my parents did have some male names kicking around - Robert, James (my grandfathers; I took the former as my current middle name) and Maximillian (I could be a Max) - more interesting perhaps are the female names I didn't wind up with. 'Sydney' I could have lived with (being as unisex as "Alex"), but the other options, 'Jasmine' and 'Anastasia' (pronounced Greek - a-na-STAH-see-a), would probably have made me a much more miserable child.

Cool topic! Interesting how many Matthew's there are.

I'm Katherine, would have been Thomas Clayton if I were a boy -- Thomas is my father's name, so I would have been Clayton. My mom always insisted on my full name (rather than Katie, Kat, etc.) and my brother's name is Carter, so I'd probably be Clayton as opposed to just Clay.

I actually think the name would suit me pretty well -- traditional and sturdy, but fairly unique.

I'm Eliz@beth and I think I would have been Michael if I'd been a boy. I think that would have been fine - like mine, it's one of those "blank slate" names, classic and common, that don't push you in any direction.

I'm one of the many Nicole's born in the US in the early 1970's. Had I been male, I would've been named Jeremy. You know, Jeremy would actually be a great name to have today - I think it has stood the test of time a bit better than Nicole, which I've noticed is now more commonly used as a middle name. All has not been lost.

My husband, Jon, would've been Heather - which is the name of his younger sister. Nothing too surprising there. With all of the floral names being in vogue, I do wonder why Heather isn't more popular - probably because it is still too date-stamped to 3 decades ago. Ten years from now it just might make a comeback.

I am Kerry but would have been Cullen (after my grandfather) if I had been a boy. Though I do not hate Kerry, I actually think Cullen fits me better as a person. I recently was talking with my mother and she said that she did not consider it at the time but she kind of wishes that she had used Cullen for me as a girl's name. (Though I still prefer it as a boys name and would consider using it myself for future sons.)

I'm a Sarah who would have been Andrew/Andy. I don't have strong feelings about it either way, but I have always wished I had a common nickname option.

What I think is more interesting to think about are the other girls' names my parents seriously considered. My dad wanted Lori or Lisa and my mom loved Carly. I can't imagine being called any of those! The only names they could agree on were Sarah and Emily, both of which sound much more appropriate to me.

I'm commenting totally anonymously because this is private family stuff, but it applies here. One of my cousins grew up as a girl, but as an adult became male---so he had to choose his own name. He chose the name he would have been given if he'd been born a boy.

My parents wanted to use the nickname Kris/Chris, so I'm Kristen but I would have been Christopher. I can't figure out if I feel like a Christopher or not---but what's funny is they never DID use the nickname Kris with me.

More foreign to me is the girl name they were going to use before they heard of the name Kristen (hard to imagine a time when the name Kristen was unusual!): Theresa. I am NOT a Theresa. I feel as if I would have grown up disliking my name, and would have changed it! But perhaps I'd have felt differently if it really had been my name.