# What names are truly androgynous, so far as you can tell? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918 "2006-01-20T23:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/1 "2006-01-20T23:05:47Z")
For most people, even supposedly androgynous names belong to one gender or another on first hearing. Robin, for example, is gender neutral, but with no other information or context I’d think of it as a girl’s name. Quinn is another one – despite the mighty Quinn the eskimo, these days, I hear Quinn and I think girl. Some names, though, don’t tilt one way or another for me: Kelly. I’ve known both boys and girls with this name, enough so that it doesn’t ping either way. Lee. One of the rare boy’s names co-opted by girls that [remains popular for boys](http://www.babynamewizard.com/blog/2005/01/ray-of-hope-for-courtney-and-leslie.html) anyway. If I see it, I tend to think boy, but if I hear it, it’s ambiguous, given that it includes Leigh and (some) Leah, as well. What names do you consider truly androgynous? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/2 "2006-01-20T23:13:34Z")
Sam. And I’d agree with Robin. (I’ve never knowingly met a Quinn, and Lee is still universally-male in the UK, while Kelly is almost totally female) ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/3 "2006-01-20T23:17:09Z")
Pat and Jamie are the first that come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/4 "2006-01-20T23:18:02Z")
Two more: Billy and Alex ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/5 "2006-01-20T23:18:16Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Pat and Jamie are the first that come to mind. i second this motion when i think “quinn”, i think “really hot female”. i’ve never encountered a male quinn, and if i did, i’d call him by his middle name…or last name…or even “hey you” if i had to ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/6 "2006-01-20T23:18:21Z")
There have be male and female Taylors and Dylans at my kids’ schools. I’m not sure I’d know who I was dealing with if I heard from a Terry or a Pat ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/7 "2006-01-20T23:21:46Z")
Chris. At one point I think I knew 3 or 4 Chris’s, of both genders. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/8 "2006-01-20T23:29:38Z")
Bo Terry Jan Dana Jean Jamie Lee is my middle name. My first name also happens to be a boys name co-opted by girls that remains popular for boys. I’m sure it will be mentioned in this thread. I happen to know more males than females with my name. I once asked friends if they would assume male or female by seeing my name alone. The majority said female. I don’t know if the fact that they know I am a female played any part in that. I wouldn’t be able to choose a gender if I were to see it on paper. I’d be about 50/50 since it’s so androgynous. To me anyway. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/9 "2006-01-20T23:41:17Z")
Dana? I’m surprised. I’d have put this down as a fully-female one, without question. Good call on Terry, though. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/10 "2006-01-20T23:42:16Z")
Evelyn ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/11 "2006-01-20T23:46:53Z")
Jamie’s a good one, although spelling can sometimes be a gender-tipper. Jayme? My brain says girl. Jamie? No preference. And I can’t believe I didn’t think of Pat and Chris. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/12 "2006-01-20T23:51:35Z")
Leslie ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/13 "2006-01-20T23:52:15Z")
Chris I would dispute. This is assuming we aren’t including ‘Chrissy’ etc. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/14 "2006-01-20T23:53:22Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > Leslie Nah. That’s a girl. Any self-respecting bloke is called Les 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/15 "2006-01-20T23:53:26Z")
Joyce ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/16 "2006-01-20T23:53:51Z")
Yea spelling does make a difference. Like Jean, I’d lean towards female, Gene, definitely male right? But by sound alone you have no way of knowing. Sidney/Sydney M/F? Taylor? Kendall? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/17 "2006-01-20T23:56:08Z")
Francis ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/18 "2006-01-21T00:00:52Z")
Toni/Tony I tend to think F/M Jesse/Jessie M/F Jackie? Drew? ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/19 "2006-01-21T00:03:24Z")
I think of Kelly as exclusively female, I’d be very surprised to meet a boy with that name. Lee is a good one; that’s my sister’s middle name but with that spelling it could really be either. Although when I hear of a boy with that name I automatically think he’s named after Robert E. Lee, I don’t have the same reaction to females with the name. Drew is pretty gender-neutral. I’d be pretty confused at that one. Sure, Drew Barrymore is popular but Andrew is still one of the top twenty names for boys. And of course, Taylor and Dakota and all those other trendy names are pretty neutral. When not spelled out, I don’t “ping” the name Adrian/ne as either male or female, I’ve known equal proportions (about two) of each. It has a gender variant spelling though. Same with Julian/ne. What about Loren? I think “girl” but many other people think boy. (One of my cousins has a girl with that name and gets the wrong gender a lot.) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918/20 "2006-01-21T00:06:55Z")
> [@davenportavenger](#): > > What about Loren? I think “girl” but many other people think boy. (One of my cousins has a girl with that name and gets the wrong gender a lot.) If I heard it, I’d assume ‘Lauren’ and female. I don’t think I’ve encountered any other spelling first-hand, nor a boy or man by that name. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-names-are-truly-androgynous-so-far-as-you-can-tell/340918.md?page=2)