# I used to be a man...(names thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 9, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543 "2001-09-09T18:42:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/21 "2001-09-09T21:01:36Z")
My mother’s name is Shelley Dale. It was chosen before her birth and would have been given to her even if she was a boy. Shelley Berman (male) was a popular comedian at the time, and Dale Evans (female) was a singin’ cowgirl. I know men named Beverley and Lynn. ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/22 "2001-09-09T21:02:23Z")
> [@](#): > > And author Robin Cook would probably have problems being mistaken for a female, as would Christopher Robin. And Robin Hood’s tights do an excellent job to convince us of _his_ manhood. 😉 Kim _is_ a male name. Rudyard Kipling has a story titled _Kim_, the protagonist being Kimball O’Hara, and very much male indeed. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/23 "2001-09-09T21:16:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*Shelley Berman (male) was a popular comedian at the time… \*\* In this case Shelley is short for [Sheldon](http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/detail/celeb/198916). [Lynn](http://www.journalism.cf.ac.uk/2000/Projects/sport/3.htm) is a man’s name in Wales. ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/24 "2001-09-09T23:13:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*…I know men named Beverley and Lynn. \*\* Yes, I’ve also met a guy named Lynn. Also, oddly enough, there’s a female professor at the University of Winnipeg whose first name is Keith. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/25 "2001-09-09T23:32:21Z")
I have also seen the name Corey/Cory for both males and females. I haven’t noticed any particular spelling for either gneder - I recall seeing both, but I really not sure. I also know of a couple female Shawn’s. Thats kind of funny to me, since its my brother’s name! ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2001, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/26 "2001-09-09T23:54:05Z")
I went to school with a boy Cary and a girl Carrie. And I also recall reading somewhere that Joan/John used to be interchangeable. (sorry no cite, feel free to debunk that one if I’m wrong) ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/27 "2001-09-10T14:40:42Z")
Well, “Joan” is still a male name in Catalan, the equivalent of “John”. I’ve never come across this phenomenon in English, though. ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/28 "2001-09-10T14:46:29Z")
Except, IIRC, the it’s pronounced hoe-AHN (as in Miro) - essentially a variant of Juan. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/29 "2001-09-10T14:52:51Z")
I have a great-uncle named Vivian and a male friend named Alexis. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/30 "2001-09-10T14:53:51Z")
I have known guys with almost every “female” name mentioned here, Shannon, Shirley, Beverly – but I’ve never heard of a male Clare! In one small town, there was a male lawyer named Beverley, and he named is _daughter_ Beverly and she grew up to be a lawyer and they went into practice together. My brother’s middle name is Lynn, named for my mother’s male cousin Lynn. The feminine of this name is Lynne, which almost no one uses. I know two male Gales; one I think was named that, the other is short for Gaylord. I think he spells it Gayle, which looks feminine to me. Names are interesting things. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/31 "2001-09-10T14:59:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ellen \* > **I have known guys with almost every “female” name mentioned here, Shannon, Shirley, Beverly – but I’ve never heard of a male Clare!** In Clarence Day’s classic _Life with Father_, his father (for whom the author was named) goes by Clare. My sister used to date a guy named Erin. Mr. S has a male friend named Lynn, and a sister-in-law who has a very girly given name, but goes by “Mike” (which is nothing like her real name). ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/32 "2001-09-10T15:02:55Z")
My foster brother’s name is Corey. Long ago, I had a male best friend named Shane who lived with two of his female cousins, named Corrie and Shayne. In high school I knew a boy named Shayne. Consensus: Corey = male Corrie = Female Shane = Male Shayne = Either ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/33 "2001-09-10T15:04:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MsRobyn \* > And author Robin Cook would probably have problems being mistaken for a female, as would **Christopher Robin.** Well, maybe not Christopher Robin, considering his name is Christopher. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/34 "2001-09-10T15:12:40Z")
Hillary ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/35 "2001-09-10T15:15:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philistine \* > \*\*Except, IIRC, the it’s pronounced hoe-AHN (as in Miro) - essentially a variant of Juan. \*\* ??? Oh, they’re not supposed to rhyme! I was sitting here thinking “hoe-AHN… Mi… what the hell?” How about [Marion?](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Wayne,+John) ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/36 "2001-09-10T15:16:15Z")
My friend’s father is named Laverne (oddly enough, he has a sister named Shirley). I once dated a guy by the name of Loren. ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/37 "2001-09-10T15:43:34Z")
The guy who arranged my mortgage is named Lynn. I work down the hall from a man named Gail. My sister-in-law is named Gail too. (same spelling) In law school, two of my favorite professors were named Leslie (male) and Dale (male). Where I live (south central Pennsylvania) there are lots of males named Dale. It seems to be a fairly common male name around here. Zappo (Real name Sal; dimunitive of “Salvatore”, not “Sally”). ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/38 "2001-09-10T16:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Philistine \* > > \*\*Except, IIRC, the it’s pronounced hoe-AHN (as in Miro) - essentially a variant of Juan. \*\* > > ??? > > Oh, they’re not supposed to rhyme! I was sitting here thinking “hoe-AHN… Mi… what the hell?”\*\* Oops. I should’ve clarified - the example is the artist Joan Miró. But I guess you figured that out already. I know a guy named Audrey. And all the Dales I know are male, except Dale Evans, so I’d say she’s an anomaly. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/39 "2001-09-10T18:56:30Z")
I knew a guy from Russia named Sasha. I always thought of that as a girl’s name until I met him. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543/40 "2001-09-10T21:20:41Z")
I always thought: Ca **r** ol = girl [e.g. Burnett] Ca **rr** ol = boy [e.g. [Shelby](http://www.shelbyamerican.com)] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-used-to-be-a-man-names-thread/80543.md?page=3)