River

I had a neighbor years ago whose name was River. Most of the comments for this name say they've known Rivers who were female, but I think of the name as being masculine simply because the only person I've known to have the name was male.

I don't know why, but I'd picture someone with this name being a granola girl and/or coming from a bohemian-type family.

This is my name and I love it (I'm a girl btw)! Many people who have met me have said it's unique and fits me well! I also know a guy named River.
I think it's a gender-neutral name that fits well for all genders.

This is so awful! I work in HR and cannot imagine this on a resume!

This is an awesome name. I imagine a wise young man with this name. I don't really think the person who works in HR's comment makes sense; what is considered a "resume appropriate" name is pretty subjective and will surely change in the next 20 plus years anyway. I wouldn't bat an eye at a Dr. River [last name] or a Judge River [last name]. It's a really cool name.

River is a name I love for a country boy. It could be feminine or masculine. I named my son River BUT, I made it his middle-name because it isn’t a good title name. It wouldn’t be great for resumes or strength. I chose a more sophisticated masculine first, and made River the short fun middle name. If they choose, they can cut it short, or initial it. A name for the family. Not a serious first name. Unless your really invested in that country sound. In my case we wanted long strong trusted names with that elegance, that were both Spanish & Italian. So as that is difficult, we found another name which fit both cultures, and added a country name as middle. Husband is Hispanic, and my family is Italian & American. Everyone has a name they can pronounce this way.

It would be a good name... if "River" wasn't already a word.

Sure, it may be a name from “modern” English, but it seems like it would age rather well, as opposed to names such as Poppy or Kaylee, both of which I have met adult women with the name. Not sure why people think it won’t look good on a resume. I can picture Grandma/Grandpa River, Dr. River, etc.

I'm a girl and my name (and middle) is River Hope! I honestly love my name even if some people see it as weird or more masculine. I also get a lot of compliments about it which is nice.

This is not at all the sort of style of name I'm usually into, yet I really like it... I would actually use it on a boy, and it's nice on a girl too!

I didn’t like this name until I befriended someone with this name, and it actually sounds very nice to me now.

I only like it on a boy, do not like it for a girl.
R-ending names always give me a masculine vibe.

Pretty! But too associated with a River.

I love this name. I prefer it on a boy but on a girl it’s not that bad. Prefer it as a middle though.

It's a very... flowing name.

I love it, at the top of my list.

Great unisex name! I like it as a middle name more.

I LOVE this name! Sounds so sweet, graceful, and flowing, just like a River!

I love this name. It's rich and mesmerizing.

I think of a River.. there are so many better names!

Dislike. Awful personal associations!

I’m sorry but I really don’t like this name at all!

I’m sorry, dislike!

My name is River, and I love it (I'm a girl by the way). Of course, it is MY name so it doesn't really seem weird to me, but I can see how other people find it weird. I've never actually had someone personally say that my name was weird though, and most people don't even comment on it. I can also see it very well as a boy's name.

It can be cute. I think it works on a boy or girl. It sounds very hip.

Despise this name. Absolutely awful!

Such an odd thing to name a human being.

Pretty!

Not a fan at all especially for a girl! I can't imagine going through life being stuck with such an AWFUL name!

My name is River, and I chose it myself, as it was a nice, strong masculine name. I don't really see how it could be 'hippy' or anything. I have not regretted choosing it, and I have been using it for a year now, I love it. It's a perfect name for me, and it fits me well, and I am not a particularly outdoorsy person.

Everybody’s talking about how they just named their new child River... while I’m sitting here after just making my new OC River.

I find this feminine and it is in the song title of my favourite song ‘River Flows In You’.

River is a nice name. That’s the name of one of my favorite actors River Phoenix. This is pretty much a unisex name.

I named my daughter River. I love nature and wildlife. Turns out she loves to be outside and explore too! She is a beautiful girl who goes straight to read books in the morning, sings songs throughout the day, wants to be outside exploring new things, loves animals (patting dogs and walking to visit the goats down the path are key right now for toddler River), and wants to cuddle with Mama at night. She is very smart, observant, and a graceful little dancer as well. She brings us great joy. We love her so much!

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Oh yes and we sometimes call her Riv as a nickname. ;)

I think River is a nice name. I think it is beautiful on either gender. Cute name :)

I like it as a female name. Less of a male name but can be both. It's very cute.

I prefer "Rio" for boys and "Ria" for girls.

This name is not female or male! It is unisex. Get over it all you traditionalists. This the the time we live in, embrace it. It’s only older generations that seem so strongly opinionated with the entire male vs female names. Kids don’t care unless YOU put it in their head that it's a strictly “male or female” name, then they go to school and make fun of their classmate for having a girl/boy name. Stop it. Be a better role model.

I really like the name River for a boy, it’s strong and I think of a man that loves nature called River. My future son will be called River Bear.

Don't like it very much.

Sounds like the name of a radio station. Don't like it.

I really think it’s a lovely name, River Phoenix was a real nice dude. My middle name is River, and I like it very much.

