# What gender comes to mind when hearing these first names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 5, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725 "2011-10-05T20:57:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/41 "2011-10-06T02:02:41Z")
Robin- M Terry- M Kelly- F Shannon- F Tracy- either Tony- M Jody- F (although this seems more like a male spelling) Sidney- M Courtney- F Hilary- F Alex- M Jamie- either Erin- F Qbert- alien 🙂 I think Hilary is the only name on this list where I haven’t known a male and a female with that name. OK, and Qbert… My sister had a male buddy in school named Courtney. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/42 "2011-10-06T02:24:23Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > At the risk of opening a familiar can of words, you will be hard-pressed to find a male named Erin. Aaron, however, is a male name and pronounced differently. Aaron like Baron, versus Erin like heron. > > Joe I am British, and to me _Aaron_ is **air-on** and _Erin_ is **eh-rin** (with a short **i** ). They sound quite distinct. However, I know many Americans (including my own children) pronounce both as something like **eh-run**. (I think, however, I have heard Hank Aaron’s name pronounced by Americans as **ah-ron**.) Of course they are completely different names with quite different origins. Aaron is from the Old Testament, and Erin is Irish for Ireland. And, of course, to all intents, Aaron is exclusively male and Erin exclusively female. (No doubt that will be changing in America, though, as people get confused by their own poorly differentiated pronunciation.) Is there a point to this poll, by the way? (I gave my answers upthread.) ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/43 "2011-10-06T03:30:21Z")
Robin - Female Terry - Male Kelly - Male Shannon - Female Tracy - Male Tony - Male Jody - Male Sidney - Female Courtney - Female Hilary - Female Alex - Female Jamie - Male Erin - Male Qbert - Male ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/44 "2011-10-06T03:42:59Z")
Robin: Female Terry: Male Kelly: Female Shannon: Female Tracy: Female Tony: Male Jody: Female Sidney: Female Courtney: Female Hilary: Female Alex: Male Jamie: Female Erin: Female Qbert: Male? I’ve never heard this name before ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/45 "2011-10-06T03:44:37Z")
Robin - boy (girl Robyn) Terry - boy (girl Terri) Kelly - girl Shannon - girl Tracy - girl Tony - boy (girl Toni) Jody - girl Sidney - boy Courtney - girl Hilary - girl Alex - either Jamie - boy Erin - girl Qbert - neither ---
**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:** [October 6, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/46 "2011-10-06T04:39:45Z")
Robin F Terry M (Terri F) Kelly F Shannon F Tracy F Tony M (Toni F) Jody F Sidney F Courtney F Hilary F Alex M Jamie M Erin F Qbert Now you’re just being silly… Sidney and Jamie were the only ones I had any second thoughts about. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/47 "2011-10-06T04:56:25Z")
Expanding a bit: The only males I have ever known named Tracy, Courtney, or Robin were all born at least 40 years ago, usually 50, 60, or more. And there have been mighty few of them. But at least I have known males by these names, even if it seems they are rapidly on their way to extinction. In contrast, I’ve known a number of females of all age ranges with these names. So in my book they are quite definitely female. Sidney–likewise, the only men I know with the name are quite old by now. (I do know a young man named Sid, but his given name is not Sidney.) Then again, I think I only know one female Sidney, and she’s a kid. So that’s a bit of a headscratcher. I believe I have never known a male named Shannon, Kelly, Hilary, or Jody, though I know there have been men with these names (baseball players Shannon Stewart, Kelly Gruber, and Jody Davis, illustrator Hilary Knight…). These are easy–female all the way. I have never known, or heard of, a male named Erin. (I think.) Female, most definitely. Seems like I’ve known a female who spelled her name Terry, though Terri has been in my experience much more common. I don’t think I’ve ever known a female who spelled her name Tony. Both definitely male. I have known multiple Jamies of each sex, probably more males but it’s close. Same with Alex, but a lot more men than women. I went with male for both. What say you guys to Marion?? or Stacy?? ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/48 "2011-10-06T06:07:33Z")
Robin - F Terry - M Kelly - Shannon - F Tracy - M Tony - M Jody - F Sidney - could go either way Courtney - F Hilary - F Alex - either way Jamie - M Erin - F Qbert - It Marion - M Stacy - F I know Alex is traditionally a male name, but there were three female Alexes in my high school class (of 100) and no male Alexes, so I usually think of one of them. Erin is always a female name. Aaron is always a male name. ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/49 "2011-10-06T06:12:31Z")
