75+ *Modern* Boy Names for Girls (That Will Surprise You)

Originally Published Oct 17, 2022 ・ Updated May 1, 2023

Searching for some fresh, modern boy names for girls but just can’t seem to find the one quite yet?

Then kick up those feet of yours, mama –

Today, I am sharing my list of my favorite beautiful and unexpected boy names for girls with meanings as well as the popularity of each baby name for both boys and girls.

Let’s get to it – 

Boy Names For Girls by Category

When it comes to baby names that were typically used for boys, but are now becoming more popular for girls, the ones that I love tend to fall into four main categories: modern and unique, southern and country, boho and earthy, Biblical, first name as last name, occupational, and classic.

Here are just a few examples from my list – 

Boy Names for Girls That Are on The Rise 📈

Love the idea of choosing an on-trend baby name?

Before we hop into our entire baby names list, let’s take a peek at the boy names for girls that are trending right now.

These baby names are ones that have all increased in popularity over the past year, which means they’re well-loved. 

• The ever-popular Biblical boy’s name Noah flew up the charts 185 spots for baby girls in 2021; though its alternative spelling, Noa, is the more popular choice for girls, ranking in position 330 on the charts.
• Micah, another Bible-based baby name that’s historically been a boy’s name rose 74 spots to position 982 for girls.
• The cowboy-chic name Denver, most typically used for baby boys, moved up 120 spots for baby girls, from 896 to 776 in 2021. 
• Love baby names with a Southern feel? The name Sawyer is definitely trending for baby girls, up 22 spots from 238 to 216 in 2021.
• In 2023, hippie vibes are in. The names Lennon, Daisy and Billie are all on fire on the baby girl name charts, up 62 spots, 9 spots, and 68 spots respectively.
• Palmer – this baby name with Americana vibes rose 17 spots to position 329 (whereas for boys, it was in position 990). In the same realm, Karter was up 31 spots for baby girls, Collins up 38 spots, and Sloane was up 38 as well.
• The name Camryn, rose 23 spots to position 383 for baby girls, whereas its alternative spelling, Cameron, rose 21 spots as well.

The Best Boy Names for Girls in 2023

This list of boy names for girls for 2023 is a collection of my picks for baby names that are both contemporary, and in some ways, traditional, too. 

I’ve listed out the gender neutral names with meanings, as well as their rank, both as a girl’s name, and as a boy’s name.

The statistics for how popular each baby name is at the moment are pulled from social security data in the United States in 2021, which is the most recent data available. 

And that’s that.

Now, let’s get into these baby names –

Golden

• Meaning: of gold
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Emerson/Emersyn

• Meaning: brave, powerful
• Popularity (girls): 148
• Popularity (boys): 279

Hadley

• Meaning: heather field
• Popularity (girls): 112
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Hudson

• Meaning: son of Hudd
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 34

Winter

• Meaning: season of water
• Popularity (girls): 324
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Mason/Maysen

• Meaning: artisan who works in stone
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 18

Charlie/Charleigh

• Meaning: free man, or warrior
• Popularity (girls): 127
• Popularity (boys): 189

Tatum

• Meaning: cheerful, or full of spirit
• Popularity (girls): 279
• Popularity (boys): 385

Marlowe

• Meaning: from the hill by the lake
• Popularity (girls): 896
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Hartley

• Meaning: deer meadow
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Blake

• Meaning: bright and shining, or black and dark
• Popularity (girls): 199
• Popularity (boys): 205

Lennon

• Meaning: dear one, or lover, or blackbird
• Popularity (girls): 236
• Popularity (boys): 670

Noah/Noa

• Meaning: rest or repose
• Popularity (girls): 330
• Popularity (boys): 2

James

• Meaning: supplanter
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 5

Sutton

• Meaning: southern homestead
• Popularity (girls): 244
• Popularity (boys): 541

Frankie

• Meaning: free or truthful
• Popularity (girls): 59
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Kit

• Meaning: pure
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Logan

• Meaning: empty hollow
• Popularity (girls): 310
• Popularity (boys): 21

Greer

• Meaning: watchful, guardian or vigilant
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Addison

• Meaning: son of Adam
• Popularity (girls): 45
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Peyton

• Meaning: warrior’s estate, or royal
• Popularity (girls): 99
• Popularity (boys): 471

Quincy

• Meaning: fifth
• Popularity (girls): 99
• Popularity (boys): 631

Jett

• Meaning: black
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 244

Easton/Eastyn

• Meaning: east town
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 70

Quinn

• Meaning: wise
• Popularity (girls): 45
• Popularity (boys): 80

Ever

• Meaning: always
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

August

• Meaning: a summer month, or to increase
• Popularity (girls): 843
• Popularity (boys): 121

Dallas

• Meaning: meadow dwelling
• Popularity (girls): 635
• Popularity (boys): 270

Lennox

• Meaning: elm grove
• Popularity (girls): 599
• Popularity (boys): 254

Remi

• Meaning: place on a riverbank or raven’s town
• Popularity (girls): 122
• Popularity (boys): 720

