Gender Blender Name: Difference between revisions

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[[File:gunnerkrigg-genderblendername.jpg|link=Gunnerkrigg Court ~~(Webcomic)~~|frame|Her dad was a psychic who pre-ordered her birth certificate. He only got one thing wrong.]]

[[File:gunnerkrigg-genderblendername.jpg|link=Gunnerkrigg Court|frame|Her dad was a psychic who pre-ordered her birth certificate. He only got one thing wrong.]]

{{quote|''I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue." ''|'''[[~~Johnny Cash (Music)|~~Johnny Cash]]''', ''A Boy Named Sue''}}

{{quote|''I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue." ''|'''[[Johnny Cash]]''', ''A Boy Named Sue''}}

Most of the time, one can guess somebody's gender by reading his/her first name. Most first names have a well-defined gender, such as Alice or Robert.

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== Chosen on Purpose ==

* The [[Butt Monkey]] main character in ''[[Bludgeoning Angel ~~Dokurochan (Light Novel)~~|Bludgeoning Angel Dokurochan]]'' name is Sakura which means "Cherry Blossom". But there are rare cases on which it's a guy's name.

* The [[Butt Monkey]] main character in ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan|Bludgeoning Angel Dokurochan]]'' name is Sakura which means "Cherry Blossom". But there are rare cases on which it's a guy's name.

* The journalist Dicky Chapelle (she of the pearl earrings) ... chosen over her original name of Georgette...

* [[Dropped a Bridget On Him|Bridget]] from the ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' [[Video Games]]. Chosen because he was raised as a girl, due to a superstition of twin boys being unlucky.

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* ''[[Nancy Drew]]'' has a friend named George, although it's always made clear that she's a girl. At least one spinoff series has attributed this to her real name being "Georgia" and her being a tomboy.

* The ''[[Wayside School]]'' series has two characters named Nancy and Mac who eventually swap names to fit their corresponding genders. Nancy was named after his aunt, and Mac's mother named her after a dog.

* On ''[[~~Dexters~~ Laboratory]]'', Mandark's hippy-dippy parents gave him the name Susan.

* On ''[[Dexter's Laboratory]]'', Mandark's hippy-dippy parents gave him the name Susan.

* Elliot from ''[[Scrubs]]'', her parents were expecting a boy.

** Also from "[[Scrubs]]," Jennifer Dylan Cox - Dylan comes from a Welsh sea god. But Jordan named her after JD just to screw with Cox. Jordan herself has an ambiguous name, and there was a running joke that all the women JD slept with for the first few seasons had unisex names.

* Jayne from ''[[~~Firefly (TV)|~~Firefly]]'' has an ironic name in contrast with his vicious, mercenary nature. However, Jayne is actually a real, though uncommon, male name. Characters on the show have teased him about his name.

* Jayne from ''[[Firefly]]'' has an ironic name in contrast with his vicious, mercenary nature. However, Jayne is actually a real, though uncommon, male name. Characters on the show have teased him about his name.

** Whether or not Jayne's father was a Johnny Cash fan remains frustratingly unclear, however.

** There's also Mal and Zoe's old war buddy, Tracey Smith.

* Holly on ''[[~~Red Dwarf (TV)|~~Red Dwarf]]'' starts out as a balding middle aged man, and only in series 3 becomes a blonde woman. Curiously in a parallel universe, Holly's female counterpart, whose likeness he later copies, is called 'Hilly'. Strictly speaking, as a computer, 'he' doesn't have a gender, and the name is partly influenced by HAL ('HAB' was used in a prototype radio play). Not that it matters as 'Holly' is a unisex name anyway, it's simply more commonly seen as a woman's name than a man's which is why it doesn't matter that Holly was originally supposed to be a girl. The writers were blown away by Normal Lovett's preformance, and cast him instead.

* Holly on ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' starts out as a balding middle aged man, and only in series 3 becomes a blonde woman. Curiously in a parallel universe, Holly's female counterpart, whose likeness he later copies, is called 'Hilly'. Strictly speaking, as a computer, 'he' doesn't have a gender, and the name is partly influenced by HAL ('HAB' was used in a prototype radio play). Not that it matters as 'Holly' is a unisex name anyway, it's simply more commonly seen as a woman's name than a man's which is why it doesn't matter that Holly was originally supposed to be a girl. The writers were blown away by Normal Lovett's preformance, and cast him instead.

* The AI 'Ziggy' in ''[[Quantum Leap]]'' turned out to have a female voice after yeas of referring to it as "he."

* [[Real Life]] example: [[Billie Piper]], her mother decided that either way she was going to be called Billie before she was born. She was registered on her birth certificate as Lianne but her parents changed their minds back and always called her Billie. And her middle name is Paul.

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* Alex, from the webcomic ''[http://www.gomanga.com/webmanga/index.php?series=aoi Aoi House]''. is a guy... But it's short for [http://www.gomanga.com/webmanga/index.php?series=aoi&page=22 Alexis], which is in the Country-dependent list.

** Alex from ''Building 12'', on the other hand, is a girl...though everyone in the house pretends otherwise at her request. It's...[http://www.building12.net/issue1/page23.htm complicated]

* Ichigo Kurosaki from ''[[~~Bleach (Manga)|~~Bleach]]'' - the typical translation of his name is "strawberry"! His father tells him it means "the one who protects", but it was probably the mother who chose his name. Just [[Berserk Button|don't try to bring this up in front of him]]. It's spelled with the kanji for "one" and "guardian", but still sounds like "strawberry".

* Ichigo Kurosaki from ''[[Bleach]]'' - the typical translation of his name is "strawberry"! His father tells him it means "the one who protects", but it was probably the mother who chose his name. Just [[Berserk Button|don't try to bring this up in front of him]]. It's spelled with the kanji for "one" and "guardian", but still sounds like "strawberry".

* The two more "masculine"-acting soldiers among the Sailor Senshi of ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' are named Makoto Kino (Sailor Jupiter) and Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus); the former is a [[Huge Schoolgirl]] who loves martial arts, while the latter is a [[Butch Lesbian]]. Both names are traditionally male boys' names; however, in recent years, the name "Haruka" has become more of a unisex name.

* Pat from ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' was a [[Running Gag]] based on this trope. And then someone had the bright idea to make a movie revolving around that one joke.

* Not ''really'' on purpose, but [http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=387 George Parley] of ''[[~~Gunnerkrigg Court (Webcomic)|~~Gunnerkrigg Court]]'' (above) is a girl. As mentioned above, her father was a psychic who filled out the birth certificate in advance.

* Not ''really'' on purpose, but [http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=387 George Parley] of ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]'' (above) is a girl. As mentioned above, her father was a psychic who filled out the birth certificate in advance.

{{quote| '''Andrew:''' They fixed her gender [on the birth certificate], but left her name as George because everyone thought it was hilarious.}}

* [[~~Alice Cooper (Music)|~~Alice Cooper]] and [[Marilyn Manson]] most likely chose their stage names with the intention of being edgy. Cooper states he got the name ([[I Am the Band|which originally baptized his whole band]]) from an ouija board. Manson's whole group combined female model names with serial killer last names.

* [[Alice Cooper]] and [[Marilyn Manson]] most likely chose their stage names with the intention of being edgy. Cooper states he got the name ([[I Am the Band|which originally baptized his whole band]]) from an ouija board. Manson's whole group combined female model names with serial killer last names.

** Manson's name is only a ''stage'' name, his real name being Brian Hugh Warner. Cooper legally changed his name from Vincent Damon Furnier.

