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Helpsighting and thoughts about Rhys on a girl
I met a little girl recently named Rhys.
She's polite and cute (maybe 8 years old) and really leaves a positive association with the name choice.
Strangely, I used to like the idea of Rhys as a boy name because the spelling looked more strong and interesting than "Reese" or "Reece" -- though at first I thought it might be pronounced more like 'Reeze' which I also thought would sound more masculine. Anyway, I dumped my love for this as a boy's name since the sound Rhys/Reese just seems a bit feminine and then there's Reese Witherspoon.
But now I think I'm thinking about Rhys as an interesting name for a girl. Maybe it's just a guilty pleasure since I don't normally gravitate toward boys' names on girls. (Dylan is kind of another GP in that area, though. There is something appealing about that name on either gender.)
Anyway, how strong are your reactions toward Rhys on a girl?
What are your feelings about gender-specific names and the idea that girls are borrowing from the traditionally male names and these names are then seen as unusable on males?
And what do you imagine a female Rhys' siblings could be named?
She's polite and cute (maybe 8 years old) and really leaves a positive association with the name choice.
Strangely, I used to like the idea of Rhys as a boy name because the spelling looked more strong and interesting than "Reese" or "Reece" -- though at first I thought it might be pronounced more like 'Reeze' which I also thought would sound more masculine. Anyway, I dumped my love for this as a boy's name since the sound Rhys/Reese just seems a bit feminine and then there's Reese Witherspoon.
But now I think I'm thinking about Rhys as an interesting name for a girl. Maybe it's just a guilty pleasure since I don't normally gravitate toward boys' names on girls. (Dylan is kind of another GP in that area, though. There is something appealing about that name on either gender.)
Anyway, how strong are your reactions toward Rhys on a girl?
What are your feelings about gender-specific names and the idea that girls are borrowing from the traditionally male names and these names are then seen as unusable on males?
And what do you imagine a female Rhys' siblings could be named?
This message was edited 7/12/2014, 8:46 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
I can see Chase, Ryan, Micah and Noah on girls (though I prefer the female Noah spelled as Noa) but I've never thought of Troy or Nehemiah going that way! However, I do generally prefer the idea of having a name with historical roots rather than something that seems a made-up and with a difficult to read and remember spelling style.
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To me, Rhys is all boy and I wish it would stay that way. Reese is better for a girl, if we must use the name on a girl, but that's where it ends for me. I really don't like using boy names on girls, as there are so many nice girl names out there, I don't understand why parents need to steal boy names!!
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I don't like Rhys (or other spellings of it) on girls. It's a masculine name and should stay that way. I don't know why people keep using masculine Irish and Welsh names as feminine first names.
And even if I didn't feel that way, I don't think Reese Witherspoon is a very good person to name a child after, anyways.
And even if I didn't feel that way, I don't think Reese Witherspoon is a very good person to name a child after, anyways.
This message was edited 7/12/2014, 1:42 PM
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Honestly?
I loathe the thought of Rhys on a girl. I don't like Reece or Reese on a girl either, but as Rhys is the original Welsh spelling, and it's a Welsh BOY'S name, the thought of it on a girl makes my skin crawl.
I'm sick and tired of seeing names from other cultures getting disrespected here in America, by being used on the wrong gender, in fact I hate it.
I loathe the thought of Rhys on a girl. I don't like Reece or Reese on a girl either, but as Rhys is the original Welsh spelling, and it's a Welsh BOY'S name, the thought of it on a girl makes my skin crawl.
I'm sick and tired of seeing names from other cultures getting disrespected here in America, by being used on the wrong gender, in fact I hate it.
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:)
I have never thought of this as disrespect to another culture. That's an interesting perspective.
I have never thought of this as disrespect to another culture. That's an interesting perspective.
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I've seen comments in the naming sections of parenting forums (which I sometimes lurk on out of interest), when someone has pointed out something about the culture of a name, and the expectant parents shoots back something like "I don't care about that."
It just seems like these people are saying, "we're American*, we don't care about other cultures, we just do what we want."
(* As it is usually us Americans)
You only have to look at the fact that Native American tribe names are used as first name, despite the fact that in the past, Native Americans have expressed displeasure about that.
I don't know why, maybe just over-think these thinks, but I just find it all distasteful.
It just seems like these people are saying, "we're American*, we don't care about other cultures, we just do what we want."
