Whether you call them gender neutral names or unisex names, it’s impossible to deny their popularity. From 2005 to 2015, babies received gender neutral names 60 percent more often. In 2017, this trend is still alive and well.
So what are the top 5 gender neutral names of 2017 so far? In February, the baby-name website Nameberry reported which names received the largest boost in pageviews from January 2016 to January 2017. Keep reading to find out which five unique gender neutral baby names are dominating 2017!
This gender neutral name increased in popularity by 71 percent since 2016, and it’s easy to see why. “Quincy” means “estate of the fifth son.” It is often associated with strength and patriotism (in light of America’s sixth president, John Quincy Adams). It also comes with cute gender neutral nicknames like “Quince” or “Q.”
If you’re hoping your child will love the water or compete in an Olympic rowing team, “Remi” is just the name. “Remi” means “oarsman,” and this form is most often found in German countries. One interesting fact, though, is that countries all over the world use “Remi” as a gender neutral name. So, if your child studies abroad, no one will be surprised.
This unisex name’s meaning is pretty obvious, but you may not know that it’s become 59 percent more common since 2016. This is one of the only seasonal names often given to boys, according to Nameberry, though you probably know of several star celebs (like Nicole Richie and Joel Madden’s daughter Harlow Winter Kate Madden) rocking “Winter.”
If you’re a poet or lifelong fan of Grey’s Anatomy, “Ellis” is the perfect gender neutral name for your child. Besides meaning “benevolent,” “Ellis” is also Emily Bronte’s pseudonym and the name of Meredith Grey’s mother. You may have noticed more girls named “Ellis” in the past few years, but it’s also recently doubled in popularity as a gender neutral name.
“Briar” is one of the most romantic unisex names you can give your son or daughter. It has an English origin and literally means a thorned bush. However, it is often seen as a reference to “Briar Rose” – the princess better known as “Sleeping Beauty.” Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson famously named their daughter Briar Rose in 2015 because of this understated Disney connection.
Whether you want your daughter to have a unisex name so she can have an advantage in the workplace or you just think Ellis is a beautiful yet strong boy’s name, gender neutral names are definitely trending in 2017.