* In Catholic countries, it is somewhat common to name boys "Maria" or some variation thereof as a middle name, or as a composite first name. Prominent examples include the Austrian poet [[~~Rainer Maria Rilke (Creator)|~~Rainer Maria Rilke]] and French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen.

* In Catholic countries, it is somewhat common to name boys "Maria" or some variation thereof as a middle name, or as a composite first name. Prominent examples include the Austrian poet [[Rainer Maria Rilke]] and French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen.

** Erich Maria Remarque, author of ''[[All Quiet ~~On the Western Front (Literature)|All Quiet On~~ the Western Front]]'', although it is only his middle name

** Erich Maria Remarque, author of ''[[All Quiet on the Western Front]]'', although it is only his middle name

** In fact Jean-Marie Le Pen (full) real name is Jean Louis Marie Le Pen, making this a straight example. Jean-Marie is a nickname he started to use on the advice of his (now ex) wife in order to sound more Catholic, a traditional target for what passes for the far right parties in France.

** Likewise, Joseph sometimes turns up as a girl's middle name or as the second part of a composite first name.

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* From the book Chartbreak, Finch (last name) and Christie. The former's a girl, the latter's a guy.

* Douglas Hofstadter of ''[[Godel Escher Bach|Godel, Escher, Bach]]'' fame wrote at least one dialogue where all three characters had gender-ambiguous names.

* One ''[[~~Encyclopedia Brown (Literature)|~~Encyclopedia Brown]]'' story featured a Gender Bender Name as the key to solving the case (a male doctor named Vivian).

* One ''[[Encyclopedia Brown]]'' story featured a Gender Bender Name as the key to solving the case (a male doctor named Vivian).

* Vyvyan from ''[[The Young Ones]]''. His mum never did explain why she gave him a girl's name. It is a unisex name, but It's more commonly used for men in the UK, though.

* Actor [[Mandy Patinkin]], whose name is a shortened form of Mandel. Usually when you hear "Mandy", it's for a woman, and short for Amanda.

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** US President [[Lyndon Johnson|Lyndon Baines Johnson]] had an aunt named Frank.

* The wife of Irish poet [[William Butler Yeats]] was named George.

* Claire Stanfield from ''[[~~Baccano (Light Novel)|~~Baccano]]''. It doesn't help that he's also a murderous psychopath. No wonder he prefers to go by nicknames. This is lampshaded in the [[Light Novels]], where Isaac points out that it's not too uncommon for men to have feminine names, {{spoiler|[[Foreshadowing|"and who knows what sort of name a *monster* would have."]]}}

* Claire Stanfield from ''[[Baccano]]''. It doesn't help that he's also a murderous psychopath. No wonder he prefers to go by nicknames. This is lampshaded in the [[Light Novels]], where Isaac points out that it's not too uncommon for men to have feminine names, {{spoiler|[[Foreshadowing|"and who knows what sort of name a *monster* would have."]]}}

* Miyuki Tezuka, a.k.a. Kamen Rider Raia from ''[[Kamen Rider Ryuki]]'', is a guy. It only goes unnoticed because everyone [[Last-Name Basis|only uses "Tezuka" to refer to him]], but that's the character's official name.

* Rapper Tramar Dillard must not have cared that Flo was short for Florence, traditionally a female name, when taking [[Punny Name|Flo Rida]] as his stage name. And, yes, that is his home state.

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* Subverted in the book ''Beyond Rejection'' - a [[Gender Bender|former man whose personality has been transferred to a female body]] asks to be called "Patricia", aiming at this trope. The therapist points this out and starts calling her "Trish".

** Also subverted in Robert Heinlein's book ''I Will Fear No Evil'', character Johann Sebastian Bach Smith has his brain transplanted into the body of a young female murder victim named Eunice Branca. Johann then chooses the name Joan Eunice Smith. He states that if "Joan" is pronounced as two syllables, it sounds a lot like 'Johann.'

* Harold Belserius from ''[[Tales of Destiny ~~(Video Game)~~|Tales of Destiny 2]]''. Remembered as a brilliant male scientist. Or rather a brilliant ''female'' scientist who wanted to be remembered as a man just for the lulz.

* Harold Belserius from ''[[Tales of Destiny|Tales of Destiny 2]]''. Remembered as a brilliant male scientist. Or rather a brilliant ''female'' scientist who wanted to be remembered as a man just for the lulz.

* The gynecologist brothers from ''Dead Ringers'' are named Elliot and Beverly. It's implied that their parents gave Bev a girl's name to help set their identical twins' childhood experiences apart from one another.

** "Beverly" was originally a male name that became a mostly female name

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*** Exclusive outside its native country, perhaps. In its native country (it's a Welsh name properly spelled Maredudd) it's still the boy's name that it always was. On this side of the Pond, Rodney's name completely normal.

* In [[Gateway]], the main character is Robinette Broadhead, a man. He usually goes by Robin or Bob. Still, being saddled with a woman's name is one of the things he talks about during his extensive therapy sessions.

* [[~~Sapphire (Literature)|~~Sapphire]]: Not only does Claude sound rather feminine in English, it is a gender-neutral name in his native French. Rather fitting for a French-born [[Bishounen]], eh?

* [[Sapphire]]: Not only does Claude sound rather feminine in English, it is a gender-neutral name in his native French. Rather fitting for a French-born [[Bishounen]], eh?

* Kahn Jr. in ''[[King of the Hill]]''. Naturally, she prefers to go by 'Connie'. She explained she was named after her father because he wanted a son.

** The episode, "Uncool Customer" has the birthday girl name Michael.

* Sissel of ''[[Ghost Trick]]'' is quite male {{spoiler|even if he's not human}}, but has a female name. {{spoiler|This is because he's named after Yomiel's fiancee.}}

* ''[[~~Bio Shock~~]]'' has the class of Big Daddy known as "Rosie" (after Rosie the Riveter, because he carries a rivet gun). They are still very much male.

* ''[[Bioshock]]'' has the class of Big Daddy known as "Rosie" (after Rosie the Riveter, because he carries a rivet gun). They are still very much male.

** As is Subject Delta, another Big Daddy and the protagonist of the sequel. He is actually addressed as simply "Delta" on at least one occasion. Not a common proper name, but a female character from ''[[Luann]]'' has it.

** One of the Little Sisters' random lines in the original was "That's a lady's name. ''Not'' a ''boy's'' name!" It's especially funny when she's traveling with a Rosie.

* The Soldier in ''[[~~Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|~~Team Fortress 2]]'' is apparently named Jane Doe. Probably due to this, he insists on a note on his door that he should be addressed ''[[Insistent Terminology|Mister]]'' Jane Doe to avoid gender confusion by the name.

* The Soldier in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' is apparently named Jane Doe. Probably due to this, he insists on a note on his door that he should be addressed ''[[Insistent Terminology|Mister]]'' Jane Doe to avoid gender confusion by the name.

* {{spoiler|Jack}} AKA "Subject Zero" in ''[[Mass Effect]] 2'', named apparently solely to have a [[Samus Is a Girl]] moment...for everyone who avoided seeing [[Trailers Always Spoil|the several trailers]] she appears in.

** Not to mention that all in-game mention prior to first meeting Subject Zero conspicuously neglects any sort of gender identifying pronoun.

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* Tohru from [[Fruits Basket]] explains that her father gave her a typically masculine name in order to emphasize her femininity, comparing it to adding a little salt to something sweet to enhance the flavor.

** Ayame and Yuki can both be female names

* [[Hanna Is Not a ~~Boys Name|Hanna Is Not A~~ Boy's Name]]. It didn't stop Hanna's parents naming him that. He doesn't know why they named him Hanna.

