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HelpShiloh
Spotted in the wild, in South Africa: a middle-aged man named Shiloh. The first I've seen, on either gender.
I had always assumed, on no evidence other than Neil Diamond, that Shiloh was mostly used as a fem name. Is it genuinely unisex?
I had always assumed, on no evidence other than Neil Diamond, that Shiloh was mostly used as a fem name. Is it genuinely unisex?
Replies
It can be. I prefer it for a girl, but I wouldn't think it was strange if I met a male Shiloh.
Well, if you look at the popularity figures for Shiloh on this site you will see that it's been among the top 1000 names for both girls and boys in the USA since 2015, though it has been a bit more common for girls. In England & Wales the % figures for boys and girls recently are almost identical. So I would say by usage it is now genuinely "unisex." As an American, that's also my subjective impression. Personally I think it sounds more like a male name than a female one.
Crazy to me that I was the only one so far to mention the book/movie about the dog. It was popular when I was growing up so I'd assume it'd still have more cultural relevance now.
One for my classmates growing up had a sister named Shiloh. She'd be about college aged now. Though I generally prefer it on a boy. She was a sweetie though. I also knew a female coworker with it that would be in her mid to late 30s now. I always think of the beagle dog Shiloh since it was the first chapter book I read as a kid. Was also one of my favorite childhood movies. About the boy who tried to rescue Shiloh from a cruel man.
This message was edited 10/1/2024, 1:11 PM
As a retired school librarian, I'm happy to see a book holds a fond place in someone's memories of elementary school. Great book!
Books were My Sanctuary when I had none as a little girl 💜 the best ones always stay with me in my heart.
I like the nn Shy.
It's genuinely unisex, but more common as a feminine name after Angelina Jolie used it for her daughter. The Hebrew form, Shilo, is only masculine in Israel.
The only ones i know are feminine
Shiloh always made more sense as a male name to me. Maybe because I grew up near a military base with the name. I don't see why it couldn't be unisex. I don't mind it so much on a male, there's something about it that makes me think of the Dust Bowl era and John Steinbeck novels. It's kind of a depressing name to me.
I saw a 20-something female Shiloh in a waiting room a few weeks ago, that was my first encounter with it on a real person, and it definitely felt strange to hear it. Somehow it works on a toddler, but on a young woman it was odd.
I saw a 20-something female Shiloh in a waiting room a few weeks ago, that was my first encounter with it on a real person, and it definitely felt strange to hear it. Somehow it works on a toddler, but on a young woman it was odd.
Right, the only one I know is a young woman that's college aged. ... half tempted to assume it's the same girl somehow lmao 🤣
I've always viewed it as a unisex name.
I can't stand it—it epitomizes vapid, early-2000s celebrity naming trends.
I can't stand it—it epitomizes vapid, early-2000s celebrity naming trends.
I've never heard of a male with the name (a character, actor or an ordinary person), but it sounds unisex to me. Not particularly manly or feminine. I wouldn't have expected it on a middle-aged person, but considering its a man, I'm no longer too surprised. Many unisex names used to be strictly masculine. I have heard of several girls with the name, the first one being "The Mermaid Girl". She was featured on an episode of "Extraordinary People". She was born with her legs attached to each other. I like the name. I always remember how hopeful that child was. And... I think of a whale, the ocean or Moby Dick.