Unisex Baby Names with Meanings

The baby-naming scene has been changing rapidly in the last few years. Social media and celebrity influence have played an important role in popularizing unique and unconventional names. One trend gaining traction both in the West and among Indians is the adoption of unisex baby names.

Urban Indian parents are already starting to be influenced by these trends and are gradually moving away from the traditional labels of “boy names” and “girl names.” This change indicates that modern India is unafraid of taking bold calls, even with something as important and personal as naming their child. It gives them more choices when naming their children and highlights their baby's individuality and uniqueness.

Thinking back to my journey of naming my son Kabeer three years ago, I wanted a name that felt fresh and modern—popular but not overly familiar. Today, however, more and more parents are embracing names that promote inclusivity and are also extremely uncommon.

Recent trends indicate that a movement known as "dictionary names" appears to be contributing significantly to the rise of gender-neutral names. In this movement, people look for words in the dictionary that have never been used as baby names before and begin using them as names for their children.

Sikhism, a religion firmly rooted in the tradition of gender equality, has used unisex names from the start. Names like Simran, Gurpreet, and Hardeep have been common in the Sikh community for centuries. The Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, emphasizes the equality of all beings, regardless of gender. The verse, "ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ ॥" (Bhaṇḍi jammīae bhaṇḍi nimmīae bhaṇḍi maṅgaṇu vīāhu ||), translates to "Born as a mortal, one dies as a mortal, one gets married as a mortal," showing that all humans share the same experiences, without gender-based divisions. Here’s the complete verse:

ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ ॥ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ ॥ ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ ॥ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ ॥ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਜੁ ਸਲਾਮੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੁਆਹੁ ॥ ਜਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਸਦਾ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਭਾਗਾ ਰਤੀ ਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਊਜਲੇ ਤਿਤੁ ਸਚੈ ਦਰਬਾਰਿ ॥

Guru Nanak Ji also strongly opposed any form of discrimination, particularly gender-based, and he promoted the concept of Ik Onkar (One Universal Creator), which transcends divisions, including those of gender.

This tradition of giving unisex names to newborns is now popular among parents of various religions and regions worldwide. Names like Arya, Saanjh, Quinn, and River represent a modern and inclusive approach to naming. The acceptance of gender-neutral names has gone up by leaps and bounds in recent years. As the world becomes more open and inclusive, younger generations, specifically Millennials and Gen Z, reject conventional stereotypes, roles, and traditional norms. The gender-neutral naming trend is just the tip of a giant iceberg—an equitable and inclusive world.

Many international celebrities are increasingly adopting this trend and giving unisex names to their children. Famous couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds recently named their daughter James, a classic gender-neutral name. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis also gave unisex names to their children, their daughter Wyatt and their son Dimitri.

Beyond baby naming trends, we have seen similar trends play out in fashion, where traditional gender lines have been blurring lately. Ranveer Singh, the ambassador of this trend in fashion, has been spotted confidently making public appearances by wearing bold prints, unconventional cuts, and quirky accessories. Whether it’s his neon green suit, his skirt paired with a blazer, or his floral tracksuit, his fearless approach to fashion has been cheered by people supporting inclusivity as he challenges traditional gender norms (while he also gets a lot of flak by the common junta across social media). Still, it is generally seen as an encouragement for all genders to express themselves without fear of being judged.

In the last few years, many celebrities and ordinary people have come out openly to support the LGBTQ movement, which is also a massive step in the right direction toward promoting inclusivity.

At MomandTiny, we embrace this inclusive naming journey by curating a wide range of unisex names that allow your child to discover their unique identity.