Unisex name
Encyclopedia
A unisex name, also known as an epicene name, is a given name
that is often given to either a boy or a girl. Some countries, however, require that a given name be gender
-specific (see German name
) or have enough names with male and female versions (in Spanish, for example, "Fernando
" and "Fernanda
"; see Spanish naming customs). This list does not cover names in cultures where the names are often not gender specific, which is common in many cultures. For example, some African peoples have unisex names, and so do cultures which use names which are derived from properties, such as the Amish
or many cultures in India.
Unisex names are often nicknames that are also used as given names, such as Alex, Sam and Chris. Alex can be considered a shortening of Alexander (a masculine name) or of Alexandra/Alexa
(a feminine name); Chris can be considered a shortening of Christopher (a masculine name), or of Christina or Christine (feminine names) or of Christian (a unisex name). Sam could stand for Samuel or also Samantha.
Some names that were once predominantly used as masculine given names are now primarily feminine given names in the United States, including Alexis, Ashley, Beverly, Evelyn, Hilary, Jocelyn, Kelly, Meredith, Shirley, Shannon, Sharon, and Vivian. Sometimes the modern adoption of a predominantly masculine given name follows the use by an actress (EG Alexis Smith
, Drew Barrymore
) or fictional character (EG Tracy, Blake Schneider).
Some unisex names are homophones, pronounced the same for both genders but spelled differently. One common example of this is a final "y" for the masculine form and an "i" or "ie" for the feminine. (EG Terry and Teri, Jerry and Jeri, Tony and Toni, Billy and Billie, Jody and Jodie). Others have less regular spelling variations (Francis and Frances, Robin and Robyn, Sidney and Sydney, etc.). In many cases, the spelling of what used to be a predominantly masculine name was altered to create a feminine variation. If the feminine variation becomes sufficiently popular, the use of the masculine variation may dwindle, and ultimately the name may be deemed feminine under any spelling.
Some names vary their gender from country to country or language to language. For example, Anne, which is feminine in English, is normally masculine in some Dutch provinces, but normally feminine in the rest of the country; or Jean, which is normally feminine in English and Scottish, is masculine in French. Laurence, which is normally masculine in English and Scottish, is feminine in French (the masculine form being Laurent).
Different parents may adopt the same unusual name for children of opposite sex.
was ranked as the most gender neutral name.
Also, nicknames (shortened versions of names) can be gender-ambiguous: Sasha (short from both Alexandr and Alexandra), Zhenya (Yevgeniy or Yevgeniya).
n names become unisex when written with Latin characters because of the limitations of transliteration
. The spellings Chandra and Krishna, for example, are transliterations of both the masculine and feminine versions of those names. In Indian languages, the final as of these names are different letters with different pronunciations, so there is no ambiguity. However, when they are seen (and usually, spoken) by someone unfamiliar with Indian languages, they become gender ambiguous. Other Indian names, such as Ananda, are exclusively or nearly exclusively masculine in India, but because of their a ending, are assumed to be feminine in Anglophone societies. Many unisex names in India are obvious and are never ridiculed. For instance Nehal
, Sonal, Snehal, Niral, Pranjal and Anmol are used commonly to name baby boys or girls in western states of India
such as Gujarat. Similarly names like Sujal, Viral, Harshal, Deepal, Bobby, Mrinal, Jyoti, Shakti, Kiran, Lucky, Ashwini, Shashi, Malhar, Mickey, Umang, Shubham and Anupam are also very common gender neutral names or unisex names in India. Most Punjabi
Sikh
first names such as "Sandeep, Gurdeep, Kuldeep, Hardeep, Mandeep", "Surjeet, Gurjeet, Kuljeet, Harjeet, Manjeet", "Harpreet, Gurpreet, Jaspreet, Kulpreet, Manpreet", "Prabhjot, Harjot, Gurjot, Jasjot" and "Sukhjinder, Bhupinder, Jasbinder, Parminder, Kulvinder, Harjinder" are unisex names and equally commonly given to either gender.
which are unisex. These names are almost always from the Turkish language
, and are not Arabic name
s or derived from Arabic (Kamuran
being an exception). These names may either be modern names or derived from Turkic mythology. Among the common examples include; Aytaç
, Deniz, Derya
, Evren
, Evrim
, Özgür, Turhan
, and Yücel. And unlike English unisex names, most Turkish unisex names are traditionally used for both genders. However some unisex names are used more for one gender (for example, Derya is used more for girls whereas Özgür is used more for boys).
Names that end with ir and mar tend to be unisex also, such as Nadir, Valdecir, Dagmar and Rosimar - though in these cases there are some exceptions.
's gender-ambiguous character "Pat
" on Saturday Night Live
. A running joke on the TV show Scrubs
is that almost every woman J.D. sleeps with has a unisex name: Jordan, Alex, Danni, Elliot, Jamie, etc. Similarly, the sex of the baby Jamie in Malcolm in the Middle
was purposely kept ambiguous when first introduced at the end of the show's fourth season leading to speculation that it would remain unknown. However, the character's sex was revealed at the end of the first episode of season five.
