More parents are deciding to not learn the gender of their baby until the bundle of joy is delivered. But that sort of makes picking a baby name difficult. How do parents pick a name if they don't know if it's a boy or a girl? No one wants to show up to the hospital completely unprepared. That's why many expectant moms and dads are looking towards unisex baby names — names that work for both boys and girls means that no matter what, they can be prepared. Of course, that's not the only reason why gender neutral names have risen in popularity. Some parents don't like names that are too girly or too masculine. And a unisex name can strike the right balance. Plus, there is something sort of cute about a little girl having a traditionally "boy" name or vice versa. It gives classic names a more modern update.
But which unisex names hit it big in 2019? We took a look at Baby Center's Top 100 Baby Names for the year and compiled a list of the 20 unisex names that would work for either gender that are also current and on trend. And we're pretty sure they'll continue to be popular well into 2020. Some of the names have been hits on the baby name charts for years (think Riley, Harper, or Charlie) while others have only recently risen in popularity (Carson, Rowan, or Jayden). But either way, we can agree that all of these names have a certain charm that will work no matter if the baby turns out to be a boy of girl. So have no fear if it's almost time to grab the baby bag and head to the hospital, a unisex name might just be the perfect choice. Take a look at these 20 adorable unisex baby names that made our list and let us know which ones are the best!
RILEY
Riley is the perfect example of a unisex name because it can sound both a little tough and a little girly. But no matter if it's a boy or girl, the name has Old English roots and comes from a surname that is composed of the elements ryge, meaning "rye" and lēah, meaning "wood, clearing, meadow."
HARPER
We love how clean the name Harper sounds. It really is the perfect moniker for a family that is looking for something classic but contemporary. The name used to be a surname that became a first name in its own right and is derived from the Middle English harp, which means "a harp."
LOGAN
Logan is another one of those names that sounds clean, but has a touch of antique charm. Perhaps it's so versatile because Logan also used to be a surname in Gaelic, lagán, which means "a little hollow," and was the diminutive form of lag which also meant "a hollow." Basically Logan means "dweller at a little hollow."
JULIAN
Julian has always been a popular name, but in 2019 it really took off. Derived from the Latin Julianus which is a derivative of Julius, Julian is an old Roman family name. It is also thought to be derived from lulus and means, "the first down on the chin" or "downy-bearded." Some people have also interpreted it to be that Julian means "youth."
CARSON
Another name taken from a surname, Carson used to mean "Carr's son" and has several origins. Some trace it back to the Middle English and Scottish name car or carre, which means "marsh" or "mossy place," while others say it came from the Welsh caer, which means "a fort." There is also a third place of origin, some say it comes from the Gaelic carr and means "rock."
SKYLER
We seem to hear the name Skyler everywhere these days — it must be in the ether! It's unclear where exactly the name Skyler comes from as there is no direct origin, but some believe it's a derivative of the word "sky" or perhaps it came from the Isle of Skye, an island off the coast of Scotland.
LONDON
Location names have been trendy for the last couple of years (just take a look at the name Brooklyn, which also makes an appearance on this list). But that doesn't mean that London is outdated. In fact the opposite is true! Taken from the name of England's capital city, London is a cosmopolitan name that has universal appeal.
ZION
Zion is a special name as it has links to several different religions and sacred texts. In the Bible, Zion is the term for the promised land. For Rastafarians, Zion means utopia or heaven on Earth. The name became popular after musician Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley (son of Bob Marley) used the name for their son.
ROWAN
Perhaps Rowan has risen in popularity due to Girl Meets World star Rowan Blanchard, or perhaps it was always going to be popular anyway. Either way, Rowan is a cute name that works for both boys and girls. It's the Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ruadhán, which means "little red-haired one."
HUNTER
A name with a slightly preppy vibe, Hunter is a name that is both sporty and classic. The name comes from a surname and is derived from the Middle English hunte, which means "a hunter" or "a huntsman." The name is slightly more popular for boys than it is for girls, but we still think it's a great name for either!
DYLAN
While most people would think the name Dylan is a boy's name, we think it's the sweetest little girl name, too. The name is borrowed from a Welsh name, although officially Dylan is a name of uncertain origin. Some believe it to be from an Old Celtic name meaning “sea.” But future moms of little girls should give Dylan a try!
EMERY
Emery is a sweet name with a Southern sound for little gents and ladies. 2019 was the first year the name made the jump to the top baby names, but in the past it hovered right outside the top 100. Popular the world over, cute variations include Em, Remi, Emma, Emmy, Mimi, Remy.
CHARLIE
Charlie has became a hit name with not just boys, but girls, too! We can absolutely see why this would be the case. Charlie is the pet name for Charles, which yes, it admittedly a man's name. Even the definition of the name is somewhat macho, meaning "full-grown" or "a man," but that doesn't mean that Charlie should be overlooked for girls.
BROOKLYN
Brooklyn is another location-based name that was extremely popular in 2019. Perhaps it's because Brooklyn has a hipster cool vibe, but the name seems to be a hit with parents. The name really became trendy after Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her husband David used the name for their son in 1999.
NOAH
Not convinced that Noah is a girl's name? Just take a look at Miley Cyrus' little sister, Noah Cyrus. The name is derived from the Hebrew nōach, which means "rest" or "comfort." And it comes from a story in the Bible, where God asked Noah to build an ark during a great flood. The name is also a hit worldwide.
CARTER
Another first name that comes from a former surname, Carter is tomboy cool. Carter originated in the Middle Ages and was originally the name for someone who used a cart to transport goods (makes sense, right?). And the name has been on top baby name charts in New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
JAYDEN
Jayden has only recently become popular as a unisex name, it used to be most commonly used for boys, but we like it for girls too. The name also has Old Testament origins, this is a minor character Jadon in the first book, although Jadon doesn't make an appearance in the bible. The name was ultimately popularized by Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
CAMERON
Maybe we've watched too much Southern Charm, but to us Cameron is the perfect name. The name comes from an old Scottish last name, that originated from the Gaelic nickname cam sròn, which meant "crooked nose." In recent years, Cameron has been slightly more popular with boys than with girls, but we think that could change soon.
EASTON
Another name that has an old East Coast preparatory school sensibility. It's unclear where the name comes from but there are many famous Eastons who give this name strong credentials. Take generation-X writer Brett Easton Ellis or Easton Quinn Monroe Elfman, who was the son of Jenna Elfman and her husband Bodhi.
ELLIOT
Elliot is another name that recently morphed from a boys' name to a girls' name. Originally, Elliot was a surname and was a diminutive of the Old French Ēlie, which was a cognate of the Hebrew Elijah, which means "Jehovah is God." Elliot is still a touch more popular as a boys name than for girls.
