unisex names

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

I was talking to this lady and she likes non-traditional unisex names
her two sons are Madison Kendall and Ashley Campbell...
she found out she is having another boy...
look at her list and tell me what your opinions are (i told her she should go with a little more traditioanl unisex names)
Chelsea
Britney
Amber
Alexandra
Fallon
Kayla
Lara/Lana
Kristen
Shannon (i said this one was okay)
Lea/Leah
Leigh (i said this one was okay)
Kendra
Savannah
Summer
Skye/Skylar (and i said skylar was okay)
Tasha
Lacy
Darcy (maybe this one could be okay too)

let me know what you think...so i can pass it on to her

Comments

[amandavanessa.livejournal.com]

Oh boy. I feel bad for those boys. Madison and Ashley were originally boy's names, but I can't see them on boys anymore. As for her new list...Tasha, Leigh, Amber, Kristen, BRITNEY?? GOD NO.

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

Is this for real? This woman's insane.

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

yes unfortunately its for real
shes part of a yahoo group I am a part of...
i told her she was in for resentment

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

but why?? Is she trying to make a "point" about the stupidity of gender labels or something? Activism for awareness and breaking gender stereotypes is all good, but these are other human beings here. It's so selfish to use innocent children to promote your own political agenda (if that is in fact what she's doing).

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

she said something about how unisex names are pretty much becoming, "boys names for girls"
and she said if that keeps up there will be no more boy names...
"Hi, Sorry.. I thought I would re-group my thoughts, start again and
open myself up to more comments/suggestions on the ideas I have had so
far. I really do appreciate the thoughts and comments so far.
Okay, to recap - I am expecting my third son in three months and I am
just floating around ideas for names right now.
My other two sons are (first name, middle name, age):
Madison Kendall (10)
Ashley Campbell (7)
so you can see I much prefer "unisex" names.
I've been giving a lot of thought to my third child since I found out
he is a boy. I still want to go with the unisex/non-traditional route,
but so many of the popular unisex names are now being adopted by
girls, I am actually really wanting to almost reverse the trend and
take a less commonly used girls name and use it for my son.
Chelsea and Britney are two of my all-time favourite names. The
feedback I am getting and hearing is that Britney is too feminine and
too strongly associated with Britney Spears. Chelsea does seem to fair
better.
So I am opening up to other ideas. Like I said above, a lot of the
more popular unisex names that I like are becoming even more popular
as girls names (cf Madison and Ashley for sure). So, one idea I am
thinking of is taking a less common, but more traditional female name
and using it for my son. For example, one idea I have is Fallon,
another might be Darcy.
As both my other children have hard ka sounds for their middle names I
would like to stick with that idea too. I was thinking Kayla for example.
Any ideas or suggestions would be really appreciated.
This was my list from before I posted today..... and Nikki thanks for
the suggestions of Cameron and Dakota. I think Cameron might be a nice
middle name and fits in with the Ka sound. Still thinking on Dakota.

Chelsea
Britney
Amber
Alexandra
Fallon
Kayla
Lara/Lana
Kristen
Shannon
Lea/Leah
Leigh
Kendra
Savannah
Summer
Skye/Skylar
Tasha
Lacy
Darcy

Thanks again
Lissa" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Baby-Names/

[newreflections.livejournal.com]

Chelsea
Britney
Amber
Alexandra
Kayla
Lara/Lana
Kristen
Kendra
Savannah
Summer
Tasha
Lacy
Darcy

Not even close to unisex. Thats horrible :(

[http://users.livejournal.com/_whiskeytears/]

I know lots of guys named Darcy

[beverly-sutphin.livejournal.com]

I know a couple of guys named Darcy too. It's totally unisex. But I agree that the vast majority of names on this insane woman's list are so totally not unisex today!

[trissyd.livejournal.com]

me too... I know 2 boy Darcy's... no girls.

[miss--nikki.livejournal.com]

Those poor kids. I have met guys named Shannon, Kelly, and I think Laurie (not sure how they spelled it though maybe Lori). Anyway each one was very different so naming your boy a girl name doesn't mean they will forever be teased and end up hating themselves.

But still... Britney? Amber? That screams "BE A DRAG QUEEN!" And then having ALL three boys like that I think is OVERBOARD! One boy ok... but to be like "Oh, I'm Ashley, this is my brother Madison (which actually I think is ok for a boy), and this is my other brother Amber." The person they are talking to is going to think their mom was crazy. Just my opinion anyway.

[wolf-shadow.livejournal.com]

Other than Leigh, Darcy, Skylar and, possibly, Shannon, those are not 'unisex' by any stretch of the imagination! She should look a bit harder - there are plenty of good unisex names out there, without resorting to making things up!

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

we have even suggested-- Jordan, Dakota, Cameron... etc

[timed.livejournal.com]

That's pretty cruel to do...

