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Back in the mid 70's, I used to babysit for a family that had two little girls, one named Ashley and one named Whitney. They were both born in the early 70's, and both names were unusual and---dare I say it?---refreshing on little girls at that time. I checked, and neither was in the top hundred for that decade. Later, by the eighties, both became popular, Ashley reaching the number one spot. The parents were trendsetters, certainly, and I wonder if they minded the names they chose later becoming so popular (the way I feel about Victoria). I remember the mom telling me that she liked and made an effort to find unusual names---funny to think of now when we've all known a plethora of female Ashleys!

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Anyway, the purpose of this post is to ask what you think of Whitney on a girl. Ashley has become so common that at this point I feel like I can't separate my opinion of it from its overwhelming popularity---just one of those names that make me think, "Oh, no, not another Ashley." But Whitney never became as popular, and the little girl I used to babysit for is the only one I've ever known.

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I admit, I like Whitney for a girl. What about you? Or do you prefer it as a boy's name? Do you think it's still usable for a boy? To me, it's more feminine sounding, but what do you think?