Wanting a baby’s gender to be a surprise at birth is one thing. What’s with Kansans’ increasing fondness for androgyny in baby naming? For the first time since the state began keeping records, the most popular boy and girl names last year were “gender-fluid,†as the experts say: Madison (253 girls were so named last year) and Aiden (338 boys). Emma slipped to third for girls, with Emily rising a place into second. Aiden has topped the boys’ list since 2004.
Most think the loosening of societal sex roles is behind the trend, but parents arguably are just exercising one of America’s liberties. In Finland, for example, births are not recognized unless parents choose names from official boy and girl lists that have no names in common.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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14 Comments
I think you have seen one too many episodes of “Pat” from SNL Rhonda.
Why can’t people just give their little boys nice masculine names like Dana, Leslie, Marion, Adrian, and Terry?
This is good news.
It means that old walls and stereotypes are breaking down.
And in KANSAS! The last place that societal change reaches.
I like unique names, and I tried hard to stay unique when I chose my names. As time went on, those names ended up being popular. My daughter’s name is a boy’s with a more feminine spelling.
Interestingly, I’ve always liked the name Myrtle. No, I’d never do that to my child. I also liked Layla.
I think Finland is wrong for their policy of boy/girl names. You should be able to name your child anything you want, even Dweezil.
Well, and then there’s the song about the boy named Sue.
Of all the places that you would expect tradition in naming children for what they are. Finland!
Children need to have a strong gender identity. Good for the Fins. But the government shouldn’t mandate it.
Oh whatever. It’s only society that makes boys feel less if they have a girlier name. See, if we had true equality, there’d be no negative connotation from having a girl name.
Shows how you feel about ‘weak females’ though Outlander.
Shows how you feel about ‘weak females’ though Outlander.
How so mom?
Finland requires a certain boy/girl name? Wow, just like Wichita. Nanny town, now, nanny nation!
I guess I’m not going to live long enough to see Fern, Gladys, and Ida come back.
Even Janice, Susan, and Debbie would be a welcome change.
Now every parent has to name their baby after the soap stars of “All My Children.”
My best friend works in a neonatal intensive care unit and recall’s having to go into a waiting room and call for the parent’s of “Shithead” pronounced shi-tee-ed. Makes you think twice about letting parent’s have free reign.
I’ve always liked the name Riley for a girl. It’s androgynous, and that’s why I like it. I want a strong name for a girl, so she can be strong.
I agree with polimom’s assessment of unique names. Being a Robert S. in 2nd grade with 2 Robert Schmidts, a Robert Schmid, and a Robert Schmitt I determined some names are just too stinkin’ common. Of my 4 kids two had names unique in the schools system (small town), and while my daughter’s name is common, using the original Greek pronounciation causes it too to be unique.
Still can’t help snickering at the people naming their kids (boys or girls) ‘Hunter’. Makes ya wonder if the kid came about doggy style.
One good reason to give a child a non gender specific name is that when they submit a resume the prospective employer won’t know if the applicant is male or female. Better yet, I know a couple who gave their daughter a name commonly given to boys so she wouldn’t be discriminated against when summitting a job application.