In mystery fiction, unisex names have been used to tease readers into trying to solve the mystery of a character's gender. The novels of Sarah Caudwell feature a narrator named Hilary Tamar, a law professor who is never identified as either male or female.
A case could be made to include Nikita here, although Nikita Kruschev is by far the best known male example.
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
that is often given to either a boy or a girl. Some countries, however, require that a given name be gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
-specific (see German name
German name
German names consist of one or several Vornamen and a Nachname . The Vorname is usually gender-specific.-Forenames:...
) or have enough names with male and female versions (in Spanish, for example, "Fernando
Fernando
Fernando may mean:* A Portuguese, Spanish and Italian given name equivalent to the Germanic given name Ferdinand or Vernon, with an original meaning of "adventurous, bold journey".-First name:* Fernando el Católico, king of Aragon...
" and "Fernanda
Fernanda
Fernanda is a Portuguese, Spanish and Italian feminine equivalent of Fernando, a male given name of Germanic origin, with an original meaning of "adventurous, bold journey".-People:*Fernanda Abreu , a Brazilian popular singer...
"; see Spanish naming customs). This list does not cover names in cultures where the names are often not gender specific, which is common in many cultures. For example, some African peoples have unisex names, and so do cultures which use names which are derived from properties, such as the Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
or many cultures in India.
Unisex names are often nicknames that are also used as given names, such as Alex, Sam and Chris. Alex can be considered a shortening of Alexander (a masculine name) or of Alexandra/Alexa
Alexa (name)
Alexa is a feminine form of Alexander, and is also a short form of Alexandra, which comes from the Greek, Alexandros. It can be broken down into alexo meaning "to defend" and aner, meaning "man"' making both Alexa and Alexander mean defender of man.- Modern popularity :In the United States, the...
(a feminine name); Chris can be considered a shortening of Christopher (a masculine name), or of Christina or Christine (feminine names) or of Christian (a unisex name). Sam could stand for Samuel or also Samantha.
Some names that were once predominantly used as masculine given names are now primarily feminine given names in the United States, including Alexis, Ashley, Beverly, Evelyn, Hilary, Jocelyn, Kelly, Meredith, Shirley, Shannon, Sharon, and Vivian. Sometimes the modern adoption of a predominantly masculine given name follows the use by an actress (EG Alexis Smith
Alexis Smith
Alexis Smith was a Canadian-born stage, film, and television actress. She appeared in several major Hollywood movies in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Award in 1972.-Life and career:...
, Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
) or fictional character (EG Tracy, Blake Schneider).
Some unisex names are homophones, pronounced the same for both genders but spelled differently. One common example of this is a final "y" for the masculine form and an "i" or "ie" for the feminine. (EG Terry and Teri, Jerry and Jeri, Tony and Toni, Billy and Billie, Jody and Jodie). Others have less regular spelling variations (Francis and Frances, Robin and Robyn, Sidney and Sydney, etc.). In many cases, the spelling of what used to be a predominantly masculine name was altered to create a feminine variation. If the feminine variation becomes sufficiently popular, the use of the masculine variation may dwindle, and ultimately the name may be deemed feminine under any spelling.
Some names vary their gender from country to country or language to language. For example, Anne, which is feminine in English, is normally masculine in some Dutch provinces, but normally feminine in the rest of the country; or Jean, which is normally feminine in English and Scottish, is masculine in French. Laurence, which is normally masculine in English and Scottish, is feminine in French (the masculine form being Laurent).
Different parents may adopt the same unusual name for children of opposite sex.
United States
For 2009, there were 64 names that were both in the Top 1000 lists for boys and girls. RoryRory
Rory may refer to:* Rory , a US band* Rory , people with the given name Rory* A fictional award in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy universe* Rory Williams, a fictional character in Doctor Who...
was ranked as the most gender neutral name.
Russia
Common Russian boys' names, such as Nikita and Misha (short for Mikhail), are assumed to be feminine in English, due to the 'a' termination.Also, nicknames (shortened versions of names) can be gender-ambiguous: Sasha (short from both Alexandr and Alexandra), Zhenya (Yevgeniy or Yevgeniya).
Italy
Common Italian boys' names, such as Andrea, Nicola or Luca, are assumed to be feminine in English, due to the 'a' termination. This also happens to several masculine names ending with 'e', like Simone, Gabriele, Michele or Daniele.India
Many IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n names become unisex when written with Latin characters because of the limitations of transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
. The spellings Chandra and Krishna, for example, are transliterations of both the masculine and feminine versions of those names. In Indian languages, the final as of these names are different letters with different pronunciations, so there is no ambiguity. However, when they are seen (and usually, spoken) by someone unfamiliar with Indian languages, they become gender ambiguous. Other Indian names, such as Ananda, are exclusively or nearly exclusively masculine in India, but because of their a ending, are assumed to be feminine in Anglophone societies. Many unisex names in India are obvious and are never ridiculed. For instance Nehal
Nehal
Nehal is a very popular Egyptian,Turkish , Middle eastern and Indian name .It is particularly common in western Indian state of Gujarat. This name is common for both male and female...