* [[Hanna Is Not a Boy's Name]]. It didn't stop Hanna's parents naming him that. He doesn't know why they named him Hanna.

* Although Edith, a male character from ''[[Ghost Dad]]'', claims his first name is a boy's name, he also explains he was named after his grandmother.

{{quote| '''Sir Edith Moser:''' [[Its Pronounced Tropay|It's pronounced edd-ith!]]}}

* In ''[[Kyon: ~~Big Damn Hero (Fanfic)|Kyon~~ Big Damn Hero]]'', the Tsuruya family doctor is called Sakura. Yes, he's male.

* In ''[[Kyon: Big Damn Hero]]'', the Tsuruya family doctor is called Sakura. Yes, he's male.

* ''Bullet-Proof Monk'' actress James King wanted to defy naming conventions, but apparently switched to Jamie to avoid confusion.

* Ruby and Sapphire from ''[[Pokémon Special]]'', considering the protagonists are named after each game. Ruby from ''Pocket Monsters'' counts too.

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* ''[[Gunslinger Girl]]''. Rico and Claes are given male names by their handlers, who are somewhat uncomfortable working with brainwashed underaged girl killers, so the names help to disassociate them.

* Charlie from ''[[Khaos Komix]]'' is a male-to-female [[Transsexual]]. Her name can be gender-neutral, however it's rare as an actual name for a girl (it's typically a nickname).

* Gary, the owner of the shoe store where Al Bundy works in [[Married ~~With~~ Children]], is a woman.

* Gary, the owner of the shoe store where Al Bundy works in [[Married... with Children]], is a woman.

** Mary, the maker of the Bundys' couch, is a man. He insists that his name is a male name [[Its Pronounced Tropay|and emphasized on the last syllable]] whereas the usual female version is emphasized on the first syllable.

* In [[Duck Dodgers]] episode "Back to the Academy", Duck Dodgers was evaluated by a drill sergeant named Emily Dickinson Jones. Emily got this name because people's names in the 24th and a half century aren't choosen with basis on their gender and ''his'' mother was a fan of classic poetry.

* Julia gets quite a shock in [[Date Movie]] when Grant's "best man" Andy turns out to be an extremely attractive woman.

* Tiffany (a boy) and Gary the Mermaid Queen (a female) from ''[[~~Adventure Time (Animation)|~~Adventure Time]]''.

* Tiffany (a boy) and Gary the Mermaid Queen (a female) from ''[[Adventure Time]]''.

* ''[[~~Community (TV)|~~Community]]'' had Troy dating a person name Randi. He very quickly points out "Randi can be a girl's name" to avoid any [[Mistaken for Gay|confusion]].

* ''[[Community]]'' had Troy dating a person name Randi. He very quickly points out "Randi can be a girl's name" to avoid any [[Mistaken for Gay|confusion]].

* In "[[We Will Rock You]]", Britney Spears is the very male "...the biggest, baddest, meanest, nastiest, ugliest, most raging, rapping, rock'n'roll, sick, punk, heavy metal psycho bastard that ever got get-down funky." And Meat Loaf is his girlfriend, who is called Ozzy in some versions.

* Dr. Edward Bunnigus from ''[[~~Schlock Mercenary (Webcomic)|~~Schlock Mercenary]]''. Her parents were considered too stupid to breed under eugenics laws so they commissioned a [[Designer Babies|Designer Baby]] from scratch. When she arrived, they (being idiots) interpreted the "ED" (which stands for "Exotic Dancer", her genetic template) in her medical bracelet as the lab having named the baby for them. They didn't think Ed was "pretty enough" so they called her "Edward".

* Dr. Edward Bunnigus from ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]''. Her parents were considered too stupid to breed under eugenics laws so they commissioned a [[Designer Babies|Designer Baby]] from scratch. When she arrived, they (being idiots) interpreted the "ED" (which stands for "Exotic Dancer", her genetic template) in her medical bracelet as the lab having named the baby for them. They didn't think Ed was "pretty enough" so they called her "Edward".

* The titular character in ''[[Film/The Little Devil|The Little Devil]]'' is a little devil who [[Demonic Possession|possessed]] an Italian lady named Giuditta. He liked her name, so after his exorcism, he decided to keep it as his own.

* In ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'', the main character gets a [[Man-Eating Plant|bizarre-looking plant]] and names it "Audrey II", after Audrey, the girl he likes. The plant gets loosely referred to as female by the characters, but when it starts to ''talk'', it sounds and acts very male. Since plants sometimes are hermaphrodites and this particular plant is also {{spoiler|an alien}} the gender distinction thing gets weird if you think about it too hard.

* ''[[Fire Emblem Jugdral|Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' gives us Claude, a male Bishop ; and Eve, Eva and Alva, who are male [[Same Sex Triplets]]. Alva can actually be a male name (see [[Thomas Edison]], whose middle name is Alva), but Eve and Eva are decidedly feminine.

* Kevin from ''[[Up (~~Film~~)|Up]]'' was apparantly so-called because Russell actually thought that "she" was male until Dug corrected him, telling Russell that Kevin is looking for "her" babies.

* Kevin from ''[[Up (animation)|Up]]'' was apparantly so-called because Russell actually thought that "she" was male until Dug corrected him, telling Russell that Kevin is looking for "her" babies.

* Mary Palorocini of [[Homestar Runner|Limozeen.]]

* The mother in ''[[~~FoxTrot (Comic Strip)|~~FoxTrot]]'' is almost always referred to as "Andy" (short for Andrea).

* The mother in ''[[FoxTrot]]'' is almost always referred to as "Andy" (short for Andrea).

* Beth Metatronim in ''[[~~Burying the Shadow (Literature)|~~Burying the Shadow]]'' is a man. This is not considered strange or embarrassing in canon.

* Beth Metatronim in ''[[Burying the Shadow]]'' is a man. This is not considered strange or embarrassing in canon.

* [[Country Music]] singer Gus Hardin was a female. (Her real name was Carolyn Ann Blankenship.)

* A more common example is singer Charly McClain (short for Charlotte).

* In the NBC Television series "Sisters," the five sisters have female names but are given male nicknames by their father, who always wanted sons. Thus Alexandra, Theodora, Georgiana, Francesca, and Charlotte are called Alex, Teddy, Georgie, Frankie, and Charlie. Alex's daughter is named Reed, which is also typically a male name.

* [http://twewy.wikia.com/wiki/Megumi_Kitaniji Megumi Kitaniji], a major antagonist in ''[[~~The World Ends With You (Video Game)|~~The World Ends With You]]'', has a very feminine first name. According to the manga, he was teased as a child because of it.

* [http://twewy.wikia.com/wiki/Megumi_Kitaniji Megumi Kitaniji], a major antagonist in ''[[The World Ends With You]]'', has a very feminine first name. According to the manga, he was teased as a child because of it.

* [[Jessica Simpson]] named her daughter Maxwell.

* An episode of ''[[The Loony Toons Show]]'' has Bugs and Daffy at a spa, getting massages. Daffy sees that he's scheduled to get a massage from "Joe", while Bugs is going to get one from "Leslie". Daffy swaps the signs, so of course Joe turns out to be a beautiful woman named Josephine, while Leslie is a big, hairy man who twists Daffy into a pretzel.

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== Country-Dependent ==

* Adrian is almost always a masculine name in the United Kingdom, but occasionally a feminine name in the United States (and can be confused with the feminine form Adrienne).

