Avery: Girl name or boy name?

Since posting about Peyton a few months back, I’ve kept my eye out for evolving unisex names. I think I’ve got another: Avery.

Historically speaking, Avery is a male name. It has ranked among the top 1,000 baby boy names in the U.S. since 1880 (when data was first collected). It’s been a top-1,000 baby girl name since only 1989.

But in 1998, Avery ranked higher for girls (245th) than for boys (247th) for the first time. And this slight lead has since become much more pronounced: Avery ranked 66th for girls and 215th for boys in 2005.

Notably, Avery’s gender re-assignment hasn’t caused the name to become less popular for boys. In fact, its rank for boys in 2005 was its highest ever.

So, what do you think–is Avery a girl name, a boy name, or one of those rare names that works for either gender?

UPDATE: Here’s how Avery has been used (raw numbers and rankings) since I first published this post…

  • 2012: 8272 girls (13th) & 1,998 boys (187th)
  • 2011: 7,320 girls (18th) & 1,785 boys (201st)
  • 2010: 6,667 girls (23rd) & 1,694 boys (211th)
  • 2009: 6,292 girls (32nd) & 1,627 boys (223rd)
  • 2008: 5,828 girls (38th) & 1,746 boys (216th)
  • 2007: 5,379 girls (48th) & 1,740 boys (221st)
  • 2006: 5,247 girls (52nd) & 1,791 boys (211th)

Here’s Avery’s popularity graph, if you’d like to see a visual.

209 thoughts on “Avery: Girl name or boy name?

  1. Although Avery is traditionally a male name, I’ve noticed it has become a unisex name over the past decade. Personally, I feel it sounds more female than male and don’t particularly care for it on a male. That’s my opinion. I think it is a cool, pretty and spunky name for a girl. It continues to rise on the yearly Top 100 names of each year — in 2006 it was in the top 50. It is very popular for girls where I live. In fact, I have only ever met one male Avery in my area. My daughter’s name is Avery Kate. We call her “Ave” or “Ava” as a nickname.

  2. My son’s middle name is Avery. We found Avery is derived from Alfred which happens to be my husband’s middle name and my father-in-law’s first name. We thought this was a fitting alternative. Thus Samuel Avery was born. I have found both girls and boys named Avery and have encountered more males with the name, in the past, than females. To each his own. I think it is a great name no matter who wears it.

  3. Our named our 2nd son, born in May 2006, Avery. We loved the name, but were a little worried that it would come to be considered a girls-only name. I charted the social security data and saw the rocket-like rise of Avery as a girl’s name starting from nowhere in 1989.

    We asked around and found that plenty of boys in our area were still being named Avery, and few people around here seemed to think of it as a girls-only name. Even so, we gave our son an unequivocally masculine middle name — James, as well as useable initials, A.J., so he has options.

    Since then, I’ve gotten comfortable with Avery as an androgynous name that I like very much for either gender. Even so, I’ll probably be checking each year’s new social security data for Avery for a while.

    BTW, what happened to make Avery so suddenly popular as a girl’s name was the TV show Murphy Brown. The main character’s mother was named Avery, which may be it’s first known use as a girl’s name. The actress who played that Avery won two awards for her excellent portrayal of that character. Then, she died while the show was still going, and the character Murphy named her baby (boy) after her.

    The social security data shows a downward trend in Avery until bottoming out in 1949, then a spike in the 1950’s, and a general upward trend since then (and since 1993 it has been more popular as a boy’s name than it ever was before 1993). In 1952, the very popular book Charlotte’s Web was published, in which a minor character, Fern’s little brother, is named Avery.

    So to answer the question — I think Avery is a great name for both boys and girls.

  4. Babyblue, Ushi and Greg – Thanks so much for the comments! (Thanks especially to Greg for info on Murphy Brown. I hadn’t been aware of the connection.)

  5. Thanks (belatedly) for the “Avery” info! My sister’s name is Avery, she was born in 1986, and I’ve had an ongoing argument with our mother ever since. I’ve always contended that Avery, like my own name, was a traditionally male name. Interestingly, looking at the other reader’s comments, I always used Charlotte’s Web’s Avery (male) as an example of my side of the argument, and my mom always referenced Murphy Brown! :)

  6. My son is 9 years old and his name is Avery. I had no idea the name was unisex, had I known I would probably have not used it!!! I usually do not care for unisex names, sometimes when I am on the phone talking about my son people wityh out knowing refer to him as a girl ugh!

  7. I’ve decided to name my baby girl Avery, and almost everyone i know has been complaining that it’s a boy name. Having no prior knowledge of anyone with this name though, i think that it’s a great name for either sex. Also, something different.

  8. Two of my daughters are Avery Daniella and Peyton Elizabeth. They both love their names and get compliments on them. As they were uniex names, more male, we went for feminine middle names. I love the names and so do they so that is all that counts!

  9. I had boy/girl twins October 2006 I wanted names that started with “A”. We named our twins Avery Jack and Arianna Faith. I have always thought of Avery being a boys name.

  10. We’re naming our unborn daughter Avery Jean. We are expecting her in about 5 weeks. I like the name Avery for a boy or a girl, but it sounds more feminine to me. I get mixed reviews when sharing our name choice. Most ‘younger’ (early 30’s or younger) people love the name for a girl. Most ‘older’ folks think its strictly a boy name.

    We wanted an A name as soon as we find out we were having a girl. We like the name Avery because it’s different. I also think it will grow with her and has just the right amount of sex appeal. Some girl names tend to sound so juvenile, so when they’re starting their careers, they may not be taken seriously enough. Jean as a middle name has been in my family for many generations as the first girl middle name. Twas only fitting to pass this on to our first child/first girl.

    Our little Avery will be beautiful and blond unless something crazy happens. ;o)

  11. My son’s name is Avery and for all of you who are confussed Avery is a boy’s name. Like Ashley, Kim,Jamie, and even Lauren. I just love my son’s name although him being 11 years old he sees dolls with that name as a girl. I think that if you are having a girl pick another name.

  12. Well, as my name points out, my parents named me Avery. Avery Maria. It was actually also my grandma’s middle name so I’ve never really seen it as a boy’s name since, well, I’m a girl even though I have known a guy with the name.

    I personally love it, even if it is a male’s name. I actually like it more for that fact. I think girls with guys name is always sort of cool. *shrugs* Maybe that’s just me but ah well

  13. I’ve recently started falling in love with the name Avery! Since I was young enough to think about naming babies, I always loved Leilani for a girl’s name. However, that’s changed!

    For me, Avery is a unisex name, although I prefer it for a girl (for the same reasons as stated above). Still, it’s a great boy’s name, too. Greg had an excellent name choice for his son! A.J. is very cool–a great alternative.

  14. I have a 7 month old little boy named Avery. I had never heard little girls named
    Avery, until we named him Avery. I still think it is a BOY’S name!!!!

  15. TOTALLY a boy’s name!! :] My boyfriends name is Avery. He is soo cute! <3 Lol.

  16. Avery sounds like 100% boy to me…just cause it reminds me of a NBA b-ball player. (it was his lastname) I named my son Avery cause it just stood out to me when i was looking:) I love itlol I have my own nickname that suites him soo well that wouldnt work if it wasnt his name:P I dont think its a girls name at all…when i hear it called out loud to a girl , it just sounds off…maybe just cause I never really knew it could possibly be meant for girl when i picked it.

  17. I agree with Shiela H! If your having a girl please pick another name…This name shouldnt be unisex:L:Llol just buggin, but seriously… If you love the name so much wait till you have a boy and name HIM Avery:Plol please please please, we dont want our sons teased for no reason when theyre in school…its a boys name all tha way! Its a form of ALFRED,,want your daughter to be named Alfred??dont think so. lol research it first before making the choice.

  18. Avery is a girls name! We named our daughter Avery Michelle. I don’t find it masculine at all, but that’s just my opinion. It may have derived from Alfred, BUT a lot of girls names come from what were once boys names. Avery is a girls name!

  19. I think Avery is a unisex name that leans more towards females. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! My youngest is Avery Grace Elizabeth. She is 15 months old. and honestly i thought it was more for boys when i picked it, but i like boy names for girls! My oldest is Kaysen Veronica. and i picked very girly names for mns so if they hate their first names they can go with the mns. but again i think avery can go either way.

  20. To Sheila: “If you are having a girl pick another name?” Your judgements are ridiculous. Just because your son feels uncomfortable that there are girls out there with his name too, doesn’t mean the rest of society should change to suit you. Instead, why don’t you spend your time introducing your son to diversity!

    I like the name avery. It started as a surname and then was adopted as a male name. Saying it should only be a boy name is as closed minded as saying it should only be used as a surname.

    My husband and I are naming our little girl Avery. I love it and I dnt care if she meets boys and girls with her name. I will teach her that it is still as unique as each person to whom it belongs.

  21. Well i have to say as a teenage mother[please dont judge me]i named my baby boy Avery.Its only because i knew of no one with that name. But when he gets older and tells me girls have his name i will tell him that his name is just that cool:)I dont care if its a girls name or a boys name i like it i think its really unique.

  22. My husband I love the name Avery for a GIRL- we find out soon what we are having and we will name her Avery Mikenna or Avery Grace, have not decided, we think it is a beautiful name and it just doesn’t seem as masculine to us as feminine- about the age range our parents think its more masculine but our friends in their late 20’s love it as a girls name…

  23. Avery is definately a boy’s name. I worked for a pharmacist as a teenager 20 years ago named Avery. I loved the name which was very much masculine and not too common and decided then if I ever had a son Avery would be his name. I’m very blessed to be the mother of Avery Phillip. After having him, I had a number of friends/relatives tell me they had a grandfather or uncle named Avery and were happy to hear the old name again. Avery is the name of Fern’s brother in Charlotte’s Web and of one of the main attorneys (male) in John Grisham’s The Firm. As a mother of a son named Avery, it disheartens me whenever I hear a little girl being called Avery. (The girl craze started a year after my son was born!) I certainly don’t want him to grow up with the stigma of being named a girl’s name–something that I think is harder for a boy than for a girl who is named a boy’s name. I have saved the baby name books that I used during my pregnancies that have Avery listed only in the boy’s section just in case he questions it!