(* As it is usually us Americans)
You only have to look at the fact that Native American tribe names are used as first name, despite the fact that in the past, Native Americans have expressed displeasure about that.
I don't know why, maybe just over-think these thinks, but I just find it all distasteful.
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I dislike it, sadly. One of my cousins has a daughter named Reece and I feel bad saying this, but I hate the name. I don't know the kid, since they live abroad, but I certainly hate the name. Some family friends have a son named Rhys and so no matter the spelling, it feels all masculine. And even then I think it has a nasal, whiny sound.
So I dislike Rhys on a girl, but I dislike Rhys on a boy too, so it's all pretty much the same to me. I do think it's masculine, but a lot of names I consider better on boys are seen as trendy or typical girls' names these days, (Morgan, for example, is considered 'girly' because of all the girl Morgans, but I consider it best for a boy) so that's all the same to me too.
Siblingwise, I'd think a girl named Rhys might have siblings called (this was difficult for me, as a lot of the names I've listed are my kind of name at all, not that that's a bad thing, but I still think they have the same vibe as Rhys (f) or go well with it. Most are taken from the 2013 US top1000. It took a while, so I'll be pleased if you like any!):
f: Tyler, Morgan, Piper, Hunter, Paige, Greer, Harper, Parker, Skyler / Skye / Sky, Avery, Brooklyn, Ainsley, Chesley, Farley, Finley, Hadley, Harley, Hartley, Keighley, Kingsley
So I dislike Rhys on a girl, but I dislike Rhys on a boy too, so it's all pretty much the same to me. I do think it's masculine, but a lot of names I consider better on boys are seen as trendy or typical girls' names these days, (Morgan, for example, is considered 'girly' because of all the girl Morgans, but I consider it best for a boy) so that's all the same to me too.
Siblingwise, I'd think a girl named Rhys might have siblings called (this was difficult for me, as a lot of the names I've listed are my kind of name at all, not that that's a bad thing, but I still think they have the same vibe as Rhys (f) or go well with it. Most are taken from the 2013 US top1000. It took a while, so I'll be pleased if you like any!):
f: Tyler, Morgan, Piper, Hunter, Paige, Greer, Harper, Parker, Skyler / Skye / Sky, Avery, Brooklyn, Ainsley, Chesley, Farley, Finley, Hadley, Harley, Hartley, Keighley, Kingsley
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You came up with some great lists here!
Personally, Harper is another GP-ish name for me that's not usually my style... I think that would be my favorite of the ones that you found as sister names for a female Rhys. :)
I think it's hard to find something that's not too masculine or too feminine-sounding for the sister name here! Macy sounds cute here too-- it's kind of spunky and different.
For boys, I'm thinking less traditional but still masculine would be the best match. Hudson, Griffin, Archer and Flynn are my favorites-- great ideas!
Bryce also sounds good-- not a weird name but not unheard of, and I think Kane is not my style but it sounds solid and masculine next to a girl Rhys. Also, I really like the name Miller as a sib for Rhys, but it's normally not my style.
Finn and Rhys do sound cute together. :)
Other ideas that came to mind are Fletcher, Flint and Brandt.
Probably most things ending in "-son" would work. :)
Happy naming!
Personally, Harper is another GP-ish name for me that's not usually my style... I think that would be my favorite of the ones that you found as sister names for a female Rhys. :)
I think it's hard to find something that's not too masculine or too feminine-sounding for the sister name here! Macy sounds cute here too-- it's kind of spunky and different.
For boys, I'm thinking less traditional but still masculine would be the best match. Hudson, Griffin, Archer and Flynn are my favorites-- great ideas!
Bryce also sounds good-- not a weird name but not unheard of, and I think Kane is not my style but it sounds solid and masculine next to a girl Rhys. Also, I really like the name Miller as a sib for Rhys, but it's normally not my style.
Finn and Rhys do sound cute together. :)
Other ideas that came to mind are Fletcher, Flint and Brandt.
Probably most things ending in "-son" would work. :)
Happy naming!
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I think of Rhys as the masculine spelling, but that might not always be so. I don't really think it's so masculine on a girl that it's attention-seeking or funny. It's not like a girl named Jake or Malcolm. But if Rhys does not go completely feminine, it might seem a shade mannish when she is grown, the way Adrian or Cameron can now.
