If you had to..
..give your daughter a masculine name and your son a feminine name how would you name them?
Think along the lines of Margery for a son and Emmett for a daughter. So no androgynous names or names that have “changed genders” like Vivian and Meredith.
formerly Belphoebe
⭐️
I am in the mood
to dissolve
in the sky.
- Virginia Woolf
Think along the lines of Margery for a son and Emmett for a daughter. So no androgynous names or names that have “changed genders” like Vivian and Meredith.
⭐️
I am in the mood
to dissolve
in the sky.
- Virginia Woolf
Replies
I found it really difficult too! I would genuinely use my girl picks, but the boy ones I really waffled over, like would I REALLY have the guts to use these though? It felt so much more wrong and risky to even contemplate calling a boy Zoe, or even Wednesday. I'm sure it does have something to do with internalized gender prejudice.
That's exactly what happened to me! I've been thinking about it and perhaps it's because of how feminism and the deconstruction of gender roles has focused more on women than men. Of course, women have historically suffered more due to discrimination and gender roles but only in the last few years have I seen people commenting on how these gender stereotypes also affect men (the belief that men shouldn't cry or be emotional, etc.). Liberating from gender roles has not been as easy for men as it has been for women, since men are the ones who have been the most privileged over the years, most of the time thanks to gender roles. Because of that, I think that society accepts women who have traditionally masculine traits (standing up for themselves, being independent or agressive, etc.) more than men who have traditionally feminine traits (being emotional, choosing to be stay-at-home parents, etc.). This view might also extend to names, so that traditionally masculine names are well viewed in girls instead of the other way around. Also, gender prejudice is not easily erased from our minds despite how hard we try to deconstruct some beliefs and the thought that men are better than women is probably still hidden somewhere, so we don't consciously believe that but it makes some subconscious decisions biased.
Totally! And I think for me, the issue was about wondering if it was fair of me to give a boy a name that would challenge so many other people and probably make his life more difficult. Even though I agree with the principles and would WANT a son that is sensitive, gentle, home-loving etc, to put a name on him that really broadcasts those ideas would make him the focus of a lot of people's discomfort and confusion and it wouldn't be fair to designate him as like, a mascot for my beliefs - even if I think they are correct. I think it's easier for girls to wear boy names because in a lot of ways, humans still see maleness as "default human" and respectable.
Anselm & Winifred
Girl- Jack or Odysseus
Boy- Amanda
Boy- Amanda
Boy: Madison
Girl: Elliott
Girl: Elliott
Elliott is unisex.
I like Rose for a boy. It could be a surname-name and the association with the compass rose makes it more gender neutral for me than just the flower.
For a girl, I'm playing with the idea of Robinson, NN Robbie or Bobbi.
I also think Iris, Lainey, Delta and Vesta could work for boys, and Cyril, Cecil and Idris for girls.
For a girl, I'm playing with the idea of Robinson, NN Robbie or Bobbi.
I also think Iris, Lainey, Delta and Vesta could work for boys, and Cyril, Cecil and Idris for girls.
Thaïs (boy)
Casimir (girl)
Casimir (girl)
Ezra, Archer, and Jasper for girls, Clover, Piper, or Rose for boys.
Boy: Hazel
Girl: August
Girl: August
Girl: Ezra, Killian, and Elvis would all be really cool girl names.
Boy: Wednesday, Mallory (if that's allowed), and Zoe if I was really brave.
Also bonus: Sloane would work so much better on a boy and I don't know why it's considered strictly female. I wouldn't use it, but it makes sense.
Boy: Wednesday, Mallory (if that's allowed), and Zoe if I was really brave.
Also bonus: Sloane would work so much better on a boy and I don't know why it's considered strictly female. I wouldn't use it, but it makes sense.
This message was edited 8/4/2024, 6:47 AM
I also considered Ezra :)
It has a mysterious quality on a girl
It has a mysterious quality on a girl
Yeah! It feels witchy in a fun way.
Quintin Bryce (girl)
&
Winifred Opal (boy)
&
Winifred Opal (boy)
Quentin Bryce is the name of Australia’s first female Governor General!
Wow! I honestly had no idea haha
I knew a girl named Bryce in middle school and thought it was cool and sort of extrapolated Quentin from Quincy becoming more common for girls! Apparently I had the right idea XD
I knew a girl named Bryce in middle school and thought it was cool and sort of extrapolated Quentin from Quincy becoming more common for girls! Apparently I had the right idea XD
Girl: Adrian or Jude
Boy: Willow or Romy
Boy: Willow or Romy
Isn't Adrian already unisex?
Girl: Nicolai
Boy: Kristen
Boy: Kristen
Boy: Olive
Girl: Clarence
Girl: Clarence
These are such great picks. Clarence is beautiful.