# Curse you, Lindsay! \[gender naming conventions\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120 "2016-07-28T16:44:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/21 "2016-07-28T17:56:26Z")
We had both in an office of only thirteen. Lindsay Mulkern and Lindsey Something-or-other (personally I’ve always found triple barrelled names pretentious but I always referred to her as The Ice Queen anyway). I have this theory that ending -say signalled male and -sey female, but it looks like I should revise that. Neither are very popular nowadays for as new kids names in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/22 "2016-07-28T18:08:46Z")
I did a similar thing recently with a Shelby in a business situation. It probably should have registered as a gender-neutral name for me, but I wrongly assumed female. According to a name popularity site, at its peak popularity the girls outnumbered boys by 20 times. So much for having the odds in my favor. > [@pulykamell](#): > > I did not know about Sean, though. Or Jake, for that matter. Never heard either refer to a woman, to my knowledge. Sean Young is an example of a female Sean. But a female Jake is a new one for me as well. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/23 "2016-07-28T18:10:39Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I did a similar thing recently with a Shelby in a business situation. It probably should have registered as a gender-neutral name for me, but I wrongly assumed female. > > According to a name popularity site, at its peak popularity the girls outnumbered boys by 20 times. So much for having the odds in my favor. > Sean Young is an example of a female Sean. But a female Jake is a new one for me as well. I have known a couple of women who have used “Jake” as a nickname for “Jackie” and its variants. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/24 "2016-07-28T18:29:06Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > …Other names that can be problematic: Terry, Sandy, Stacy just off the top of my head. I guess if they spell it ending with an ‘i’ I’d be more likely to assume female. Particularly if the dot on the “i” is a heart? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/25 "2016-07-28T18:34:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I did not know about Sean, though. Or Jake, for that matter. Never heard either refer to a woman, to my knowledge. > [@TroutMan](#): > > Sean Young is an example of a female Sean. But a female Jake is a new one for me as well. Sean Young came to mind, I may have met a woman named Sean, but I think it’s pretty rare. Never heard of a woman named Jake except maybe in some fiction. Sounds like an old oater thing where the head honcho named Jake turns out to be a woman. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/26 "2016-07-28T19:04:13Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Stacy Leach (and his dad) both spell their first names without an “e,” though. Of course I meant Stacy Keach, and his son, Stacy Keach, Jr. Damn you, autocorrect! ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/27 "2016-07-28T19:44:53Z")
My paternal grandfather was David Ashley Lastname. I named my son Eric Ashley Lastname. He took a lot of teasing about having a girl’s name. I more or less thought Ashley was gender neutral. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/28 "2016-07-28T19:53:22Z")
I once knew a couple when I was a kid whose names seemed reversed. His was Lynn and hers was Shane. Screwed everyone up, it did. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/29 "2016-07-28T21:32:19Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I have also known men named Gayle, Lynn, Sandy (short for Sanford), and Lynn. The distinction between items two and four in this list is a bit too subtle for me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/30 "2016-07-28T21:38:15Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Sean Young is an example of a female Sean. But a female Jake is a new one for me as well. I’m somehow not familiar with her, although it appears I have seen a few movies she’s been in. I’m terrible with actors’ names. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/31 "2016-07-28T21:39:04Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/32 "2016-07-28T21:59:30Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I have also known men named Gayle, Lynn, Sandy (short for Sanford), and Lynn. > [@Knorf](#): > > The distinction between items two and four in this list is a bit too subtle for me. You see, the first is the male version of “Lynn”, whereas the second is the female version that the poor unfortunate chap got tagged with. “My name’s Lynn.” “Lynn? that’s a girls name!” “Yeah, I know.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/33 "2016-07-28T23:23:36Z")
I may have mentioned in the past that when I was in college, I had a male roommate named Kim Leslie. He was always getting mail addressed to Miss Kim Leslie. So he started filling out all forms as Kimbrough Leslie, which was actually his first name. And then he started getting mail addressed to Miss Leslie Kimbrough. There was an actress who used to go by James King, but then eventually changed her name to Jamie King. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/34 "2016-07-28T23:49:03Z")
Lindsay = female, Lindsey = probably female but often male. I wouldn’t assume. Kim I assume is female if not a Korean surname. It’s more common as a male name in Britain than in the US, but I encountered a male Kim recently. I’ve never met a female Jake or heard of a female Sean aside from Young (and she is apparently a crazy person, so I don’t know if they’re related). Or the bassist from White Zombie, but her real name is Shauna. Yet this is the \*\*third \*\*thread that suggested it was unisex, so some Dopers apparently run in some unique circles. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Yeah, but he’s English. We expect them to have dainty names. Aside from the Gone With the Wind one, the _other_ famous Ashley has a chainsaw for a hand and kills Deadites, so I’d say it’s a pretty manly name by default. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/35 "2016-07-28T23:59:17Z")
The OP asked for examples, and I think that Madison counts in this case. Prior to the year 1985 only men are named Madison, so if you’re older than that you don’t expect to meet women named Madison. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/36 "2016-07-29T00:04:06Z")
Lindsay or Lindsey, both definitely female. Same with Leslie, Robin, Tracy, Whitney, Kim, Marion, and a host of other names that once were used relatively often for boys and men and now are vanishingly rare among males. I would have made the same mistake as the OP did. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/37 "2016-07-29T00:05:43Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > The OP asked for examples, and I think that Madison counts in this case. Prior to the year 1985 only men are named Madison, so if you’re older than that you don’t expect to meet women named Madison. According to the [Baby NameVoyager](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=madison&sw=m&exact=false), the male version died out by the 50s, but became popular again as a male name in the 80s. Keep in mind that the male popularity was absolutely dwarfed by the female: 50/million of males in the 90s, while the female version was 90x more popular and the 3rd most popular name at its peak in 2006. Some parents should’ve skipped the middle man and just named their kid “Madison 5” because every class will have at least 4 others. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/38 "2016-07-29T01:50:11Z")
I personally know Lonnie/loni/lani lony Lonny is male and female … ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/39 "2016-07-29T01:55:49Z")
I know a (now former) couple who are Lindsay (male) and Brennan (female), which definitely used to trip people up a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120/40 "2016-07-29T02:38:02Z")
I’d like y’all to meet my uncle Leslie. And his daughter, Leslie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curse-you-lindsay-gender-naming-conventions/761120.md?page=3)