# The social phenomenon of giving girls male-associated names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803 "2014-01-03T16:02:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/61 "2014-01-06T02:13:15Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > That’s probably because it’s a Spanish name. Not that there aren’t any blonde or redheaded Spaniards/Latinos, but you’re not likely to meet a lot in the US. Oh, these models I’ve seen named “Mercedes” weren’t Latinas (I live in a town with a large Hispanic population — I can generally spot a Latina). These were clearly caucasian women, and it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that “Mercedes” was a “professional” name, not their real name. I just found it amusing that the name was so consistently attached to models who look, dress, and pose in the same way. As for the name itself … isn’t Mercedes-Benz a _German_ company? Though I guess that doesn’t mean much. I grew up believing that my own surname, Osborne, was a good English name and was surprised to discover that Osborne is also the name of an old company in Spain that makes brandy. Wait, there’re Osbornes in Spain? Then several years ago I learned that the name is actually derived from the Old Norse, “Asbjørn”. Since the Vikings were equal-opportunity raiders, I guess a few Asbjørns landed in Spain as well as England. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/62 "2014-01-06T02:23:27Z")
> [@](#): > > A homely, unappealing girl named “Hunter” (there’s a female model named Hunter, which I really dislike even for a boy) is not cute by anyone’s standards. > [@smokey78](#): > > Maybe Hunter like “Artemis”? [Her?](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2016157/) ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/63 "2014-01-06T02:39:29Z")
> [@smokey78](#): > > Maybe Hunter like “Artemis”? Were you referring to Hunter Tylo? There’s also a PGA golfer named Hunter Mahan. Yeah I was talking about Hunter Tylo. Tylo is kind of a cool last name at least. I’d rather be named Tylo Hunter than Hunter Tylo though. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/64 "2014-01-06T03:55:09Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that “Mercedes” was a “professional” name, not their real name. Uh-huh. Well her coworkers Candy and Trixxxie aren’t using their real names either. 🙂 > [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > As for the name itself … isn’t Mercedes-Benz a _German_ company? Though I guess that doesn’t mean much. I grew up believing that my own surname, Osborne, was a good English name and was surprised to discover that Osborne is also the name of an old company in Spain that makes brandy. Wait, there’re Osbornes in Spain? Well yeah, Hennessy isn’t a French name either. He was actually a mercenary who settled down and decided to make cognac. It’s kind of like the name “Maria.” It exists most European languages, but it is mostly associated with Hispanic ancestry as it’s more popular there. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/65 "2014-01-06T04:17:26Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > . . . I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blonde or redhead “Mercedes”. Always brunettes. . . . Ha! I’ve known exactly two Mercedeses in my life. One was a brunette (supposedly from Cuba), and the other was a redhead (who would be about 30 now). ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/66 "2014-01-06T06:22:09Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > As for the name itself … isn’t Mercedes-Benz a _German_ company? Though I guess that doesn’t mean much. The name is of [Spanish origin](http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/girl/mercedes) and predates the automobile company. The original Mercedes car was actually named in honor of the daughter of entrepreneur Emil Jellinek. There are also characters named Mercedes in the opera _Carmen_ and the novel _The Count of Monte Cristo_. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/67 "2014-01-06T06:51:54Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Evelyn was a ‘male’ name? _Viz._ Evelyn Waugh for one, noted English author of _Brideshead Revisited_. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/68 "2014-01-06T23:58:09Z")
_ahem_ see posts 21 and 25. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/69 "2014-01-07T00:09:28Z")
I call my daughter “Diego” because of traits associated with the name, mainly alluding to the saber tooth tiger played by Ray Romano. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/70 "2014-01-07T00:37:41Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > I call my daughter “Diego” because of traits associated with the name, mainly alluding to the saber tooth tiger played by Ray Romano. Ray was the elephant. Denis Leary was the tiger. John Leguizamo was the sloth. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/71 "2014-01-07T01:11:33Z")