I don't really mind if a name that isn't already very familiar to me as a male name, is used for girls. It's when the name's established as masculine in my mind, that I think it seems mannish / faddish / attention-seeking. I tend to think of Rhys as indicating a male, but in twenty years, who knows. Because it's not a name I'm very familiar with. I never really heard of it until after Reese Witherspoon became famous.
It's nms though. Personally, I'd avoid any name for a girl that I can imagine seeming mannish when she is grown. It doesn't make a woman seem strong or smart, to me - it just makes her seem a little ridiculous. I like Jordan on a girl, but it's in that category too, now that I think about it.
I don't really mind if a name that isn't already very familiar to me as a male name, is used for girls. It's when the name's established as masculine in my mind, that I think it seems mannish / faddish / attention-seeking. I tend to think of Rhys as indicating a male, but in twenty years, who knows. Because it's not a name I'm very familiar with. I never really heard of it until after Reese Witherspoon became famous.
It's nms though. Personally, I'd avoid any name for a girl that I can imagine seeming mannish when she is grown. It doesn't make a woman seem strong or smart, to me - it just makes her seem a little ridiculous. I like Jordan on a girl, but it's in that category too, now that I think about it.
This message was edited 7/12/2014, 10:13 AM
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It's an interesting idea that using a masculine-oriented name seems attention-seeking.
I guess at least if parents gave their child a more traditionally feminine middle name, they would have some choice about which name they want to use depending on the circumstances 20 years later.
I had a co-worker for several years who went by Denise all the time. Her first name began with a J but I forget what it was because she never ever used it. It appeared in her email address, though, because that was how our employers set up our work email.
Mystery J. Denise :)
I guess at least if parents gave their child a more traditionally feminine middle name, they would have some choice about which name they want to use depending on the circumstances 20 years later.
I had a co-worker for several years who went by Denise all the time. Her first name began with a J but I forget what it was because she never ever used it. It appeared in her email address, though, because that was how our employers set up our work email.
Mystery J. Denise :)
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I don't like Rhys, Reece, or Reese on a girl. It might be "unisex" to some people in some places but to me, and where I live, a Rhys is a boy.
I kind of like Dylan or Dillon on a girl because I read a book where a female character was called this, but I wouldn't use it, or expect anyone else to.
Overall I don't like girls "borrowing" boys names because as you say, they then seem to become unusable for boys. This is a problem for me as I love a lot of "unisex" names that I would be too afraid to use for fear of my sons being teased; Phoenix, Devon, Sydney / Sidney, Cassidy, Quinn...
Rhys's siblings could be Ashley, Taylor, Morgan, Logan, Dylan etc.
I kind of like Dylan or Dillon on a girl because I read a book where a female character was called this, but I wouldn't use it, or expect anyone else to.
Overall I don't like girls "borrowing" boys names because as you say, they then seem to become unusable for boys. This is a problem for me as I love a lot of "unisex" names that I would be too afraid to use for fear of my sons being teased; Phoenix, Devon, Sydney / Sidney, Cassidy, Quinn...
Rhys's siblings could be Ashley, Taylor, Morgan, Logan, Dylan etc.
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I understand what you mean about using unisex names and being afraid that your son would be teased. I think we traditionally are much more conservative with male names.
It does seem a bit anti-feminist to me, but to be honest I had a strong inner reaction when one of my close friends decided to give her son Morgan as a middle name. I didn't say anything but I didn't get it. But why should I care? It's interesting the way we want to have clear gender delineations sometimes I guess. Our brains want to be able to categorize everything and everyone quickly.
I've known both a male and a female Sterling, and to be honest I never thought it was unfitting for either. I think raising a child with self-confidence and self-respect is probably a large part of using a name that might carry an ambiguous impression.
It does seem a bit anti-feminist to me, but to be honest I had a strong inner reaction when one of my close friends decided to give her son Morgan as a middle name. I didn't say anything but I didn't get it. But why should I care? It's interesting the way we want to have clear gender delineations sometimes I guess. Our brains want to be able to categorize everything and everyone quickly.
I've known both a male and a female Sterling, and to be honest I never thought it was unfitting for either. I think raising a child with self-confidence and self-respect is probably a large part of using a name that might carry an ambiguous impression.
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I don't like Rhys at all, it looks ugly and soundss as bad. I don't like Reece or Reese either, and I don't like them on girls or boys.
