Gender Neutral Names | 175 Names, Meanings & Origins

Gender neutral names (also called nonbinary names or unisex names) are names that do not indicate a specific gender. Whether you’re naming a baby, a pet, a character, or renaming yourself, gender neutral names allow you to instill a sense of identity in a free and flexible way.

In this article, you’ll find 175 gender neutral names with their origins and meanings. Find different types of names, like classic and unique ones, and names from different cultures.

Want more gender neutral names? Ask Quillbot’s AI Chat for customized lists, like “unisex names that come from plants” or “last names turned into nonbinary first names.”

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Popular gender neutral names

These names are among the most popular names used in the U.S. in the 2020s, according to the Social Security Administration. While all gender neutral, some tend to be used more for boys (like Rowan or Tyler), while others are more common for girls (like Avery or Quinn).

• Parker: “gamekeeper” or “keeper of the park” (English)
• Charlie: “free person” (Germanic)
• River: river (English/French)
• Rowan: “little red-haired one” or the rowan tree (Irish)
• Cameron: “crooked nose” (Scottish)
• Jordan: “to descend” (Hebrew)
• Riley: “rye clearing” (Old English); “valiant” (Irish)
• Avery: “ruler of the elves” (English)
• Quinn: “wise” or “descendant of Conn” (Irish)
• Emery: “great ruler” (French)
• Sawyer: “woodcutter” (English)
• Peyton: “fighting man’s estate” or “Pæga’s settlement” (Irish)
• Sage: “wise one” or the fragrant plant (Latin)
• Reese: “enthusiasm” or “fiery warrior” (Welsh)
• Skylar: “scholar” or “student” (Dutch)
• Ashton: “town by the ash tree” (English)
• Hayden: “hedged valley” (English)
• Tyler: “tile maker” or “roofer” (English)
• Bailey: “bailiff” or “steward” (English)
• Elliot: “the Lord is my God” (Hebrew)
• Ryan: “little king” (Irish)
• Logan: “small meadow” (Scottish)
• Emerson: “son of Emery” (English)
• Oakley: “oak clearing” (English)
• August: “magnificent” or “exalted” (Latin)

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Gender neutral names by style

In this section, find gender neutral names organized by style. Discover timeless names, unusual ones, cool names, and names inspired by nature.

Classic gender neutral names

These classic gender neutral names have a long history of use for people of more than one gender. Several of these names—such as Ashley, Courtney, and Lynn—may seem feminine, but all of these names have historically been either masculine or gender neutral.

• Alex: “protector of mankind” (Greek)
• Ariel: “lion of God” (Hebrew)
• Ashley: “ash tree meadow” (English)
• Casey: “vigilant” or “brave” (Irish)
• Chris: “follower of Christ” (Greek)
• Courtney: “short nose” (French)
• Dana: “arbiter” (Hebrew); “pearl” (Persian)
• Devon: “divine” (French); “black” (Irish)
• Drew: “wise” (Welsh); “courageous” (Greek)
• Jamie: “supplanter” (Hebrew)
• Kelly: “bright-headed” or “descendant of Ceallach” (Irish)
• Kim: “royal fortress” or “Cyneburg’s meadow” (English)
• Lee: “meadow,” “clearing,” or “shelter” (English); “poet” (Irish)
• Leslie: “holly garden” (Scottish)
• Lynn: “lake,” “pond,” or “pool” (Welsh)
• Morgan: “born of the sea” (Welsh)
• Pat: “patrician” or “noble” (Latin)
• Robin: “bright fame” or the songbird (German)
• Sam: “name of God” (Hebrew)
• Shelley: “meadow’s edge” (English)
• Sydney: “wide island” or “wide meadow” (English)
• Taylor: “tailor” (French)
• Terry: “ruler of the people” (French); “harvester” (Greek)
• Tracy: “warrior” (Irish); “from Thrace” (French)
• Whitney: “white water” or “from the white island” (English)

Unique gender neutral names

These unique gender neutral names are less commonly used and offer a fresh feel in their sounds and/or meaning. Several of these names—like Bellamy, Lennox, Marlowe, and Merritt—were first surnames before becoming gender neutral given names.

