Many names once used predominantly for boys have become more popular for girls in recent years. Names like Robin, Darcy, and Riley were once considered masculine but have shifted in usage.
Here’s a look at some names that have flipped from boys’ names to girls’ names, and those that are currently making the shift.
1. Robin
Robin was a popular boy name in the 1950s, peaking in 1956, but in the 1960s, it began rising in popularity for girls, reaching #25 on the girls' charts by the late ’60s. While still used for boys today, Robin is largely considered a female name.
2. Jocelyn
Jocelyn started as a male name in Medieval Europe but became widely used for girls starting in the 19th century. Today, it's rare to hear it used for boys.
3. Kim
Kim was once popular for boys, particularly in the 1950s. However, by the 1980s, it was more commonly used for girls, and today, it's associated almost exclusively with females, largely due to Kim Kardashian's fame.
4. Darcy
Darcy was used for both boys and girls for years but became more popular for girls, especially in the United States. In other countries like Canada and Australia, Darcy is still more common for boys.
5. Aubrey
Aubrey was historically a male name, appearing on the charts long before 1973. By 2012, it had become a top 15 name for girls, surpassing its male popularity.
6. Dana
Dana was traditionally used for boys but became increasingly popular for girls, reaching #44 in 1971. Its use for boys declined sharply by the ’90s.
7. Riley
Riley, once a common male name, is now a favorite for girls, ranking in the top 50. While still used for boys, it has seen much more popularity among girls in recent years.
8. Shannon
Shannon was once evenly split between boys and girls, but by the late ’70s, it became more associated with girls. Its use for boys has since dwindled.
9. Carol
Once a male name, Carol was common for boys in Medieval times and even into the early 20th century. It became more associated with girls after World War II, reaching as high as #5 in 1946.
10. Morgan
Morgan started as a male name, but by the 1970s, it began gaining popularity as a name for girls. Today, it's more common for girls than boys.
11. Hilary
Once a male name in the United States, Hilary gained popularity for girls in the mid-20th century. By the 1990s, it had become firmly a girl’s name.
12. Courtney
Courtney, a boy's name in the early 20th century, became a top name for girls in the 1960s. It was in the top 20 for girls in the early ’90s but is now much less popular.
13. Lauren
Lauren was once a boy’s name, but after it became popular for girls in the mid-20th century, it surged to the top of the charts, peaking at #9 in the 1980s.
14. Sydney
Sydney was once a male name but has since shifted to the female side, especially in the United States. Alternate spellings like Sydni and Sydnee have helped solidify its feminine status.
15. Allison
Allison was occasionally used for boys but became primarily a girls' name after the mid-20th century. It peaked as high as #30 for girls in the 2000s.
16. Shelby
Shelby started as a boy's name but gained popularity for girls after the 1989 film Steel Magnolias. Today, it is much more common for girls than boys.
17. Lindsay
Lindsay, originally a popular boy's name, shifted to become a very trendy name for girls in the 1980s. By the ’90s, it was almost exclusively used for girls.
18. Kelly
Kelly was once common for boys, but by the 1970s, it became a go-to name for girls. Its use for boys has since nearly disappeared.
19. Beverly
Beverly was traditionally a male name, but after it was used for a female character in a popular novel in 1904, it became widely used for girls by the mid-20th century.
20. Meredith
Meredith, once a common boy’s name, gained traction for girls in the early 20th century. It peaked for girls in the 1980s and is rarely used for boys today.
21. Vivian
Vivian started as a boy's name in the Middle Ages, but its popularity shifted to the female side in the 20th century, where it has remained.
22. Whitney
Whitney, once a male name, became a popular choice for girls after actress Whitney Blake and singer Whitney Houston helped solidify its feminine appeal.
23. Celeste
Celeste started as a boy's name but has long been considered a girl’s name in the United States. It’s still used for boys in some countries, but it’s rare today.
24. Mackenzie
Mackenzie was originally a male name, meaning "son of Coinneach," but gained popularity for girls in the late 20th century. It’s now a top name for girls.
25. Stacy
Stacy started as a male name and was even popular for boys in the early 20th century. By the 1950s, it began its rise as a girl’s name, and today, it’s almost exclusively used for girls.
26. Ashley
Ashley was once a top name for boys until the 1960s, but by the early 1990s, it became the #1 name for girls. It's no longer used much for boys.
These names show how trends in baby names evolve. We can expect to see even more traditionally "boy" names make their way to the girls' side — and vice versa.
Source: She Knows