The Unisex Baby Name Trend

Unisex names are a huge trend for new parents in 2016. It’s like pushing the boundaries of gender-equality in a sort of modern-anti-placard kind-of-way.

Who needs to walk the streets screaming “equal rights” when we can call our daughters James in the hope they will grow up to be seen as strong, independent women.

Who says James is a name reserved only for blokes anyway? Who made up these gender-rules to begin with? Nobody knows the answer (not even Google) “” it’s just the way we see the world. Like, Charlotte is and has always been considered a girl’s name. It’s just the way it is. It’s a name associated with pink frills and pigtails. You certainly wouldn’t call your son Charlotte, would you?

Yet, all over the world, mothers and fathers are looking to male-dominant names for their newborn daughters. Whether for their masculine and strong derivatives, or simply because they like the name, it’s anyone’s guess. We just go with it because that’s a parent’s choice, and who says there has to be rules anyway?

But here is the issue, if only miniscule, it may be something to consider for when your child reaches adulthood.

Hi James,
Thanks for your email, I will get back to you with those figures shortly.
Wyatt.

Automatically you think, these must be two men having an email conversation. Neither of them had met or talked on the phone, because in 20 years time, with the way technology is evolving, the internet and computers will most likely be our preferred form of formal communication, especially amongst business people. So they will never know, am I talking to a man or a woman?

Some of you may say, well, this is a great thing. We don’t need to know, everyone should be considered equal anyway so what does it matter? James is obviously successful, she doesn’t need to be defined by her sex, she should be given credit no matter what. A name is a name, who cares?

Others may argue, well, James may like to be thought of as a woman in a high-standing position at a well-established workplace. She might get sick of correcting others that she is in fact a woman. She might be very feminine and hate that men first think of her a man.

Both arguments have valid points.

Other concerns some may raise could be to do with bullying, which is ripe among youngsters at school, especially those with “weird names”. Would James be bullied at school for her name? Would the boys call her, “he-she” and tease her for her masculine name? Or would she be accepted as a person and not by the name she was given?

You would hope the latter, but who knows with kids these days they can be cruel.

Naming a child is tricky business “” just ask any parent who has a list as long as their arm. It’s an individual’s choice what they call their child, no one should tell you otherwise or judge you either way.

Personally, I like James as a girl’s name. Wyatt is pretty as well.

Here are some celebrity baby girl names with unisex names:

• Sawyer: Talk co-host Sara Gilbert
• Elliott: George Stephanopoulos
• Emerson: Teri Hatcher
• Wyatt Lilly: Rachel Uchitel
• Arlo: Johnny Knoxville
• Dylan: Joe and Heather Nichols
• Jude: Alexis Stewart
• Billie: Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart
• James: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

Would you consider picking a unisex baby name?