I imagine a Rhys's siblings would be named stuff like Finn or Flynn, Emerson and Maddox.
I really don't care that when a name that is considered masculine gets popular with girls it no longer seems usable for boys. Because 1. Most of the "traditionally masculine" names that cross over like this were never popular with boys to begin with. A few like Sidney have been, but while names like Ashley and Lindsey have been used on boys, they were never anything close to being popular. 2. There are enough male names that stayed relatively popular even after they got popular on girls that I don't really see it as inevitable that it will become unusable. Jordan, Taylor, Riley, Peyton, Bailey, to name just a few.
3. There are plenty of names to choose from that aren't ambiguous or unisex.
I imagine a Rhys's siblings would be named stuff like Finn or Flynn, Emerson and Maddox.
I really don't care that when a name that is considered masculine gets popular with girls it no longer seems usable for boys. Because 1. Most of the "traditionally masculine" names that cross over like this were never popular with boys to begin with. A few like Sidney have been, but while names like Ashley and Lindsey have been used on boys, they were never anything close to being popular. 2. There are enough male names that stayed relatively popular even after they got popular on girls that I don't really see it as inevitable that it will become unusable. Jordan, Taylor, Riley, Peyton, Bailey, to name just a few.
3. There are plenty of names to choose from that aren't ambiguous or unisex.
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Interesting-- I see Bailey as a girl's name. I don't think I've ever met a boy Bailey, but I haven't checked the trends on that one. I see Riley as becoming very female-oriented soon.
I also see Taylor moving into female-only territory soon.
I confess that I at first had a bias against females "taking" male names when they were names that I particularly liked for a boy, but I wonder if that's a sort of anti-feminist response: that names associated with females can't be used for boys.
Then again, I wonder at the idea of choosing "masculine"-sounding names for girls as well-- is that a feminist or anti-feminist desire to make girls appear stronger and edgier with a masculine name?
I think at least the ambiguous unisex names avoid that conundrum.
I also see Taylor moving into female-only territory soon.
I confess that I at first had a bias against females "taking" male names when they were names that I particularly liked for a boy, but I wonder if that's a sort of anti-feminist response: that names associated with females can't be used for boys.
Then again, I wonder at the idea of choosing "masculine"-sounding names for girls as well-- is that a feminist or anti-feminist desire to make girls appear stronger and edgier with a masculine name?
I think at least the ambiguous unisex names avoid that conundrum.
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Bailey ...
Statistically, it is more popular on girls, but I do know of a couple male Baileys, and here's a strange twist: Bailey is a very popular name for male dogs.
People get excited and upset with "Oh, as soon as a boy's name gets common on girls, it stops being okay for boys" and yap yap yap, but this actually happens pretty infrequently with male names that are in any way popular enough to be considered "traditionally male." Sure, Ashley started out as a surname, and was occasionally used as a male first name, but not enough and not long enough to be considered traditional. Upon reflection, I think the only male name to truly be popular on males and then to switch over to being a mostly female name is Sidney, and even then, it's much more common that the spelling Sydney is considered the female version.
And also, the truly traditional male names have never and likely never will be used on girls. Likewise with truly female names. We are never likely to see a male Katherine or a female Joseph, and though we do see such things in the earliest SSA popularity lists, those are by and large errors, in the same way as there really aren't a bunch of people running around named Unknown or Baby or Girl.
Statistically, it is more popular on girls, but I do know of a couple male Baileys, and here's a strange twist: Bailey is a very popular name for male dogs.
People get excited and upset with "Oh, as soon as a boy's name gets common on girls, it stops being okay for boys" and yap yap yap, but this actually happens pretty infrequently with male names that are in any way popular enough to be considered "traditionally male." Sure, Ashley started out as a surname, and was occasionally used as a male first name, but not enough and not long enough to be considered traditional. Upon reflection, I think the only male name to truly be popular on males and then to switch over to being a mostly female name is Sidney, and even then, it's much more common that the spelling Sydney is considered the female version.
And also, the truly traditional male names have never and likely never will be used on girls. Likewise with truly female names. We are never likely to see a male Katherine or a female Joseph, and though we do see such things in the earliest SSA popularity lists, those are by and large errors, in the same way as there really aren't a bunch of people running around named Unknown or Baby or Girl.
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