Boys names for girls

I love the idea of a boy's name for my little girl. I think it conveys a spunky, zesty attitude, a joie de vivre, that one doesn't always get with a more formal feminine name. Not that there is anything wrong with formal feminine names, they are just not for me.

I'm pretty sure at this point that I'm going to name the little one "Charlie Izabelle (Ethiopian name withheld for privacy)" and then our last name. "Izabelle" is in honor of my mother, who's name is "Izabella".

I think "Charlie" is a fun tom boyish name, it reminds me of that commercial for perfume in the 70's.

My parents, or at least my mom, is not crazy about the name. My dad sent me some articles on the trend of naming girls with boyish names. Apparently this is a trend now. All I know is I have always liked it, ever since the Bionic Woman was named "Jamie Summers"! She was my hero when I was a pre-teen.

One of the articles my dad quoted has the following comment:

"Why do people name their girls with boy's names?
Because people are ignorant.

Personally, I think masculine names should stay on boys, and feminine names should stay on girls. After all masculine means male, and feminine means female. Ticks me off to see wonderful, masculine names being used on girls.

I totally agree with Liz. Parents give their daughters masculine names because they wanted a boy, or think boys are better than girls. There's nothing wrong with being a female, and instead of confusing them by giving them a masculine name, baby girls should be give feminine names so they can be proud that they are a woman.

Most of these so called "unisex" names aren't truely unisex, since the definition of unisex is having no distinctive gender. When a name is masculine, that's a gender, and therefore that name cannot be unisex, let alone feminine or girly.

Names like Madison, Addison, Emerson, Taylor, Aubrey, etc will never ever be unisex, feminine, or girly no matter how many little girls have to suffer with this horrid names. They are masculine."

Well! First of all, this person seems to view the world in very rigid terms, all black or white. My household will be black AND white. So we need to think out of the box a bit. I haven't read such a rigid answer to a question since Bush was asked what mistakes (if any) he had made in office!Plus, he doesn't know how to spell "truly". Ha-rumph.

Also, anytime someone uses words like "always, never, should" etc., and then calls someone who doesn't do those things "ignorant".... ummm... I have a problem with that.

I don't believe naming someone "Charlie" is going to impact her pride in being female. I plan on raising her in the strong feminist philosophy I myself believe in: that her intelligence, content of her character, and her ability to negotiate this world all will mean much more than "mom wanted a boy". I mean, really. She can be proud she is a woman. She can be proud she is an upstanding PERSON. She doens't need to be named a feminine name to be proud of her gender. I don't see that as having anything to do with it!

And finally, if I wanted a boy, I would have asked for one. This response is so way out in the ether zone I can hardly respond.

I attached Izabelle so if she later wants a more feminine name, it's available. I also went through a period where I didn't like my own name, I just wanted to fit in and my name is quite unique. But as an adult, I really appreciate being the only one of me. Don't we all go through a phase of not liking our names, even for just a short while? I think it's part of coming into our identities.

What do you all think?

Do you like Charlie for a vivacious little girl?


(10 points to who ever names another female TV lead character who was a single mom and had a typically male name.... hint, the repulicans didn't like her and her "family values"....)