26 Gender-Neutral Baby Names And Their Meanings

    Having a baby? Look no further.

    Andrea Hickey
    by Andrea Hickey

    BuzzFeed Staff

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    1. Bailey

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    Bailey originated as an English and French surname meaning an officer of the law (bailiff) or a royal or official building.

    2. Emery

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    Emery was originally a male German name meaning "brave" and "powerful." Today it's popular for any gender.

    3. August

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    The name August peaked in the 1880s but it's due for a resurgence! The Roman emperor Octavian was known as Augustus, which means "majestic."

    4. Quinn

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    Quinn is a Gaelic and Irish surname that first became popular as a first name in the US. In the 1960s it was a popular boy's name, but it has become gender-neutral over the years.

    5. Frances/Francis

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    Frances and Francis mean "Frenchwoman" and "Frenchman," respectively, although they could absolutely be used interchangeably as gender-neutral names.

    6. Sloan

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    According to ohbabynames.com, "Sloan(e) is the anglicized form of an Old Irish clan name, from the Gaelic Ó Sluaghhadáin (descendents of Sluaghhadáin). Sluaghhadáin uses the Irish diminutive suffix “-áin” attached to the ancient Gaelic personal name “Sluaghadh” meaning “raid.” Therefore, as a diminutive, Sloan means 'little raider.'" Whoa!

    7. Rowan

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    Rowan is rooted in an originally male Irish name, Rúadhán, which means "red-haired."

    8. Micah

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    Micah is a Hebrew name of a prophet that can be found in the Old Testament.

    9. Evan

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    Evan is a Welsh boy's name, translating to the name John. In Welsh, it could also mean "young" or "youthful." However, taking inspiration from actor Evan Rachel Wood, we think this can and should be a name for any baby!

    10. Morgan

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    Morgan is a name that derives from a rich history of Celtic, Irish, Gaelic, and Welsh names and words. Today it's more popular for girls in the US.

    11. Peyton

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    Peyton probably has a more interesting etymology than you think. The Norman French Peyton family made such an impact during the Battle of Hastings in 1066 that they were given lots of land and estates by William the Conquerer — one of which was Peyton Hall. The name became well-known, and the rest is history.

    12. Rene

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    Rene is a French, originally male name that means "reborn."

    13. Dawson

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    Dawson has an interesting backstory: It was originally a masculine name that came from the medieval nickname for David, which was Daw. Therefore, Dawson would be "David's son."

    14. Finley

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    Finley comes from Gaelic and Scottish words that translate to "fair" and "warrior."

    15. Harlow

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    Harlow was once an Anglo-Saxon surname that denoted a person's dwelling: The words "hoer" (pile of rocks) and "hlaw" (hill) meant that a person lived near a hill with rocks. Harlow was one of the first surnames to appear in England.

    16. Kieran

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    Kieran was originally an Irish boy's name that denoted a baby's dark features.

    17. Lee

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    Lee comes from the Old English word "lēah," which means "clearing" or "meadow."

    18. Ryan

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    Originally deriving from the Irish clan name O’Riain, Ryan is perfectly gender-neutral.

    19. Logan

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    Logan has its roots in Irish clan names as well, and hasn't been a first name for very long! The US is probably the main place you'll find Logan as a girl's name.

    20. Jude

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    Jude comes from the Hebrew name Judah, which translates to "praised."

    21. Sidney

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    According to ohbabynames.com, Sidney's origin story is as follows: "The Old English words “sīdan” and “ēg” together indicated a 'wide riverside meadow,' which would have described the landscape in Surrey, England."

    22. Charlie

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    Charlie is a nickname for the English name Charles, which came from the German name Karl.

    23. Jamie

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    Jamie is a Scottish nickname for James. Jamie, predominately in the US, became gender-neutral in the 1800s.

    24. Shane

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    Shane began as a male Irish name, originally Seán. Interestingly, in Northern Ireland, the name Seán is pronounced "Shane," while in the south it's typically said like "Shawn."

    25. Robin

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    Robin began as the masculine French equivalent of Robert and was made famous in Middle English tales of characters like Robin Hood and Robin Goodfellow.

    26. River

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    River is pretty straightforward compared to the rest on this list; its etymology translates to the Anglo-Norman word meaning "river." The name became popular in the 1960s when names related to nature came into popularity.

    Information from ohbabynames.com and babynamewizard.com.