Robin M Terry M Kelly F Shannon F Tracy F Tony M Jody F Sidney M Courtney F Hilary F Alex M Jamie M Erin F Qbert M ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/50 "2011-10-06T06:27:42Z")
They’re **all** names that **used to be** male names and have **become** female names in recent decades. Do I win a prize? Also, the E in Erin is a [schwa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwa) and the name Erin is not only pronounced in a completely different way to Aaron, they’re not even distantly related. Aaron is a biblical name that comes from Hebrew, Erin is an Irish Gaelic name. They most certainly are not different gender-versions of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/51 "2011-10-06T06:36:14Z")
Robin - M Terry - F (yes, I know about Gilliam… he also has a lastname that sounds like a woman’s name, though!) Kelly - F Shannon - F Tracy - F Tony - M Jody - F Sidney - M Courtney - F Hilary - M Alex - M Jamie - I used to have the silliest time convincing anglos that the name of my father and brother (Jaime) is, indeed, a male name. Thanks to Mr. Oliver I don’t have that problem any more 😃 Erin - F Qbert - the child dunnow, but the parents are gender moron ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/52 "2011-10-06T07:14:04Z")
Robin - girl Terry - guy Kelly - girl Shannon - that’s my name, so girl Tracy - girl Tony - guy Jody - girl Sidney - girl Courtney - girl Hilary - girl Alex - guy Jamie - guy Erin - girl Qbert - orange However, I personally have known a male Courtney, a male Erin (yes, spelled E-R-I-N), a female Terry, a female Tony, and a female Jamie. ---
**Author:** ![rowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/53 "2011-10-06T07:30:59Z")
Robin - girl Terry - girl Kelly - girl (I’m a male Kelly, go figure) Shannon - guy Tracy - girl Tony - guy Jody - girl Sidney - guy Courtney - girl Hilary - girl Alex - guy Jamie - guy (Lannister!) Erin - girl Qbert - guy ---
**Author:** ![Seamack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Seamack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seamack)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/54 "2011-10-06T08:43:12Z")
Has anyone every encountered any gender ambiguity with the name ‘James’? Recently a colleague’s niece was given this moniker. Has anyone ever met a female James? ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/55 "2011-10-06T11:24:10Z")
Robin - F Terry - M Kelly - F Shannon- F Tracy- F Tony - M Jody - F Sidney - F Courtney - F Hilary - F Alex - M Jamie - M Erin - F Qbert - Whatever ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/56 "2011-10-06T11:51:57Z")
Robin -M (my brother- never met a female spelled that way in UK, but know little boys called that,) Terry- M Kelly -F mostly Shannon -F Tracy -F Tony -M Jody -F Sidney -M Courtney -F Hilary -F Alex -M Jamie -M Erin -F (Aaron is not pronounced the same at all to me, and is male- I know both an ‘Aaron’ A-rhon and an ‘Aeron’ Air-rhon, who both get annoyed it you say the wrong one- but both are distictly different from Eh-rin) Qbert -Goldfish ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/57 "2011-10-06T12:07:34Z")
Robin\*\*(M)\*\* Terry\*\*(M)\*\* Kelly\*\*(F)\*\* Shannon\*\*(F)\*\* Tracy\*\*(F)\*\* Tony\*\*(M)\*\* Jody\*\*(F)\*\* Sidney\*\*(M)\*\* Courtney\*\*(F)\*\* Hilary\*\*(F)\*\* Alex\*\*(M)\*\* Jamie\*\*(M)\*\* Erin\*\*(F)\*\* Qbert\*\*(M)\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/58 "2011-10-06T16:16:59Z")
> [@Seamack](#): > > Has anyone every encountered any gender ambiguity with the name ‘James’? Recently a colleague’s niece was given this moniker. Has anyone ever met a female James? No. James is a male name. [Jamie can be a girls name.](http://www.behindthename.com/name/jamie) ---
**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:** [October 6, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/59 "2011-10-06T18:59:33Z")
> [@Seamack](#): > > Has anyone every encountered any gender ambiguity with the name ‘James’? Recently a colleague’s niece was given this moniker. Has anyone ever met a female James? I’ve heard of female Jamies being called James, but not one with the first name actually James. ETA: And Cubert is a male name. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725/60 "2011-10-06T20:28:29Z")
Robin- Girl, though the only Robin in my life is male Terry- Girl Kelly-Girl Shannon-I think girl, my brother recently learned this mistake with my 13 y/o niece she told him she was going to hang out at Shannon’s house, thinking nothing of it the request was approved. My sister in law came home to point out Shannon is a 15 y/o boy who’s parents aren’t home till much later. Tracy- Girl Tony- Boy Jody- Girl Sidney- Boy Courtney- Girl Hilary- Girl Alex- Boy Jamie- Boy Erin- Girl Qbert- um who? I’d guess pet [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gender-comes-to-mind-when-hearing-these-first-names/598725.md?page=4)