Unisex Names--SSA (2016)

Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't deny that unisex (or "unisex") names are a big part of baby-naming in the US right now. It's been a couple years since I analyzed the unisex names in the SSA data, and I'm interested to see what names have shifted.

To start off with, the most popular names given to both genders in 2016, with their gender ratios.
(Only the most common spelling for each gender is given, but all spellings [as best as I could figure] were counted.)

1. Jackson / Jaxyn, ≈242 boys per girl
2. Aiden / Ayden, ≈120 boys per girl
3. Noah / Noa, ≈36 boys per girl
4. Mason, ≈44 boys per girl
5. Riley, ≈6 girls per boy
6. Kayden, ≈25 boys per girl
7. Jayden, ≈16 boys per girl
8. Grayson / Gracyn, ≈19 boys per girl
9. James, ≈185 boys per girl
10. Michael, ≈316 boys per girl
11. Elijah / Alijah, ≈160 boys per girl
12. Carter, ≈11 boys per girl
13. Avery, ≈5 girls per boy
14. Cameron / Kamryn, ≈4 boys per girl
15. Logan, ≈12 boys per girl
16. Dylan, ≈11 boys per girl
17. Evelyn, ≈1473 girls per boy
18. Aubrey, ≈76 girls per boy
19. Madison, ≈192 girls per boy
20. Harper, ≈37 girls per boy

Now, just because these names are used on both genders, doesn't mean they're exactly common for both genders!

Here are the most unisex names in the Top 2000 for both genders, given to about an equal % of boys and girls:

1. Layton / Leighton
2. Khari / Kari
3. Hollis
4. Briar
5. Payson
6. Nikita
7. Storm
8. Ridley
9. Harlan / Harlyn
10. Armani
11. Justice
12. Scotty / Scottie
13. Sonny / Sunny
14. Lonnie / Lani
15. Indiana
16. Murphy
17. Britton
18. Finley
19. Frankie
20. Francis / Frances

Many of those are still pretty darned uncommon (Scotty / Scottie, for instance, was given to 63 boys and 72 girls). So, here are the most unisex names in both the girls' and boys' Top 1000:

1. Layton / Leighton
2. Khari / Kari
3. Briar
4. Harlan / Harlyn
5. Armani
6. Justice
7. Sonny / Sunny
8. Finley
9. Frankie
10. Francis / Frances
11. Rhys / Reese
12. Rene / Renee
13. Lennon
14. Rory
15. Rylan
16. Lennox
17. Dakota
18. Royal
19. Oakley
20. Corey / Kori

And just to completely overload everyone with lists, here are all the unisex names in both the boys' and girls' Top 1000, from most --> least masculine:
(if you wish to browse the entire list of unisex names, you can find it here)