• Aubrey: “elf ruler” (French)
• Bellamy: “fine friend” (French)
• Bryce: “freckled” or “speckled” (Scottish)
• Caelan: “slender” or “narrow” (Irish)
• Camden: “winding valley” (Scottish)
• Dorian: “descendent of Dorus” or “gift” (Greek)
• Echo: “reflected sound” or the nymph from Greek mythology (Greek)
• Ellis: “my God is Yahweh” (Hebrew); “benevolent” (Welsh)
• Finley: “fair warrior” (Scottish)
• Juniper: “young” or “evergreen” (Latin)
• Karma: “fate” (Sanskrit)
• Kori: “maiden” (Greek); “priest” (Arabic); “from the hollow” (Irish); “curly hair” (Norse)
• Lennox: “elm grove” (Scottish)
• Marlowe: “dritfwood” (English)
• Merritt: “worthiness” or “excellence” (French); “boundary gate” (English)
• Monroe: “from the mouth of the Roe river” (Scottish)
• Paisley: “church” or “cemetery” (Scottish)
• Palmer: “palm bearer” or “pilgrim” (French)
• Peregrine: “traveler,” “wanderer” or “foreigner” (Latin)
• Perry: “pear tree” (English)
• Rumi: “beauty” or “lapis lazuli” (Japanese); “from Rome” (Arabic/Persian)
• Salem: “peace,” “safe,” or “complete” (Hebrew)
• Scout: “watchman” or “to listen” (French)
• Shiloh: “tranquil” or “peaceful” (Hebrew)
• Tatum: “Tate’s homestead” or “bringer of joy” (English)

Cool gender neutral names

These cool gender neutral names have a confident, modern, and sometimes slightly edgy feel. Some of them—like Jules and Kit—started out as nicknames for longer names and later became names in their own right.

• Ace: “one,” “unity,” or “expert” (English)
• Angel: “messenger of God” (Greek)
• Brooklyn: “marshland” or “land by the brook” (Dutch)
• Carter: “one who uses a cart” (English)
• Dakota: “friend” or “ally” (Dakota)
• Dallas: “meadow dwelling” or “valley house” (Scottish)
• Delta: the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet or the mouth of a river (Greek)
• Dion: “follower of Dionysus” (Greek)
• Ember: glowing, burning fragment of wood or coal (English)
• Indie: “independent” (English)
• Jules: “youthful” (French)
• Kaden: “companion” or “friend” (Arabic); “battle” (Irish)
• Kai: “sea” or “ocean” (Hawaiian)
• Kit: “bearer of Christ” or “pure” (Greek)
• Lucian: “light” (Latin)
• Max: “greatest” (Latin)
• Nico: “victory of the people” (Greek)
• Noel: “Christmas” or “born on Christmas” (Latin)
• Nova: “new” or an exploding star (Latin)
• Phoenix: “dark red” or “crimson” (Greek)
• Reed: “red” (English)
• Remy: “oarsmen” or “rower” (French)
• Rory: “red king” (Irish)
• Shea: “admirable” or “hawk-like” (Irish)
• Wynn: “fair” or “white” (Welsh); “friend” (English)

Gender neutral nature names

Nature-inspired names are a great choice if you’re looking for a gender-neutral name with a natural, evocative feel. This category draws on everything from trees, flowers, and animals to seasons, landscapes, colors, and the natural world.

• Adair: “oak tree” (Scottish)
• Alaska: “great land” or “mainland” (Aleut)
• Amets: “dream” (Basque)
• Arden: “great forest” or “valley of the eagle” (British)
• Ash: “ash tree” (English); “happy” or “fortunate” (Hebrew)
• Aspen: “shaking tree” (English)
• Aster: “star” (Greek)
• Bay: an inlet of the sea (English)
• Briar: “bramble” (English)
• Brook: “small stream” (English)
• Celyn: “holly” (Welsh)
• Cypress: the cypress tree (Greek)
• Dylan: “great tide” or “of the sea” (Welsh)
• Fox: the animal fox (English)
• Hollis: “holly trees” (English)
• Indigo: the deep blue-purple color (Greek)
• Izar: “star” (Basque)
• Montana: “mountain” or “mountainous country” (Spanish)
• Onyx: “claw,” “talon,” or the black gemstone (Greek)
• Rain: the weather rain or “abundance from above” (English)
• Salix: “willow tree” (Latin)
• Skye: “cloud island” or the sky itself (Scottish)
• Vesper: “evening star” (Latin)
• Winter: the season winter (English)
• Wren: the small brown songbird (English)

Gender neutral names by origin

If you’re looking for nonbinary names with specific origins, here are some options from a few different cultures. If you’re looking for names from a different culture, ask Quillbot’s AI Chat.

