Male names given to females and vice versa

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:43 pm

Hi everyone,

When I was looking for Alexander Semples for another thread, I came across an OPR for one who married a Nicklos Stewart Hepburn. I thought it might be a transcription error so I bought the OPR and there it was in beautiful, clear script Nicklos Stewart Hepburn for the bride's name.

This made me wonder how often male names were given to females and vice versa? Do you have any in your tree? I have one Robertson Milne a girl born around 1826 in Aberdeen. Just curious!

Carol

Post by **AndrewP** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:51 pm

Hi Carol,

This Stewart as a middle name is probably naming after someone of that surname, rather than first name. Just unfortunate for the lady concerned that it is also a male first name.

All the best,

AndrewP

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:54 pm

Hi Andrew,

It was the first name Nicklos that I was really looking at. Middles names were commonly family names. My great aunt Isabella had Longmore for hers!

Carol

Archiver · Post by **Archiver** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:23 pm

I'm sure I've seen 'Gavin' used as a woman's first name somewhere!

apanderson · Post by **apanderson** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:29 pm

And there's:

Falconer, Graham, Nicholas, Mitchell, McGregor.

Then there's all the ones with 'Ina' added at the end:

Williamina, Andrewina, Jamesina, Hughina etc.

And one I found the other day in Janefield, don't know whether the child was male or female - Andrewein! (I thought at the time - 'Andrew's wean', but her father was John!)

Anne

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:38 pm

I've got a female Gordon. She was the oldest child so not a case of desperation to use a family name. Equally the name was not in use on either side of the family. She's too recent for the OPR (in fact I met her!) so no idea if there was a Gordon godparent.

Muriel

killearnan · Post by **killearnan** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:40 pm

There are several names that used to be used (primarily pre-1800) at least as much for girls as boys, at least in Scotland and northern England, but where the use as a girl's name has dropped off mostly or completely in the last couple centuries.

Nicholas (Nicole is a [later?] French variant) and Douglas are two I remember off the top of my head.

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:15 pm

Falconer

What a dramatic name especially if it was given to a female!

But Andrewina? There's a tongue twister!

Thanks everyone!

Carol

kirstyf · Post by **kirstyf** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:20 pm

My gr-grandfather ,s sister was Farquhar Gray, still can,t find where it came from. Christine.

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:33 pm

It's still around today, our tiny village school has 3 children named Taylor 1 male 2 female!