• Mason, ≈44 boys per girl
• Noah / Noa, ≈36 boys per girl
• Kayden, ≈25 boys per girl
• Hunter, ≈23 boys per girl
• Tyler, ≈20 boys per girl
• Grayson / Gracyn, ≈19 boys per girl
• Ezra, ≈18 boys per girl
• Bentley, ≈17 boys per girl
• Jayden, ≈16 boys per girl
• Alex, ≈13 boys per girl
• Austin / Austyn, ≈12 boys per girl
• Adrian / Adrienne, ≈12 boys per girl
• Logan, ≈12 boys per girl
• Carter, ≈11 boys per girl
• Camden, ≈11 boys per girl
• Dylan, ≈11 boys per girl
• August, ≈9 boys per girl
• Kai, ≈9 boys per girl
• Ashton, ≈8 boys per girl
• Cody / Kodi, ≈8 boys per girl
• Kyrie, ≈7 boys per girl
• Lane / Laine, ≈6 boys per girl
• Carson / Karsyn, ≈6 boys per girl
• Zion, ≈6 boys per girl
• Aaron / Erin, ≈6 boys per girl
• Spencer, ≈6 boys per girl
• Ryan, ≈5 boys per girl
• Angel, ≈5 boys per girl
• Micah, ≈5 boys per girl
• Devin / Devyn, ≈5 boys per girl
• Jesse / Jessie, ≈4 boys per girl
• Cameron / Kamryn, ≈4 boys per girl
• Elliot, ≈4 boys per girl
• Drew, ≈3 boys per girl
• Sawyer, ≈3 boys per girl
• Parker, ≈3 boys per girl
• Ellis, ≈3 boys per girl
• Blake, ≈3 boys per girl
• Quincy, ≈2 boys per girl
• Chandler, ≈2 boys per girl
• Colby / Colbie, ≈2 boys per girl
• Dallas, ≈2 boys per girl
• Danny / Dani, ≈2 boys per girl
• Remington, ≈2 boys per girl
• Andy / Andi, ≈2 boys per girl
• Milan, ≈2 boys per girl
• Daylen / Dailyn, ≈2 boys per girl
• Kamari, ≈2 boys per girl
• Jordan / Jordyn, ≈2 boys per girl
• Phoenix, ≈2 boys per girl
• Joey, ≈2 boys per girl
• Baylor, ≈2 boys per girl
• River, ≈2 boys per girl
• Amari, ≈2 boys per girl
• Rowan, ≈2 boys per girl
• Hayden, ≈2 boys per girl
• Corey / Kori, about equal
• Royal, about equal
• Lennox, about equal
• Rylan, about equal
• Rory, about equal
• Sonny / Sunny, about equal
• Justice, about equal
• Harlan / Harlyn, about equal
• Layton / Leighton, about equal
• Khari / Kari, about equal
• Briar, about equal
• Armani, about equal
• Finley, about equal
• Frankie, about equal
• Francis / Frances, about equal
• Rhys / Reese, about equal
• Rene / Renee, about equal
• Lennon, about equal
• Dakota, ≈2 girls per boy
• Oakley, ≈2 girls per boy
• Sutton, ≈2 girls per boy
• Remy / Remi, ≈2 girls per boy
• Landry, ≈2 girls per boy
• Shiloh, ≈2 girls per boy
• Tatum, ≈2 girls per boy
• Taylen / Taelyn, ≈2 girls per boy
• Shea, ≈2 girls per boy
• Azariah, ≈2 girls per boy
• Casey, ≈2 girls per boy
• Sage, ≈3 girls per boy
• Charlie, ≈3 girls per boy
• Emerson, ≈3 girls per boy
• Robin / Robyn, ≈3 girls per boy
• Alexis, ≈3 girls per boy
• Jamie, ≈3 girls per boy
• Ren / Wren, ≈3 girls per boy
• Eden, ≈3 girls per boy
• Reign, ≈3 girls per boy
• Quinn, ≈3 girls per boy
• Peyton, ≈4 girls per boy
• Lyric, ≈5 girls per boy
• Avery, ≈5 girls per boy
• Taylor, ≈5 girls per boy
• Skyler / Skylar, ≈5 girls per boy
• Morgan, ≈6 girls per boy
• Emery, ≈6 girls per boy
• Ariel, ≈6 girls per boy
• Teagan, ≈6 girls per boy
• Riley, ≈6 girls per boy
• Kendall, ≈7 girls per boy
• Marley, ≈11 girls per boy
• Cadence, ≈11 girls per boy
• London, ≈11 girls per boy
• Sidney / Sydney, ≈12 girls per boy
• Nova, ≈13 girls per boy
• Reagan, ≈17 girls per boy
• Harper, ≈37 girls per boy

Now, with all these 'unisex' names you might be wondering 'holy crap, are there no gender-specific names left??' Of course! Here are the most common names given to at most 4 babies of the opposite gender (because the SSA doesn't publish the names given to fewer than 5 babies) :)

Liam	Sophia
William	Olivia
Jacob	Emma
Lucas	Adeline
Benjamin	Ava
Alexander	Isabella
Ethan	Mia
Matthew	Amelia
Oliver	Charlotte
Daniel	Emily
David	Zoey
Joseph	Abigail
Isaac	Madelyn
Samuel	Aria
Sebastian	Layla
Caleb	Chloe
John	Ariana
Henry	Elizabeth
Luke	Aaliyah
Anthony	Lily

(And again, if you want the whole list of "gender-specific" names, you can look here.)

Interestingly, more boys have "unisex" names than girls--49% of boys vs. 24% of girls. This is likely because parents are more likely to consider popular/traditional boys' names for their daughters than popular/traditional girls' names for their sons. For the most part, once a name gets common for girls, parents of boys drop it. :/
That's not to say that tons of parents are choosing masculine names for their daughters--only about 4% of girls last year got names that are currently more common on boys. However, only about 2% of boys got names that are more common on girls (and I'm willing to bet most of those are recently unisex names, like Riley, Avery, & Charlie).

