Find out which beloved "gender neutral" names are actually neutral and which ones aren't.
Names like Jordan, Taylor, Riley, Rowan, and River are often considered unisex or gender-neutral. But if you look at the data, some of these names are much more evenly split between boys and girls than others! Let’s look at the data together to see just how "neutral" these popular choices really are and how their gender distribution has changed over time.
The ’90s Classics
Jordan, Taylor, and Devin
Jordan, Taylor, and Devin were all firmly established as gender-neutral names in the 1990s. Let's find out how they were actually being used in the U.S. in 1995.
In 1995, the name "Jordan" ranked #29 for boys and #50 for girls, making it one of the most popular names on our list. In 2025, however, Jordan ranked #131 for boys and #584 for girls. While the name is still used for both genders, its usage has shifted significantly more masculine over the last 30 years.
The name "Taylor" tells a different story. In 1995, it ranked #69 for boys and was in the top 10 at #6 for girls. Today, it's #685 for boys and #403 for girls. Taylor has actually become more balanced over time! Yet, it's still more popular for girls.
And then there's "Devin". In 1995, it ranked #58 for boys and #352 for girls. In 2025, it ranked #548 for boys, while falling outside the top 1,000 for girls. So while Devin may still feel gender-neutral to many people, the current data says otherwise.
2000s Staples
Riley, Dakota, and Skyler
The 2000s gave us popular names like Riley, Dakota, and Skyler. These three are some of the best examples of how a name's gender distribution can change over time! Let's look at the naming landscape in the U.S. in 2005.
The name "Riley" was already slightly more popular for girls in 2005, ranking #54 for girls and #106 for boys. Twenty years later, that gap has widened. Riley has increased in popularity for girls, currently sitting at #48, while decreasing in popularity for boys, where it now sits at #208.
"Dakota", on the other hand, is about as close to perfectly balanced as you can get. In 2005, it ranked #148 for boys and #225 for girls. In 2025, it ranked #319 for boys and #296 for girls. If you're looking for a name that's being used at nearly the same rate for boys and girls, Dakota might be the way to go.
"Skyler" has also remained fairly balanced, although it has shifted toward girls. In 2005, it ranked #240 for boys and #316 for girls. The 2025 data shows the name sitting at #783 for boys and #671 for girls. It's important to note that the spelling alternative "Skylar" has become more popular in recent years and currently favors girls.
Today's Trends
Logan, Rowan, and River
Some of today's most popular “gender-neutral” names are actually much more commonly used for boys. Let's see how these three names have been used in the last 10 years in the U.S.
Take "Logan", for example. In 2015, it was #14 for boys and #393 for girls. In 2025, it was #53 for boys and #402 for girls. While considered a gender-neutral name, it has been mostly used for boys in the last decade.
"Rowan" has climbed significantly in popularity for boys, going from #219 in 2015 to #59 in 2025. For girls, the name went from #331 to #249. While this spelling still favors boys quite a bit, "Rowyn" has recently entered the top 1,000 and only ranks for girls.
And the name "River" has followed a similar pattern. In 2015, it ranked #244 for boys and #348 for girls. By 2025, it had climbed to #111 for boys and #220 for girls. It's gaining popularity for both genders, but still leans masculine.
Conclusion
So what can we take from this?
Whether or not a name is gender-neutral depends entirely on your personal definition. If you mean a name that is truly being used at relatively similar rates for boys and girls (like Dakota), the list is pretty short. Or maybe you think a name that ranks in the top 1,000 for both genders can be considered neutral. In that case, almost all of the listed names above would count.
What's interesting is that, by today's standards, masculine names that can be used for girls tend to be considered unisex. It's not often you see it the other way around. A girl named James? Sure. A boy named Emily? Not quite as accepted.
And that's what makes baby name trends so interesting. A name's reputation as “unisex” can stick around long after the actual statistics have changed.
