New Post
Search
HelpMarion / Marian
I've been thinking about the name Marion / Marian lately, and I was wondering what everyone else thinks. Do you consider Marion and Marian both to be unisex, or do you think one is more feminine or masculine than the other?
I think of Marion as being feminine and Marian as being masculine, though I can see how somebody would think differently. WDYT?
Shannon
I think of Marion as being feminine and Marian as being masculine, though I can see how somebody would think differently. WDYT?
Shannon
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Both are very masculine to me. I love the name.
1
Well I'm english & generally I consider Marion & Marian to be female however I could come to see either as a unisex name, certainly alot better than some names that are used as unisex ones. Personally I would prefer Marion for a boy & Marianne for a girl, as Marian looks slightly incomlete to me. I don't really like Marion or Marian much but I do like Marianna (& nn Mia or Anna).
Evy
Evy
1
They're both legitimately unisex names. I like Marion for a girl.
1
Marion is technically unisex, but it's been traditionally used for boys for ages. Marion Morrison is the most famous case; he's better known as John Wayne.
Additionally, the -on ending looks more masculine to me than the -an ending.
So, I prefer Marion for boys (as a masculine form of Mary) and Marian for girls.
True, Marie and Maria are used in French-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries, respectively, as male names--usually as mns, paired with 100% masculine fns--, but here in NA that practice is uncommon. Marion is a more familiar, perhaps more accepted alternative if you want honour a Mary by naming your son after her... or if you just like the name.
Both Marian and Marion are dated, yes, but that doesn't bother me at all. I think many dated names sound very refreshing amongst the sea of today's popular names.
Miranda
Additionally, the -on ending looks more masculine to me than the -an ending.
So, I prefer Marion for boys (as a masculine form of Mary) and Marian for girls.
True, Marie and Maria are used in French-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries, respectively, as male names--usually as mns, paired with 100% masculine fns--, but here in NA that practice is uncommon. Marion is a more familiar, perhaps more accepted alternative if you want honour a Mary by naming your son after her... or if you just like the name.
Both Marian and Marion are dated, yes, but that doesn't bother me at all. I think many dated names sound very refreshing amongst the sea of today's popular names.
Miranda
1
ditto. MIranda said it better than I could :)
1
It's all feminine to me, but I also think it's kinda dated. It reminds me of the mom on Happy Days.
1
I think of Marion as a female name and Marian as a male name, but it's flexible.
They're both borderline unisex to me, since I've seen each on both sexes, but Marian suits a man marginally better, in my opinion. Marianne is the girl name; and Marion on a man suggests either a respelling of Marian, or a surname.
I can deal with either name on either sex.. neither is particularly "masculine" or "feminine" seeming to me.
- chazda
They're both borderline unisex to me, since I've seen each on both sexes, but Marian suits a man marginally better, in my opinion. Marianne is the girl name; and Marion on a man suggests either a respelling of Marian, or a surname.
I can deal with either name on either sex.. neither is particularly "masculine" or "feminine" seeming to me.
- chazda
1