Gender neutral Japanese names

These Japanese unisex names have various meanings depending on the kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese writing) used to write them. Note that there may be alternative spellings of these names depending on the romanization system used.

• Akira: “bright,” “clear,” or “intelligent”
• Aoi: “hollyhock” or “blue-green”
• Haru: “spring,” “sunlight,” or “clear weather”
• Hikaru: “light,” “radiance,” or “to shine”
• Hinata: “sun-facing,” “toward the sun,” or “sunny place”
• Kaoru: “fragrance,” “scent,” or “perfume”
• Makoto: “sincerity,” “truth,” or “reality”
• Nao: “straight,” “honest,” “center,” or “esteem”
• Rei: “lovely,” “graceful,” “friend,” or “spirit”
• Yuki: “snow,” “happiness,” or “good fortune”

Gender neutral French names

These names may be perceived as strictly masculine or feminine to English speakers, but they are all gender neutral names in the French-speaking world.

• Alix: “noble”
• Camille: “acolyte” or “helper to the priest”
• Céleste: “celestial” or “heavenly”
• Claude: “lame” or “crippled”
• Dominique: “of the Lord”
• Eden: “paradise”
• Lou: “famous warrior”
• Maé: “gift of God”
• Maxime: “greatest” or “largest”
• Sacha: “defending warrior”

Gender neutral Spanish names

There are few Spanish names that are traditionally gender neutral. Most of these gender neutral Spanish names were formed by shortening other, gendered names. Luar and Pau are names used in Spain but technically come from other languages closely related to Spanish, as noted below.

• Adri: “from Hadria”
• Ale: “defender of mankind”
• Azul: “blue”
• Cris: “follower of Christ”
• Cruz: “cross”
• Dani: “God is my judge”
• Luar: “moonlight” (comes from Galician)
• Paris: the capital of France; a figure from Greek mythology
• Pau: “peace” (comes from Catalan)
• Rio: “river”

Gender neutral Korean names

Korean names have various possible meanings, which depend on the hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean writing) chosen to represent them. Also, there may be different ways to spell these Korean names based on the transliteration system used.

• A-ra: “wisdom, beauty, grace, silk”
• Bo-ram: “rewarding,” “worthwhile,” or “sense of accomplishment”
• Chan-hee: “praise,” “splendid,” “brilliant,” “joy,” “brightness,” or “grace”
• Ha-neul: “sky” or “heaven”
• Ji-min: “wisdom,” “intellect,” “gem,” “heaven,” or “quickness”
• Ji-woo: “wisdom,” “purpose,” “ambition,” or “rain”
• Min-seo: “clever,” “bright,” “auspicious,” or “prosperous”
• Seo-jin: “auspicious,” “wise,” “book,” “truth,” “treasure,” or “pearl”
• Su-hyeon: “excellent,” “virtuous,” “refined,” or “wise”
• Yu-jin: “abundance,” “willow,” “truth,” “treasure,” or “pearl”

Gender neutral Irish names

Irish names sometimes have very different pronunciation from what English speakers would expect. The name “Ailbhe,” for example, is pronounced more or less like “Al-vuh.”

• Ailbhe: “white,” “bright,” or “rock”
• Cassidy: “curly-haired” or “descendent of the clever one”
• Dara: “oak tree” or “oak wood”
• Darcy: “dark,” “dark-haired,” or “descendent of the dark one”
• Enda: “like a bird”
• Kerry: “dark-haired,” “black,” or “descendent of Ciar”
• Reagan: “the king’s child” or “descendant of Riagán”
• Shannon: “wise river” (Irish)
• Sloane: “raider” or “warrior” (Irish)
• Tiernan: “little lord”

Gender neutral names A–Z

This list organizes all 175 nonbinary names in this article in an alphabetical list, without origins or meanings, so you can focus on the appeal of their spelling and pronunciation.