[hitzpink.livejournal.com]

None of those are even considered unisex anymore. They may have started out that way, or even started out as boy names, but the fact is they are GIRL names now. Madison and Ashley are bad enough, but Britney? Amber? Savannah? WTF is this woman thinking? The least she can do is give the poor kids decent middle names so when they are old enough to be horrified by their first names (and they WILL be horrified), they can go by something else.

[magcnurserybaby.livejournal.com]

From her list I would say:
Fallon
Shannon
Leigh
Skye/Skylar

Or other suggestions: Taylor, Ashton (sounds alot like Ashley though), Adrian (hehe my sons name), Courtney, Rowan

Let us know what she picks, I'm interested to hear!! When is her baby due?

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

shes 6 months pregnant...
i'll keep everyone in touch and updated :)
this was her most recent response:
"Thanks to those who replied overnight.

Based on feedback here and elsewhere I am narrowing my list down, but
also open to ideas still.

Currently I have in some order of popularity by me and other people:

Fallon
Skylar
Leigh
Shannon
Darcy
Savannah (mixed views on this one and will likely drop off)

Someone asked what my dh thought of the names. Well, he wasn't in
favor of the more "feminine" names. I talked myself into Britney being
okay by him thinking Britt may work. Alexandra/Alexander was more
acceptable as Alex.

Of the names I have left, he's more okay with Fallon, Shannon and
Darcy. He was wondering about Brook/Brooks after someone else had
suggested Brooklyn (Brooklyn Beckham is a boy).

As I did with the other boys, I would use a harder unisex but
masculine middle name, like Cody perhaps or Casey etc.

Lissa"

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

oh god. lacy? i know that names like ashley and shannon are technically unisex, but that doesn't mean that the kid won't have trouble at school with teasing&taunting. most of them are far too feminine and some of them aren't even unisex. i think fallon is okay though.
here are other suggestions that you can relay to her:

brittain (rather than britney)
ambrose (rather than amber)
alexander (rather than alexandra..either way, the kid is going to be called alex most likely anyway..so she might as well name him alexander)
caiman (rather than kayla)
kyle (")
kade (")
lars (rather than lara)
lawrence/larry (")
larson (")
landon (rather than lana)
christian (rather than kristen)
shane (rather than shannon)
lee (rather than lea/leah)
kendrick (rather than kendra)
savi (rather than savannah)
schuyler (rather than skylar)
dashiell (rather than tasha)
sascha (rather than tasha)
layne/lane (rather than lacy)
darby (rather than darcy)

[http://users.livejournal.com/---surfacing/]

um i think she really wants some girls...

i feel bad for her sons. none of those fly for boy's names much anymore.

[morphinae.livejournal.com]

This woman is freaking nuts. I went to school with a male Ashley, he handled it well, though I don't think he liked it much. Madison is just insanity, as are almost all the names on her list. Leigh? Sure, LEE Is a great male name, but why spell it the feminine way??? Lacy??? When was that ever a male name? Ugh. I hope she gets the girl she apparently wants so bad.

[krazyhippie.livejournal.com]

Why not Jordan or Morgan or Taylor? Names that haven't been SO feminized that it's impossible to reclaim them for boys.

[o-honeybee-o.livejournal.com]

Chelsea - i love this name, a lot of people hate it though, but i think it's really pretty.

Britney - HATE this, i never liked it even before Britney Spears came on the scene..it seems trashy to me.

Amber - Love this, this is one of my favourite names

Alexandra - Cute, but fussy though. I like the nn Alex.

Fallon - I know twins called Fallon and Kirby..i like it.

Kayla - Only like this as a nickname for Micheala (this spelling only)

Lara/Lana - Love both of these, very pretty.

Kristen - Nms

Shannon (i said this one was okay) - I think this is cute

Lea/Leah - This is nice..i like it as a nickname for Amelia too

Leigh (i said this one was okay) - too plain

Kendra - nms

Savannah - Love this!

Summer - LOVE this, one of my fave names

Skye/Skylar (and i said skylar was okay) - LOVE these too, i like Skylar with the nickname Skye

Tasha - nms. I'd only use this as a nn for Natasha

Lacy - Nms

Darcy (maybe this one could be okay too) - This is ok

[o-honeybee-o.livejournal.com]

omg i just realised she's having another boy...wow. I must have skipped that bit and i just assumed she was having a girl! Man, she's nuts!

[lkw18.livejournal.com]

some of those are just in no way shape or form reasonable for a boy.

these are the ones that just would not work AT ALL imo
Chelsea
Britney
Amber
Alexandra (so close to alexander, why not just go with that?)
kayla (one of the most feminine names...seriously this just would NOT work for a boy at all)
lara (again, just so so feminine)
savannah
summer
lacy

i could POSSIBLY see tasha working for a boy.

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

That is ... insane.
I guess her Madison was born before that boom on that name, and Ashley is still acceptably unisex in other places. Still there are limits. These are people, who need to live with the choices their whole lives. Or at least until deed poll.

