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Boy Names for Girls

Some of the coolest baby girl names are not girls' names at all but boys' names -- many of which have officially become unisex names. We're seeing more and more formerly 100% boy names being used for girls, from nicknames like Sam and Charlie (now 50-50 by gender!), to occupational or surnames such as Sawyer or McKinley to formerly masculine names such as Quincy and Jude that have become truly unisex.

Celebrity parents Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds broke the gender barrier in a new way when they named their daughter James. Many parents followed suit, sometimes using James as a middle name.

The trendy Arlo is one recently boy name that's moving to the girls' side. Australian actress Asher Keddie is proof that Asher might be a good alternative to the dated Ashley. Ezra and Noah are Biblical names that are increasingly being used for girls as well as boys. And in Israel, Daniel is a Top 100 name...for girls.

Some people think it's wrong to use boy names for girls unless the practice also works in the opposite direction. While statistics show that more parents are giving their sons unisex names, we are not seeing boys given decidedly feminine names in the same way that baby girls are being given formerly masculine names.

In case anyone thinks this is just another wacky name theory, statistics bear out that girls are being given all the names on this list in significant numbers. There were more than 50 baby girls in the US last year named Max and Maxwell, for instance, as well as Maverick, Landon, Chase, Auden, and Atlas.

Here, some boy names that can work for girls.

Daniel

Meaning: God is my judge

Origin:Hebrew
150
Cody

Meaning: helpful, pillow

Origin:English
455
Collins

Meaning: people of victory or pup

Origin:Surname derived from Nicholas or Colin
523
Blake

Meaning: fair-haired, dark

Origin:English
691
Spencer

Meaning: keeper of provisions

Origin:French
909
Ellis

Meaning: benevolent

Origin:English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
925
Harley

Meaning: the long field

Origin:English
970
Elliot

Meaning: Jehovah is God

Origin:Anglicization of Elijah or Elias
980
August

Meaning: majestic, venerable

Origin:Latin
985
Jude

Meaning: praised

Origin:Diminutive of Judith or variation of Judah
1051
Sawyer

Meaning: woodcutter

Origin:English occupational name
1061
Ezra

Meaning: help

Origin:Hebrew
1078
Logan

Meaning: little hollow

Origin:Scottish surname
1262
Kai

Meaning: sea

Origin:Hawaiian
1271
Arlo

Meaning: between two hills

Origin:Irish, English
1338
Kirby

Meaning: church settlement

Origin:English
1472
Finn

Meaning: white, fair

Origin:Irish
1718
Hudson

Meaning: Hugh's son

Origin:English
3725
Nolan

Meaning: champion

Origin:Irish
6027
Maverick

Meaning: independent, nonconformist

Origin:American
3781