• A-ra
• Ace
• Adair
• Adri
• Ailbhe
• Akira
• Alaska
• Ale
• Alex
• Alix
• Amets
• Angel
• Aoi
• Arden
• Ariel
• Ash
• Ashley
• Ashton
• Aspen
• Aster
• Aubrey
• August
• Avery
• Azul
• Bailey
• Bay
• Bellamy
• Bo-ram
• Briar
• Brook
• Brooklyn
• Bryce
• Caelan
• Camden
• Cameron
• Camille
• Carter
• Casey
• Cassidy
• Celyn
• Chan-hee
• Charlie
• Chris
• Claude
• Courtney
• Cris
• Cruz
• Cypress
• Céleste
• Dakota
• Dallas
• Dana
• Dani
• Dara
• Darcy
• Delta
• Devon
• Dion
• Dominique
• Dorian
• Drew
• Dylan
• Echo
• Eden
• Elliot
• Ellis
• Ember
• Emerson
• Emery
• Enda
• Finley
• Fox
• Ha-neul
• Haru
• Hayden
• Hikaru
• Hinata
• Hollis
• Indie
• Indigo
• Izar
• Jamie
• Ji-min
• Ji-woo
• Jordan
• Jules
• Juniper
• Kaden
• Kai
• Kaoru
• Karma
• Kelly
• Kerry
• Kim
• Kit
• Kori
• Lee
• Lennox
• Leslie
• Logan
• Lou
• Luar
• Lucian
• Lynn
• Makoto
• Marlowe
• Max
• Maxime
• Maé
• Merritt
• Min-seo
• Monroe
• Montana
• Morgan
• Nao
• Nico
• Noel
• Nova
• Oakley
• Onyx
• Paisley
• Palmer
• Paris
• Parker
• Pat
• Pau
• Peregrine
• Perry
• Peyton
• Phoenix
• Quinn
• Rain
• Reagan
• Reed
• Reese
• Rei
• Remy
• Riley
• Rio
• River
• Robin
• Rory
• Rowan
• Rumi
• Ryan
• Sacha
• Sage
• Salem
• Salix
• Sam
• Sawyer
• Scout
• Seo-jin
• Shannon
• Shea
• Shelley
• Shiloh
• Skye
• Skylar
• Sloane
• Su-hyeon
• Sydney
• Tatum
• Taylor
• Terry
• Tiernan
• Tracy
• Tyler
• Vesper
• Whitney
• Winter
• Wren
• Wynn
• Yu-jin
• Yuki

Frequently asked questions about gender neutral names

What are some gender neutral cat names?

Some gender neutral cat names are:

• Ash
• Bean
• Blue
• Clover
• Coco
• Finn
• Milo
• Pepper
• River
• Scout
• Shadow
• Wren

To brainstorm more gender neutral names for cats, ask Quillbot’s AI Chat for a list.

What are some gender neutral dog names?

Some gender neutral dog names are:

• Ace
• Bailey
• Charlie
• Cooper
• Dash
• Frankie
• Harley
• Jamie
• Kit
• Max
• Riley
• River
• Scout
• Storm

Quillbot’s AI Chat can help you come up with even more gender neutral names for dogs.

What are some gender neutral Greek names?

Some gender neutral Greek names are:

• Alex
• Angel
• Aster
• Dorian
• Drew
• Echo
• Nico
• Paris
• Phoenix

If you want to discover more Greek gender neutral names, ask Quillbot’s AI Chat to prepare you a list.

What are some gender neutral German names?

Some gender neutral German names are:

• Charlie
• Jona
• Kai
• Kim
• Luka
• Mika
• Robin
• Sascha
• Yael

Quillbot’s AI Chat can create a longer list if you’d like to explore more German gender neutral names.

What are some gender neutral Chinese names?

Some gender neutral Chinese names are:

• An
• Chenxi
• Haoran
• Jing
• Ming
• Rong
• Xinyi
• Yang
• Yu
• Zihan

To discover more Chinese gender neutral names, ask Quillbot’s AI Chat.