Gender neutral baby names have become increasingly popular over the past decade and there’s no doubt about the fact that they are brilliant, creative, and unique. If you’re a fan of unisex names then this also means you have a lot more names to choose from for both first and middle names.
Names are still very often split into two lists, one for boys and one for girls, but the decrease in parents wanting to pick from one or the other rather than one big list of all the names has been apparent since the 1920s. The use of unisex baby names has increased by 88% between 1985 and 2015 so let’s jump straight into some of the best unisex names out there today!
Gender-Neutral Names Inspired by Nature
Names inspired by nature have also become increasingly popular lately so why not mix the two and take a look at some of the gender neutral names that have a touch of nature about them.
1. Aries
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Ram
This is a name that will be perfect for you if you want your baby to have a name with a strong meaning. The name itself means ‘ram’ but it refers to the Roman God of War and will be a brilliant option if you know your new little one is going to light up every room they step into. The name currently sits at number 915 in the top 1000 names in the US but we’re sure to see this higher up in the coming years.
2. Cedar
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Refers to the tree of the same name
There are loads of cool gender neutral names out there and ‘Cedar’ is no exception. The name has English origins and refers to the tree of the same name. This specific tree is also mentioned in Psalm 92:12 in the Bible as the tree was used to build King Solomon’s temple. The use of this name has also been much more evident lately with it rising from number 19,345 in 1990 to number 2,649 in 2020.
3. Cypress
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Refers to the tree of the same name
This is another great gender neutral name referring to the tree of the same name. ‘Cypress’ has Greek origins and is derived from ‘Kyparissos’ or ‘Cyparissus’ which are both Ancient Greek names mentioned in Greek mythology. Cyparissus accidentally kills his companion in the myth and later transforms into a cypress tree which represents mourning.
4. Kit
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Bearing christ.
Yet another name of Greek origin, ‘Kit’ means ‘bearing Christ’. It is also derived from some other popular names such as ‘Christopher’ and ‘Katherine’ and used to be very common in Christian communities. Nowadays, people tend to recognize the name more from fiction such as Star Wars but either way, it is a brilliant name for your little one. It dipped in popularity at the start of the 2000s, sitting at number 26,383 but has soared recently and currently sits at number 4,029.
5. River
- Origin: British
- Meaning: A flowing body of water
You might have come across this name far more often lately as its popularity has risen. It’s a name of British origin meaning ‘a flowing body of water’ but the word itself represents many different things. Rivers are a symbol of growth as well as tranquility and life, giving your baby the perfect name to grow with them. River has never been more popular with it currently sitting at number 432.
6. Sky
- Origin: Scandinavian
- Meaning: Sky
You might not know that this word has Scandinavian origins but it also has a million different ways you could interpret it. The word is derived from the Old Norse word ‘sky’ meaning ‘cloud’ and was later adopted by the English language. Whether you think of lovely days under the sunny sky on the beach or colder nights watching the stars, this is a lovely name for your little one. The name also currently sits at number 1,535.
7. Forest
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Woodsman or woods
This is another lovely name of French origin meaning ‘woodsman’ or ‘woods’. This will be the perfect name for you if you plan on taking your little one on hikes and adventures through the mountains or if you yourself are rather keen on nature. It’s also more popular than you might think with it currently sitting at number 1,731.
8. Vega
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Swooping eagle
The last of our gender neutral nature names are Vega which has Arabic origins and means ‘swooping eagle’ or ‘meadow dweller’. This will surely inspire your little ones to be their own person and not to let others stop them from going after their true passion in life. It’s a truly brilliant name and currently sits at number 5, 658.
Unique Gender-Neutral Names
1. Ali
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Sublime
This is a name of Arabic origin and is derived from the word ‘aliy’ which means ‘sublime’, ‘high’, or ‘exalted’. It also comes from the word ‘ala’ meaning ‘rise’ or ‘ascend’. Ali was also the first man to convert to Islam, as seen in the Quran. This name is currently quite popular and in 2021 sat at number 627.
2. Dakota
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Friend or ally
This is a name of Native American origin and means ‘friend’ or ‘ally’. The name originally came from the Native American Sioux tribe who were fierce warriors who were extremely brave and intelligent, and who wouldn’t want their baby to have a name inspired by such brilliant traits. The name has only recently become more popular and currently sits at number 537.
3. Aspen
- Origin: British
- Meaning: Shaking tree
This is another nature inspired name of British origin and either refers to the tree of the same name or it could also mean ‘shaking tree’. The tree’s leaves also have a lovely heart shape which makes it the most delicate name for your little bundle of joy. The name currently sits at number 487 and has been on a steady incline for many years now.
4. Gavi
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Heroine of God.