People seem to think that only nature names belong to females only, but I find that absolutely sexist! River is a very beautiful name and personally, I think it suits girls and boys very well, and I do like it better for a boy and would name my son River Jordan, it’s so handsome and it will age well. River as a girl’s name is also a lovely idea, River Julia is very elegant! Just because I love this name more for a boy doesn’t mean I hate it for a girl, it just sounds slightly more masculine than feminine to me.

I fell in love with this name when I was pregnant with my son. I didn't like it when I was a child (e.g. River Phoenix) because I thought it was "weird." But that was during a time when there were always 3 or 4 Chris's in my class, a couple Roberts and the rest of the boys had common names heard everyday. It has a beautiful ring to it, yet strong. Very cool to his peers. But for older generations, it's memorable and noticeable, yet easy to spell and pronounce (obviously), which I think may help when he's networking for jobs (now in his 20s). He seems to get whatever he applies for. Scholarships, internships and jobs, not necessarily because of the name, but I have wondered if it helps just a little. He has always liked his name as well with a slight pride in it.

LOVE this name so much. Our first son is named Harrison, and I'm trying to sell my husband on the name River, for our soon to be born second son. I think it's such a unique, strong uncommon boys name.

I don't really like River. I love the French name Oceane, but never liked River. Maybe because my dad drowned in a river. As an alternative, maybe Riva? It's a form of Rivka, a form of Rebekah.

We have a boy in our family named River. I thinks it's a good name for a boy who loves hunting, fishing, and the outdoors.

I've named my daughter River Casey, I believe River covers all aspects of a name. It's strong yet calm. Refreshing and natural, whilst very youthful. I love it.

I think River is more suited for a girl than boy. Actually I think it doesn't sound masculine at all. I don't like the name anyway.

I usually don't like naming girls traditionally male names, but this is an exception. I think it's a great unisex name.

River is a nice name but I personally prefer it for a male (thought it does sound nice on girls too). The reason is, I think it is strong yet sensitive and I think it would be well suited for a male who is connected to nature and also has a strong personality. The reason I don't like it on a female is because it makes it sound delicate and it takes a strong and adventurous girl to pull it off. Regardless, it is beautiful and powerful and props to whoever can pull this off.

I have a daughter named River Olivia :)
It's adorable on her and I think it could be cute for either sex!

Willow and Lily are beautiful names for girls and River is a great name for a boy! River makes you think of a very outdoorsy boy/man who likes to go fishing and hunting in the woods.

I like the name River, especially for a boy, but when I tell people this they often say that it's stupid to name a child after a commonplace thing, but aren't there girls named Lilly? Willow?

I LOVE the name River. I have just named my new red eared slider River as her shell looks like the marbling of pebbles in a shallow part of a riverbed...

I just had a daughter, she is 11 days old. And me and my partner have called her River. I love the name- it is pretty like my little girl and suits her perfectly :).

I think River is a lovely, refreshing and beautiful name. It suits both genders perfectly fine. This is a fantastic nature name and don't let others put you off from using this name. :)

The name River is most definetly a masculine name. It's a males name. Enough said.

I have a daughter named River... she's 3yrs old & I adore the name River. River is a name for a girl or boy.
It is a beautiful name. I didn't know just how popular the name River is... I have a son age 5 called gage... what do you all think of that..x.

My son's name is River. I don't think that by giving him that name I was overly trying to be different and I don't think it makes me a "hippie" whatever that classification may be. I love his name and I love the fact that I don't see it used all of the time. I think it works both ways; however, I can't imagine my daughter having the name River, now. When I chose this name I didn't know that mainly girls had this name, but now when I hear others talking about the name "River" it is usually in association with a girl. My son's name is River Lee Hart and he is a boy who loves to play with trucks, jump off couches and do everyday normal things boys do! I wanted my son to have a strong, not so common name and I feel like his father and I accomplished that. I couldn't picture his name being anything else!

River is an awesome boy's name! I think it will age well even though it's a newer name.

I can really only see this as a girl's name, mostly because of River Song from Doctor Who. I don't know if I would use it but I think it's really cute. No nicknames that I would use, but there are lots of names like that I like.

The only two people called River that I'd heard of (River Song from Doctor Who, and River Tam from Firefly) were female, but I wasn't too shocked to see this called masculine. It's a word, and doesn't have a definite color or character as most names do in my mind.

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On a girl I guess it does sound kind of hippie-ish, though I don't really dislike it as I do "Flower". As a boys' name it sounds kind of 19th-century American, the same style of name as Irving or Emmett.

I love this name for a boy... If I ever have a little boy I will name him River.
I will have a Genesis, Olive and River.

I can't believe I'm the only one who thinks its strange to name a child 'River'. It's beyond me why this is in the top 1000 for both genders.

This is a unisex name. No matter how you try to change it. The fact is this has a calm, mellow feeling and it goes well for both so this is totally unisex. And names like Ashley and Madison had today's girly feel to it. But this doesn't and it's just perfect.