Prediction Checks (2016)

So, a couple weeks ago I averaged the data change over the last 5 years, and tried to use that to predict rankings this year. I was sometimes successful.
Let's see them.

	My prediction	Actual 2016 Top 20
1.	Emma, #1, no change	Emma, #1, no change
2.	Olivia, #2, no change	Olivia, #2, no change
3.	Sophia, #3, no change	Ava, #3, +1
4.	Ava, #4, no change	Sophia, #4, -1
5.	Mia, #5, +1	Isabella, #5, no change
6.	Isabella, #6, -1	Mia, #6, no change
7.	Charlotte, #7, +2	Charlotte, #7, +2
8.	Abigail, #8, -1	Abigail, #8, -1
9.	Harper, #9, +1	Emily, #9, -1
10.	Emily, #10, -2	Harper, #10, no change
11.	Amelia, #11, +1	Amelia, #11, +1
12.	Sofia, #12, +2	Evelyn, #12, +3
13.	Evelyn, #13, +2	Elizabeth, #13, no change
14.	Avery, #14, +2	Sofia, #14, no change
15.	Elizabeth, #15, -2	Madison, #15, -4
16.	Madison, #16, -5	Avery, #16, no change
17.	Scarlett, #17, +5	Ella, #17, +1
18.	Victoria, #18, +2	Scarlett, #18, +4
19.	Aubrey, #19, +2	Grace, #19, no change
20.	Grace, #20, -1	Chloe, #20, -3

	My prediction	Actual 2016 Top 20
1.	Noah, #1, no change	Noah, #1, no change
2.	Liam, #2, no change	Liam, #2, no change
3.	Mason, #3, no change	William, #3, +2
4.	William, #4, +1	Mason, #4, -1
5.	James, #5, +2	James, #5, +2
6.	Jacob, #6, -2	Benjamin, #6, +4
7.	Ethan, #7, -1	Jacob, #7, -3
8.	Alexander, #8, no change	Michael, #8, +1
9.	Benjamin, #9, +1	Elijah, #9, +2
10.	Michael, #10, -1	Ethan, #10, -4
11.	Elijah, #11, no change	Alexander, #11, -3
12.	Aiden, #12, +1	Oliver, #12, +7
13.	Oliver, #13, +6	Daniel, #13, -1
14.	Daniel, #14, -2	Lucas, #14, +2
15.	Logan, #15, -1	Matthew, #15, no change
16.	Lucas, #16, no change	Aiden, #16, -3
17.	Matthew, #17, -2	Jackson, #17, no change
18.	Jackson, #18, -1	Logan, #18, -4
19.	Carter, #19, +5	David, #19, -1
20.	David, #20, -2	Joseph, #20, +1

So, not terrible. I thought Chloe & Ella would fall further, and that Aubrey & Victoria would gain instead of falling.
Likewise, for boys, I predicted Carter jumping ahead of Joseph, but alas, it did not.

Now my predictions for the ins & outs of the Top 100:

Predicted:	Actual:
(in)
Elena	Adeline
Eliana	Elena
Hadley	Eliana
Kinsley	Kinsley
Luna	Luna
Willow	Willow
Roman	Bryson
	Greyson
	Leonardo
	Roman
(out)
Alexis	Alexis
Alyssa	Alyssa
Ashley	Ashley
Brianna	Annabelle
Gianna	Isabelle
Khloe	Khloe
Nathaniel	Blake
	Kayden
	Nathaniel
	Ryder

Hey, I didn't do too bad, especially for girls! :D


I made a lot of Top 1000 predictions, and the results were more mixed (and quite a bit too involved to list here concisely): 74 of the 139 names I predicted to shift in or out did, which on its own is about 50%--not bad. However, of the 180 names that actually moved in/out, I only predicted 74 of them (40%).
My methods worked best with names that moved steadily (whether quickly or slowly, as long as the rate stayed consistent), and were surrounded by names that also moved steadily. Names that jumped or tanked suddenly (thanks mostly to pop culture) are ones that messed me up. :)