How about...
Aaron (as that apparently sounds like Erin)
Alexis*
Cameron
Casey
Dakota
Lee
Luka
Loren
Morgan
Nicky (short for Nicholas)
Reece
Rowan
Sasha
Sidney
Skye/Skylar (Schuyler might be best from a gender perspective, but not to simplest thing to spell)
Sloane
Sumner [close to Summer, but still all boy]
Taylor

*Thinking of the last Tsarivich. His name was actually Alexei, but translators are idiots.

[mountain-nest.livejournal.com]

I hate when people spell my name Aaron. They sound SIMILAR, but I don't think they sound exactly the same! XD

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

I'm British, so with my accent they don't even sound similiar*. Then started reading on forums ab out people getting them confused and getting all baffled myself.

*Aaron = air-run
vs
Erin = eh-rin

[mountain-nest.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm wannabe British because I pronounce the two exactly as you've written out. I also have a relative named Aaron so they call him Ay-Ron and they call me E-Rin. lol.
But I also pronounce Your and You're differently, and I pronounce There and They're differently. Maybe I'm refined? ;]

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

LOL guess you are :)

[anapology.livejournal.com]

I say Aaron Ah (like apple)-run. Air-run is a new one to me!

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

I say it either way, depends on how other people say it in each case.

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

Madison (her son) is 10

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, did notice that.
So guess it would be before the popularity boom.

[mountain-nest.livejournal.com]

Tell her to lay off the crackpipe.

[composure.livejournal.com]

I think Fallon is the safest bet.

[seren.livejournal.com]

I think Madison and Ashley are passable as boy's names, but of that list, I agree with you.. Shannon, Leigh and Darcy. None of them are very masculine though!

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

That's just mean. Ok, Ashley used to be a boy's name (it's in Gone with the Wind!) but some of these names...I don't see the unisex.

How is Alexandra unisex? Or Kristen? Or Kayla? Or Britney?

Personally, the only names that I wouldn't automatically assume it was a girl are Fallon, Leigh, Skylar and Darcy. And even then, I think some of them (especially Ashley and Madison) are mostly now associated with girls rather than boys.

Personally, I don't like any of the names. I'd pick Darcy if I absolutely HAD to choose, though.

[anapology.livejournal.com]

Ashley is still a definetly male name in England. Madison, however is not!

[trissyd.livejournal.com]

Oh no.

Why not go with something like
Jamie
Jesse
Darcy
Lee (this is the boys spelling)
Cameron
Aaron
Adrian
Avery
Riley
Brett
Bailey
Brice
Casey
Dallas
Hunter
Harley
Kelly
Lane
Morgan
Quinn
Reagen
Skylar
Tory

... I don't think any of those are AS cruel as Britney
Or a name that's not unisex, but it's nn's are... or something... like:
Alexander ?

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

I dont think she was thinking of using old boys names that are now primarily girls... i think she was trying to completely turn the tables and use popular girls names (Britney) on boys just to have a switch....
i dunno but i think this lady is crazy... and thanks for all the ideas.. i have been posting them to her!!!

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

*cries*

Poor babies...

She is insane. heh. Maybe you could shoo her this was, and she can see what people have to say, along with your yahoo group...so she's see's its a general consensus...

[checkingmypulse.livejournal.com]

fallon
skylar
shannon

the rest would just be mean!

what about:
jesse
jordan
shane
saylor

[anapology.livejournal.com]

This is a joke right?
She wants to name a boy Britney, Summer, Alexandra. Is she crazy? Does she WANT her son to be bullied & quite possibly suicidal until he gets the chance to change his name? Oh jesus!

[bree019.livejournal.com]

Sounds like this lady's dying for a girl. Most of those names aren't NEAR unisex.

How about Dana? It's my uncle's name.

[rockstargrrrlie.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of girl's names that used to be boys names that I wish would return to their original state like Ashley or Kelly- however, most of the names on her list are NOT of these variety. I guess Shannon is all right. How about Casey?

UPDATE!!!

[opalfirefly.livejournal.com]

Well I just got an email from her...
"Okay, I am trying to move away from the more "girlish" names that I
threw out before and wanted some opinons on these more uncommon names
for my baby boy.

I like Fallon and have been giving this some serious thought, but some
people say it makes them think of phallic and so on. Someone suggested:

Farran / Farren / Farron

and another idea which I had was

Auburn

(as in the place / color)

Thoughts?

Lissa"

[quiet-recluse.livejournal.com]

A lot of those are hella girly; here are the ones I have heard on boys before:

Fallon
Shannon
Darcy

[home-to-me.livejournal.com]

I like Madison for a boy (HATE it for a girl) and I actually think Ashley is okay for a boy too (though he'll probably get picked on a bit).

NONE of those other names sound remotely masculine! NONE of them.

[home-to-me.livejournal.com]

Oh, and how about Cassidy or Courtney. I know of someone who has twin boys named Cassidy and Courtney. Cassidy probably could be a little more masculine than Courtney.

I also know of girl twins named Ashley and Alexis. Would love to set up the twin sets with each other... happy identical unisex-named twins... :-P