Androgynous Baby Names for Modern Families: 80+ Names That Embrace Fluidity
Androgynous Baby Names for Modern Families: 80+ Names That Embrace Fluidity
Naming Without Assumptions
My partner and I knew before we found out our baby's sex that we wanted an androgynous name. Not because we're making a political statement, though some people see it that way. Not because we're trying to be trendy or difficult. Simply because we believe our child should get to decide who they are.
A name is the first label the world puts on you. Before you can speak, before you can walk, before you have any sense of self, you're given a name that tells everyone who encounters you what to expect. For centuries, names have been one of the primary ways we signal gender—and with that signal comes a cascade of assumptions.
What if the name didn't do that? What if it was just a beautiful sound, connected to meaning and history and family, without requiring anyone to perform a gender before they even know what gender means?
That's what androgynous names offer. Space. Freedom. The chance to be known before being categorized.
Androgynous vs Unisex: Understanding the Nuance
These terms are often used interchangeably, but there's a subtle difference worth understanding.
Unisex Names
Unisex names are simply names used for multiple genders. Jordan is unisex because both boys and girls are named Jordan. Usage might skew one direction, but the name isn't exclusively owned by either gender. Unisex focuses on statistical usage.
Androgynous Names
Androgynous names feel intentionally gender-ambiguous. They don't just happen to be used by multiple genders—they actively avoid signaling any gender. When you hear an androgynous name, you can't guess the bearer's gender. The name itself is fluid, balanced, uncommitted.
Why This Matters
A name like Ashley started as unisex, then became heavily female-coded. It's no longer androgynous—when you hear Ashley, you assume female. Truly androgynous names maintain their balance, or they were chosen specifically for their inability to signal.
The names in this post lean androgynous rather than simply unisex. They're names that preserve ambiguity by design.
Literary and Artistic Androgynous Names
The arts have long been spaces of gender experimentation. These names carry creative, boundary-pushing energy.
From Literature
- Ariel - Hebrew 'lion of God.' Shakespeare's genderless spirit in The Tempest. The mermaid association is more recent.
- August - Latin 'venerable.' Month name and author name (August Wilson). Warm and creative.
- Aubrey - Germanic 'elf ruler.' Aubrey Beardsley (male artist) and modern usage. Perfectly balanced.
- Darcy - Irish 'dark one.' Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy; now used for all genders.
- Ellis - Welsh 'benevolent.' Ellis Bell was Charlotte Brontë's pseudonym. Literary ambiguity.
- Emery - Germanic 'home strength.' Rising for all genders equally.
- Hollis - English 'holly trees.' Literary surname style.
- Jules - French form of Julius. International and balanced.
- Leslie - Scottish 'garden of holly.' Once firmly male, then female, now balanced again.
- Lindsey/Lindsay - Old English 'Lincoln Island.' Similar trajectory to Leslie.
- Meredith - Welsh 'great ruler.' Once male in Wales, now balanced.
- Paris - Greek/French. Trojan prince and French city. Dual heritage, dual gender.
- Sage - Latin 'wise.' Also the herb. Perfectly ambiguous.
- Sterling - English 'genuine.' Literary quality and character.
From Music and Art
- Billie - Short for William/Wilhelmina. Billie Holiday, Billie Eilish. Artistic and balanced.
- Bowie - Gaelic 'yellow.' David Bowie embodied androgyny. Perfect namesake.
- Claude - Latin 'lame.' Claude Monet (male), Claude Cahun (female). Artistic legacy.
- Frankie - Short for Francis/Frances. Musical and friendly.
- Harper - English 'harp player.' Harper Lee and modern usage. Musical ambiguity.
- Jamie - Scottish James diminutive. Used for all genders for decades.
- Lou - Short for Louis/Louise. Lou Reed, Lou Andreas-Salomé. Artistic simplicity.
- Stevie - Short for Stephen/Stephanie. Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder. Musical magic.