^ Gotcha. I keep think of Romano. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/72 "2014-01-08T14:17:14Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I grew up believing that my own surname, Osborne, was a good English name and was surprised to discover that Osborne is also the name of an old company in Spain that makes brandy. Wait, there’re Osbornes in Spain? Then several years ago I learned that the name is actually derived from the Old Norse, “Asbjørn”. Since the Vikings were equal-opportunity raiders, I guess a few Asbjørns landed in Spain as well as England. The eighteenth-century founder of the company, Thomas Osborne Mann, was English. Many families involved in sherry and brandy production in Spain and Portugal have British ancestors because historically Britain was their main export market. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/73 "2014-01-08T14:40:52Z")
Mercedes as in cars came from the _nom de race_ of an Austrian diplomat who dabbled in cars around the turn of the 20th. It was his daughter’s name and applied first to him, then to his cars, then to a specific racing engine he built. It didn’t become associated with M-B until a few years later. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/74 "2014-01-08T17:30:37Z")
My middle son has a “girl” middle name (I hear it all the time :rolleyes:; his name is Jonathan Lynn) but it was hard to argue with my husband about it. His middle name and his father’s middle name, and his father’s middle name are the same and they were all named after a great-something uncle whose first name was Lynn. Even without the history, I really like the flow of his name. I hear that my youngest son, Orwin Thomas, has an “old man” name. Makes sense since he’s named after an old man (my grandfather, whose middle name is Orwin)… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/75 "2014-01-08T17:34:54Z")
Oh, and I’m not an Elizabeth (it’s my middle name) but I was born in the early 80s and the only Elizabeth I know is a teenager who goes by Liz. Years ago I knew a woman named Ellie and that might have been from Elizabeth, but I don’t think so. So, best case, I’ve met just two first name Elizabeths. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/76 "2014-01-08T18:26:03Z")
There is a mystery novel in which the solution hinges on the fact that Evelyn is both a man’s and a woman’s name. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead, by Agatha Christie. A friend of my father’s had a very common first name and one of the most common last names, and so decided to call his son by a name that was “clearly” male, and yet somewhat unusual, so it would be memorable: Courtney. This was right before Courtney became a popular name for girls. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/77 "2014-01-09T05:06:41Z")
One of my company’s sales contacts for a particular manufacturer is a guy named Stacey. There are several customer service reps within my company who have never spoken to Stacey – they’ve only seen his emails – and are adamant that this individual is not a man. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/78 "2014-01-09T06:58:18Z")
I had a college roommate (male) whose name was Kim Leslie. He started getting mail addressed to Miss Kim Leslie, so he decided to start using his full name, Kimbrough. It was a family name, apparently. But then he started getting mail addressed to Miss Leslie Kimbrough. Then there are all of the bizarre (to our ears) names that the [http://www.slate.com/blogs/the\_vault/2013/09/13/puritan\_names\_lists\_of\_bizarre\_religious\_nomenclature\_used\_by\_puritans.html](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2013/09/13/puritan_names_lists_of_bizarre_religious_nomenclature_used_by_puritans.html) Puritans gave to their children. > [@](#): > > The name Francis is male, and Frances is female. My grandfather was a Francis and my grandmother was a Frances. Nana called him France. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/79 "2014-01-09T14:52:01Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > One of my company’s sales contacts for a particular manufacturer is a guy named Stacey. There are several customer service reps within my company who have never spoken to Stacey – they’ve only seen his emails – and are adamant that this individual is not a man. We have a client contact named Kelly Lynn Lastname. He’s a dude. It took a very, very long time for people in our office to get their heads around this. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803/80 "2014-01-09T15:13:13Z")
FTR, I know about eleven billion Elizabeths. But most are Liz or Beth. The only name I think I have more friends with the same name than Elizabeth are Sara(h)s and Jennifers. I think the male name, female person things greatly comes from last names. I know a number of women who have a masculine sounding middle name (and sometimes first name) and the story is almost always passing along a family name. Many times, it’s the mom’s maiden name. I also agree that much of it is the wanting a boy deal. I knew a Johnetta and Joetta “feminized” when ol’ Dad realized that baby was an XX. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-social-phenomenon-of-giving-girls-male-associated-names/677803.md?page=5)