For those who've long felt pigeonholed by the idea that there are boy names strictly for boys and girl names exclusively for girls, why not follow the recent baby-naming trend [1]? Many parents are opting to give their baby girls a traditional boy's name, and we're sure the amount of female Noahs, Flynns, and Garretts will only continue to rise. It's a tactic that has long had a place in Hollywood. Drew Barrymore [2], Reese Witherspoon [3], Hayden Panettiere [4], Parker Posey [5], Taylor Swift [6], Cameron Diaz [7] . . . their names are all borrowed from the boys.
Curious what other boy names [8] are being recast for the opposite sex? Read on. You might even be surprised to see some names — like Kelly or Dana, for instance — that have so long been coopted by women, you forgot they were ever boys' names to begin with.
Boy Names For Girls Starting With . . .
A
Addison, Adrian, Aidan, Ainsley, Alex, Andy, Ari, Asher, Ashley, Ashton, Aspen, Aubrey, August, Austin, Avery
B
Bailey, Barry, Bay, Blaine, Blake, Bobbie, Brett, Brook
C
Cameron, Campbell, Carroll, Carson, Casey, Chandler, Charlie, Chris, Christian, Claude, Clay, Cory
D
Dana, Dakota, Dale, Daryl, Devin, Dorian, Drew, Dylan
E
Eddie, Eli, Elliott, Emerson, Evan, Everett, Ezra
F
Finn, Flynn, Francis, Frankie
G
Gabriel, Garrett, Glenn, Gray
H
Harley, Harper, Hayden, Hudson
I
Ira
J
James, Jean, Jesse, Jordan, Jude, Jules, Julian
K
Kaden, Kelly, Kennedy, Kyle
L
Lake, Logan, Lyle
M
Madison, Mason, Max, Morgan
N
Noah
O
Owen
P
Parker, Pat, Peyton
Q
Quincy, Quinn
R
Ray, Reagan, Reed, Reese, Riley, River, Roan, Roy, Rudy, Ryan
S
Sage, Sam, Sawyer, Shawn, Sonny, Spencer, Stevie
T
Tanner, Taylor, Toby, Tyler
V
Val
W
Wesley, West, Wylie