My first son is called River. He suits it well and it's a beautiful yet "cool" name for a boy. His father chose the name and he chose well. I got compliments for his name when he was younger. And where I live, it's quite unlikely he'll find another River, unless it's blue and consists of water! It's a great name and has aged well with him. He doesn't get bullied but there's the odd "Riverbed" or "Stream" from his relatives!

My son is named River middle name Paul. We chose it because of the beautiful River that winds behind our home and unites us as a family. We are not hippies, but are outdoor people. I find it to be a masculine and strong name with a nature connotation, which will be perfect for our little guy growing up in a wooded community next to the "River". We wanted a semi-unique name because we have a very common last name. Some people (mostly older folks) look at us like we are crazy when I say his name in public, and others comment on what a cool name he has. We love it, he I'm sure will carry it well in life.

I find this name to be very unisex. River sounds like a strong name for a boy and gorgeous name for a girl. My female dog's name is River and it suits her so well. She is so gentle and nurturing and I love calling her "Riv."

I love the name for a boy or a girl but personally I thinking it is more suited to a girl. Like a river a woman is always changing- that's why they call it a woman's prerogative.

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I've never heard of the actor or the TV show/Movie you all have mentioned.

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I'd never do this to my child, but I love the combo River Krystal.

I like this name. I don't know what people are talking about that it is overused. I have never even met a River!

I looove this name! It's much nicer for a boy than a girl, I really hate how parents are insisting on giving their daughters boy names, I mean come on there are hundreds of beautiful girl names and if we keep on naming our daughters Ashley and Jackson, there are gonna be no names left for boys. But anyway I love this name, it is very masculine and very English, love it.

I'm all for uniqueness and whatnot, but this just sounds hippyish to me. It also gives me the impression that the parents are trying too hard to be unique.

River sounds like a feminine name to me, probably because it reminds me of River Tam from Firefly. It's a nice peaceful and serene sounding name.

I'm surprised someone hasn't complained about this being a word name, since River is a regularly used word in the English language, along with names like "Ruby" and "Comfort", which are also words. What hypocrites.

When I was younger I didn't really like this name so much, because I thought it sounded strange. But now it's grown on me quite a bit.

I don't think there is anything "hippie" or particularly strange or unique about this name anymore. It's just a normal name which won't excite any more attention than the next one. I think just base it on whether you like the name or not.

My sister was going to be named this if she had been a boy. Personally I like it, but I think it sounds better as a boys name than as a girls.

This is a dumb name. It's getting too popular, it's extremely trashy, and it sounds pretty obvious that the parents are hippies.

I love this name! I prefer it on a girl.

I first think of River Tam as well. :D I love this name, and it sounds nice on both genders in my opinion, though I prefer it for a girl.

I've only ever heard this name on a girl other than River Phoenix, I actually prefer it on a girl. I think most nature names are better suited to females. :)

River is horrible name for a boy and a girl. I dislike names giving from English words.

I don't like this name for a boy, this is a nice name for a girl. I'm thinking of naming one of my female characters in my next story River. It's much less common than Brook or Brooke, which is a wonderful thing for me and my love of uncommon names.

I don't like this name either way, but I hated it more on girls than on guys. River is a (horrible) guy name and Brooke is a girl name.

I love the name River. I don't mind that people associate it with hippies, because I am a nature lovin' hippy myself. Maybe that's why I love it! I think it's youthful, and natural. I get a lot of compliments on my choice, and have had a few weird looks, but who cares?!

This name sounds pretty normal by now. I've heard weirder stuff. It isn't exactly some type of unique or highly unusual name, so if you're looking for something really unconventional, this ain't it. It doesn't really sound like a hippie name on boys anymore, but on girls it might. The name is quite masculine, and thus somewhat boyish, for girls and women. I don't care if nature words sound better on females in general, as this one has a masculine-sounding ending.

I first think River Tam. I prefer the name for a girl, but some guys can pull it off as well.

I don't like this name, it just seems too "hippie" to me.

River was used in the tv series "Firefly". The character, named River Tam, was a slightly psychotic escapee and fugitive from a sort of medical centre. This, as a result, has affected my feelings of the name; even though it is a lovely name I can never stop thinking about insane teenagers with gifts for assasination.

My name is River and I love it. I'm female. I always get a comment about how pretty it is or how unique. I was not named after River Pheonix, nor do I have any connection to him whatsoever. I absolutely love River! However, it is very unique and very hippyish, so it can't be carried by everyone. Make sure you want to use this name before you use it.

I love this name, it is so beautiful.

My sister has an obsession with MyScene, something I get really annoyed about. Anyway, Barbie's boyfriend is called River, and it gave me a really bad impression. Even if I DIDN'T know that, I would think River would be a pretty cool name, along with a middle name.

No offense but I just don't like this name. Doesn't seem right somehow for a person.

Perhaps I am one of the only ones, but I prefer this name for a girl.

I like this name for a girl, although it'd be a bit unusual.

I love love love this name. It's so powerful sounding and yet calm. Everytime I have told someone that I like this name they think that it sounds too "hippie" so I am torn between giving the name to my child. I adore the name. =)

River Lee for a boy. Such a lovely name!