  24. It’s funny… the first time I heard the name Avery it was a male friend of mine in high school and I LOVED it! When I was pregnant I mentioned it to my husband (as a boys name) thinking he would hate it and he really ended up loving it also! So we decided to not find out what we were having and we would name the baby Avery either way. We now have little Avery David and I think it’s a wonderful name! I hope he feels the same when he grows up. I do believe, no matter what the origins, that’s it’s a great name for either gender!

  25. Kudos to Candive! I just heard this name yesterday(where else but on TV) and it immediately struck me as the name for my baby girl that’s due in February. I got so excited about it; now I just have to get my husband to agree to it! Her middle name is already set, and I refuse to change it. Avery Lydia(after my late grandmother)? I don’t quite know how that sounds together.

  26. I have a 5 year old daughter that I named Averie Joy. I changed the spelling at my husband’s request (he didn’t like it being spelled the same as James Avery). I fell in love with the name after my dad found it on a baby name website. I think it works for both sexes although I don’t know any male’s with the name.

  27. We have a 2 year old named Avery Michael. Ironically, my coworker has a daughter named Avery. My name too, is a unisex name, however most females of my namesake are spelled “Erin.” Personally, I would love to see more female Avery’s with Kendra’s spelling, “Averie.”

    May ALL your children learn to walk in the Truth. God bless you.

  28. My bf was born in 1991, and his name is Avery, to me it seems to suit him and I find the spelling Averie to be more feminine.

  29. Avery is a unisex name (though I find it more masculine.) and a way to agree on the whole its a boy/girl name is simple. Like the name Aaron/Erin it can easily be spelled diferently to show if its a boy or girl’s name. Avery for a boy and Averie for a girl. If that doesnt work then if you have a boy give him a masculine middle name or aname starting with J. Then he can be A.J. like Greg’s son!

  30. My son’s name is Avery Charles…honestly, if I would have realized at the time that it was such a popular girl’s name I probably wouldn’t have chosen it. I knew it was unisex but I didn’t know there were so many more girls with the name. I am worried he will be teased in school. I love the name for a boy or a girl. Boys are usually pronounced two syllables and girls with three I have found.

  31. Avery has always sounded like a boy’s name-it has always been traditionally a boy’s name ( the English form of Alfred). Avery is VERY trendy for a girl but strong,masculine and classy for a boy. I just do not think it sounds like a girl’s name. There are so many beautiful girl names ,why would you name your girl with a boy’s name?

  32. Many of the baby sites point out that Avery sounds like Ivory and to me it sounds like a very feminine name. Though of course you cannot deny the history in that it is a unisex name, but the trend these days, as no one can’t ignore is that names are becoming more unisex. I love Avery for a girl and I agree with other posts that a traditionally female middle name is the way to go! We are thinking Avery Rachel or Avery Raquel. Also, as much as I love the name Avery for a girl, I do not like it for a boy.

  33. My 9-year-old son is Avery Mark. I heard the name from a friend who named her son Avery and from an older guy (50’s) with that name. I probably would not have named my son Avery had I known it was going to morph into a little girl’s name a few years later. My son has not mentioned the number of little girls under the age of 7 we know with that name, but I see the popularity on dolls, all things pink things and jewelry and know that most people believe it to be a feminine name. I liked someone’s suggestion to have Avery spelled Averie for a girl and Avery for a boy. Avery is a great name and I can see why it *could* be a girl’s name too. However, I do wish it would stay a boy’s name. Drives me insane when I call the doctor and they ask his name and I say “Avery” and they ask “her birthdate”. Now I feel like I must say my son’s name is Avery Mark. Mothers of boy Avery’s: we are losing our son’s name to the girls. I will forever keep my disappointment hidden from my son b/c I don’t want him to ever dislike his name, but I am bothered by the fact it has become not merely, gender neutral, but feminine.

  34. There are two Avery’s in my daughter’s class of 25 kids. One is a boy, one is a girl. It always sounded like a boy’s name to me, like perhaps a last name turned into a name, like Blake or Doyle? My husband works with an Avery in his early 60s.

  35. My 5 year old son is Avery Nicholas. His one friend has a little sister named Avery as well. Whether you believe it is a boy’s name or a girl’s name girl, and I’m sure that you would all agree that it is a better choice than Apple or Bronx Mowgli….ha ha.

  36. I named my daughter, Avery Kate. It was my husband’s idea to use Avery. Since I have a name that is typically seen as a male spelling for “Carrie” I was a little concerned about her name being confused with a boy’s name. However, that has not been the case at all! I have never met a male named Avery. Where I live, there seems to a growing trend for usage of this name for girls. As a matter of fact, there are several little girls named Avery at my daughter’s daycare, and there are no boys with that name.

    To me, it does sound more feminine than masculine. Either gender you choose it for, simply couple the name with a gender-specific middle name. After all, who thinks that someone named Avery Kate is a boy? Or that someone named Avery Steven is a girl?

    My daughter is almost three, and she loves her name! My daughter would call of you that think Avery is strictly a boy’s name a “silly goose!” Isn’t a child’s honesty the best! haha.

  37. I LOVE the name Avery so much that I named my baby that. To me it is a girls name through and through. I have heard of a few boys named Avery, but it just does not seem a very fitting name for a boys first name.

  38. I have a son named Avery Mark (he is 8yrs old).There is one Avery in his school and it is a girl but the security guard at his school is named Avery (a male).I have always thought of Avery as a boys name.

  39. We named our son, Avery Jackson, giving him options as well, not because of the name ‘Avery,’ but because every child should have options. As far as the name ‘Avery,’ perhaps people should best not assume gender assignment these days when they hear a child’s name, given parent propensity to take what was once a predominantly male or female and give it to their child. Our son faces the ‘she’ factor regularly where we live. However, when visiting other regions of the country, we find that ‘Avery’ is more commonly male. Frankly, it is tempting to move to ensure that he does not face difficulty when in the school setting. In my youth, I always found boys with different names a bit more appealing, so, in the end, if that is how my Avery’s name is regarded, so be it. We love the name…for a boy. At least do the favor, folks, and stop calling it feminine…I don’t do that to people who have girls named Avery and flat out say it’s a boy’s name. It’s a name, pure and simple. Those who used it can all agree, we like it, perhaps because it has a nice ring to it…it’s strong, it says something, it’s different.

  40. Well, I’m glad I didn’t read this thread before we named our one week old daughter…..Avery. My wife and fell in love with it. Her name is Avery Paige so if she finds she doesn’t like her first name she can go by that. I think it’s a great name for boys or girls though I’m surprised to see so many bays named Avery. To us it sounded more feminine. We have never known an Avery so it seems fresh and spunky. Avery is a very positive and self assured name for a girl. We LOVE it and we hope she will too!

  41. Avery is a boy’s name- very strong and masculine. It seems very trendy for a girl. There are so many beautiful names for girls. It’s just like when people name their daughters Toni or Georgi- seems too maculine for a girl.

  42. My name is Avery, and I was the only guy that had that name. I knew some girls that had that name, but never guys, until I was 15. I was made fun of for this name, but I don’t care. I don’t like the name, because I am short, because of some major health complications (premature birth, etc), and this name means “ruler of ELVES”. Seems to poke fun at me, but I heard that it also means Courageous?? If so, it helps me like it more. I would not change it, becuase it is who I am. I hate my middle name with a passion, so Avery it is.

  43. Well my name is Avery and i am the only one in my school i like it more as a girl name(duh) and my name is Avery Nicole so it is a girls name

  44. One of my cousins is named Avery, and he is very, very male. A little boy down the road is also Avery, as well as a girl I knew in school. I find it an elegant and classy name – for a boy. In keeping with tradition and true meaning of the name, I can’t view it as anything but masculine despite trendy fads these days for giving girls male names (but never vice-versa… lol sexism). I have no problem with unisex names, but I do have a problem when classic male names are taken over by girls, and subsequently abandoned by parents of boys due to fear of teasing; and people start regarding them feminine, when their origins are anything but female.
    I don’t want to see Avery travel down the road of Jocelyn, Evelyn, Hilary, Courtney, Vivian, Mallory, Claire and Ashley. All former 100% male names… stolen by girls to varying degrees.

    Would you name your son Elizabeth? Your daughter Alfred (origin of Avery)? Probably not unless you intend to make a statement. Regardless, it is a beautiful name, and personal preference is the most important thing, so I can understand parents of both boys and girls liking it. Just thoroughly know the history of what you choose before deciding. Parents of male Averys: be proud that your son’s name is as it was originally intended to be – a well established, smart, classy masculine name.

  45. i think the name can be used either way im expecting now and if its a little girl her name is going to be avery not sure how im going to spell it yet but i love the name and i first heard it as a boy name. so as i see it it can go either way

  46. i think Avery is a great name for both boy and girl. i am writing a story, so i liked the name Avery. i wasnt sure if it was for a boy or a girl, but it sounds nice for both. i used to have a friend who was a girl named Avery. its a great name, and i am using it as a man for my story. sorry, ladies out there! oh, yeah im only 10 but i kow soon my book will be published so be sure to look for ‘Darkened Days’ soon, guys! and just in case there is a different story called that the main characters names are Riley, and Avery. *winks*

  47. yes i forgot to mention that my middle name is Avery! :) i really love that name!!!!

  48. Well, I’m having my second little boy in eight weeks. My first was easy to name. The second one … not so much. The only name I really found I liked was Avery. But now I am afraid to use it because it is becoming more common as a girl’s name. I’ve always thought it to be masculine and reminds me of a name from the fourties or fifties for some reason. Which is why I loved it. I wanted an older name that wasn’t as common. Avery Ryan. I’m disappointed that so many people have made it to be feminine. I guess I’ll keep searching.

  49. We just had a baby boy and his name is Avery Hudson. I am a teacher and had never heard it at my school. Of course once we were set on his name a girl named Avery moved in. I think its a wonderful boys name and like many others have done we gave him a strong masculine middle name.

  50. I have loved the name Avery since I heard it on Murphy Brown, and knew I wanted to use the name for a boy. I named my 4 year old son Avery Robert. I’ve had people comment that it’s a girl’s name (There is a girl Averi on our street) but I think my boy is confident enough that it will never be a problem for him!