, Sonal, Snehal, Niral, Pranjal and Anmol are used commonly to name baby boys or girls in western states of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
such as Gujarat. Similarly names like Sujal, Viral, Harshal, Deepal, Bobby, Mrinal, Jyoti, Shakti, Kiran, Lucky, Ashwini, Shashi, Malhar, Mickey, Umang, Shubham and Anupam are also very common gender neutral names or unisex names in India. Most Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
first names such as "Sandeep, Gurdeep, Kuldeep, Hardeep, Mandeep", "Surjeet, Gurjeet, Kuljeet, Harjeet, Manjeet", "Harpreet, Gurpreet, Jaspreet, Kulpreet, Manpreet", "Prabhjot, Harjot, Gurjot, Jasjot" and "Sukhjinder, Bhupinder, Jasbinder, Parminder, Kulvinder, Harjinder" are unisex names and equally commonly given to either gender.
Turkey
There are many Turkish namesTurkish name
A Turkish name consists of an ad and a soyadı . Turkish names exist in a "full name" format. While there is only one soyadı in the full name, there may be more than one ad...
which are unisex. These names are almost always from the Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, and are not Arabic name
Arabic name
Long ago, Arabic names were based on a long naming system; most Arabs did not simply have given/middle/family names, but a full chain of names. This system was in use throughout the Arab world. Today however, Arabic names are similar in structure to those of Modern and Western names...
s or derived from Arabic (Kamuran
Kamran
Kamran is a Persian given name commonly used in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries with Persian influence...
being an exception). These names may either be modern names or derived from Turkic mythology. Among the common examples include; Aytaç
Aytaç
Aytaç is a Turkish given name. People named Aytaç include:* Aytaç Ak, Turkish footballer* Aytaç Biter, Turkish auto racing driver* Aytaç Durak, Turkish politician* Aytaç Özkul, Turkish basketball player...
, Deniz, Derya
Derya
Derya is a Turkish given name meaning sea. People named Derya include:* Derya Alabora, Turkish actress* Derya Büyükuncu, Turkish swimmer* Derya Cıbır, Turkish judoka* Derya Köroğlu, Turkish singer...
, Evren
Evren
Evren, formerly Çıkınağıl, is a town and district of Ankara Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, 178 km from the city of Ankara. According to 2010 census, population of the district is 3,343 of which 2,175 live in the town of Evren....
, Evrim
Evrim
Evrim is a Turkish given name for males or females. In Turkish, "Evrim" means "evolution".- People :* Evrim Çalışkanları, Turkish educator* Evrim Demirel, Turkish composer and jazz pianist...
, Özgür, Turhan
Turhan
-Given name:*Turhan Baytop , Turkish botanist*Turhan Bey , Turkish-American actor* Turhan Michael Ergin , American victim of the Lockerbie Bombing*Turhan Hatice, 17th-century valide sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
, and Yücel. And unlike English unisex names, most Turkish unisex names are traditionally used for both genders. However some unisex names are used more for one gender (for example, Derya is used more for girls whereas Özgür is used more for boys).
Brazil
Names that end with an i are considered unisex in Brazil. They tend to be Native Brazillian Indian names in origin, such as Araci, Jaci, Darci, Ubirani, but names from other cultures are now being absorbed, such as Remy, Wendy, and Eddy.Names that end with ir and mar tend to be unisex also, such as Nadir, Valdecir, Dagmar and Rosimar - though in these cases there are some exceptions.
In popular culture
Unisex names can be the source of humor, such as Julia SweeneyJulia Sweeney
Julia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...
's gender-ambiguous character "Pat
Pat (Saturday Night Live)
Pat was an androgynous fictional character created and performed by Julia Sweeney for the American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and later featured in the film It's Pat...
" on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. A running joke on the TV show Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
is that almost every woman J.D. sleeps with has a unisex name: Jordan, Alex, Danni, Elliot, Jamie, etc. Similarly, the sex of the baby Jamie in Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
was purposely kept ambiguous when first introduced at the end of the show's fourth season leading to speculation that it would remain unknown. However, the character's sex was revealed at the end of the first episode of season five.
In mystery fiction, unisex names have been used to tease readers into trying to solve the mystery of a character's gender. The novels of Sarah Caudwell feature a narrator named Hilary Tamar, a law professor who is never identified as either male or female.
Purest examples
The names listed here are formal names (IE full legal given names as opposed to social nicknames) which are spelled the same for both sexes. They are also generally considered equally appropriate for both boys and girls even if slightly more common for one sex in a given generation. In no particular order, they are:- Jordan
- Morgan
- Taylor
- Robin
- Hayden
- Jayden
- Harley
A case could be made to include Nikita here, although Nikita Kruschev is by far the best known male example.