I intimated that we’d probably do a couple of things with the complete 2012 name data from Victoria, now that it’s been released, and something I thought might be interesting would be to look at the unisex names in the data, and see whether they were used more often for girls or boys, or evenly for both.

Unisex Names More Popular for Girls

1. Addison – 76 girls, 7 boys
2. Ashley – 31 girls, 13 boys
3. Eden – 65 girls, 7 boys
4. Harper – 144 girls, 25 boys
5. Sasha – 30 girls, 6 boys

• There are only five names used by both sexes that are significantly more popular for girls.
• Some parents chose names for their sons which had a reasonable history of being established as feminine by usage, and which are gaining rapidly in popularity for girls, such as Addison and Eden.
• Ashley is the only one of these names which has a reasonable history of usage by both sexes.
• The most feminine unisex name is Harper, which has the biggest gap between the sexes.

Unisex Names More Popular for Boys

1. Alex – 89 boys, 9 girls
2. Bailey – 93 boys, 15 girls
3. Casey – 16 boys, 7 girls
4. Charlie – 264 boys, 63 girls
5. Darcy – 78 boys, 10 girls
6. Hunter – 156 boys, 8 girls
7. Jamie – 31 boys, 6 girls
8. Jordan – 120 boys, 13 girls
9. Phoenix – 48 boys, 14 girls
10. Riley – 217 boys, 9 girls
11. River – 21 boys, 9 girls

• There are more than twice as many names used by both sexes that are significantly more popular for boys.
• Casey, Charlie, Darcy, Jamie and Jordan have a reasonable history of usage as unisex names.
• Most of these “more boyish” names, even if still popular, are falling in popularity for boys; Charlie and Hunter are the ones who buck this trend, and are still increasing in male popularity.
• The most masculine unisex name is Riley, which has the biggest gap between the sexes – a much bigger gap than between the boys and girls called Harper.
• Some parents will choose a name for their child which is Top 100 for the opposite sex (such as Harper or Bailey), so name popularity isn’t always a factor in whether a name is considered a “boy” name, or a “girl” name.

Unisex Names Given Fairly Evenly to Girls and Boys

1. Ariel – 12 boys, 11 girls
2. Asher – 35 boys, 26 girls
3. Blair – 15 boys, 12 girls
4. Brooklyn – 17 girls, 15 boys
5. Emerson – 14 girls, 8 boys
6. Frankie – 12 boys, 9 girls,
7. Morgan – 13 boys, 11 girls
8. Quinn – 30 boys, 24 girls
9. Remi – 11 boys, 7 girls
10. Remy – 19 girls, 14 boys
11. Taylor – 31 girls, 20 boys
12. Tully – 10 girls, 8 boys
13. Yi – 10 boys, 8 girls
14. Zi – 7 girls, 7 boys

• These 14 names could be considered “truly unisex”, in that they are used by both sexes in roughly equal numbers.
• None of the names are popular, which makes me wonder if once a name gains a high level of use, it will tend to skew towards one sex rather than another.
• The most unisex name is the Chinese name Zi, with the same number of boys and girls possessing it.

Theoretically Unisex Names Overwhelmingly Used by Girls

1. Alexis – 112 girls, 5 or less boys
2. Allie – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
3. Allison – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
4. Ally – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
5. Angel – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
6. Arya – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
7. Aubrey – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
8. Avery – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
9. Bonnie – 52 girls, 5 or less boys
10. Brooke – 24 girls, 5 or less boys
11. Cassidy – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
12. Chelsea – 104 girls, 5 or less boys
13. Chelsey – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
14. Clare – 18 girls, 5 or less boys
15. Cleo – 34 girls, 5 or less boys
16. Clover – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
17. Coco – 23 girls, 5 or less boys
18. Courtney – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
19. Crystal – 15 girls, 5 or less boys
20. Dakota – 25 girls, 5 or less boys
21. Dana – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
22. Ebony – 66 girls, 5 or less boys
23. Elisha – 9 girls, 5 or less boys
24. Erin – 31 girls, 5 or less boys
25. Esme – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
26. Evelyn – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
27. Florence – 26 girls, 5 or less boys
28. Gigi – 12 girls, 5 or less boys
29. Ginger – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
30. Harlow – 18 girls, 5 or less boys
31. Indiana – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
32. Indie – 29 girls, 5 or less boys
33. Indigo – 36 girls, 5 or less boys
34. Indy – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
35. Iris – 20 girls, 5 or less boys
36. Jade – 53 girls, 5 or less boys
37. Jessie – 14 girls, 5 or less boys
38. Joyce – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
39. Kalani – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
40. Kelly – 14 girls, 5 or less boys
41. Kelsey – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
42. Koa – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
43. London – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
44. Madison – 134 girls, 5 or less boys
45. Maria – 26 girls, 5 or less boys
46. Marley – 40 girls, 5 or less boys
47. Mary – 42 girls, 5 or less boys
48. Mika – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
49. Miley – 22 girls, 5 or less boys
50. Mischa – 11 girls, 5 or less boys
51. Nicola – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
52. Nikita – 27 girls, 5 or less boys
53. Nikki – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
54. Noor – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
55. Olive – 53 girls, 5 or less boys
56. Paige – 85 girls, 5 or less boys
57. Paris – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
58. Payton – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
59. Pearl – 21 girls, 5 or less boys
60. Peyton – 24 girls, 5 or less boys
61. Piper – 68 girls, 5 or less boys
62. Reese – 7 girls, 5 or less boys
63. Ruby – 419 girls, 5 or less boys
64. Sage – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
65. Scarlet – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
66. Scarlett – 256 girls, 5 or less boys
67. Shelby – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
68. Shiloh – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
69. Skye – 43 girls, 5 or less boys
70. Stacey – 6 girls, 5 or less boys
71. Stevie – 16 girls, 5 or less boys
72. Sydney – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
73. Teagan – 13 girls, 5 or less boys
74. Tegan – 9 girls, 5 or less boys
75. Tia – 23 girls, 5 or less boys
76. Vivian – 19 girls, 5 or less boys
77. Wendy – 8 girls, 5 or less boys
78. Willow – 129 girls, 5 or less boys
79. Winter – 22 girls, 5 or less boys

