Want a Strong Boy Name? Avoid Weak Boy Names
| 18 August 2010 | Filed under Baby Names, Boy Names, Girl Names, Unisex Baby Names |
Strong boy names are names used mostly, if not entirely, by baby boys. In a recent post on the strongest boy names in the top 20, for instance, the strongest boy names were the names given to the highest proportion of baby boys relative to overall usage (boys+girls).
I thought I’d look at this issue from a different angle today. Instead of giving you another list of strong boy names, here’s a list of weak boy names. What makes them weak? Again, proportion. Each of these was given to at least 100 baby boys last year, but given to many more baby girls. So if you’re looking for a strongly masculine name, these are some names you’ll want to avoid.
Let’s start with names that were given to boys less than 25% of the time. (Over 75% of the babies who got these names were girls, in other words.)
| Name | Boys | Boys+ Girls |
Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teagan | 379 | 1,566 | 24% |
| Skylar | 543 | 2,292 | 24% |
| Lyric | 236 | 1,006 | 23% |
| Ariel | 469 | 2,017 | 23% |
| Emery | 288 | 1,256 | 23% |
| Haven | 146 | 678 | 22% |
| Shannon | 144 | 680 | 21% |
| Payton | 956 | 4,579 | 21% |
| Avery | 1,614 | 7,857 | 21% |
| Reese | 571 | 2,786 | 20% |
These names were given to boys less than 20% of the time:
| Camryn | 288 | 1,622 | 18% |
| Amani | 112 | 632 | 18% |
| Alexis | 2,006 | 11,845 | 17% |
| London | 517 | 3,126 | 17% |
| Kamryn | 212 | 1,336 | 16% |
| Kendall | 426 | 2,824 | 15% |
| Tatum | 135 | 921 | 15% |
These were given to boys less than 15% of the time:
| Harper | 314 | 2,199 | 14% |
| Eden | 228 | 1,780 | 13% |
| Taylor | 1,083 | 8,600 | 13% |
| Guadalupe | 154 | 1,258 | 12% |
| Presley | 159 | 1,359 | 12% |
| Marley | 283 | 2,438 | 12% |
| Courtney | 137 | 1,189 | 12% |
| Jordyn | 330 | 2,886 | 11% |
| Morgan | 587 | 5,157 | 11% |
| Kelly | 139 | 1,382 | 10% |
| Jaelyn | 101 | 1,034 | 10% |
Finally, the weakest of the weak. These names were given to baby boys less than 10% of the time last year. (To put it another way, over 90% of the babies who got these names were girls.)
| Rylee | 279 | 3,079 | 9% |
| Reagan | 208 | 2,722 | 8% |
| Cadence | 104 | 1,547 | 7% |
| Bailey | 215 | 3,829 | 6% |
| Kennedy | 148 | 2,978 | 5% |
| Aubrey | 140 | 5,509 | 3% |
| Addison | 240 | 10,807 | 2% |
| Brooklyn | 118 | 5,728 | 2% |
Keep in mind that this analysis is spelling-specific. Other variants of these names tended to be used relatively more often for baby boys. Here are a few examples:
- Peyton, 34%
- Tegan, 38%
- Emory, 40%
- Riley, 40%
- Skyler, 64%
- Reece, 70%
- Jordan, 80%
- Cameron, 89%
- Kameron, 91%
- Rhys, 95%
Spelling makes a big difference in some cases, doesn’t it?
Surprised, but relieved I guess, to not see Lynn and Carol on this list.
@Emily – Lynn and Carol are very similar to the names above in terms of usage, but they weren’t popular enough for boys to make the list.
Lynn – 19 boys, 111 boys+girls, 17%
(same as Alexis and London)
Carol – 5 boys, 190 boys+girls, 3%
(same as Aubrey)
Close to 600 boy names would have made the list if I’d included them all, regardless of popularity. That would have been…a bit too much for one post. :)
so interesting. every person i know with these names are girls except we do know a boy emery [spelled that way] my son is saylor and i know there are more girl saylor’s than boy saylor’s! we’ve talked about it not being a strong masculine name and we originally liked it for a girl but oh well! i’m always hoping to hear of more boy saylors.
Interesting… I have a (male) friend named Emery- but spelled Emory, I believe- but have always liked the name for a girl. And a male cousin, named Harper, who was given his mother’s maiden name for his first name, and I’ve always felt it suited him perfectly. I’m not a huge fan of it for girls, mainly because I prefer it on him, but I know that it’s been rising in popularity for girls.
Look’s like my little sister, Bailey, is safe, though!
This is an interesting list, funny how spelling makes such a difference between names like Kerry (boyish) and Kerri (girlish). I also see Kennedy on the list and my good friend recently named his baby girl Kennedy after his mother’s maiden name.
Interesting assessment. As a guy with a “girl’s” name I find the use of unisex/cross gender names really fascinating, the motivations and reactions etc. Of the lists I actually quite like Tatum for a boy, but was surprised when I first learned that Eden as used on boys too.