  51. blahhhhhh this name is…..
    ugh nevermind i dont need to tell you what i think.
    :P pshshshshsh

  52. I am 11 weeks pregnant with my second child. My 1st son’s name is Hudson Reid. I absolutely love his name but wanted to used a name that sounded good with Hudson. I love the way that Hudson and Avery sounds. Avery is my husband’s 3rd cousin (male) and we have chosen to use the name for a boy or a girl. I have a strong feeling that we are having a girl this time around and if so we are leaning toward Avery Kate. We may even use the combination as a double name. If Avery is a boy, we are torn about which masculine name to use with it. I have always favored the name for girls, but the more I hear it the more I feel comfortable with using it for a son, especially because the baby will be named after an older male relative.

  53. Avery is a boy’s name. On boys, I think it’s kind of classy; on girls, it’s just trendy.

  54. My name is Avery and I am a 16 year old boy. I really don’t understand why people enjoy ruining good masculine names like Avery, Tracy, Hunter, etc. by giving it to their daughter. AVERY IS A MASCULINE NAME, so it is best given to boys. For crying out loud there are much better names to give a girl than Avery…

    What are you people talking about Avery sounding feminine? names ending in -y are predominantly masculine.. And don’t throw examples of girl’s names ending with -y like Ashley, Shelby, and Tracy cause those are all boy names.

    The whole idea of giving boy names to girls sucks.. before you know it the only masculine names left that are considered boy-only are gonna be the butch names like Frank, John, and Fred. It ticks me off that I have to convince anybody that my name is masculine.. whenever I see parents naming their daughter Avery it’s like a personal insult. Don’t say I’m overreacting because I’m stuck with my name for life, and when you demasculate my name by giving it to a girl you’re hurtin me and every other guy named Avery. It’s not so bad right now because this awful trend has only begun recently, but I don’t want to have a “girl’s name” when I’m in my 30s and have to convince every ignoramis that brings it up that it’s a manly name. To any parent who named their daughter Avery: Thanks a lot, you participated in needlessly ruining a perfectly good boy’s name.. people like you ruined great names like Ashley and Tracy and I just don’t know when it’s gonna end.

  55. I think Avery is very feminine! And for those who keep telling everyone to name their girls something else besides Avery are just wrong! Just because you can’t stand the thought of it being a unisex name shouldn’t be a reason for you to dissuade anyone from picking it for their own children! And for the record, when I found the name in a baby book it was said that it was derived from “Aubrey”…

  56. From what I’ve read, technically, Avery is the feminine of Alfred. In Old English (and also Celtic origins it is pronounce ‘AY vrie’ as in Ivory. So in Old England this would be a girl’s name. Obviously, it has also become a boys name in the USA.

  57. I noticed that Amy is naming her daughter Avery Jean. I think that is a wonderful choice :) :) But Avery is as much a girl name as a boy name. I generally choose to call it a girl name because I’m a girl, and that is my name, but really, it could go either way. I was named because of Murphy Brown which I have noticed is a popular reason for girls to be named Avery:)

  58. I never knew Avery could be a girls name. In fact, I was just introduced to a little girl named Avery. I said “What’s her name?” When they responded with “Avery” I turned red as I was blushing because I thought I mistook their SON for a daughter.

    Turns out I was right…it was a girl…only with the boy’s name Avery…

  59. I am married to an 40 year old Avery. I loved his name from the moment we met. It was so not common. After being married for 7 years and trying for all that time we became pregnant and I decided to name the baby Avery no matter what the sex. I had a boy. I now realize how awkward it will be for my son to be named a unisex name. He is only 2 and everything I try to purchase for him that is personalized is pink. I think Avery is a great name, spelling if different to clarify the sex would be a good thing.

  60. I’m seriously disappointed in those telling people not to name their little girls Avery because it affects them. To the guy who said most names ending in “Y” are masculine, that’s not true. My first daughter is “Hayley” it ends in a “Y” and is not a unisex or boys name. Avery to me is VERY feminine and sounds like a little girl. I know back in the day it was common for a man but in 2011 it’s more common for a girl. I find out what I’m having in a few months, if it’s another girl Avery Addison is the name and I dont care who likes it or doesn’t like it. It is mine and my husbands choice and he absolutely loves the name as much as I do. There are no Avery’s in my daughter’s school at all and I don’t know of any Avery’s female or male. So for us it’s a no brainer. I wouldn’t be so rude like some and ask you not to name your son that, it’s called freedom, we can pick whatever names we want for OUR own children. So those that are discouraging and begging people not to name your daughters that… your opinion is not welcome here and it wont change our mind. I think everyone should be encourgaged to do what they feel is right and not feel bad about what others are so opinionated about. It’s just that simple.

  61. I find the name Avery to be very feminine. I love it for a little girl! It seems as though the younger generation thinks of it as more of a name for girls. I don’t know any males names Avery, but I guess it works for both genders. Although when I hear it, I think of a girl right away.

  62. When I heard Aubrey, Tracy, Avery, Shelby, Ashley ect. where boys names I was really surprised. I just think in the past 20 years and web before that for some, these names have become very feminine. The (ee) sound is very feminine. It is unfortunate that some boys names have become girls names bit I don’t see Colin, Alexander, Samuel, Ronan, Maxwell, Thaddeus, Robert, Troy, Nolan ect. becoming girls names anytime soon and they are all strong boys names.

  63. It’s very disheartening to hear people call the name “feminine”. My baby boys name is Avery and I hope he doesn’t run into too many close-minded people like you who will tell him it’s a girly name. I only know of about 4 people with this name they are all boys 2 are teenagers, 2 are babies. I knew it was becoming popular for girls before he was born but I didn’t care. I loved it for a boy and still do. I hope he will love it too.

  64. @Addy – wow you are calling people close-minded because they this a name is feminine? On topic, Avery sounds like a girls name to me, probably because the only Avery I know is a girl. Other than that the only other Avery I have heard of is the brewery. I think it’s a great name either way. If you are offended by female Avery’s, you need thicker skin.

  65. Of course I think Avery is a girl name because I am a girl. I love my name and haven’t met very many people with it. However, I know some guys that have the name as well. I feel it could go for either girl or boy, but of course I think it is more of a girl name. My name is Avery Lynn and I have always loved my name!!! I like the fact that it could be either a girl/boy name, I like girls with more masculine names that could be either or. It eliminates people discriminating. For example, a job interview; if an employer sees the name Kelly they may assume it is a girl but it could be a boy. You never know. I have loved my name for the fact people sometimes will assume I am going to be a guy and when I show up I surprise them :)

  66. I am only in my 3rd month of pregnancy but, my husband and i have decided to name our son Avery if it is a boy. I think it is a unisex name. I had heard a little girl named Avery, and I liked it, for my son. We also have a son named Caden. There are girls with that name, too. I think it is a name suited for a boy or girl, such as Jamie or Riley. It would not disappoint me if my son met a little girl named Avery, also. (If I am having another boy).

  67. I was actually curious of that name too and came upon this site because I mistook a friend’s baby to be a girl! When Avery(the child) was actually a boy! I’ve never heard of Avery being a male’s name also until the mistake.

  68. I am also naming my son, due in 2 months, Avery James.

    I had alwasy known Avery to be an older Man’s name, but more recently toddlers that are girls have the same name just with the cute spelling ‘Averi, Averie…’

    I was in a restaurant and saw a single father with his daughter, he said ‘Come here Avery…’ and I fell in love with the name!

    When we found out we were having a boy, we tried finding alternatives to Avery (not posting them)… but every single person is going to have an opinion regardless what name we said!

    Everyone thought we were gonna have a girl!? Everyone thought ‘Oh, Avery is a girls name’… I decide I don’t want to name him Avery anymore then everyone likes Avery James and will only call unborn baby Avery!

    More recently I think of the smokin’ hot Dr from Grey’s Anatomy ‘Jackson Avery’!
    I love that name too but I guess I’m just gonna have to teach my kid to kick ass and use words wisely if he’s gonna get teased for having a name shared with other boys and girls.

    When I was growing up Jamie was the most popular boy/girl name and it’s derived from James, so either way, I guess I’m okay with it!

    *Thanks for letting me vent… and stop saying it’s a GIRLS name, because OBVIOUSLY, it’s both!*

  69. Avery is a lovely name for both girls and boys. As a masculine name, I imagine a guy who’s rugged, hardworking, sensitive, and selfless. As a feminine name, a spunky, imaginitive, energetic girl comes to mind.
    So, I like it for both, but I think it’s a touch more feminine sounding. Many of the people on this site are screaming that it’s a boy’s name, but I think it’s horrendous to name your son Vivian, Hillary, or Jocelyn…I don’t care if they were tradtionally male names, they sound very, very feminine to an over whelming majoraty…pretty much all of the people your son will meet in his lifetime. Please, please, refrain. At the same time, I hate the idea of naming a little girl Noah, Dylan, or James. I don’t have a problem with Riley, Avery, Evan, Jamie, Devon, or Ryan. Some names are clearly masculine, others clearly feminine, and some–and I put Avery in this category–cross the gender line with no problems.
    Maybe you named your little girl Avery, maybe it’s your son who has the name…I don’t think it matters. Nobody should tell you are abusing your child. You gave them a nice, classic, unisex name. The rest of the world has to learn to deal with it.

  70. I am a boy named Avery and I never really cared if it’s a boy ar a girls name. Personally I think it’s a unisex name. I don’t really care if I’m made fun of the name Avery is what makes me, me. Like someone mentioned before it means ruler of the elves. All my friends call me elf. I’m fine with it how come everyone has to lable names to be for boy or for girl. I love my name and that’s really all that matters. Ps all of you people who don’t like having the name Avery you can always get it changed! It may be a long process but if you hate it why stick with it?

  71. my name is avery claire (a girl) i was named after my avery from the jerry mcguire movie so i personally think it’s a girl name and it sound weird for a boy

  72. @ jennifer i am a girl but i think it can be used for both so it makes me mad when people say it’s a boy i didn’t have a choice in my name i also have a sister named quinn and people think that should be a boys name too

  73. Interesting story for girls:

    Avery is derived from the name Aubrey.
    Aubrey is derived from the name Auberon.
    Auberon is an alternate spelling for the name Oberon.
    Oberon was the name of the Fairy KING in Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

    To summarize it is a boy name based off of a line of nicknames.

