Unisex Names That Are Actually Tipping Boy or Girl
Namekin Team
Editorial
TL;DR
Not all unisex names are genuinely neutral any more. Riley, Avery, Quinn, Charlie and Sage are still carrying even numbers between boys and girls, but Addison, Harper and Rowan have tipped firmly girl, while Ellis, Reese and River have moved towards boys.
Unisex names are one of the fastest-growing categories in modern naming, but the picture on the ground is more complicated than it looks. Some names are genuinely split down the middle. Others, although advertised as unisex, have tipped firmly to one side in the last five years. For parents planning to use a unisex name, knowing which is which helps.
Names that are genuinely split
Riley, Avery, Quinn, Charlie, and Sage are all carrying roughly even numbers between boys and girls in current birth data. These are the genuine unisex names and the ones where the choice really is neutral. Expect the balance to keep shifting, but these are the names where both directions are live.
Names that have tipped girl
Addison, Emerson, Harper, and Rowan have all moved firmly towards girls in the last decade. A boy named Harper will still exist, but he will be outnumbered significantly on the playground. If gender-neutrality is the point, these names are no longer delivering it in practice.
Names that have tipped boy
Ellis, Reese, Jesse, and River have all moved firmly towards boys in current data. A girl named Jesse will still turn up, but the ratio is now tilted.
See also gender neutral baby names and what 2020s naming data tells us about 2030.
