# What would your name have been if you were born the opposite gender? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941 "2004-01-11T05:24:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/21 "2004-01-11T08:32:14Z")
Jesse. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/22 "2004-01-11T08:41:13Z")
I’d probably have the same name, but instead of Tracey I’d be Tracy, since the male variant usually doesn’t have the “E.” ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/23 "2004-01-11T08:44:30Z")
Robert. Boy, I’d hate to be a Bob. Or Robbie. Or Bert. Hoo-ray for my vulva and vagina! Hip-hip-hurrah! ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/24 "2004-01-11T08:52:06Z")
Robert Bruce Jones, junior. Gag. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/25 "2004-01-11T09:10:03Z")
I would’ve been named Joshua. I’m glad my mother wasn’t one to follow traditions, otherwise I’d’ve been called Harry William, like my grandfather, and his grandfather etc ad nauseum. Max. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/26 "2004-01-11T09:16:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by voguevixen \* > **Instead I was named Betsy after my dad’s first girlfriend “Betsy Tootsiberry” (or so they claim) WTF?!?!** Hey, your mom coulda been in an even weirder mood and named you after the last name. Count your lucky stars, Toots. And another cheer for **Tortuga** ’s vagina! Err, huzzah! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/27 "2004-01-11T10:39:33Z")
Probably Joseph, which is my younger brother’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/28 "2004-01-11T11:45:07Z")
Rose, apparently. Glad I’m a guy; Finn is a better name, I think. > [@](#): > > Hoo-ray for my vulva and vagina! Hip-hip-hurrah! I’d put that in my sig, but I reckon it’d get taken out of context. There are some sick people out there, after all. ~ Isaac ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/29 "2004-01-11T12:37:00Z")
My younger sister’s name, which is Sandra. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/30 "2004-01-11T13:18:32Z")
Stephen, and was almost a Stephanie anyway. No worries though, Mom must’ve really liked the name, she had a Stephen two babies later. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/31 "2004-01-11T13:20:06Z")
Astrid. ---
**Author:** ![Honeydew\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@Honeydew\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honeydew_1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/32 "2004-01-11T13:40:14Z")
Philip or Andrew - fortunately they didn’t pick the other female choice of Colette (puke-making) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/33 "2004-01-11T13:50:54Z")
Alexander. They really wanted another boy too for some reason even though they had one. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/34 "2004-01-11T14:36:15Z")
Bryan, which led to my oddly-spelled name. My oldest sister was supposed to be Bryan, but wasn’t. My middle sister was supposed to be Bryan, but wasn’t. My mom said that when I was born, she wasn’t trying for any more Bryans, so Brynda it was. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/35 "2004-01-11T14:49:35Z")
Elizabeth. Almost named me after my paternal grandfather[Ralph], but was eventually named after my dad. I’m not a Jr. though. ---
**Author:** ![Loneraven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c0e974/32.png) [@Loneraven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loneraven)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/36 "2004-01-11T14:55:40Z")
Hamish. I am so, so glad I’m a girl. A boy of clear Asian origin, named Hamish? The mind boggles. ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/37 "2004-01-11T15:55:09Z")
William. It’s not a bad name but I’m glad I’m a girl (for many other reasons too) because there were always multiple Williams in my classes at school. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/38 "2004-01-11T16:07:45Z")
Benjamin. My mother LOVES that name. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/39 "2004-01-11T16:11:29Z")
My parents always teased me that if I was a boy I was going to be named Cyril, but that was more of a family joke. Chances are I’d have ended up with a combination family first name/geographical middle name. As it is I ended up with a family male first name for my middle name. Freak parents. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941/40 "2004-01-11T16:33:02Z")
Anthony. Years later, when Toni Teneill was popular, my mom was disappointed that she hadn’t named me Toni. Phew! Glad I escaped that bullet! Who knows what I’d have gotten up to. ( **voguevixen** , my dad wanted me to be named April, after the really hot dental hygenist that worked in his dentist’s office. My mom had her teeth cleaned when she was 8 months pregnant, caught onto his plan, and shot that idea down pretty quickly.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-name-have-been-if-you-were-born-the-opposite-gender/223941.md?page=3)