Emerson- boy or girl?
Find a Conversation
Emerson- boy or girl?
| Sat, 02-10-2007 - 2:35pm |
Emerson- boy or girl?
- All boy
- All girl
- Unisex
- DH likes Emerson for a boy, but I'm concerned about its use on girls. WDYT?
You will be able to change your vote.


Pages
I think it's hard to vote because although I personally think Emerson is only fitting on a boy, that doesn't change the fact that so many girls are being named Emerson! So in theory, for me it's all boy, but in practice I think it's unisex.
Valerie
I voted for all girl.
Like someone already mentioned, I voted "All boy" although I know it is also being used for girls. My reason for not voting unisex, however, is the fact that this current trend doesn't suddenly make these names feminine.
It's a bit more complicated when you're talking about a name like Avery, which basically means "elf councel." I mean, not that a girl would WANT to councel elves -- maybe she would? LOL -- but a meaning like that doesn't specifically dictate gender (although I don't see anyone jumping on Alfred for their girls ... the same name as Avery in reality ). On the other hand, however, a name that literally means "son of ..." cannot suddenly become all-girl or even unisex IMO. Certainly, it can be used for girls (just like a woman I know named Jeffrey-John and the female Kevin/Kevyns mentioned in an above thread). That doesn't automatically make the names themselves feminine or unisex ... it just means those girls were given masculine names.
I know some will disagree, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with giving your dd a traditionally masculine name. Only that it doesn't change the fact that it IS a masculine name, KWIM? ;)
Powered by CGISpy.com
Although I strongly prefer Emerson for a girl, and I've only met female Emersons, I voted "unisex" because I wouldn't be completely shocked to find it on a boy.
In my opinon, Emerson's future as a boys' name doesn't look good. In '05 there were 672 female Emersons born and only 382 male Emersons. Between '04 and '05, Emerson jumped up 460 spaces on the girls' listing, reaching 442 for 2005. It just didn't gain as much ground on the boy side, moving from 717 to 584. It looks extra grim if you consider that these numbers don't include all the female Emersyns and Emersens that are out there (I know one of each).
Plus, the fact that Emerson has an obviously feminine nickname, Emmy, doesn't do it any favors as a boy name. Emmy fits in perfectly with all the Maddies, Addys, Abbys, Evies, and Lizzys that are everywhere.
This one baby name book I have said that once a name becomes a unisex name, it isn't too long before it is used primarily for girls and no longer for boys.
-Michelle
Thanks belle_petite for the siggy!
Pages