When it comes to making big decisions in life, naming a baby can up there with the most stressful – after all, there are millions to choose from. What vibe do you want? What can you and your partner both agree on (ahem)? Also, if you decide not to find out the sex of the baby until you're literally in labour, it might be difficult to narrow down names for each gender.
This is where we come in!
Of all the different baby names out there, did you know a lot of them are actually unisex? Meaning you can pick your baby's name from the minute you find out you're expecting.
And even if you're not ready to become a parent – or perhaps you never want to be, but instead are searching for the perfect name for a niece, nephew, your bestie's baby or even your pooch – there's no denying that it's always fun finding out the most popular names of the moment.
Hopefully, the extensive list below makes the process a little easier.
Gender-neutral names are on the rise
According to Sophie Kihm, name expert at Nameberry, the number of names considered to be unisex has increased by 56% in England and Wales since 2023. She told Metro that the reason gender-neutral names are rising is because they "give children flexibility, should they not identify with their birth gender [later down the line]."
She also explained that a lot of unisex names are typically more modern than traditional 'male' and 'female' names.
Gender specialist Rebecca Minor, when speaking to Today’s Parent, adds that unisex names are also favoured by parents hoping to reduce gender-based discrimination. She explained: "Studies have shown that gender bias can influence everything from job applications to leadership opportunities." So, these names "allow individuals of any gender identity to use them, offering flexibility in how others perceive them."
She added that giving a child a name that is not gendered "may help mitigate such biases."
So, without further ado, here's a list of the 12 most popular unisex names in the UK right now, pulled from the top 100 for both boys and girls (and then 105 others... just to offer up some more inspiration!).
The UK’s popular unisex names
- Noah (the second most popular name for boys overall, but could also be super cute on a girl! Noa is another alternative spelling to consider)
- Leo (while this is traditionally thought of as a male name, Leo for a girl is just plain cool)
- George (top ten for boys right now, but super chic for a girl)
- Jude (we love this one!)
- Arlo (feels very on trend)
- Theo (Thea is number 66 on the list of most popular girls names, but Theo would be a more distinct option)
- Rory (thought Rory was just for boys? Gilmore Girls would beg to differ)
- Rowan (number 41 on the top boys name list, but a cool boho option for girls too)
- Frankie (can’t go wrong!)
- Dylan (see: Drew Barrymore’s character in Charlie’s Angels… oh! And also the name Drew is a great gender neutral choice)
- Kai (Gigi Hadid’s daughter is named Khai, while ‘Kai’ is number 72 on the most popular boys names in the UK)
- Elliot (just about in the top 100 for boys, but could be a pretty and unique female name too)
105 cool unisex names
- Addison
- Alexis
- Alex
- Avery
- Quinn
- Rowan
- Charlie
- Eden
- Wren
- Ali
- Zion
- Ari
- Angel
- Ariel
- Bailey
- Aubrey
- Monroe
- Blair
- Billie
- Blaine
- Blue
- Bobby/Bobbie
- Bowie
- Winter
- Brooke
- Brooklyn
- Atlas
- Laine
- Jamie/Jaime
- River
- Remi/Remy
- Ellis
- Robin/Robyn
- Lennox
- Marley
- Indigo
- Courtney
- Beau
- Kennedy
- Stevie
- Frances
- Taylor
- Willow
- Lennon
- Palmer
- Spencer
- Jett
- Drew
- Riley
- Ezra
- August
- Ash
- Noel
- Kendall
- Morgan
- Ocean
- True
- Blake
- Valentine
- Flynn
- Beck
- Bloom
- Nicki
- Eli
- Wynn
- Reese
- James
- Harlowe
- Harvey
- Toni
- Levi
- Teddy
- Ari
- Inez
- Olin
- Ronnie
- Chrissy
- Shay
- Bronte
- Sloane
- Scout
- Harper
- Rio
- Rue
- Briar
- Jesse
- Tyler
- Pip
- Jordan
- Kris
- Lee/Leigh
- Carey
- Pat
- Jim
- Danny/Danni
- Briar
- Dakota
- Roan
- Noel (think Kimberley Noel Kardashian)
- Marion
- Skylar
- Elli
- Kari
- Jona
- Juno (thanks to Sabrina Carpenter, we expect)
Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader's Digest, ITV's Woo! and Vice’s NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.