  74. P.S. – The meaning of the name is stated as the following in the boy’s section of a baby name book of which the girl’s section has no Avery. “(German) noble, bearlike.”

  75. Its not a girls name, period. All the girls with this name just happen to have a boys name. Origin is male. Meaning is male. Period.

  76. No matter how many reasons there are that something just IS a boy name, period, at some point usage becomes the dominant factor. Kinda like I would object if someone told called my pantsuits or jeans and tee-shirts men’s clothes. Yes, analogies break down, yadda yadda. Avery – girl name or boy name? Both. Unisex name. Hanging onto a now-antiquated designation is just pedantic.

  77. it makes me mad that people are choosing side i have another freind named avery a girl (like me) and i don’t like the name for either no offense

  78. my daughters name is Avery Michellelynn Peltier we call her ava or avie it suits her i almost didnt name her it but i had a dream a week before i had her about a girl name avery n my husband wanted a girl named ava so we compromised

  79. My name is Avery and I think it makes me unique. I am a girl and I think its a great name for both genders. Personally I believe that it’s more of a girl’s name (lol maybe because it’s my name and I’m a girl) but I also have met another Avery in my school and she’s a girl. I haven’t come across any boys named Avery but I think it would also work as a name for one. My middle name is nicole which I also love and it gives a feminine touch to Avery for me. Overall, I believe that Avery is a great unisex name and I love it!

  80. Avery is a total UNISEX name! Many names are unisex (Ex: Ashley, Erin/Aaron, Cameron, Dakota, Harper, Morgan, Taylor, and Riley). Some unisex names have become more female over the years (Ashley, Harper, Taylor) but can still be used for boys. If mothers are worried about their male child being teased about his name then give him a masculine middle name so he can be called by that. And anyway, who says a girl can’t be named a boy name? Girls can act like boys so their name just adds a little to it. My name is a complete girls name (Madeline) but I never act girly, I’m a tomboy.

  81. My husband and I have four children that we named after family members all of them, apart from one, have shortened their names. Now that my husband and I are now a little older we would love to have another child and not bend to family pressure. We discussed names first and arrived at Avery, after only hearing it once before, didn’t know if it was male or female we only knew that we loved the name. However, we now find that we are unable to have anymore children, so we are a name without a child! As far as our belief whether Avery is a male or female name does it really matter? If a child is loved, warm and fed surely that’s all that does. If they are bullied because of their names kiss their boo boos and listen as a parent that’s all you can do.

  82. I used to think the name “Avery” is a female name until I met 3 boys with the name “Avery”. But still, it sounds feminine to my ears.

  83. Avery is definitely a boy name! I hope it doesn’t flip over to being a girl name since it’s my son’s name! There are enough cute girl names without stealing the few unique boy names!

  84. I definitely think Avery is a unisex name, and I love it for both genders. I’ve decided to name my little girl Avery Grace :) Avery as a girls name feels more unique and different!

  85. It’s nice coming back 4 months later onto the site to see what others have said!?

    I did indeed have my son back in July and the compromising began… We did stick with this name, but instead we spelt it with an O, thought that would give a bit more of a masculine twist!?

    So, Avory James is beautiful and healthy… I call him Av for short and I couldn’t see him with any other name! I love it for boys and girls… Definite unisex name!

  86. :( We dont know if were having a girl or boy yet, but since we found out we were pregnant we’ve been searching for names. My husband is 100% on the girl name he wants, so that sort of left it up to me to pick the boys name, and I’ve just loved the name Avery for a boy since I was little reading Charlottes Web.
    I can’t lie though I was a little crushed when I notcied the stats of girls names Avery compaired to the boys. I still love the name, and it would be Avery Joseph, so like other people he could go by A.J. I’m just not sure I want to give my little boy a name that a girl in his class could have. I wanted a unique name, but something with some heritage. Anyways I’m on the look out now for another name… and a little crushed.

  87. Stephanie…i’m with you. I was planning to name my son Avery..so I started researching the origin & meaning of the name…only to find out its becoming a girls name. Soooo disappointed! To me, this is not even close to a girls name. I don’t get it.

  88. IMO, Avery is feminine sounding, Alfred is masculine; 2 different names..! No different than naming your son Kim or Ashley or naming your daughter Charlie – it all has been done before but obviously it suits one gender better, even though it is unisex.. Avery is a beautiful girls name, maybe I will name her that..?

  89. Yes In Your Opinion is right!
    In the area we live Avery is just as popular a boys name as it is a girls. So I kind of lucked out!? I understand kids are cruel ^ obviously people have their opinion and feel it is more powerful than the next persons. If you love the name, you wont see your son with any other, my son is an AJ, but I call him Avory and I love it! Isn’t that all that matters ? We will teach him to OWN his name… Just like I had to grow up always having 2 other Sara/Sarah’s in my class!

  90. Sarah I think I might have to agree with you I just posted a little while ago about searching for another name but I just can’t seem to find anything I like as much as Avery Joseph. Both our grandfathers names are Joseph and I do love the idea of AJ too. I guess Ill have to really make the decision when we find out if were having a girl or boy in a few days.

  91. My sons name is Avery Michael. The name originated as a males name and I really wish it would of stayed that way. I dont like the idea of people naming there little girls a mans name. Avery doesnt sound like a girls name to me nor was it ment to be … just saying !!! stick to girls names when naming your daughters please!!!

  92. In 2011, does having a “boy’s” name or “girl’s” name really matter? I plan on naming my second daughter (I I have one) Avery. My first daughter’s name is Marley. It’s all about personal taste. The person makes the gender of the name, not the other way around. If you’re a girl name Aloysius, then it’s a grl’s name to you, and that’s all that matters. I personally don’t like sing songy girl’s name that end in ‘a’. I want it so that if anyone sees my daughter’s names on paper and haven’t met them yet, they won’t know who to expect. We are trying to prove that men and women are equally capable, so why do we need to stick to male or female names? Name your kids what makes you happy. Kids will be teased no matter what. It’s our job to make them fell loved and confident regardless of name.

  93. We’ve just named our newborn son Avery Connor. Ever since watching former San Antonio Spurs point guard Avery Johnson, I’ve always thought of Avery as a boy’s name. However with our society and culture today, i do think nothing can be called clear-cut male or female. i know a female Michael and also two male Kellys. Also case in point: Taylor Swift (female singer) vs Taylor Lautner (actor) and Blake Griffin (NBA player) vs Blake Lively (actress). Both names work well for either gender and you wouldn’t make fun of either guy for having the same name as a girl (though Lautner gets made fun of for other reasons :)

  94. How can anyone look at Avery Schreiber, the premiere Avery of all time, and consider it as a girl’s name? :)

  95. When looking for a name for our son, we were looking for a “softer” masculine name. We have a very “hard” last name, and we were looking to balance the name scale. Originally, I was looking for a male only name. Since my name is unisex (Chris), I wanted to avoid all the name calling (matching my name to my fairly androgyny nature – I was doomed as a child). With that said, we wanted to raise our son with character and great respect for equality . The idea of having a son named for “king of elves” was very masculine, hardworking, esteemed, respectful of others and noble. We had no idea of the Murphy Brown connection (both a boy and a girl have the name), but my partner was familiar with Charlotte’s Web (boy name). I was familiar with the Avery paper company, Avery Brewery, Avery Island where Tabasco is made, and several NBA and NFL athletes. We didn’t realize that girls were being named Avery (Subsequently, I’ve asked my family and friends if they had known that girls were being named Avery – and they all said yes, but like average Midwest Americans didn’t want to discuss such a “touchy” topic.)

    If people are upset that girls are being named Avery (a lot on this thread), I have a different perspective you may be interested in. The fact that women/girls are being given “stronger” feminine (“weaker” masculine) – aka unisex – names, is a sign that 1) we live in a very sexist society, where sex/gender does matter – look at all the frustration that boy Avery parents are venting on this site – the de-masculinization (removal of power) of “boy” names. 2) parents are choosing (often times in unknowingly) “stronger” names for their daughters to combat this sexism in our country. 3) While the name Avery is still ‘popular’ for boys (in top 200 names for the last 80 years), in general, historic boy names that have been co-opted for girls names (rarely in the reverse order – girl to boy names), have been abandoned by parents naming boys.

    My only frustration is that in the narrow minded community I live in, the name Avery is seen as only a girls name (we move here after our son was born). We have heard so many ignorant statements “Avery? That’s a girl’s name!” “Why did you name your son a girl’s name?” “Ohhh, your daughter is so cute. I love her name.” My biggest grip is when we meet parents (normally mothers) who have a girl named Avery, and they go on and on about how “feminine” and “cute” and they are baffled that we named our son such a “girly” name. Our knee jerk reaction is to correct the ignorant ‘offender’ explaining meaning of the name (king of elves) and explaining how the name is historically masculine and a “boy’s” name.

    I know embrace the idea that my son’s ‘masculine’ name is being used for girls! I just ask that parent’s understand the history and meaning of the name, and in our sexist society, we did not name our son a ‘girl’s’ name, but rather you have named your daughter a GREAT name traditional held by esteemed, hard-working, distinguished men.

    In my opinion, if you name your son or daughter Avery be proud. It is a great name!

  96. Thanks Chris!

    We are proud and if Av has issues growing up we will teach him to use this to make him stronger and smarter and to correct those who are clearly uneducated!?

  97. Okay people…Avery is a unisex name. If you want to live in the 60s then it is perfectly fine to call it a boys name. I think Avery is a girls name because it sounds feminine, however, it is suitable as a boys name. The parents on here who named their sons Avery need to see a psychiatrist. I couldn’t believe the comments some of you left. Unless the boys name is Priscilla I don’t think you have to worry about him being teased. According to the Social Security Administration, As of May 2011 Avery is #23 on girls list and not even in the top 100 for boys. It might not even be in top 200 for all I know. The point is Avery has become a girls name but is still considered unisex. If it is your sons name have confidence and stop worrying for nothing. I am 29 and still haven’t heard of someone named Avery boy or girl. (No I don’t live under a rock!) So if you are older then most likely you think it is a boys name but you would be ignorant to leave a comment saying there is no way it should be a girls name. Hope this clarifies everything.

