Do you prefer gender-identifying or gender-neutral (or gender-neutral-sounding) baby names?

Gender-identifying are names that are strongly associated with one gender. The latter category are names that are either used commonly for both boys and girls or names that lack any significant masculine or feminine connotation, e.g.. Kelly, Bailey, Mackenzie, Riley, Morgan.



Also, if you prefer gender-identifying names, which is your preferred method of gender identity:



a) Spelling (e.g. "a" ending == girl)

b) Historical usage (e.g. Joshua=boy, Rebecca=girl)

c) Word meaning (e.g. flower name == girl)

d) Other

Do you prefer gender-identifying or gender-neutral (or gender-neutral-sounding) baby names?
I prefer names that are historically assigned to a gender. My favorite names are Daphne, Charlotte, Theodore, and Sebastian. They're all classic names that have a gender assigned to them. My only exception to the rule is Avery: It's a name that's beginning to get trendy, that's unisex, that started out as a boy's name and is becoming a girl's name, and is also a last name. Those are things I usually hate in a name, but I love Avery Jane!



To me, I don't like the "a ending is a girl" rule because of the biblical names like Noah that are boy's names. I also usually don't like word meanings as gender markers, like Blaze, Stone, Wolf, and Lance being boy's names because they're war tools and harsh, strong things, where Hope, Rose, Willow, and Rayne are girl's names because they're sweet and pretty things.



I prefer names to have a strong connection to a gender, and I plan on sticking to those connections. I don't like having to ask if a child is a boy or a girl, and not being able to tell by their name. However, I don't feel that there's anything really wrong with using a name like Morgan Riley or Dana Kelly for either gender, I just wouldn't do it.
Reply:Gender-identifying, for sure. I hate hearing a story about someone and the whole time, you're picturing a man, and then at the end you find out you're hearing about a woman... For me, I will often remember it the wrong way (whichever I first thought) and always think, for example, that Kelly is a girl.



For me: Historical usage, then spelling, then word meaning...
Reply:i love unisex names and i would say that unisex names the spelling helps identify boy/girl



hehe coolteam thats funny because my daughters name is avery grace. and everyone loves it. but i dont want it to get too popular
Reply:I like both. I think it is cute to use a gender specific name as the first or middle and then an either gender name as the other name.



For instance we like Addison Noelle. Some think Addison can be for a boy or girl and Noelle is girly.



And spelling plus historical usage are what I would use to classify names as gender identifying.



This was a neat question because some people are strongly against naming their baby with a name that can be used with either gender.
Reply:I like gender-neutral names. I think it allows for the child to develop as they want to without feeling like they have to conform to their name. I don't know how many times I've seen very "butch" or masculine girls named things like 'Brittany' or ' Cherie" or something else with a very feminine connotation.



I like the gender neutral names. My name is Riley :)