** Hence Adrian Andrews from ''[[Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney]].''

** Hence Adrian Andrews from ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]].''

** Or Adrian from the ''[[Rocky (~~Film~~)|Rocky]]'' films.

** Or Adrian from the ''[[Rocky (film)|Rocky]]'' films.

** Or Adrian [[Monk]].

* Alexis, Nikita and Sasha are actually masculine names of ''Greek'' origin. Alexis is the common French spelling of "Alexios", in Russian it is usually "Aleksej" or "[[Tetris ~~(Video Game)~~|Alexey]]" depending on [[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|how you transliterate it]], "Nikita" derives from "Niketas", and Sasha is a common diminutive of "Aleksandr", and a common boy's name in both Russia and Germany (hence [[Psychonauts ~~(Video Game)~~|Sasha Nein]]) where it can also be given to females. And to make it nice and confusing for all, we have an American and a Brit: Sasha Cohen, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Two similar names, but one is a female figure skater, and the other is a male comedian.

* Alexis, Nikita and Sasha are actually masculine names of ''Greek'' origin. Alexis is the common French spelling of "Alexios", in Russian it is usually "Aleksej" or "[[Tetris|Alexey]]" depending on [[Spell My Name with an "S"|how you transliterate it]], "Nikita" derives from "Niketas", and Sasha is a common diminutive of "Aleksandr", and a common boy's name in both Russia and Germany (hence [[Psychonauts|Sasha Nein]]) where it can also be given to females. And to make it nice and confusing for all, we have an American and a Brit: Sasha Cohen, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Two similar names, but one is a female figure skater, and the other is a male comedian.

* As for Nikita, you have Khrushchev (Russian Prime Minister) and Koloff (Russian sounding stage name for an ''American'' pro wrestler), and Nikita from ''[[La Femme Nikita]]''.

* Nikita is a male's name in Russia (think Khrushchev) and Finland, but female elsewhere. Like France. ([[La Femme Nikita|La Femme]] of the same name).

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* The same goes for the Italian and American versions of the name Luca - some were confused about Suzanne Vega singing "My name is Luka (I live on the second floor...)".

** The song, though sung by a woman, is written to be from the perspective of a little boy named Luka.

** But what floor did [[Teen Genius]] Lucca from ''[[~~Chrono Trigger (Video Game)|~~Chrono Trigger]]'' live on?

** But what floor did [[Teen Genius]] Lucca from ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' live on?

* Anne, although a female name in most languages, is traditionally a male name in Frisian. Pronounched something like Oh-one-eh, but more fluent.

** Anna is commonly female as well. But then there's this activist guy from India: [[wikipedia:Anna Hazare|Anna Hazare]].

* If a person is unfamiliar with Armenian names, the endings of the names frequently leave the gender to the imagination.

* Artemis is the name of a Greek goddess.

** One should have told that to ''[[~~Artemis Fowl (Literature)|~~Artemis Fowl]].'' Granted, he ''is'' told in one of the books.

** One should have told that to ''[[Artemis Fowl]].'' Granted, he ''is'' told in one of the books.

*** And takes it all in stride just like a good little criminal with the highest IQ in Europe would. In the end of the book he answers to this insult from the antagonist: "Every now and then a male comes along with such a talent for hunting that he earns the right to use that name. I am that male. Artemis the hunter. I hunted you." Ba-zing!

**** Even better is that the phrase Artemis the Hunter is the signal to his allies to unleash hell.

** And the Robert Rankin character Hugo Artemis Solon Saturnicus Reginald Arthur Rune.

** And [[The Icewind Dale Trilogy|Artemis Entreri]], of R.A. Salvatore fame.

** In ''[[Codename Sailor V]]'', the manga that led to ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', Minako calls Artemis a "transsexual cat", teasing him for having the name of a goddess. He's at the same time upset and impressed with her knowledge of Greek mythology... until she tells him she [[Taught By Television|learned it from a video game]].

** In ''[[Codename: Sailor V]]'', the manga that led to ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', Minako calls Artemis a "transsexual cat", teasing him for having the name of a goddess. He's at the same time upset and impressed with her knowledge of Greek mythology... until she tells him she [[Taught by Television|learned it from a video game]].

** It should be noted that the name Artemis is unisex in Greek. The female version is pronounced with stress on the first syllable and the male version with stress on the second (ART-teh-miss vs art-TEH-miss). But basically it's the same name.

*** There is also an anglicinized male-only version of the name, Artemus. Fairly rare today, but was somewhat popular in the US during the second half of the 19th century. Fictional bearers of the name include Artemus Gordon from ''[[The Wild Wild West (TV)|The Wild Wild West]]'' and the Keeper Elder Artemus from the ''[[Thief]]'' game series.

*** There is also an anglicinized male-only version of the name, Artemus. Fairly rare today, but was somewhat popular in the US during the second half of the 19th century. Fictional bearers of the name include Artemus Gordon from ''[[The Wild Wild West (TV series)|The Wild Wild West]]'' and the Keeper Elder Artemus from the ''[[Thief]]'' game series.

* Blaise, a masculine name in most of Europe, has been used as a feminine name in the United States.

** Blaise Zabini from ''[[Harry Potter]]'' is male. Some fans had assumed that the name, mentioned in passing, belonged to a female character, until JKR clarified it.

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* Mika is a fairly common name among females in Japan, but in Finnish it's distinctly male. Even so, several websites listing names from around the world claim it to be a girl's name in both Japan and Finland. Of course, some know better.

** [[Wartech|Senko no Ronde]], despite being a Japanese game, gets it right: the main character, Mika Mikli, is a guy.

** A similar bit of confusion starts off ''[[~~Euro Trip~~]]'' when the main character discovers that his German IM friend is not a guy named "Mike" but a gorgeous girl named "Mieke" (pr. Mee-ke).

** A similar bit of confusion starts off ''[[Eurotrip]]'' when the main character discovers that his German IM friend is not a guy named "Mike" but a gorgeous girl named "Mieke" (pr. Mee-ke).

*** The actual name is ''Meike'', but we'll let it slide for a movie that basically parodied [[Did Not Do the Research]]. (If it wasn't intended a parody, keep quiet and leave the Europeans that comfortable illusion.)

**** [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieke Mieke] is a [[Perfectly Cromulent Word|perfectly cromulent]] German name.

* Noah, generally considered to be a masculine name in English, is actually a feminine name in Hebrew. The man people are trying to name their sons after has a name ending in a sound that English doesn't have, so when [[~~The Bible (Literature)|~~The Bible]] was translated, they both got the same name. But they're spelled and pronounced differently in Hebrew (Compare ''[[wikipedia:Nun chr(28)letterchr(29)|nun]]-[[wikipedia:Ayin|ayin]]-[[wikipedia:He chr(28)letterchr(29)|hey]]'' for the girl's name and ''nun-[[wikipedia:Heth|chet]]'' for the boy's name.) So yes, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1682324/ her] name is actually fine.

* Noah, generally considered to be a masculine name in English, is actually a feminine name in Hebrew. The man people are trying to name their sons after has a name ending in a sound that English doesn't have, so when [[The Bible]] was translated, they both got the same name. But they're spelled and pronounced differently in Hebrew (Compare ''[[wikipedia:Nun chr(28)letterchr(29)|nun]]-[[wikipedia:Ayin|ayin]]-[[wikipedia:He chr(28)letterchr(29)|hey]]'' for the girl's name and ''nun-[[wikipedia:Heth|chet]]'' for the boy's name.) So yes, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1682324/ her] name is actually fine.