  98. I have 3 Avery’s in my family. A male cousin now 15 named Avery, a niece, spelled Averi, oh her sister is Peyton, yea for a reason there, and finally a new nephew named Avery. So in my family 2 boys 1 girl and I really like her name with the i, though I am sure she will spend her life telling people “With an I not a Y.” Great name for anyone!

  99. I too am a male named Avery and it is an absolutely wonderful name. If you are a parent thinking of a name for a boy, I would certainly recommend it, even if it has gained popularity for girls.

    Many of my friends call me “Ave”, which I think strengthens the masculinity of the name further (maybe because it is close to Dave). As stated before, it is a great name for either boys or girls, but we kinda need more Avery boys at this point!

  100. Karie I named my first boy Avery Ryan, I always have thought of it as a boys name. Now I am due in June with my second (gender will be a suprise) I need help choosing a boy and girl name that go well with his name.

  101. I have an 18 year old son named Avery Asa. We named him after his godfather who was named after his father so there was a long male connnection to the name. Now – Avery has become a unisex name. If you follow the history of the name, before 1989 Avery was traditionally a boys name. Since that time, it has gained popularity as a girls name, as well. Those with sons named Avery, take heart. There are many, many male Avery’s in the world for them to look up to. Avery Schreiber the comedian, Avery Fisher (Avery Fisher Hall in NYC), Avery Johnson NBA basketball coach, several NFL players named Avery, etc. There are several male characters in television programs named Avery and also a lawyer who works for CNN. There is a series of books beginning with “Avery’s Battlefield” about a young boy during the Civil War. Avery is the name of the brother in Charlotte’s web. My son has two friends, both males, named Avery. The list goes on and on. Avery is a form of Aubrey, both masculine names and listed in baby name books before 1990 as boys names. Avery is a very classy, traditional and strong name for a boy. Unfortanely, it has also become a trendy name for girls. People have the right to name their children as they choose but should have respect for the choices of others. If you are considering the name Avery for future son, do not let the opinions of others who do not know the history of the name change your mind. My son loves his name because he knows it represents a long line of family males for which he holds great respect. At 6’5″, he carries the name with pride for its long masculine history in our family.

  102. My son’s name is Avery Connor. We picked it because we wanted something traditionally Scottish (my hubs has a very Scottish last name) and something that wasn’t too widely used. In Scottish, we discovered it meant Ruler of the Elves, or Head of the Council. I also know that it is used as a form of Alfred in Old English and French cultures. I knew there were girls that had the name, but I still felt it was masculine. I find the girls version more of a trendy thing whereas I find the boys version traditional and classic. No one has told me its a girls name yet, but if they did I would kindly remind them that it has traditionally been used as an exclusively masculine name since the 9th century, and that the use of it as a female name began in the 1980s.

  103. Avery is definitely a unisex name. My son was born in 2006 and I chose to give him James as a middle name because it is so masculine, but Avery is traditionally a male name so to call it effeminate seems a stretch. To say that names ending in y are feminine is also a stretch. What about Jerry, Harry etc…. Why can’t a name just be for both genders. For those claiming they had no idea it was used for both sexes I reccomend doing more research on names for future children.

  104. Avery is a unisex name, I don’t know any males with the name Avery and personally thinks it is a really girly girl feminine name. My daughter is 11 months and my boyfriend and I named her Avery Monica Marie. I LOVE the name! I also call her “Ave” sometimes. She’s a blonde hair blue eyed beauty! :) If you like a name then I think you should call your child by that name who cares if it is boys or girls? My name is Jackie that’s a boy or a girls name also along with 100 other names such as Taylor, lauren, Jessie, ashley, jamie,drew ..etc.

  105. Kelly and Kim are now boys names…Ryann is now a girls name. And Avery will be our 2nd sons name in July. My child won’t be ridiculed in school for his name, because he will be confident and hopefully witty so he can spit back jokes to all the losers who try to make fun of him. It’s a shame that the parents are the ones who are making a bigger deal out of the name Avery. …wonder where the kids learned how to tease?!

  106. I like to see that other people are still naming their sons Avery even though it is becoming very popular as a girls name. I am due in June and plan on naming my son Avery James. It is the one name that both of us agreed on and fell in love with. My boyfriends name is Rory, which can also be used for either gender so we can always point that our to our son in the future. I think it is a strong and beautiful name for males.

  107. I named my son Avery Nathan (he is now 10 months old). I had always liked the name for a boy and realized that it was becoming more unisex but did not realize how many girls now have this name. My husband and I both agreed on this name which made the decision even easier. I get frustrated when people think he is a girl or say to me that it is a girls name. I am nervous he may not like it when he gets older or he may get made fun of if it becomes just a name for girls. It is nice to see so many people here still have named their son’s Avery. I think it will be helpful to reference other male Avery’s to my son in the future.

  108. My daughter was born in 2003 and we named her Averi Lynn. I absolutely love her name :-) I think this name is perfect for either gender, but I prefer the spelling Averi/Averie for a girl and Avery for a boy!

  109. Those of you saying you aren’t naming your son Avery because it’s turning girl should think again! The more people name their boys Avery, the more it will continue to be a boy’s name that people give their girls and less of a unisex name! I too went back and forth thinking what if there’s a girl in his class with the same name but I had a dream this was his name so we stuck with it!

  110. I love Avery as a boys name!!
    I am five months at the moment and if we have a boy that’s what we want to call him.

  111. @Ketra You make a great point about naming our sons Avery because this is how we help to make it a stronger male name.

    It was funny I was in the bank the other day and an older couple fell in love with my son, and when I told them his name was Avory, they were so excited, saying ‘Oh what a beautiful name for this beautiful little boy!’

    I love telling seniors his name, because any Avery’s they knew growing up were men only, and it just feels good hearing them love the name. It means something to me, for some reason!? Their wisdom ;)

    I’ve met a few Avery girls, but I couldn’t see my Avory James with any other name. We will make sure he loves it as much as we do! My husband is Corey which is also a unisex name, that I’d always saw as a boy’s name but also think it’s cute for a girl.

  112. I’m 6 months pregnant with a little girl and we plan on naming her Avery Elizabeth. To be completely honest I didn’t even know it was a boy’s name when we found it(guess I have a really bad memory because I did read Charlotte’s Web as a child!). I’m doing my research now before her arrival and these arguments over if it’s a boy’s or girl’s name actually make me love it even more! I’ve always been a big fan of boy’s names for girls – my niece’s name is Casey and my name can be used for a boy, I guess my first daughter’s name can be considered unisex (Erin) but I never thought of it that way just because the origin, spelling and pronunciation is so different from Aaron.

    I do find it a little ironic that some of the mom’s with boys named Avery are knocking the girls with that name (it’s trendy and not pretty, find a better name, etc.) – isn’t that exactly what you DON’T want people to do to your sons?

    So I say keep naming those boys AND girls Avery! It is a strong, beautiful, unisex name and I’d love to keep it unisex!

  113. My husband and I love the name Avery. I originally did my know it derived from Alfred and was a male name. If our baby is a girl we’re thinking of Avery. Although, I do think it’s a cool guys name too.

    To the entry above about how your asking the world to not name their girls Avery because that’s your sons name … I think that’s pretty ignorant. My husbands name is Dana – which literally means “man from Denmark” however, as I’m sure you know it has developed into a female name. Does he get the odd thing in the mail to “ms. Dana…” – yes! Do telemarketers think we’re a same sex couple? Often. But to him it’s always been his name and has never held it against his parents or felt that girls should not have that name. I would also say, if anything, it built a little character in him and teaches people to not judge a gender by the name!

    I can understand your concern — but your little boy will be better off if you take pride in his name regardless of what “gender line” it falls over. Just some thoughts :)

  114. My son is 6 weeks old and his name is Avery Jaxon. I love the name Avery! The nurses at the hospital when I had him ask me where I found his name and told me they were happy to see an old southern name coming back to life. I think its a cute girls name but definately think its a more masculine name. I like unisex names though as my daughters name is Andie Shae.

  115. I love coming on here every other week to see everyone’s opinions :) I’m so glad that the opinions are becoming more open-minded and accepting! Yay for Unisex names!!

  116. We had our girl this week and we named her Avery. I was totally surprised to talk to friends and learn the gender was contested somewhat. We chose the name specifically because we felt it was feminine. It’s interesting how the usage of a name changes its association, as with language in general. Now that I hear the name in a masculine context, it does sound nice as a boys name. I think it is a beautiful name either way.

  117. I named my daughter (born in 2003) Avery Grace. I was pregnant with her, and met a little girl named Avery. When I heard the name, I immediately fell in love with it. That little girl is 13 now. My little girl is almost 9. When I first heard it, it sounded feminine to me. When I researched the name to find out it’s meaning, even after I discovered it was traditionally a masculine name, I still named my daughter Avery because I just simply loved it. Isn’t it my right as a parent to give my child the name of my choice? I know girls named Sam, Alex, Ryan, Andy, Riley, Stevie, Camryn, Charlie, Peyton, Landon and Mikel… I also know boys named Kim, Ashley, Bailey, Kasey, Jamie and Jackie. Name your child what you want. The name Avery is a beautiful name whether it’s given to a boy or a girl.

  118. Interestingly enough, I just read an article that stated that the name Avery, when used as a girl’s name, has officially surpassed the usage of the name when used as a boy’s name. It is now 4.164 times more commonly used for girls than boys. And for the year 2012, it is listed as #13 on the Top 100 Most Popular Baby Names list for GIRLS!

  119. Hi Patty,

    If the article is claiming that Avery is “officially” #13 for 2012, well, that article lied. :)

    The official SSA data for 2012 won’t be ready until mid-2013.

  120. I find it both comical and sad that there is such heated debate over whether or not Avery is a boy’s or girl’s name. Regardless of the origin of the name hundreds of years ago, it has unquestionably been a unisex name for at least the past 50 years, and statistically more common as a female name for the past decade. If you as a parent of a child born after the year 2000 are “offended” by the use of the chosen name of your child for the opposite sex, why on earth would you have chosen this name to begin with? Maybe do a little research before making a decision about something as important as the name of your child if you feel your child may have insecurities about it later in life, and realize they are really just a reflection of your insecurities at this point. To which I say just relax…we’re not in the realm of bad names such as don’t name your son “Harry” if your last name is “Balls”.