Blaire/Blair

• Meaning: plain, meadow or field
• Popularity (girls): 315
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Skylar

• Meaning: scholar
• Popularity (girls): 74
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Ezra 

• Meaning: God helps, or God protects
• Popularity (girls): 714
• Popularity (boys): 37

London

• Meaning: from the great river
• Popularity (girls): 219
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Dylan

• Meaning: son of the sea, or born of the ocean
• Popularity (girls): 567
• Popularity (boys): 44

Parker

• Meaning: park keeper
• Popularity (girls): 115
• Popularity (boys): 93

Hunter

• Meaning: someone who hunts
• Popularity (girls): 817
• Popularity (boys): 86

Micah/Mika

• Meaning: who is like God?
• Popularity (girls): 982
• Popularity (boys): 107

Rory/Rori

• Meaning: red king
• Popularity (girls): 396
• Popularity (boys): 295

Stevie

• Meaning: crown, victorious
• Popularity (girls): 284
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Hayden

• Meaning: from the hay valley
• Popularity (girls): 290
• Popularity (boys): 176

Sage

• Meaning: herb or prophet
• Popularity (girls): 290
• Popularity (boys): 176

Taylor

• Meaning: cutter of cloth, or one who makes or mends clothes
• Popularity (girls): 192
• Popularity (boys): 643

Cameron

• Meaning: crooked nose or bent river
• Popularity (girls): 468
• Popularity (boys): 62

Palmer

• Meaning: pilgrim or he who holds the palm
• Popularity (girls): 329
• Popularity (boys): 990

River

• Meaning: flowing body of water
• Popularity (girls): 151
• Popularity (boys): 110

Sawyer

• Meaning: woodcutter, one who uses a saw
• Popularity (girls): 216
• Popularity (boys): 114

Andi/Andy

• Meaning: strong and manly
• Popularity (girls): 809
• Popularity (boys): 468

Lee/Leigh

• Meaning: meadow
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 698

Riley/Rylie

• Meaning: courageous and valiant or clearing in the woods
• Popularity (girls): 389
• Popularity (boys): 246

Kennedy

• Meaning: helmeted chief
• Popularity (girls): 70
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Harper

• Meaning: someone who plays the harp
• Popularity (girls): 10
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Drew

• Meaning: wise
• Popularity (girls): 815
• Popularity (boys): 509

Scottie

• Meaning: from Scotland
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Reese

• Meaning: enthusiastic or ardent
• Popularity (girls): 147
• Popularity (boys): 701

Laine/Lane/Lainey

• Meaning: path/roadway, or wave
• Popularity (girls): 252
• Popularity (boys): 261

Marley

• Meaning: marshy meadow
• Popularity (girls): 215
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Remington

• Meaning: place on a riverbank or raven’s town
• Popularity (girls): 348
• Popularity (boys): 231

Dakota

• Meaning: friend
• Popularity (girls): 270
• Popularity (boys): 344

Sloane/Sloan

• Meaning: warrior
• Popularity (girls): 574
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Morgan

• Meaning: born of the sea, or sea song
• Popularity (girls): 205
• Popularity (boys): 612

Ryan

• Meaning: royalty, or little king
• Popularity (girls): 495
• Popularity (boys): 66

Oakley

• Meaning: meadow of oak trees
• Popularity (girls): 193
• Popularity (boys): 403

Rhett

• Meaning: advisor, to speak or counsel
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 148

Payson

• Meaning: son of peace
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Berkeley/Birkley

• Meaning: birch meadow
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Silas

• Meaning: forest
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 91

Everson

• Meaning: intelligent
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

January

• Meaning: the first month
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Story

• Meaning: large or big
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Layton/Leighton

• Meaning: settlement in the meadow
• Popularity (girls): 378
• Popularity (boys): 630

Miller

• Meaning: one who mills
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): 591

Vaughn

• Meaning: little or small
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Collins

• Meaning: people’s victory
• Popularity (girls): 326
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Berlin

• Meaning: borderline
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Teddi

• Meaning: from Theodore, meaning gift from God
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Cori

• Meaning: of the churning waters
• Popularity (girls): 378
• Popularity (boys): 630

Jude

• Meaning: praised
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): #150

Aspen

• Meaning: from the aspen tree
• Popularity (girls): #201
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Murphy

• Meaning: warrior of the sea
• Popularity (girls): #716
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Halliday

• Meaning: holy day
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

McKinley

• Meaning: son of the fair warrior
• Popularity (girls): #543
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

Tristen

• Meaning: one who is sorrowful
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): #208

Raleigh

• Meaning: from the clearing of roe deer
• Popularity (girls): > 1000
• Popularity (boys): > 1000

And there you have it! 

It’s my hope that you’ve found at least a few names on my mega-list of boy names for girls that you can add to your baby names note, and maybe even one that makes the final cut! 

Looking for more baby name inspo? Here are my next picks: 

Read Next: 

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