Names for girls you thought were names for boys and vice versa

[The Identifier]

Obviously, there are a lot of names which are recognized as being unisex like Ashley for example.

But how about ones you didn't know could also be a name for the opposite sex?

e.g. Rory is the latest one I've discovered as also being a female name. The only Rorys I know are all male. And it doesn't sound very feminine to me, either!

My mind has gone blank to some other examples even though I could name quite a few but I'm sure you guys will remind me of some.

I guess it depends on where in the world you live as some names are more common in some places than others and we won't all be as shocked as each other that one name can be used for either a boy or a girl, but let's see.

 

[John_8581]

Just off the top of my head. More to come ... Leslie (as in Leslie Howard, Gone With the Wind actor. He played Ashley Wilkes in that movie, by the way. Also Leslie West, Mountain's singer and lead guitarist on the song "Mississippi Queen"), Marion (John Wayne's real name), Taylor (as in Swift or as in Hawkins, the Foo Fighters drummer) Billie or Billy (Eilish, the American singer or Idol, the English singer or Gibbons, the ZZ Top lead guitarist).

 

[ban-one]

I have never known Ashley to be unisex, only female.

Elisha I've known the longest as a female name from Elisha Cuthbert way back when she was on PMK. But in the last few years learned its origins as a Hebrew male name.

 

[The Identifier]

I have never known Ashley to be unisex, only female.

Ashley Cole and Ashley Banjo are a couple of famous examples. At least in England. I also used to work with an Ashley who was a bloke, and was friends with another. I also know lots of sportsmen by this name.

Elisha I've known the longest as a female name from Elisha Cuthbert way back when she was on PMK. But in the last few years learned its origins as a Hebrew male name.

Yeah, didn't know that. I've always thought that name is pretty unique because I don't know anyone else with it other than her. Alicias yes, but not Elishas.

 

[Torre82]

IRL people get confuzzled and just call me Troy.
Cuz Americans dont like to pronounce anything. Ever. At all. Or speak languages other than 'murrican like English.

Thanks, VICTORIAS of the world! (Tori, Torre, etc)

...still never met a boy named Sue. But I've met many boys who are girls, these days. Nice folks, mostly.

 

[The Identifier]

Billie or Billy

Whilst the same phonetically, I would say that if it is spelled Billie then it is likely a female whereas if it is Billy then I'd expect it to be a male... whether that translates into actual reality or not!

But if I heard the name said out loud, I would instinctively think it was male.

 

[ban-one]

Yeah, didn't know that. I've always thought that name is pretty unique because I don't know anyone else with it other than her. Alicias yes, but not Elishas.

The only other 1 I technically knew of, but didn't really, was Elisha "Eli" Manning. I only new of him as Eli, and had no idea it was short for Elisha. Or that his father, Archie was nicknamed Elisha. Presumably for "saving" a few football games his team would have otherwise lost.

 

[The Identifier]

The only other 1 I technically knew of, but didn't really, was Elisha "Eli" Manning. I only new of him as Eli, and had no idea it was short for Elisha. Or that his father, Archie was nicknamed Elisha. Presumably for "saving" a few football games his team would have otherwise lost.

Eli was the name of a (male) character in the film The Girl Next Door which Elisha starred in, funnily enough.

 

[tvstrip]

Jamie was the first that fell in this category for me. I knew a couple of male Jamie's (short for James), but then I started meeting more girls with that name.

The Finnish team on "Girls und Panzer" actually played on this:
Mika, Aki, Mikko, Jouko (Yoko) and Yuri are all Scandinavian male names, but are also Japanese girls names.

 

[ban-one]

Eli was the name of a (male) character in the film The Girl Next Door which Elisha starred in, funnily enough.

It's been a while since I've seen that movie. I can't say I've ever really paid much attention to anything beyond Elisha's part in it. And for being the title character, she wasn't in it enough for me.

 

[gmase]

Just off the top of my head. More to come ... Leslie (as in Leslie Howard, Gone With the Wind actor. He played Ashley Wilkes in that movie, by the way. Also Leslie West, Mountain's singer and lead guitarist on the song "Mississippi Queen"),

It is no Nantucket Sleighride, but Leslie West rocked.

Jeff Milton comes to mind