This is a super unique name and it currently sits at number 28,074. The name’s popularity has drastically fluctuated over the last years and sat much higher at number 19,328 in 2018. Gavi has Hebrew origins and means ‘heroine of God’ which is a brilliant name if you want your little one to have a very strong name to match their strong personality.
5. Mika
- Origin: Latin/Hungarian/Japanese
- Meaning: Lord/Who resembles God
Mika is a name with many origins as well as many different meanings including ‘Lord’, ‘Who resembles God’, ‘Three trees together’, ‘quick’ and ‘nimble’. The origins span from Latin to Hungarian to Japanese as well as Hebrew and Czech and the many different meanings make it a wonderful name for anyone. The name currently sits at number 2,602 but this popularity fluctuates very often and we’re sure this will change again very soon.
6. Nova
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: New
This is another name of Latin origin and will be perfect for any new arrival as its meaning is ‘new’. Now if you’re looking for something a little more meaningful than this and you want your child to stand out and shine as bright as they can then know that this is also the name given to bright stars in the sky that appear quickly. It’s currently very popular and sits at number 86.
7. Onyx
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Refers to the gem of the same name.
Onyx is the perfect name if you know your baby will stand out and be an absolute darling. This name is of Greek origins and does in fact refer to the gem and we’re sure they’ll shine just as bright as their name. Now when it comes to the popularity of this name, it’s a little tricky. It heavily fluctuates but currently sits at number 1,270.
8. Rory
- Origin: Irish
- Meanings: Red king
This is a name of Irish origin meaning ‘red king’. It was derived from the Old Irish ‘Ruaidhri’, which also means ‘red king’, who was the high king of Ireland. It’s also connected to the names Roger and Lorelai which might mean more to you than the meaning. The name currently sits at number 902 but this has been rising in the past years.
Cute Gender-Neutral Names
1. Charlie
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Free man
Charlie is a very popular gender neutral name of German origins and it means ‘free man’. It is also derived from the German word ‘kerle’ which means warrior. We’re sure that if you decide to go with this name your little one will be a fighter. This currently sits at number 294 but has been steadily increasing since 2000.
2. Avery
- Origin: British
- Meaning: Elf counsel/Ruler of elves
This is another very popular name and is of British origin. The name Avery means ‘elf counsel’ or ‘ruler of elves’ so if you’re into fantasy things then this might be the perfect name for you. This could also be great if you’re expecting your little one around Christmas time. It currently sits at number 63 but we’re sure it will continue to grow in popularity.
3. Riley
- Origin: British
- Meaning: Rye cleaning
Riley has also been growing in popularity in recent years and currently sits at number 89. This is a name of British origin and means ‘rye clearing’, ‘courageous’, or ‘valiant’. This is another brilliant name for a strong baby as rye tends to thrive in difficult situations.
4. Cameron
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Crooked nose
Now the meaning of this name might put you off but it is still a brilliant name despite this. Cameron is a name of Scottish origin meaning ‘crooked nose’ but it came from a clan in the Scottish highlands. The name is also quite popular and currently sits at number 971.
5. Morgan
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: Circling sea or white sea dweller
This is a name of Welsh origin meaning ‘circling sea’ or ‘white sea dweller’ so if you’re one with the sea then this might be the name for you. This little bundle of joy is sure to be jumping through all the puddles as soon as they can. Morrigan was also the name of the goddess of war so we’re sure your baby will be a little warrior as well. Morgan currently sits at number 432.
6. Casey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Watchful/vigilant/brave
This is a great gender neutral name of Irish origin meaning watchful, vigilant and brave. If your baby always keeps an eye out but is willing to try anything then this might be the perfect name for them. We’re sure your little one will certainly be curious and will want to be involved in everything, always looking at what’s around them. The name currently sits at number 446 but it peaked in popularity in the 80’s when it reached number 80.
7. Ash
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Happy
‘Ash’ is one of the many neutral names with a Hebrew origin. It means ‘happy’ and is derived from the title ‘Asher’ but it is also very popular as it shares its name with the Ash tree. Ash trees were often sacred to Vikings and were thought to keep holy wells pure with Irish people refusing to cut them down. They believed this would land them in the ‘sidhe’ which was where the faeries lived.
8. Skylar
- Origin: Dutch
- Meaning: Scholar
This is a name of Dutch origin meaning ‘scholar’ and came about in the 17th century when Dutch settlers reached the US so if historical names are something you’re looking for then this might be for you. The name can also mean eternal life, strength, love, and beauty if you’re not too keen on the first meaning. Now this one is also a popular name, reaching 42 in 2014 and 2015 on the top baby names and it has only recently dropped out of the top 50.
Androgynous Names
Opting for a gender neutral name for your baby opens up a huge array of names for you to choose from. As well as providing your child with a unique name for their gender.
But you should be prepared that your choice of name that is traditionally for a boy for your little girl may not go down well with everyone.