** "Noa" is also recently gaining popularity as a feminine name in Japan.

** Similarly, Shelah is a Biblical name that can go both ways but was most commonly on men. Now it's most common on women.

** The name Micaiah is used for both women and men in the Bible, though a [[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|variant]] is traditionally used for the female version in translations to reduce confusion.

** The name Micaiah is used for both women and men in the Bible, though a [[Spell My Name with an "S"|variant]] is traditionally used for the female version in translations to reduce confusion.

* In English, Ringo is usually more a nickname than a normal first name, but mainly given to guys. On the other hand, in Japanese the name Ringo is more usually a female name.

** In [[~~Air Gear (Manga)|~~Air Gear]] we have a girl named Ringo, but this is also an example of [[Theme Naming]], since she and her sisters were all named after fruits ("ringo" means "apple" in Japanese).

** In [[Air Gear]] we have a girl named Ringo, but this is also an example of [[Theme Naming]], since she and her sisters were all named after fruits ("ringo" means "apple" in Japanese).

* Robin was originally a diminutive form of Robert, but now can be given to either sex. According to Wikipedia, it is more popular as a boy's name in the United Kingdom and more popular as a girl's name in the United States, but it's not rare to have American boys or British girls called Robin ([[Robin Williams]] is American, mind you).

** To make the gender clear, the name has gained alternate spellings over time: e.g. Robyn (like the - female - Swedish pop singer), Robynne.

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* Yuri is masculine in Russia, but feminine in Japan.

** Yuri Hyuga from ''[[Shadow Hearts]]'' is [[But Not Too Foreign|half-Russian and half-Japanese]], so one assumes his Russian mother named him. [[Woolseyism|It's still better than]] [[Foreign Sounding Gibberish|"Urnmaf"]], mind you.

** Yuri Lowell from ''[[~~Tales of Vesperia (Video Game)|~~Tales of Vesperia]]'' was mistaken for a woman a lot by fans before the game's release, although that probably has to do more with his design than his name.

** Yuri Lowell from ''[[Tales of Vesperia]]'' was mistaken for a woman a lot by fans before the game's release, although that probably has to do more with his design than his name.

*** There's also a male Karol in the same game, and a male Jade in one of the earlier names. The Tales series must enjoy putting names in the blender.

** Most Japanese media render the Russian version as Yu-ri (to simulate the stress on the first syllable) and the Japanese version as Yuri. Still a bit confusing, though.

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* The Irish name Conor, sometimes spelt Connor (although thats usually reserved for surnames). It's unquestionably a mans name in its native Ireland and the neighboring UK. However it's apparently found some use as a female name in the United States. Americans not knowing its origins and simply liking the name is one thing, but there are seemingly some Irish Americans who have forgotten this too.

* While more common as a female name, in Mexico Guadalupe can also be male. Shortened to Lupe in both cases.

* Kida is a masculine name in Japan, but a feminine name in [[Atlantis ~~the~~ Lost Empire|Atlantis]].

* Kida is a masculine name in Japan, but a feminine name in [[Atlantis: The Lost Empire|Atlantis]].

* On ''Disney/Lilo andStitch,'' Pleakley's real first name turns out to be "Wendy." It apparently means "Great Warrior" in his home language, but [[Wholesome Crossdresser|even he]] seems embarrassed to use it on Earth.

* Carol/Karol vs. Carole. The former is often male in English-speaking and Slavic countries (as attested by the late Pope John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyła); while the latter is feminine at least in French. Note that Carole is a recent construction, both a variant of Caroline and a modernization of the German "karl" root; this very root actually means "manly", by the way.

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** And is the reason one [[Badass]] in the ''[[Evil Dead]]'' series goes by the name "Ash."

** Ash Crimson, from ''[[King of Fighters]]'' is called Ashley, probably due to his French origin. Maybe his true name generated the whole fruity behavior he has. Fitting.

** Ashley Winchester of [[~~Wild Arms 2 (Video Game)|~~Wild Arms 2]] fame.

** Ashley Winchester of [[Wild Arms 2]] fame.

** "Ashleigh", a male variant of "Ashley," has evolved, as in the case of author [[wikipedia:Ashleigh Brilliant|Ashleigh Brilliant]].

*** The "-ley/-leigh" names - including "Leigh" itself - were originally surnames (it refers to a meadow, or clearing), so gender-neutral. It's just a [[Double Standard]].

** There was a pro football player named Ashley (Ambrose) a few years back. Appropriately enough, he played for Atlanta (cue sports anchors doing their best [[Gone ~~With~~ the Wind|Scarlet O'Hara]], "Ashley!")

** There was a pro football player named Ashley (Ambrose) a few years back. Appropriately enough, he played for Atlanta (cue sports anchors doing their best [[Gone with the Wind|Scarlet O'Hara]], "Ashley!")

*** There's Ashley Cole too. That black English footballer guy who plays for Chelsea, for those unfamiliar.

** Ashley is a great (and seemingly popular) example because it wasn't used for girls until [[The Seventies]], so it's in the midst of the switch (as noted above). Interestingly, as women co-opt male names, they abandon "old" sounding names like Dorothy and Margaret.

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** Wasn't always a [[Double Standard]], way, way back, Phillip and Philip were girl's names.

*** How far back? Alexander the Great's ''father'' was Philip of Macedon. The name was more or less abandoned in the West, but some Russians liked it, and western Europe re-borrowed it from them.

* Hayden, only recently having become extremely popular as a male name (along with Jaden, Aiden, etc.), is becoming a female name. A quick check of US Social Security records shows that the first significant use of Hayden for girls coincides with ... [[Hayden Panettiere]]'s [[Heroes (TV)|breakout role]].

* Hayden, only recently having become extremely popular as a male name (along with Jaden, Aiden, etc.), is becoming a female name. A quick check of US Social Security records shows that the first significant use of Hayden for girls coincides with ... [[Hayden Panettiere]]'s [[Heroes (TV series)|breakout role]].

* The 1944 film ''Laura'' stars Dana Andrews and [[Gene Tierney]]. Guess which actor is male and which one is female.

* In [[Philip Jose Farmer|Philip José Farmer's]] [[Science Fiction]] novel ''Dayworld'', (set many centuries in the future) the custom of men's and women's names has died out. Several male characters have female names and vice versa.

* In ''[[Duck Dodgers]]'', the eponymous duck meets a very masculine-looking [[Drill Sergeant Nasty|drill sergeant]] called Emily Dickinson Jones, and when he remarks on that is told "we've left behind such concepts as names being for males or females". And his mother liked Emily Dickinson.

* Ariel is Hebrew for "Lion of God" and was exclusively male <s>until [[Disney]] appropriated it for their mermaid and it become popular</s>.

** As well as Niko's mentor on ''[[~~Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers (Animation)|~~Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]''. Charming, [[Cool Old Lady|elderly lady]] with a thing for orchids and a fondness for ''[[~~Alice in Wonderland (Literature)|~~Alice in Wonderland]]''. She specializes in illusions and tricks.

** As well as Niko's mentor on ''[[Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers]]''. Charming, [[Cool Old Lady|elderly lady]] with a thing for orchids and a fondness for ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]''. She specializes in illusions and tricks.

** Ariel in ''[[The Tempest]]'' is genderless, and in modern productions is typically played by a woman.

** Actually, this is backwards. Disney picked the name because it was already an up-and-coming girl's name: in 1986, the year before production started on ''[[~~The Little Mermaid (Disney)|~~The Little Mermaid]]'', female Ariel's outnumbered males by a little more than 2:1 among U.S. births, a list of famous Ariel's going back to 1862 shows female Ariel's outnumbering males as far back as the late 1800's.