Names From Progressive Traditions
Some naming traditions have always been more fluid than others. These names come from contexts where gender wasn't the primary organizing principle.
Quaker and Plain Names
Quaker naming traditions often emphasized virtue over gender:
- Patience - English virtue. Traditional Quaker name for all.
- Providence - Latin 'foresight.' Place and virtue combined.
- Remember - English word. Puritan tradition of word names.
- Truth - English word. Sojourner Truth legacy.
Indigenous American Names
Many indigenous naming traditions focused on qualities rather than gender:
- Cherokee nature names often described qualities: Running Water, Standing Bear.
- Lakota names frequently changed throughout life based on accomplishments.
- Note: Use indigenous names only with cultural connection or permission.
Modern Virtue Names
- Honor - Latin 'integrity.' Neither masculine nor feminine.
- Justice - Latin 'righteous.' Strong and balanced.
- Loyal - Old French 'faithful.' Character over category.
- Noble - Latin 'aristocratic.' Quality, not gender.
- True - Old English 'faithful.' Short and clear.
- Valor - Latin 'courage.' Strength for anyone.
Place-Inspired Androgynous Names
Places don't have genders. Naming children after places provides inherent ambiguity.
Geographic Names
- Brooklyn - New York borough. Rising fast for all genders.
- Dakota - Native American 'allies.' State and name.
- Denver - English 'green valley.' Colorado capital.
- India - The country. Geographic and feminine-leaning but ambiguous.
- Jordan - Hebrew river. The original geographic unisex name.
- London - English capital. British and balanced.
- Milan - Italian city. Fashion capital energy.
- Montana - Latin 'mountainous.' Big Sky state.
- Paris - French capital. City of light for any child.
- Rio - Spanish 'river.' Brazilian energy.
- Sydney - Old English 'wide island.' Australian city.
- Vienna - Austrian capital. Musical and elegant.
Nature Locations
- Bay - Body of water. Geographic and natural.
- Cliff - Geographic formation. Strong and grounded.
- Dell - Small valley. Gentle geographic feature.
- Glen - Scottish valley. Serene and balanced.
- Heath - Open land. English moor energy.
- Lake - Body of water. Calm and reflective.
- Ridge - Mountain feature. Strong and definite.
- Vale - Valley. Poetic geography.
Modern Inventions
Some androgynous names are relatively new, created specifically to be balanced.
Contemporary Creations
- Addison - English 'son of Adam.' The 'son' is invisible in modern usage.
- Avery - Old English 'elf counsel.' Achieved perfect balance in recent decades.
- Blair - Scottish 'plain.' Short and sophisticated.
- Briar - English 'thorny shrub.' Nature name with edge.
- Cameron - Scottish 'crooked nose.' Long-established balance.
- Casey - Irish 'vigilant.' Friendly and balanced.
- Devon - English county. Geographic surname style.
- Drew - Greek 'manly.' Has transcended its meaning.
- Elliot - Hebrew 'the Lord is my God.' Literary and balanced.
- Finley - Scottish 'fair warrior.' Celtic and rising.
- Hayden - Old English 'hedged valley.' Modern and balanced.
- Kendall - Old English 'valley of the River Kent.' Geographic surname.
- Logan - Scottish 'little hollow.' Celtic and current.
- Mackenzie - Scottish 'son of Kenneth.' The 'son' disappeared.
- Morgan - Welsh 'sea-born.' Arthurian ambiguity.
- Parker - English 'park keeper.' Professional and neutral.
- Peyton - English 'fighting man's estate.' Sports and balance.
- Quinn - Irish 'counsel.' Short and strong.
- Reese - Welsh 'enthusiasm.' Energetic and neutral.
- Riley - Irish 'courageous.' Friendly and balanced.
- Rowan - Gaelic 'little red one.' Nature and neutral.
- Ryan - Irish 'little king.' The 'king' doesn't limit it.
- Sawyer - English 'woodcutter.' Tom Sawyer adventure.
- Skyler - Dutch 'scholar.' Sky connotation, neutral usage.
