Pregnancy & Birth

15 Gender-neutral baby names

Some inspiration for parents-to-be looking for something different.

While there is a certain charm about baby names that are largely masculine or feminine, there is a growing trend in gender-neutral names for little ones.

There is something modern and original about giving your son or daughter a name that could work for either sex, meaning it’s not too pretty or too macho.

Scroll through our picks of 15 gender-neutral baby names that might work for you.

Blake

Meaning “fair-haired” and “dark” (yes, completely conflicting!), Blake ranks highly for boys, but has grown in popularity for little girls too, thanks, in part, to Hollywood star Blake Lively.

James

Maybe she was inspired by her own name, but Blake Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds named their little girl James (on the left) – continuing their family’s trend of cool, gender-neutral names.

Charley

A softer spelling of the traditional nickname for Charles, Charley is regular features in the top name lists each year. Although according to nameberry.com it doesn’t rank as high as Charlee for girls.

Maxwell

Max has long been a top choice of new parents of baby boys, but once again, celebrity has a lot to do with the rise in Maxwell for girls. Jessica Simpson named her daughter Maxwell Drew in 2012, while our own parenting blogger and health and wellness expert, Libby Matthews chose the name early in 2017.

Ryan

Meaning “little king” naming your girl bub Ryan is a strong choice. If you’re worried it might be a bit confusing, there’s always Rion (pronounced Ree-un), which means Queen in Irish.

Scout

While it’s widely regarded as a boy’s name, who can forget the spirited little girl from To Kill a Mockingbird (even if it was a nickname)? And of course, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore chose the name for their daughter.

Elliott

Whether you spell it with one or two t’s, the possible nickname of “Ellie” is cute for both boys and girls, in our opinion.

Harley

It was once a macho biker name, but thanks to inspiration like Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie), this gender-neutral moniker is growing in popularity with both boys and girls.

Ash

Whether it is on its own, or shortened from Ashley, this snappy name is cute and catchy.

Riley

According to Baby Name Wizard, Riley comes from Old English, and has been popular name in New Zealand for the past few years.

Jude

According to nameberry.com, Jude meas Praised. Whether you’re inspired by The Beatles, or Jude Law, it’s a sweet name.

Avery

Truly unisex, this name (which means “ruler of the elves”) was in the top 200 for both boys and girls in the US in 2016.

Drew

Meaning “wise” there are obviously some famous Drews, both male and female, including Drew Barrymore and, uh, Shortland Street’s Dr Drew McCaskill.

Marley

The most famous “Marley” might be the reggae master, but with a meaning like “pleasant seaside meadow”, it is a name that lends itself just as well to little girls.

Bailey

The origins of this name might be traditionally masculine – it means “law enforcer” or “bailiff” – there is something sweet about the name Bailey for a little bubdle of joy, regardless of gender.

Loading the player…

The bizarre ways your name affects your behaviour

Related stories