** Actually, this is backwards. Disney picked the name because it was already an up-and-coming girl's name: in 1986, the year before production started on ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'', female Ariel's outnumbered males by a little more than 2:1 among U.S. births, a list of famous Ariel's going back to 1862 shows female Ariel's outnumbering males as far back as the late 1800's.

** The Hebrew version is pronounced R-E-L, while the female version is usually Air-E-L.

* One of the interesting backcurrents in [[John Varley]]'s ''Eight Worlds'' stories and novels is the effect that [[Easy Sex Change]] (and easy name change) has had on gender-based naming conventions. Some change names when they change sexes, some don't, some adopt gender-neutral names, others prefer nicknames, etc.

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* Andy/Andie/Andi - Andrew, Andrea

* Angel - Angela, Angeline, Angelo, Angelina, Angelica. Strangely enough, "Angel" by itself is quite gender-neutral in the US and the Philippines.

** To quote Cordelia from ''[[~~Angel (TV)|~~Angel]]'', on Wesley pretending to be the title character - "If I thought that was going to work, ''I'' could have been Angel, 'cos lets face it, it's kind of a girly name."

** To quote Cordelia from ''[[Angel]]'', on Wesley pretending to be the title character - "If I thought that was going to work, ''I'' could have been Angel, 'cos lets face it, it's kind of a girly name."

** [[~~Angel (TV)|~~Angel]] is full of this trope, what with Fred, Lindsey, Francis (Doyle), Harry, and Angel himself.

** [[Angel]] is full of this trope, what with Fred, Lindsey, Francis (Doyle), Harry, and Angel himself.

* Annie - Anakin, Antigone, Anne, Annica, Anders

* Bob (or Bobby/Bobbie) - Robert, Roberta. This means that "Me & Bobby McGee" can be (and is) sung about a man and his girlfriend (the original version), ''or'' [[The Cover Changes the Gender|a woman and her boyfriend]].

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'''Dauntless:''' Winnie?<br />

'''Fred:''' NO! Fred! }}

*** A one-off villainess from ''[[Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (~~Animation~~)|Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers]]'' was named Winifred, and she [[Berserk Button|flew into a rage]] when someone called her "Freddy".

*** A one-off villainess from ''[[Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (animation)|Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers]]'' was named Winifred, and she [[Berserk Button|flew into a rage]] when someone called her "Freddy".

* George/Georgie - George, Georgina, Georgette, Georgia

* Harry - Harold, Harriet

* Jo(e) - Joseph, Jocelyn, Josette, Josephine, Joanne, Joanna, Jodie

** Jo March from ''[[Little Women]]''. It's stated in the book that this diminutive is one of the things that [[Tomboyish Name|add to her image as a tomboy]]. In the sequels, her sister Meg has a daughter named after Jo, but they call her Josie to distinguish between them.

** In one episode of ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel Air]]'', Will gets a part on a soap opera. He gets his script and rehearses having to kiss someone named Jodie who he assumes is a woman. When he starts shooting, it turns out that Jodie is a man.

** In one episode of ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'', Will gets a part on a soap opera. He gets his script and rehearses having to kiss someone named Jodie who he assumes is a woman. When he starts shooting, it turns out that Jodie is a man.

* Ken - Kenneth, Kendall, Kendra.

* Kim - Kimberley, Kimball

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* Mickie/Mickey - Michelle, Michael

** Due to the nickname deriving from these names, Mike from ''[[Mike Lu and Og]]'' should fit in here. Her given name, however, is the [[Aerith and Bob|rathern uncommon]] Michelanne, but still [[Embarrassing First Name|she prefers Mike]].

* Nic/Nick/Nicki/Nicky - Nicole, Nicola, Nicholas... [[Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney|Phoenix?]] or possibly a full name. Also, Dominique..

* Nic/Nick/Nicki/Nicky - Nicole, Nicola, Nicholas... [[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney|Phoenix?]] or possibly a full name. Also, Dominique..

** Phoenix is [[Justified Trope|not that much of a longshot]]. After all, it's pronounced "Fee-niks".

* Pat - Patrick and Patricia. This was the name of an SNL character whose whole joke was that nobody could tell whether the character was a male or a female.

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* Rosie - A fine girl's name on its own, or it can be short for Roosevelt (incidentally, Dutch for "Rose field"), as in Mr. Rosey Greer.

* Sam - Samuel, Samantha

** One notorious example is Samantha Carter, from ''[[Stargate ~~SG 1|Stargate:~~ SG-1]]''.

** One notorious example is Samantha Carter, from ''[[Stargate SG-1]]''.

** Another notorious example is in [[John Scalzi]]'s ''The Android's Dream'', since Sam's sex is deliberately never mentioned in the book. The author noticed he hadn't mentioned Sam's sex after a few chapters, and ran with it.

* Sandy - Cassandra, Sandra, Alexander, Alexandra (say these last two aloud and you'll see why)

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* Valya - Valentin, Valentina (from Russia).

* Vic/Vicki/Vicky - Victor, Victoria

* Wil(l) - Generally William, but can also be [[~~WITCH (Comic Book)~~|Wilma, Wilhemina]], and as [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer ~~(TV)~~|Buffy]] fans know, Willow.

* Wil(l) - Generally William, but can also be [[W.I.T.C.H.|Wilma, Wilhemina]], and as [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Buffy]] fans know, Willow.

* Zhenya - Eugene/Eugenia (from Russia).

Line 415:

** Evan

** Gale (Sayers)

** Haley/Hayley/Hailey etc. On the masculine side, we have actor Haley Joel Osment; on the feminine side, we have actress Hayley Mills, as well as Haley Starshine from ''[[Order of the Stick ~~(Webcomic)~~|Order of the Stick]]''.

** Haley/Hayley/Hailey etc. On the masculine side, we have actor Haley Joel Osment; on the feminine side, we have actress Hayley Mills, as well as Haley Starshine from ''[[The Order of the Stick|Order of the Stick]]''.

** Harley

** Harper (Beckham, daughter of David and Victoria)

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*** Reese Witherspoon isn't the greatest example as Reese is her mother's maiden name. Her real first name is Laura. That doesn't stop people from naming their daughters Reese, however.

** Riley/Reilly

** River (Phoenix and [[Firefly ~~(TV)~~|Tam]])

** River (Phoenix and [[Firefly|Tam]])

** Robin/Robyn ([[Robin Williams|Williams]] and [[Star Trek III ~~the~~ Search For Spock ~~(Film)~~|Curtis]])

** Robin/Robyn ([[Robin Williams|Williams]] and [[Star Trek III: The Search For Spock|Curtis]])

*** And Robyn Miller, co-developer of ''[[Myst]]''

** Rowan

Line 498:

** Saoirse (although mostly female. Pronounced ''Seer-sha'')

* Japanese (Note, that anime/manga/otherwise fictional characters tend to have more extravagant names than RL people so take everything on this list with a huge grain of salt. Also, the kanji usually makes the gender obvious.)

** Akito ([[Fruits Basket|Sohma]] and [[Martian Successor Nadesico|Tenkawa]])

** Asuka ([[Neon Genesis Evangelion ~~(Anime)~~|Langley Sohryu]], [[Yu-Gi-Oh GX|Tenjoin]], or the one from ''[[Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger]]'')

** Asuka ([[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Langley Sohryu]], [[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX|Tenjoin]], or the one from ''[[Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger]]'')

** Ayumu ([[Azumanga Daioh ~~(Manga)~~|Kasuga]] and [[Hayate the Combat Butler ~~(Manga)~~|Nishizawa]] are female. [[Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka|Aikawa]] and [[Spiral|Narumi]] are male.)

