What does everyone here think of the trend of giving boys' names to girls? Many of the most popular names now - Makenzie, Madison, Dylan, Riley, Bailey, and others either were once only given to boys or have a distinctly "male" feeling to them. (And yes, all of these names are on the top 100 in the US right now.)
What is the resoning behind this? Is it cute, is it sex appeal, or do parents simply prefer unusual names? Madison is currently #3 for baby girls, so there clearly is a lot of appeal there.
What do you think about this from a feminist perspective?
2007-11-01 07:20:21 · 20 answers · asked by Junie 6 in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
I don't have an issue with the trend of androgynous naming as a general rule. As a society and culture we tend to place significance on the ability to label people and categorize them...we do it by race, gender, language, ethnicity, ect. In a way, using androgynous names slowly bridges the gap between people because on the whole, having a gender neutral name means that people are unable to neatly label someone and dismiss them based on preconceived ideas.
My first and middle names are distinctly male. They are not neutral names that cross over; they are boy’s names to the core. This has been both a blessing and a curse in many ways while I was growing up and later when I began to enter the workforce. I was always listed under the boys categories in school...the most notable instance of this was when I entered college and was not allowed to RUSH for a sorority, but received numerous letters from fraternities. People on the phone always ask for Mr. and yet they inevitably want to speak with me. I have gotten job interviews that I would not have gotten because my name is male and gotten the (amusingly) funny looks when I walk into an interview. I have to carry a copy of my birth certificate around with me to prove I was both named this way by my parents and born female.
2007-11-01 08:02:44 · answer #1 · answered by lkydragn 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
What about a boy named sue?
I prefer traditional masculine/feminine names. Just giving a female a neutral name isn't going to make her equal across the genders. That comes from within.
Rant: If I come across one more Gen X'er named Jennifer, I'm going to go insane. It was the #1 name for baby girls born from 1970 til 1984.
2007-11-02 03:24:12 · answer #2 · answered by Thundercat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a boy's name. Jaime. Not a problem for me, expect that it is spelled a little differently than normal. I had two classmates named Jamie, one boy, one girl.
I don't mind the trend usually. I know a girl named Stanley, which I think is the oddest use of a boy's name for a girl that I've come across.
I think the worse trend is to use non-names as names (thank you celebrities). I much prefer my name to Pilot Inspektor or Banjo.
2007-11-01 08:34:23 · answer #3 · answered by jt 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Those names seem quite gender neutral to me. You do know years ago Lindsey and Ashley were strictly boys names. Now a days its the opposite. It's just the way language evolves. Sooner or later it will be hilarious to name your son Charles because that is *clearly* a girls name.
2007-11-01 11:13:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have noticed this for many years.
Girls don't suffer, but rather gain from having what is perceived as a strong name.(Sidney, Cameron, Ashton, etc.)
They are at this point, gender neutral.
I think you might assume you were going to meet a fellow and when she turns out to be female, you are a bit disoriented and a girl gets the advantage of being at ease while you are off your game.
Boys, however, are treated with derision, by other boys, if they have a name like Marion or Lavern or Sue.
What's in a name? Everything! Women don't mind being treated as masculine. I am called Charlie in my Martial Art classes. Men see it as demeaning to be treated as feminine. Call Louis by Loiuse and you are insulting him.
C. :)!!
2007-11-01 07:33:15 · answer #5 · answered by Charlie Kicksass 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I like Charlie and Georgie for girls. Some of the names (I agree with the others) you listed sound not so masculine (especially Madison).
To answer your question though, I don't know why this is occuring..other than people are trying to combine trendy and traditional at the same time...trying new twists on traditional names.
2007-11-01 08:09:16 · answer #6 · answered by snowbunny 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I think people name their girls with masculine names in hopes that this empowers them.
Although I'm not a traditionalist in any way, I like the idea of women's names having a softer sound to them, i.e., Anna, Sarah, (not my name) etc. Names like Mike and Bill are more manly sounding names, and belong on men.
2007-11-01 11:50:15 · answer #7 · answered by Rainbow 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not to sound stereotypical but I've noticed this to be true in southern states.
Bobbie, Tommie, Lee, Billie, etc.
then u have names like Alex short for alexandria, Sam for Samantha. etc.
I guess some people like to give kids family names but want to make it gender happy so spelling it a different way does that.
2007-11-01 08:55:58 · answer #8 · answered by Detroiter1967is outa here! 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Personally I think naming my son Madison would be weirder than naming my daughter Madison.
Same goes for Makenzie. I think the only name you have listed that fits your question is Dylan.
2007-11-01 07:28:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
My sister and I were both given what are typically boys' names. With a more 'feminine' spelling. We were supposed to be boys! LOL! So, they hadn't even considered a girls name. Ah, well, never caused us any problems.
Conversely, these names are sometimes used as strippers or porn actress names. My Mom's name is Roxy, so when the 3 of us are out together.....LOL!!
2007-11-01 07:46:59 · answer #10 · answered by bijou 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