Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher chose Wyatt, and Cate Blanchett picked Dashiell. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds selected James (for their daughter), while Chris Hemsworth and Shakira both went with Sasha. Jessica Simpson opted for Maxwell Drew for her daughter, and Neil Patrick Harris and Victoria and David Beckham picked Harper.
While gendered names were once the norm, more and more people are moving to gender-neutral names for their children. A study by Quartz found that the preference for strictly girls' or boy’s names is on the decline, with the name Charlie leading the pack as the most widely-used gender-neutral name.
Thinking of keeping gender out of the baby-name equation? Here are 75 names to consider, along with their meanings and origins.
Why do people choose gender-neutral names for their children?
While it ultimately comes down to personal preference, people have many different reasons for choosing gender-neutral names. They include:
• Dismissing gender-related stereotypes.
In the study “From Lawyer to Judge: Advancement, Sex, and Name-Calling,” Bentley Coffey and Patrick A. McLaughlin found that women with more “masculine”-sounding names were more successful in their legal careers. This speaks to a larger trend of people not wanting their children to have their names associated with common gender roles and stereotypes. Could gender-neutral names open up doors for these children?
• Given children greater agency.
More and more people are recognizing the fluidity of gender and acknowledging that a person’s sex at birth is not necessarily the same as the gender with which they identify. Unisex baby names acknowledge this reality. If an individual, for instance, is transgender, they won’t necessarily feel like their name is at odds with their true gender or need to change it, unless they want to.
• Planning ahead.
Some people opt not to find out the sex of their babies until they’re born, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to start picking out baby names. Even those who do may not want to wait too long to think about their top choices. A gender-neutral name makes that all the more possible.
• Being unique.
I went to school with a thousand Laurens (and I’ve known several other Lauras over the years, too). Do you know which name I’ve never encountered in real life? Brooklyn. Or Skyler. Or Rory. While some gender-neutral names are fairly common (and becoming more so), many tend to be less ubiquitous than their gendered counterparts. (There are some exceptions, of course, and there are many names that tend to be more common among one gender over another. And if you’re looking for a truly unique name, check out this list.)
75 Gender-neutral names
1. Addison
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Son of Adam
2. Adrian
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Dark
3. Aiden
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Little fire
4. Ainsley
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Meadow
5. Alex
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Defender/protector of people
6. Andy
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Brave
7. Ari
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Lion of God
8. Ariel
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Lion of God
9. Ashton
Origin: English
Meaning: Ash tree town
10. Aubrey
Origin: English
Meaning: Elf ruler
11. Avery
Origin: English
Meaning: Elf ruler
12. Bailey
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Bailiff
13. Blair
Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: Field
14. Blake
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Black or pale
15. Brett
Origin: Middle English
Meaning: Native of Brittany
16. Brooklyn
Origin: English
Meaning: Strem
17. Cameron
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Crooked nose
18. Carey
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Descendant of Ciardha
19. Casey
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Watchful
20. Charlie
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Free man
21. Corey
Origin: Anglo-Saxon
Meaning: Chosen
22. Courtney
Origin: French
Meaning: Short nose
23. Dakota
Origin: Siouan
Meaning: Ally
24. Dana
Origin: Celtic
Meaning: From Denmark
25. Devon
Origin: English
Meaning: Defender
26. Dominique
Origin: French
Meaning: Belonging to God
27. Drew
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Strong
28. Dylan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Son of the sea
29. Eli
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Uplifted
30. Elliott
Origin: English
Meaning: God on high
31. Emerson
Origin: German
Meaning: Brave
32. Evan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Youth
33. Finley
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Fair-haired warrior
34. Francis
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Free one
35. Frankie
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Free one
36. Gray
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Grey
37. Harley
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Meadow
38. Harper
Origin: Middle English
Meaning: Harp player
39. Hayden
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Fire
40. Hollis
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Dweller at holly trees
41. Jackie
Origin: English
Meaning: Supplanter
42. Jamie
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Supplanter
43. Jean
Origin: Old French
Meaning: God is gracious
44. Jody
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Praised
45. Jordan
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: To flow down
46. Jules
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Youthful
47. Kelly
Origin: Irish
Meaning: War
48. Kelsey
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Brave
49. Kendall
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Kent river valley
50. Kennedy
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Helmeted chief
51. Kerry
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Dark or dusky
52. Kyle
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Narrow channel
53. Lane
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Narrow road
54. Leslie
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Garden of hollies
55. Logan
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Little hollow
56. Mackenzie
Origin: Scottish/Gaelic
Meaning: Child of a wise leader
57. Micah
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Who is like God?
58. Morgan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Sea-born
59. Nico
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Victorious people
60. Paris
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Son of Priam (the king of Troy in Greek mythology)
61. Parker
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Park keeper
62. Perry
Origin: Middle English
Meaning: Pear tree
63. Peyton
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Royal
64. Phoenix
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Dark red
65. Quinn
Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: Wisdom
66. Reagan
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Little ruler
67. Reese
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Ardor
68. Riley
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Rye field
69. Robin
Origin: Old German
Meaning: Bright
70. Rory
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Red king
71. Rowan
Origin: Scottish/Irish
Meaning: Little redhead
72. Sidney
Origin: French
Meaning: Saint Denis/wide island
73. Skyler
Origin: Dutch
Meaning: Scholar
74. Taylor
Origin: English-French
Meaning: Tailor
75. Toby
Origin: Greek
Meaning: God is good