- Spencer - English 'steward.' Surname style.
- Taylor - English 'tailor.' Occupation name balance.
- Toby - Hebrew 'God is good.' Friendly and neutral.
International Androgynous Options
Names neutral in their origin cultures that translate well to English.
- Akira - Japanese 'bright.' Anime-familiar, naturally neutral.
- Ari - Hebrew 'lion.' Short and international.
- Bodhi - Sanskrit 'enlightenment.' Spiritual and balanced.
- Isa - Arabic form of Jesus, also short for Isabel/Isaiah. Cross-cultural.
- Kai - Hawaiian 'sea,' Japanese 'shell,' Welsh 'keeper of keys.' Universal.
- Nico - Greek 'victory.' International and friendly.
- Noor - Arabic 'light.' Beautiful in any language.
- Remy - French 'oarsman.' Continental charm.
- Robin - Germanic 'fame-bright.' European neutral.
- Sasha - Russian diminutive. Alexander or Alexandra.
- Tao - Chinese 'the way.' Philosophical and brief.
- Yael - Hebrew 'mountain goat.' Israeli usage balanced.
- Yuki - Japanese 'snow.' Winter beauty for all.
Community Stories
Why do families choose androgynous names? Here are some voices from the community.
'We Wanted Options'
'We didn't know our baby's sex before birth, and we wanted to fall in love with a name without knowing. Rowan was perfect—it felt complete whether we were imagining a boy or girl. When our daughter arrived, the name fit perfectly. And if she ever decides she's not our daughter, the name will still fit.'
'Breaking Patterns'
'In my family, every boy gets a junior version of his father's name. My partner and I wanted to break that pattern. We chose River—a name that belongs to our child alone, not handed down from generations of gendered tradition.'
'Professional Considerations'
'I'm a software engineer, and I've seen firsthand how people treat female-coded names in tech. I named my daughter Morgan because I want her to be evaluated on her work, not her name. Maybe that shouldn't matter, but until it doesn't, we're giving her this tool.'
'Just Liked It'
'Honestly? We just loved how Sage sounded. The androgynous thing is a bonus—we get asked about it a lot—but we chose it because it was beautiful. Our son loves his name. That's what matters.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is choosing an androgynous name a political statement?
It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Some families choose these names because they genuinely believe in creating space for their child's self-determination. Others simply like how the names sound. Some are making a statement; many aren't. Your reasons are your own.
Q2: How do I handle traditional family expectations?
Be honest and simple: 'We love this name. It works for our family.' You don't owe anyone a detailed explanation of your naming philosophy. If pushed, you can say, 'We wanted a name we loved that didn't make assumptions—and we found one.' Most family members adjust once the baby arrives.
Q3: What if my child doesn't want an androgynous name?
They can use a nickname, their middle name, or legally change their name as an adult. This is true for any name. Kids might wish for different names regardless of what you choose. Your job is to choose with love; their job is to grow into it or grow past it.
Q4: Will this confuse my child about their gender?
No. Names don't determine gender identity—your child will develop their sense of self regardless of their name. An androgynous name simply doesn't dictate anything. It's neutral space, not confusion.
Q5: Are we taking away gendered naming traditions?
No. Gendered names still exist and are beautiful. Choosing an androgynous name for your child doesn't erase anyone else's choice. Naming is personal; your choice doesn't affect others' traditions.
Names That Create Space
An androgynous name is a gift of possibility. It says to your child: 'We don't know who you'll become, and we're excited to find out. Your name won't decide for you. It will simply be yours—a beautiful sound with a beautiful meaning that you get to fill with your own identity.'
That's not a political statement. It's love. Love that makes room. Love that doesn't assume. Love that trusts your child to become exactly who they're meant to be.
Whatever name you choose—androgynous or not—choose it with love. Your child will feel that love every time they hear it.
Explore androgynous options on SoulSeed, where you can filter for names that maintain beautiful balance. Because the perfect name might not pick sides.