    I happen to have a daughter named Avery, born in 2006. We did the research, knew the name was unisex, knew of a great-uncle in our family who had the name Avery, and fell in love with it for our daughter. The 2005 social security data we had to work with showed Avery at #67 for girls, and outside the top 200 for boys. My only complaint with the name now is how popular it has become for girls…up to #18 in 2011!? We’re still trying to figure out the reason for the major jump…and I don’t buy the “Murphy Brown” connection from years ago, lol. I think it’s likely just a beautiful name (I’m admittedly biased!) that, as people have heard it more often for girls, has spread like wildfire. We’ve received nothing but compliments on the name since we revealed it before her birth, and have never had anyone ask if she was a boy or girl when speaking of her when she’s not around. of course, I probably refer to her as “my daughter Avery” most of the time anyways…don’t most people regardless of the child’s name when speaking to omeone who doesn’t know their child (i.e. “my son Max or “my daughter Stephanie”, etc.)? We’re aware of 2 other girl Avery’s in her school, but haven’t met a young boy Avery as of yet.

    That said, I think Avery is a great name for a boy as well. Granted, based on the comments on this site from boy Avery parents, it may take a bit more clarification when speaking of your son Avery at this point in time based on current popularity as a girl’s name and the fact Avery has never been a “popular” (never even breaking the top 200) boy’s name. That wouldn’t prevent me from chosing this name for my son if I fell in love with it. But I surely wouldn’t be trying to tell people it is “only” a boys name…that’s just an uneducated statement based on statistics. Whether you think the name sounds “masculine” or “feminine” is just a personal opinion, and most likely based on your personal experience with the name (knowing a boy or girl named Avery, reading the name in a book, etc.).

    If there’s this much drama over “Avery”, I can’t imagine what the “Alex”, “Jamie”, and “Taylor” forums look like. Lol.

    Just love your child, and love and be proud of the name you chose for them. If you don’t, how can you expect them to?

  121. I was just reading an article about how strongly pop culture influences people’s baby name choices. Mason flew to #2 for boys after one of the Kardashian sisters gave that name to her son. I think Avery is getting more popular because of 30 Rock (Jack’s girlfriend is Avery) and Real Housewives of NY (one of the daughter’s is named Avery). Even though it’s soaring in popularity my husband and I are still in love with it – so our Avery will be here in less than 10 weeks :)

  122. I named my daughter Avery Lee in 2005. Back then I had mostly heard it as a boys name. I liked the idea of a boys name being used for a girl and it wasn’t common like Ryan, Taylor, or Jordan. I had heard it as a child on a cartoon show back in the 90s. Then I head it again on Family Guy as Lois’ father is named Avery. I think when you pronounce it Ave-ree it is more masculine than if you pronounce it Ave-uh-ree which is more feminine. I never head in much in Louisville, where I live. Avery had one boy at her preschool named Avery. Every so often I hear one on the playground…and then it usually a girl. I did run across a boy Avery the other day. So the name is pretty equal for both boys and girls in Louisville, Kentucky. I would consider it uni-sex, but feel that like Courtney and Ashley, it will become only female oriented in the future.

  123. I have a 19 year old son named Avery who is named after his godfather (who was named after his father) so it has long been a male name in my family. My son also has a friend named Avery (male) who he went through school with. It is true that it has become a trendy female name but it is traditionally a boys name. I think it did not appear on the girl name list until 10 years or so ago and then it rose quickly on both boy AND girl lists. We do know both boys and girls named Avery at our local elementary school. We have seen various forms of spelling of the name. I suspect it will remain both a name for girls or boys.

  124. In addition to what I posted above, I believe that Avery is now an androgynous name – used for both male and female. I named my son nearly 20 years ago. If I were to name a child now, I would not use the name Avery for either. It has become far too popular and trendy. It was a unique name, far down on the male list when I used it many years ago but now, it is very over-used! Luckily – his middle name is Asa and it has been suggested to him to go by Asa in college. He chose not to do so but did get a comment from one of his professors who had recently had a daughter and named her Avery. She asked why my son’s parents had chosen to give him a girls name! Luckily, he responded in a mature and sophisticated way and said the name was historically a male name but is now androgynous and said he was thrilled to welcome her daughter to the family of Averys who were strong, classy individuals. I am proud that he carries the name with such pride. To all the Averys out there, male or female – may you each carry your name with equal pride.

  125. I agree it depends on what area you live… I find it’s a pretty common unisex name where I’m from in Canada.

  126. Then again, who really cares… The people who are saying it’s more for one sex than the other are rude! I’ve never in my life met a male named Sarah, but if I did I would never say OMG hahaha that’s a girls name! That’s a bully!!

  127. I think Avery is the feminine form of Alfred. like Nicole and Nicholas, Alexander and Alexandria. It sounds super feminine

  128. For @nickole and others mentioning Alfred:

    Avery began as a surname. In some cases this surname was derived from the forename Alfred, but not in all cases.

    Here’s what the Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford University Press) has to say:

    English: from the Anglo-Norman French personal name Auvery, a Norman form of Alfred. It could also be from a variant of the Anglo-Norman French personal name Aubri (see Aubrey). At least in the case of the original Puritan settlers in New England, there has been some confusion with Averill.

    So those baby name books/sites talking about Avery only being a form of Alfred aren’t giving you the full picture.

    P.S. Aubrey comes from Alberich, which means “elf power.” Alfred means “elf counsel.”

  129. Just updated the post with the most recent #s.

    Avery is now in the top 20 for girls, and nearly in the top 200 for boys:

    2011: 7,303 girls (18th) & 1,776 boys (201st)

  130. Avery is more a pretty soft girls name
    I have two twin girls named Emily and Avery
    And at there school there is two other girl Averys

  131. Well – we chickened out!! Since deciding on the name Avery we’ve been hearing it everywhere and then once the new numbers for 2011 came out we really started to panic. I still think it’s a lovely name but I just didn’t want my daughter to be one of many so we changed her name. Luckily we still have 7 weeks left before her arrival ;)

  132. I always saw Avery as masculine. I find that when people slap traditionally masculine names on girls, it’s a huge sign of disrespect to the centuries of history and tradition that it took to the making of names.

    The funny thing is, there is no such thing as ‘unisex’. Almost all ‘unisex’ names are actually male names turned girls. And the thing is, when it becomes more ‘feminine’ people become hesitant to use it on boys. Now is this unisex? It’s unfair in my opinion.

    I don’t really care if a parent named their daughter Avery. But being a fan of the Harry Potter books/everything related to it, there is a character named Avery, I’ve always seen it as classy, handsome and elegant on a boy (like how I see the names Henry and William). But on a girl, the name Avery just seems incredibly tacky. It may be cute, but I prefer more beautiful names for girls rather than the typical cutesy names we see today.

  133. My last name is Avery, and I don’t mind at all when people mistakenly use it as my first name. Both my sisters and my brothers were called Avery as nicknames by friends. It is unisex.

  134. My middle name is Avery. My son was named after me and goes by Avery. I was named after a guy who was a family friend named Avery. I read a statistic somewhere that said of everyone ever named Avery, 98% are male. That pretty much says it all. I’d never heard it used as a girls name until my son was about 4 or 5 years old. Now it seems like a fad to name little girls Avery. Of course polyester suits, bell bottoms, disco, mullets, nose rings, mohawks, tramp stamps, gauge earrings, tattoos and driving SUVs say something about people and fads.

  135. My son’s name is Dayton Avery and he loves his name. I got it out of a baby book in the boys section. It doesnt matter to me whether it goes on a girl or a boy. It’s a beautiful name no matter what sex it’s used for. :)

  136. As a child of the 1970’s I had the most popular name of the time…no less than 20 girls in my grade at schoold shared my name. My GrandMOTHER was Avery and I always knew my daughter would have a unique name at school that several WOMEN in my family shared. now my 15 year old loves her name Avery, yes there are several girls 5 years younger and more with her name. She has some friends guys and girls who also share her name. It is a beautiful name that is easy to spell and pronounce. When I named my child it never occurred to me that it was thought of as a masculine name.

  137. It’s a Boys name, it’s always been a boys name, and unless your looking to get some little hiking boots and plaid shirts for her. Don’t name her Avery. You may as well just have named her Butch and kept her head shaved her entire life! The poor thing!

  138. I’m Avery and I’m a male. My mom named me after her dad whose name is Avery also. In Hebrew it means “my father, my lord” and is a nickname for Abraham (Avraham)but it also means “Hebrew” and can be spelled “Ivery”. My mom also got stuck on the name when she read “Charlotte’s Web” and Fern’s brother’s name is Avery. Now I’m happy I have the name because a basketball coach is named Avery Johnson and there’s a basketball player named Avery Bradley. Oh, and she says when she was growing up Avery was Murphy Brown’s baby (a boy) and there’s also famous classical musician named Avery (a boy). There’s a girl in my class named Avarie. It bothers me but it’s OK. I only knew boys named Avery until then.

  139. My newborn granddaughter is named Avery Elizabeth .Avery is a great name for anyone, man or beast. I pushed for Avery Oscar, but apparently that really is a male name.

  140. My 11 month old baby boy is named Avery David James. My husband and I both loved the name for a boy. When I say his name I think it sounds so masculine. A very strong, hansdome name. He has a little nic name as well “Ave Dave” I think that will stick with him for the rest of his life. :)

  141. Avery is a male family name as far back as I know and maybe farther. My grandfather was Avery Jacob (~1918). My father was Avery David (1947). Avery is my middle name (1973 and male). My wife and I had a son in 2006 and could not agree on Avery because we learned it was being used more for girls. Rather than fight the trend, we waited and named our daughter Avery in 2008 and are happy we did. Lots of girls named Avery (and similar sounding Ava and Eva) now. I suspect we may lose it as a family name (male or female) after this generation, but that’s the way it goes. I still consider it a male name first, probably because I associate it with my father.

  142. In 2010 over 6600 newborn girls were named Avery compared to just over 1600 boys. It is a landslide by 4 to 1 that most people think it’s a girls name.

  143. Avery means “king of the elves”. It is meant to be a male name. Recently, however, the meaning has changed to “council of elves” or “elf noble”. It is masculine, in my own opinion.