** Ayumu ([[Azumanga Daioh|Kasuga]] and [[Hayate the Combat Butler|Nishizawa]] are female. [[Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?|Aikawa]] and [[Spiral|Narumi]] are male.)

** Chiaki (Kuriyama, [[Samurai Sentai Shinkenger|Tani]])

** Chihiro ([[Kujibiki Unbalance ~~(Anime)~~|Enomoto]], "[[Spirited Away|Sen]]")

** Chihiro ([[Kujibiki Unbalance|Enomoto]], "[[Spirited Away|Sen]]")

** Haruhi ([[Haruhi Suzumiya ~~(Literature)~~|Suzumiya]] (girl), [[Ouran High School Host Club|Fujioka]] (girl [[Bifauxnen|pretending to be a guy]]))

** Haruhi ([[Haruhi Suzumiya|Suzumiya]] (girl), [[Ouran High School Host Club|Fujioka]] (girl [[Bifauxnen|pretending to be a guy]]))

** Haruka

** Hayate ([[Hayate the Combat Butler ~~(Manga)~~|Ayasaki]] and [[Lyrical Nanoha|Yagami]])

** Hayate ([[Hayate the Combat Butler|Ayasaki]] and [[Lyrical Nanoha|Yagami]])

** Hibiki ([[Kenichi ~~the~~ Mightiest Disciple|Kugenin]] a.k.a. Siegfried and one of [[Change 123|Motoko]]'s [[Split Personalities]])

** Hibiki ([[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple|Kugenin]] a.k.a. Siegfried and one of [[Change 123|Motoko]]'s [[Split Personalities]])

*** Notable as both male and female use the same kanji, making it a bona fide unisex name.

** Hinata ([[Naruto ~~(Anime)~~|Hyuga]] and [[Ro Kyu Bu ~~(Anime)~~|Hakamada]] are female while [[Kaichou wa Maid ~~Sama~~|Shinatani]] and [[Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi|Kurenai]] are males.

** Hinata ([[Naruto|Hyuga]] and [[Ro-Kyu-Bu!|Hakamada]] are female while [[Kaichou wa Maid-sama|Shinatani]] and [[Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi|Kurenai]] are males.

** Hiromi

** Hitomi

** Itsuki ([[Haruhi Suzumiya ~~(Literature)~~|Koizumi]], [[Air Gear ~~(Manga)~~|Minami]] - shortened to Ikki - , [[Shikabane Hime|Yamagami]], and [[Heartcatch Pretty Cure|Myoudouin]] -- the latter's unisex name and androgynous appearance became a large point of contention in the fandom until she was revealed as a [[Bifauxnen|very boyish-looking girl]].)

** Itsuki ([[Haruhi Suzumiya|Koizumi]], [[Air Gear|Minami]] - shortened to Ikki - , [[Shikabane Hime|Yamagami]], and [[Heartcatch Pretty Cure|Myoudouin]] -- the latter's unisex name and androgynous appearance became a large point of contention in the fandom until she was revealed as a [[Bifauxnen|very boyish-looking girl]].)

** Kai

** Kaoru ([[Neon Genesis Evangelion ~~(Anime)~~|Nagisa]], [[The Tale of Genji ~~(Literature)~~|Genji]], [[Rurouni Kenshin|Kamiya]], [[Zettai Karen Children|Akashi]], [[Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star|Kiryuu]], [[Fresh Pretty Cure|the donut man]], {{spoiler|[[Samurai Sentai Shinkenger|Shiba]]}}, [[Demashita ~~Power Puff~~ Girls Z|Matsubara]], and {{spoiler|[[Persona 2|Saga]]}})

** Kaoru ([[Neon Genesis Evangelion|Nagisa]], [[The Tale of Genji|Genji]], [[Rurouni Kenshin|Kamiya]], [[Zettai Karen Children|Akashi]], [[Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star|Kiryuu]], [[Fresh Pretty Cure|the donut man]], {{spoiler|[[Samurai Sentai Shinkenger|Shiba]]}}, [[Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z|Matsubara]], and {{spoiler|[[Persona 2|Saga]]}})

*** In fact, the first of these examples is actually named [[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|Ka]]'''[[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|w]]'''[[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|oru]]. Not that it changes things so much from a phonetic standpoint, but...

*** In fact, the first of these examples is actually named [[Spell My Name with an "S"|Ka]]'''[[Spell My Name with an "S"|w]]'''[[Spell My Name with an "S"|oru]]. Not that it changes things so much from a phonetic standpoint, but...

*** That's just using an old character that pretty much has been eliminated from modern Japanese post WWII (it's only used as a particle now). Since the "w" was silent anyway, they eliminated it and used "o" instead. And yes, Iwo Jima would be Io Jima nowadays for the same reason.

**** It's always been a non-standard spelling. The correct spelling of "Kaoru" in the old system was "Ka'''h'''oru".

** Kazuki (usually rather masculine, neutral-leaning-on-feminine depending on the kanji)

** Kei ([[Please Teacher ~~(Anime)~~|Kusanagi]], [[Samurai Shodown|Odagiri]] - Ukyo Tachibana's love interest, [[Gantz|Kurono]] (male) and [[Gantz|Kishimoto]] (female) in the same series)

** Kei ([[Please Teacher|Kusanagi]], [[Samurai Shodown|Odagiri]] - Ukyo Tachibana's love interest, [[Gantz|Kurono]] (male) and [[Gantz|Kishimoto]] (female) in the same series)

** Makoto ([[El Hazard ~~the~~ Magnificent World|Mizuhara]], [[Sailor Moon|Kino]], [[School Days ~~(Visual Novel)~~|Itou]], [[The Girl Who Leapt Through Time|Konno]])

** Makoto ([[El-Hazard: The Magnificent World|Mizuhara]], [[Sailor Moon|Kino]], [[School Days|Itou]], [[The Girl Who Leapt Through Time|Konno]])

** Megumi ([[Fruits Basket|Hanajima]], [[Megumi Hayashibara|Hayashibara]], [[The World Ends With You ~~(Video Game)~~|Kitaniji]], and [[Megumi Nakajima|Nakajima]])

** Megumi ([[Fruits Basket|Hanajima]], [[Megumi Hayashibara|Hayashibara]], [[The World Ends With You|Kitaniji]], and [[Megumi Nakajima|Nakajima]])

** Michiru ([[Kamichama Karin|Nishikiori]], [[Sailor Moon|Kaiou]] or [[Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star|Kiryuu]])

** Mieko

** Minato ({{spoiler|[[Naruto ~~(Anime)~~|Namikaze, the 4th Hokage]]}}, and [[~~Akaneiro~~ Ni Somaru Saka|Nagase]])

** Minato ({{spoiler|[[Naruto|Namikaze, the 4th Hokage]]}}, and [[Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saka|Nagase]])

** Mizuki (Male in ''[[~~Naruto (Anime)|~~Naruto]]'', female in ''School Rumble''.)

** Mizuki (Male in ''[[Naruto]]'', female in ''School Rumble''.)

** Nagi

** Nagisa ([[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch|Shirai]] and [[Futari wa Pretty Cure|Misumi]])

** Natsu [[Fairy Tail ~~(Manga)~~|Dragneel/Dragion]] and [[Kenichi ~~the~~ Mightiest Disciple|Tanimoto]], [[Sekirei|#72]] and, [[Sensei Wa Ore No Mono|Hirota]]

** Natsu [[Fairy Tail|Dragneel/Dragion]] and [[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple|Tanimoto]], [[Sekirei|#72]] and, [[Sensei Wa Ore No Mono|Hirota]]

** Ouka ([[Flame of Recca|Ouka from Flame Of Recca is male]] while [[.hack|Ouka from .Hack//Legend of the Twilight is female]] - also, [[Busou Renkin|Hayasaka]])

** Shigure [[Kenichi ~~the~~ Mightiest Disciple|Kosaka]], [[Manga/Shoujo Sect|Komai]] are female while [[Watashi Ni XX Shinasai|Kitami]] and [[Rurouni Kenshin|Takimi]] are male.

