# Name variations between sexes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530 "2001-09-19T04:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_gullywumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@the\_gullywumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_gullywumper)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/1 "2001-09-19T04:10:01Z")
What is the word for names of male and female variations? ie Paul-Pauline Michael-Michelle Leonard-Linda Don’t these variated names have a word to define them? If not, should we make one up? ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/2 "2001-09-20T18:23:54Z")
I don’t think there is a name for that one. That means we gotta make one up. Some people around here hate it when you make new words, but I’m down. Let’s call it. . . Transmonicker. Easy. You wanna call websters or shall I? DaLovin’Dj ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/3 "2001-09-20T20:31:19Z")
I’ve always referred to male and female variations of the same name as the ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’. For example, the feminine for the name Steven is Stephanie. However, I wouldn’t use that in a term paper; I just made these terms up when bored and thinking about that very thing. My own little word for this whole phenonemon is ‘name gender’. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/4 "2001-09-20T20:59:22Z")
I’m tempted to say diminutive, when a male name is given a different ending to make it feminine, because it often sounds less strong, or cuter, e.g., Henry and Henrietta. But I know that’s not quite right either. Just a nit, but Leonard is from “lion”, and Linda means beautiful so I’m not sure there’s a relationship there. ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/5 "2001-09-20T21:11:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dalovindj \* > **Let’s call it. . . Transmonicker.** There’s another one: Transmoniker/Transmonica 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/6 "2001-09-21T00:11:09Z")
The term for physical differences between males and females is _sexual dimorphism_, so how about we call name differences between males and females _sexual dinomenclature_? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-variations-between-sexes/82530/7 "2001-09-21T01:55:06Z")
I’ve always heard it referred to as feminization or masculination. In other words, “Pauline” is the feminization of “Paul”. Examples of masculination are harder to come by, but I think that “Evan” (from “Eve”?) and “Mario” (Mary?) might fit the bill. The diminutive of English names is usually formed by putting a “y” (or other equivalent letters) on the end of the name. There is some connection, at least, with feminization here: A woman named “Roberta” isn’t likely to call herself “Bob”, but she might go by “Bobbie”.