  144. AVERY has become a unisex name. We are expecting our little girl in may and thats the name my husband and I both fell in love with. We also have a daughter named Taylor, which at the time everyone thought was a boys name. To all the people telling people not to name their little girls Avery and leave the name alone, grow up! The child is the one who makes the name! If it suits the baby – male or female, then go with it!

  145. Avery is a girl’s name. Boys will undoubtedly be picked on at one point or another for such a poor choice in a name.

    Might as well name your boy Sue!

  146. “It’s a Boys name, it’s always been a boys name, and unless your looking to get some little hiking boots and plaid shirts for her. Don’t name her Avery. You may as well just have named her Butch and kept her head shaved her entire life! The poor thing!” So, like Ashley, then?

  147. I have posted here before. I have a 20 year old son named Avery. He is named after his godfather. Being 6’5″, no one mentions to him that his name might be also a girls’ name! LOL! But – he does find it frustrating that Disney Channel currently has a show that the main character is a girl named Avery. He figures that will only add to the popularity of the name for girls. We know several Averys in his age bracket that are boys but no girls. There are many girl Averys under the age of 8 but we do also know some young Avery boys. It is definitely much too popular now and if I were naming a child today, I would not use Avery just because there are far too many young kids named Avery! They are everywhere!

  148. One part of me feels that a parent should name their kids whatever they want but the other part of me strongly feels that they shouldn’t. I’ll explain…as adults we get that people are different and can respect choices. As kids, it’s not the case. Kids make fun and torture in classrooms. I see it as a teacher and as a parent. My son is Avery and he’s 9. He’s named after my dad who is Avery and we thought it was strong name. I loved the name after reading it in Charlotte”s Web (Fern’s brother) in the 4th grade and since then I wanted the name Avery. It helped that other Avery’s wee great men: Avery Fisher, Avery Schreiber, Avery Johnson, Avery Brooks. Kids can be very mean…he’s got an Averie in his class who’s a girl and kids make fun of him. It makes me angry (to a degree) that parents name whatever they want without thought as to the ramifications of the child. I call to make dr appointments and people say “she” and are SHOCKED when I say he’s a male. I’ve had students named Ryan, Keiran, Courtney, Michael, Riley, Casey, Jordan…both males and females and it just makes me think that there’s no more “boundaries” (sorry, it’s not the word I want to use, but for lack of a better word I’m using boundaries). What happens in a professional setting? I think it could make for some embarrassing moments. I fear my kid will hate his name as he grows up…anyway, in Hebrew Avery means “my father, my lord” and is short for Abraham (Avraham). I of hope this doesn’t come across as judgemental, I just wish that people were more considerate when naming their kids while at the same time naming their kids what they want. A friend had fertility issues and knew they’d have one child and they’d name him/her Judah no matter what. They had a girl and her name is Judah, totally a biblical male name. I love the name but not for a girl.

  149. When we named our son in 2002, we did not know anyone with the name. We new it was a label. I knew the Murphy Brown story and Charlotte’s Web info. It’s even a scholarship name in Anne of Green Gabels (which also starred the woman who played Murphy Brown’s mom). Our son is a unique and talented young man. We do know many girls now named Avery, but that is okay. He is good with who he is. He gets called Ave or “Ace” for nicknames. He has sport players with this first name that we cheer on. I think it can be great either way. My husband and I had unisex names too. It is good either way. ;*)

  150. I like Avery best on a boy. It’s ok on a girl and it’s definitely a name lately that seems to be used mainly on girls. But I’d love to meet a boy Avery. I always think of Fern’s brother Avery in Charlotte’s Web.

  151. My name is Avery, and I’m a girl. I love my name and see it as more feminine than masculine. I know a good amount of other Averys, of which only two are male. I know it’s considered a unisex name, but everyone who has heard my name for the first time says its a “pretty” name. I agree, and to me it just seems kind of awkward to hear of a boy named Avery. I suppose that’s a bit biased, though.

  152. I love the name Avery. I worked with a girl named Avery so I think of it as a feminine name personally. Even when I heard it in Charlotte’s Web as a kid it sounded like a girl’s name to me. I can see where it could be a boys name but I personally prefer it as a girl’s. I am currently 17 weeks and if we end up finding out it is a girl we plan on naming her Avery Darlene. If it’s a boy we have a different name picked out because we agreed we don’t want to name a boy Avery. I think it is strictly a personal choice of whether you like it for a boy or a girl regardless of what the history of the name may be. No one should get so worked up over someone using this name for a boy or a girl.

  153. We are naming our son Avery Carter we love the name and I too think of Avery Johnson the basketball player when I hear it. But its cute for a girl too. I think its one of those names like Bobby or Tony that sounds more like a boys name but also works as a strong girls name.

  154. my Name has been Avery for over 52 years and what makes its better Im a Black Man name Avery Jackson so the intials AJ means a lot , I dont care that girls use it today inm a child of the 60’s and it was wired growing up in Harlem , NYC with the name Avery But I stood out more because of my name and now I hear that name a lot makes me proud to hear it wheathers its a boy or a girl , the World need more Avery’s LOL ! gotta represent LOL!~

  155. My son is Avery, born in 2010. It is a classic and masculine name. He is my little Avery James. I could not see him being anything else. PARENTS… are the only people that have questioned his name not any kids of any age. Enough with the name nazis. My son’s name is beyond trends and any judgements and he already carries it with class.

  156. My son was born in 2004 and he is a Avery. My husband came up with the name. I get annoyed with all the little girls who have the name too, but I don’t know if I would take it back, he is Avery and it ‘s a boys name to me, choose something else ladies!

  157. Just as a personal frame of reference, the name Ashley was considered to be a boy name until the LATE 20TH CENTURY! The name Ashley did not make the leap from being a boy name to a girl name until 1982, with the emergence of a popular female soap opera character named Ashley Abbott on The Young and The Restless. BOY name, until 1982! Just thought some of you reading this may find that fact interesting…

    I left a comment on here last year stating that the top baby name research for 2012 showed that Avery, when used as a girl’s name, had officially surpassed the usage of the name when used as a boy’s name. Last year, it was 4.164 times more commonly used for girls than boys. And for the year 2012, it was listed as #13 on the Top 100 Most Popular Baby Names list for GIRLS!

    The point is, whether YOU think it’s a boy name or a girl name, the numbers don’t lie, and they say it’s a girl name now. Name your child what you want. :-)

  158. I love calling him Avery though, I think it stands out and is pretty cool all the way around. Me and another friend of mine were talking about the same thing recently,, her son is named Riley and a lot of girls are being named that now, maybe more sporty names are a sign of the times…no one wants a super feminine girly name?? As for the Ashley thing, I do think it sounds girly for a boy though I did meet one in high school, what I hated more about that name was that it was overused and everyone was named that…

  159. Can’t wait to have a boy and name him Avery! ( Avery Joseph – after both his great gradfathers! ) If he doesn’t like it when hes old enough to have an opinion we can talk about it then. Maybe go by A.J. My daughters name is Belle Victoria, so in our house I wouldn’t see that being a girly name. ( Like Belle)

  160. Avery is becoming mostly a girls name, just like so many other names that started out male. It is now in the top 20 for girls and still around 175 for top boys names. It’s obviously not JUST a boys name anymore. That doesn’t mean you can’t still name your baby boys that. Just know there will be girls with the same name and you should take into consideration how they will feel if they have girls in their class with the same name. Personally I wouldn’t name my son Avery for that reason alone, no matter if I liked it for a boy. Kids are mean these days and I wouldn’t want to give them a reason for making fun of my son.

  161. The thing is that many boy names that you expect to be a boy are now becoming more and more common on a girl. So the idea that you not name your son Avery because it’s considered a girl name, by more people than those who see it as a boy name or unisex, seems pointless. As you could name your son James, Matthew, Mason, Logan, Jackson, Declan, Reese, Riley, Parker, etc just to find out that each year that name is becoming more and more a girls name.

    As far as Ashley goes – never have liked it for a girl.

  162. I think Avery works for both genders I am seriously mulling over Avery Dylan for either a boy or girl

  163. I fell in love with the name Avery while searching for names for my now 4 month old son. I saw it was becoming popular for girls and worried a little. My husband and I had a list of names and we always ended up liking Avery the most. My husband’s middle name is Ashley and he never cared it was popular for girls so we went for it. Avery River is my son’s name and I am in love with it and get tons of compliments on it! Yes, when I make appointments for him people always say “what’s HER birthdate” and “how is SHE” and I just respond with “his bday is..” or “HE is doing good”. It’s nothing to get bennt outta shape about. It’s the chance you take when you go with a unisex name.

  164. I have solved that problem, Jennifer, by saying at the beginning of the conversation, “I would like to make an appointment for my son, Avery.”. They are not left guessing. I always preface it that way. Makes conversations flow easier and eliminates frustrations on both sides.

  165. We are naming our daughter Avery in a few weeks when she is born. It is def unisex, however, I think it sounds better as a girls name. There are plenty of names out there that sound cute for either. Ryan, Peyton, Morgan, Taylor, etc. Avery is adorable for either sex.

  166. I think its terrible that people our considering Avery a “girls only” name now, especially since it has been a traditional male name since its beginnings. In my experience I have only known older men with the name (i have never met a young Avery). But i think if people want to make it gender neutral it work alright. (Ava is a cute feminine nickname for it)
    I think Avery is still a great name for boys and I was happy to give the name to my son.
    Some random Avery trivia:
    There is a great Decemberists song about about a solider named “Avery” that always makes me tear up.
    Some of you also may remember “Captain Sisko” from star trek deep space nine is played by Avery Brooks. (haha, sorry had to bring up a trekie reference).
    Also author Avery Monsen of “All my friends are Dead” (my son was given this book as a present lol).

  167. We named our daughter Avery and have had lots of compliments. Personally I think it sounds far too feminine for a boy’s name. We couldn’t be happier with our choice!

  168. I am planning on naming my daughter Avery Rose, and have only met 1 or 2 other Averys and have both been females. I think it can go for either sex but I do think it fits girls a little better :)

  169. Avery is a boys name. If people want to take yet another boys name and give it to a girl, at least change the spelling to Averie!!

    It doesn’t sound feminine at all. It sounds strong.