** Shigure [[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple|Kosaka]], [[Manga/Shoujo Sect|Komai]] are female while [[Watashi ni XX Shinasai|Kitami]] and [[Rurouni Kenshin|Takimi]] are male.

** Shiki ([[~~Kara no~~ Kyoukai ~~(Literature)~~|Ryougi]] (girl {{spoiler|(with a [[Split Personality|male split personality]]}}), [[Tsukihime ~~(Visual Novel)~~|Tohno]] (guy), [[The World Ends With You ~~(Video Game)~~|Misaki]] (girl))

** Shiki ([[Karano Kyoukai|Ryougi]] (girl {{spoiler|(with a [[Split Personality|male split personality]]}}), [[Tsukihime|Tohno]] (guy), [[The World Ends With You|Misaki]] (girl))

** Shinobu ([[Love Hina|Maehara]], [[Yu Yu Hakusho|Sensui]])

** Shion ([[Higurashi no Naku Koro ~~Ni (Visual Novel)~~|Sonozaki]], and the original [[Saint Seiya|Aries saint]] - as if [[The Dragon]] from ''[[The King of Fighters]] XI'' weren't gender-ambiguous enough by looks...)

** Shion ([[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni|Sonozaki]], and the original [[Saint Seiya|Aries saint]] - as if [[The Dragon]] from ''[[The King of Fighters]] XI'' weren't gender-ambiguous enough by looks...)

** Shizuka (typically female, but [[~~XXX Holic~~|Doumeki Shizuka]] is male)

** Shizuka (typically female, but [[XxxHolic|Doumeki Shizuka]] is male)

** Sora ([[Digimon Adventure|Takenouchi]], or [[The Hero]] from ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'')

** Subaru (either [[Tokyo Babylon|Sumeragi]] or [[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha|Nakajima]]

** Tsubaki [[Soul Eater|Nakatsukasa]] or [[One Piece|the Reporter]] and the [[Bleach|of the Shun Shun Rikka]]

** Tsubasa ({{spoiler|the real name of both protagonists, male and female,}} in [[Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles]])

** Tsukasa (The ambiguity is lampshaded early in [[.hack Sign]], as it can also be a surname. One kanji with this pronunciation can be used as both a girl's ([[Lucky Star|Hiiragi]]), AND a guy's ([[Hana Yori Dango|Domyoji]], [[Kamen Rider Decade|Kadoya]]) name.

** Tsukasa (The ambiguity is lampshaded early in [[.hack//Sign]], as it can also be a surname. One kanji with this pronunciation can be used as both a girl's ([[Lucky Star|Hiiragi]]), AND a guy's ([[Hana Yori Dango|Domyoji]], [[Kamen Rider Decade|Kadoya]]) name.

** Yuki ([[Hello Project|Maeda]], [[Suzumiya Haruhi|Nagato]], [[Fruits Basket|Sohma]])

** Yuki ([[Hello! Project|Maeda]], [[Suzumiya Haruhi|Nagato]], [[Fruits Basket|Sohma]])

*** For males, it's usually spelled "Yuuki," meaning courage, as opposed to "Yuki" = snow. (Example: [[Blaz Blue|Terumi]]) This is not always the case, though. (And there are certainly [[Saki (~~Manga~~)|girls named Yuuki]].)

*** For males, it's usually spelled "Yuuki," meaning courage, as opposed to "Yuki" = snow. (Example: [[Blaz Blue|Terumi]]) This is not always the case, though. (And there are certainly [[Saki (manga)|girls named Yuuki]].)

* Swedish:

** Kim

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* Fiction

** The webcomic ''[[Yang Child]]'' has an [http://yangchild.comicgenesis.com/d/20080515.html interesting] [http://yangchild.comicgenesis.com/d/20080520.html take] [http://yangchild.comicgenesis.com/d/20080522.html on this].

** Tedd from ''[[~~El Goonish Shive (Webcomic)|~~El Goonish Shive]]'' averts this but given his frequent [[Gender Bending]] [http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-02-03 his father wonders if he should have picked a gender-neutral name when Tedd was born].

** Tedd from ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'' averts this but given his frequent [[Gender Bending]] [http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-02-03 his father wonders if he should have picked a gender-neutral name when Tedd was born].

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* Dr. J. Langer [Jenny], from the film ''[[The Giant Spider Invasion]]'', which was featured on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''. This lead to a painful sequence where the character who came to see her kept assuming "Dr. Langer" was a male relative, to which Servo quipped, "Humor of the 1840s!"

** A book about sci-fi [[B-Movie|B Movies]] said this was a virtual cliche of the genre, even in movies which didn't have a [[Samus Is a Girl]] scene. They might have simply been copying from ''[[Them]]!'' which has a female scientist with a male first name.

* When [[James Bond]] first meets Dr. Goodhead [Holly] in ''[[~~Moonraker (Film)|~~Moonraker]]'', his reaction is a surprised "A woman!" Her response is quick and sarcastic. Note that by this point (in 1979), Bond has met any number of capable women in positions of (relative) power. Humor of the 1840s, indeed.

* When [[James Bond]] first meets Dr. Goodhead [Holly] in ''[[Moonraker]]'', his reaction is a surprised "A woman!" Her response is quick and sarcastic. Note that by this point (in 1979), Bond has met any number of capable women in positions of (relative) power. Humor of the 1840s, indeed.

** Just goes to show you how [[Genre Blind]] Mr. Bond can be.

* An episode of ''[[All in The Family]]'' revolved around the following puzzle: "A young man is seriously injured in a car accident. When he's taken to the hospital, the surgeon cries, 'I can't operate on this man! He's my son!' Yet the surgeon is not the young man's father. How can this be?" It took the entire half hour for the characters to figure it out {{spoiler|(the surgeon was his ''mother'')}}, and when the answer was finally given at the end of the show the live studio audience ''gasped'' in surprise. 1840s indeed.

** Same riddle was used on The Cosby Show, you know the one with a the wife character being a powerful attorney. Sadly this puzzle still continues to work nowadays.

* In ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', Naomi assumes reclusive genius Dr. Clark was a man. It's not until ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4]]'' that we learn it was {{spoiler|Para-Medic, a female character that was introduced in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3]]''.}}

* In ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', Naomi assumes reclusive genius Dr. Clark was a man. It's not until ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots]]'' that we learn it was {{spoiler|Para-Medic, a female character that was introduced in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater]]''.}}

* In an episode of Get Smart, Max meets up with an invisible doctor. Knowing that there are KAOS agents guarding the entrance to the restaurant where they met, Max and the doctor have to sneak out another way. Max suggests sneaking out through the men's room, when finally the doctor says that that won't work... In a woman's voice.

* [[Hellsing|Sir Integra]] is a woman. A very scary woman who will kill you at a moments notice, hence the commanding name of "Sir", but a woman nonetheless.