The most feminine unisex name is Ruby, which is #3 for girls and in very rare use for boys (quite possibly, no boys at all). Ruby does have some usage as an Australian male name in the 19^th century.

Theoretically Unisex Names Only Used by Boys

1. Adrian – 37 boys, 5 or less girls
2. Aiden – 144 boys, 5 or less girls
3. Ali – 65 or less boys, 5 or less girls
4. Arlo – 28 boys, 5 or less girls
5. Ash – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
6. Beau – 75 boys, 5 or less girls
7. Blake – 163 boys, 5 or less girls
8. Bodhi – 19 boys, 5 or less girls
9. Brodie – 55 or less boys, 5 or less girls
10. Brody – 35 boys, 5 or less girls
11. Cameron – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
12. Campbell – 35 boys, 5 or less girls
13. Chance – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
14. Chase – 94 boys, 5 or less girls
15. Chris – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
16. Clancy – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
17. Coby – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
18. Cody – 48 boys, 5 or less girls
19. Colby – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
20. Cooper – 248 boys, 5 or less girls
21. Dallas – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
22. Dion – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
23. Dusty – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
24. Dylan – 146 boys, 5 or less girls
25. Elliot – 41 boys, 5 or less girls
26. Elliott – 24 boys, 5 or less girls
27. Evan – 50 boys, 5 or less girls
28. Ezra – 13 boys, 5 or less girls
29. Finlay – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
30. Finley – 23 boys, 5 or less girls
31. Francis – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
32. Harley – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
33. Hayden – 119 boys, 5 or less girls
34. James – 381 boys, 5 or less girls
35. Jay – 18 boys, 5 or less girls
36. Jesse – 65 boys, 5 or less girls
37. Joey – 10 boys, 5 or less girls
38. Jonty – 15 boys, 5 or less girls
39. Jude – 60 boys, 5 or less girls
40. Julian – 70 boys, 5 or less girls
41. Kai – 89 boys, 5 or less girls
42. Koby – 51 boys, 5 or less girls
43. Kody – 10 boys, 5 or less girls
44. Logan – 178 boys, 5 or less girls
45. Luca – 113 boys, 5 or less girls
46. Luka – 53 boys, 5 or less girls
47. Mason – 266 boys, 5 or less girls
48. Max – 283 boys, 5 or less girls
49. Maxwell – 49 boys, 5 or less girls
50. Memphis – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
51. Micah – 32 boys, 5 or less girls
52. Milan – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
53. Miller – 21 boys, 5 or less girls
54. Musa – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
55. Myles – 16 boys, 5 or less girls
56. Noah – 409 boys, 5 or less girls
57. Oakley – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
58. Parker – 31 boys, 5 or less girls
59. Rafferty – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
60. Reece – 17 boys, 5 or less girls
61. Reed – 7 boys, 5 or less girls
62. Reid – 9 boys, 5 or less girls
63. Reilly – 6 boys, 5 or less girls
64. Rory – 36 boys, 5 or less girls
65. Rowan – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
66. Ryan – 228 boys, 5 or less girls
67. Sam – 66 boys, 5 or less girls
68. Saxon – 26 boys, 5 or less girls
69. Shane – 8 boys, 5 or less girls
70. Sean – 32 boys, 5 or less girls
71. Sidney – 7 boys, 5 or less girls
72. Sunny – 12 boys, 5 or less girls
73. Toby – 78 boys, 5 or less girls
74. Tristan – 38 boys, 5 or less girls
75. Troy – 9 boys, 5 or less girls
76. Zion – 15 or less boys, 5 or less girls

The most masculine unisex name is Noah, which is #6 for boys, and very rare for girls (perhaps not used at all). Noah can also be a Hebrew name for girls, from a completely different derivation than the male name Noah. I was not able to find any women named Noah in Australian records, but this might be because the high volume of male ones obscured them.

So … how unisex is a unisex name? Disappointingly, the answer seems to be “not very”. Most unisex names are in fact used much more by one sex over another, and those that are given fairly equally to both boys and girls do not have a high level of use.

I see no reason why a boy cannot be called Sage, or a girl Memphis, but even these obviously unisex names are skewed either female or male in the data.

Some people worry that girls are “taking all the boys names“, which will lead to some kind of naming cataclysm of epic proportions. Others look forward to an era when parents feel free to choose whatever name they like, unconstrained by gender.

So far, there is little evidence of either this fear or hope coming into being. Although we all seem to know a boy named Jade or a girl named Arlo, their numbers are too insignificant to show up in the data.