  170. Whether you think Avery sounds like boy’s name, it is becoming mostly girl’s name.I know 7 Avery.Except one, they are all girls. They are all little kids.

  171. The bottom line is that for almost a decade, girls are overwhelmingly taking over the name Avery simply because it sounds feminine and strong! We have named our baby girl Avery and can tell you it fits her personality perfectly!

  172. This is for all the people who are concerned about Avery being a boy or girl name, I was talking to my sister and she knows a little boy named Avery, she said he is adorable funny and so sweet he calls her grandma”not related” but she loves him” his family treats him different from the other children not because he’s Avery but because he’s black and white BREAKS MY HEART Don’t worry about the name if you like it use it boy or girl. Don’t let peoples opinions stop you from your choice, have your own mind. Treat people with respect and compassion no matter what their name is. OPINIONS are like tail holes everyone has one “keep negative opinions to yourself” Avery doesn’t know he is treated different yet one day he will pray his family changes before he knows God Bless this little boy.

  173. I named my daughter Avery as I see it as a beautiful and feminine name. Our neighbors daughter is named Avery as well and it is so sweet that our two little Averys will grow up together!

  174. I’m not too keen on the name Avery just because that’s the name of the most annoying character on Disney Channel. Before I name any of my kids that, I’m gonna wait ’til everyone forgets about it and so I don’t get any questions like, “Oh, like the Disney Channel character?” Because my answer will always be, “Get out of my house, please.”

  175. There is a main character, a male country singer, in the ABC series “Nashville” named Avery. He has become VERY popular! There seems to be a large female following!!

  176. Avery sounds like the most precious name for a little girl. :))
    I wish I would have thought of it for my own daughter!

  177. My 10 month old son is named Avery. The only time I had ever heard it before was in Charlotte’s Web. Now it seems to pop up everywhere for little girls. I guess it’s trendy to give girls traditional male names. Kinda like Ashton Kutcher naming his daughter Wyatt.

  178. I must say I love this name for a little girl. I never had a daughter but this would make my short list of names for girls if I did! I had never considered it before, but I saw a woman’s signature named “Avery” and it looked absolutely beautiful.

  179. I’ve always loved the name Avery for a boy. Although I understand where the love for it as a feminine name comes from.

    This may sound completely insane, but I feel like there’s a huge trend in the naming of babies that seems to result in a large number of names that were considered masculine to be taken up as feminine names, leaving a number of people trying to name their sons with a struggle on their hands.

    The options appear to be to
    a) make up a new name, by either converting a last name, the name of a thing, or place, or by literally making one up. This could go well, but then you could also end up with a complete disaster on your hands. Some friends of my boyfriend just named their kid Eisenhower, and my feelings toward that name aren’t really positive. Maybe because we’re Canadian. But maybe because it seems just ridiculous to me. My apologies to anyone who also has a child named Eisenhower. It’s not you, it’s me.
    b) name your son whatever you wanted in the first place, be it Ashley, Taylor, Avery, Madison, or whatever, and hope that your child has the confidence to rock that name.
    c) fall back on names that nobody wants to name their daughter, but seem painfully common. John, David, Joseph, etc.

    Personally, I would go with option b. But I can see why some parents of male Averys get upset. I really don’t want to have to name my son John so that no one gets confused.

    For the parents of sons named Avery:
    I love the name, and will name my son the same. I think it’s handsome and speaks to a level of class. My original understanding of the name was that it means “of elven wisdom”, and I hope that your sons grow up to by wise and wonderful men.
    For the parents of daughters named Avery:
    You have picked a name that was originally a boys name, but that’s not a bad thing. I hope that they, too, grow up to be wise and wonderful. I’m sure the name suits them just fine.

    For those upset about the feelings either way:
    The truth is there about the origin of the name. But the history of any name hardly matters these days. Whether the name belongs to a boy or a girl, what matters is how they own the name. I think it’s much better than naming your kid Eisenhower. Or making up something else.
    Also, it’s a little hard to look at how some of people on this thread are practically spitting venom about the name being one thing or another. Why can’t it be both? It doesn’t really have to be one thing or the other.

    Kanye and Kim named their kid North. Can’t say I see that as a name for a person at all, but couldn’t the argument be made that it could just as easily have been a boy’s name?

  180. Regardless of the history, the popularity of the name Avery for girls in the last ten years says it all for me. The name Avery works perfectly for our new daughter! I feel excited for her to grow up with the name in school and as an adult. We couldn’t have made a better choice in name for her!

  181. Go ahead and destroy yet another male name just because it ends with a y …I say we should start naming boys Jennifer and Nicole see how they like it…but then again girls with boy names don’t have it as bad as boys with “girl” names

  182. My name is Avery, and I am a girl(woman now, I suppose I am 19 now). I personally think the name is very masculine, and it was indeed intended as a male name, a derivative of Alfred as some of you pointed out. You can’t change the past (unless you have a time machine) so it is historically male. Though society may be increasingly naming their daughters Avery, it won’t change who it was meant for.
    I understand why most would like to keep the name masculine, or even the contrary, but honestly, it is a very masculine name. Even so, so what if you name your daughter Avery? If you want a tough little nutshell, name her that! I get a lot of compliments when people read my name tag, all are positive or somewhat neutral, nothing mean.
    Don’t be afraid to name your son Avery either, because, like I have stated, it is a masculine name and it started out as such, it was meant for males. So this is a hard-shelled name for a tough little bugger! I was never picked on for my name as a kid. I have heard comments that “Avery is a boy’s name,” When I would tell kids, but they were more surprised than teasing.
    Kids will be picked on by other kids for one thing or another, just like how even adults and teenagers are still picked on, in another manner of course, but it is the same. I grew up tough, with three brothers, a harsh yet loving father, and a tough mother. And I had a spunky, tough name to carry along with me. I don’t want to call this a unisex name, because I would contradict myself, and it is also inaccurate. It may be a male name, but it doesn’t just have to be for men.
    And boys who get picked on for having a “Girls” Name, well, they may have to explain it’s historically a male name, or they can just grow up tough because of it. Like in the song “Boy named Sue” by Johnny Cash, his dad knew he wouldn’t be sticking around, so he gave him a name that he knew would get that boy to grow up tough.
    Now, I’m not exactly saying that beating up people who pick on you is the way to go, but being able to stand up for yourself AND defend yourself when absolutely necessary, is. That’s where the parent comes in to teach the child to not only be a good person, but when and where is a time to fight back, whether verbally or physically.
    I love this name, I was almost named Katherine, and I probably wouldn’t have been the same person. I love who I am and I try to better myself everyday. I love to love people and places and things, and I’m as nice as can be. But if you cross me, or so help you God my family(Or friends) I will gut you like a fish. It would have to be something serious, but I will stand by my family and friends till the end.
    If you like me, I like you. If you don’t like me, I don’t care. I hope this influences someones decision on the name of their child. If you truly like the name, please, use it. It’s a strong, beautiful name, and I couldn’t ask for a better one. But if you don’t like the gender of the name holder, hold your tongue. You’re the reason people get teased for having another gender’s name, and the reason why boy’s get teased even though it is a boy’s name. It’s a name. The PERSON makes the name. It depends on who YOU are, YOU. Not how people perceive the name, not how people think the name should be used, but it depends on who you are as an individual. Let the name, be your name, you just be you. Thank you for your time, Avery F. Gordon

  183. Avery definitely sounds more feminine to me. I think that sentiment is holding more and more true as it is now much more popular as a girl’s name. I would be proud to name my daughter Avery! Beautiful and sweet!

  184. To be honest, I think the history of the name matters less as kids today will be facing the reality of current trends. And for over a decade, girls seem to be totally overshadowing the boys in being named Avery. It’s not even close really. It does sound girly to me, so I guess that makes sense!

  185. I consider it a strong, masculine and sophisticated name. I guess one’s perception is based on those they have known who have carried this name.

  186. Oh my gosh, people! Who cares if you use Avery for a boy or a girl. It’s a name that suits either sex! Don’t beg people not to name their kid something just because it’s more popular with a certain sex. There IS such a thing as unisex names! Taylor, Jordan/Jordyn, Ashley, Jamie, etc. Name your baby whatever you want! I personally prefer Avery for a girl but I understand that it is traditionally more commonly used for a boy.

  187. I think with so many transgender children, more and more families will choose names that can go either way. Just because your child is male or female at birth does not mean that they will present that way throughout their life. Unisex names will become more and more popular.

  188. I prefer Avery for a boy. It is my son’s name, and he and another boy are the only Averys in his school. :-) Anyone saying it’s a girl’s name is sadly mistaken. At best, it’s unisex.

  189. Sorry Tracey, it is you who is mistaken. There are far more girls being named avery by the day which shows its more than simply unisex anymore. It’s becoming girly :).

  190. I am baffled. Because the name has become more popular with girls, it is becoming girlie? So if people start naming their girls Robert, will that name become girlie? If people start naming their sons, Phylis, will that name become masculine? Give me a break. My son is named Avery and no one has ever made fun of him or teased him about having a girl’s name. He, and his twin, Austin were born in 1998, and I thought of the ever masculine Avery Brooks when I named him. There were no girls named Avery that I knew of. Yes, there was an female Avery in “Jerry McQuire”, but there was a male Avery in the Showtime series, “Soul Food”. Avery is a fine name, and my son will not have issues because the so-called gender flipping of the name.

  191. In my honest opinion, I do see it as a feminine name and by virtue it is more girlie sounding to me as well. i would be much more inclined to name a girl Avery than a boy nowadays and that seems to be the way it’s going for a while

  192. My preference is that is more of a girl’s name and I will be happy to give the name to my daughter when she is born!

  193. As I read through the comments I am reAlley amazed by how many boy Avery’s there are like wow! But I have to be on the girl side tho. My little sister is a girl(duh!) and her name is Avery. She’s met a few girl averys but never any boy averys but as a 12 yr old girl I think you should name your child whatever you like regardless of the gender so yeah????

  194. Avery is a great name. I like this spelling the best. I’m not a fan of people altering traditional spelling to be unique (although to each their own). Just because I see how many spelling and pronunciation issues it causes that individual.
    Um…I like it for a girl, I know far too many Avery’s that are female for me to think otherwise. But…I wouldn’t be surprised to meet a boy Avery. It’s a cool name.

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