Men who grew up with female names - how hard was it?

[Anonymous]

It’s Pat!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xV4kBndQJlE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one guy I know personally with a gender-ambiguous/female name goes by his middle name.

But I also know a man with a perfectly normal, masculine first name who eschews that and goes by a somewhat gender ambiguous nickname (think Jamie) for his middle name, so I don't think there's any rule.

You must know my cousin Ashley! (William).

[Anonymous]

My male cousin Tracy has never minded his name or been teased about it.

[Anonymous]

We know a Jaime pronounced Jamie. Anglo guy.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I came across a male Sloan today who’s 6. That was one I assumed was all female but it does sound as masculine as names like Kelly/Dana as well.

There was a celebrity baby boy named Henry Blythe I saw on reddit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a song about it. “A Boy Named Sue” by Jonny Cash.

His paw said he fought tougher men, but couldn't remember when.

[Anonymous]

Some names that fall into the category of “used to be male but are now mostly female”: Leslie, Courtney, Stacy, Kelsey, Meredith (yes, really), Ashley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a song about it. “A Boy Named Sue” by Jonny Cash.

Hi. I'm Sue and that song was written about me. Worked out fine as I became a very successful personal injury lawyer. (Nobody ever thought that I was bluffing.)

[Anonymous]

James Corden’s middle name is Kimberly.

[Anonymous]

Carol O’Connor!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carol O’Connor!

Jackie Gleason. You don't mess with Ralph/Sheriff Buford T. Jestis!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids school has male "Kelly" and male "Tracy" and they are both good looking athletes so it works. On a nerdier kid (like mine!) it might bother them.

Kelly is definitely on it's way back in for boys. I know more young boy Kellys and I don't know a single female Kelly under 35.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know a Jaime pronounced Jamie. Anglo guy.

Well Jamie is the name of the hot, masculine male lead in Outlander. Jamie is a much more youthful nickname for James than Jim. I think Jamie might be unisex the way Chris (Christine) and Alex (Alexandra) can be. Or even Charlie.

[Anonymous]

In general, the sort of names you're thinking of spent decades, often centuries, as names for men. Then parents started giving them to their daughters, and the names were trendy girl names for a decade or two, and then they were considered dated/dowdy and abandoned entirely:

Shirley, Beverly, Fay, Marion, Kimberly
Soon Madison, Taylor, etc

[Anonymous]

This is why I don’t mind sharing pronouns. It just makes all of this easier.