Name Gender Checker | Is Your Name Male, Female or Unisex?
Riley was 90% male in 1990. By 2020 it had flipped to over 80% female. See the exact split based on SSA birth records.
Name Gender Checker
Some names feel obviously male or female, while others sit right in the middle and a few have flipped entirely over the decades. Enter a first name below to see its exact male/female percentage split, based on official U.S. Social Security Administration birth records.
What the Gender Split Actually Tells You
This tool shows what percentage of Americans with a given first name were recorded as male or female at birth, according to SSA data. A name sitting at 95% male, for example, is overwhelmingly associated with one gender. A split closer to 50/50 means the name is genuinely used across both genders.
Interestingly, many names people assume are “unisex” turn out to be more lopsided than expected once you look at the actual numbers the perception of a name being gender-neutral doesn’t always match the data.
Gender Association Categories
| Category | Split Range | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly Male | 90%+ male | Long-standing traditional male names |
| Mostly Male | 70–89% male | Leans male, with some female usage |
| Genuinely Unisex | 40–60% either side | Balanced usage across both genders |
| Mostly Female | 70–89% female | Leans female, with some male usage |
| Strongly Female | 90%+ female | Long-standing traditional female names |
Names That Have Shifted Gender Association Over Time
Some names once associated primarily with one gender have gradually shifted toward the other over the course of several decades. This typically happens as parents begin choosing a name for the opposite gender more frequently, and the older association slowly fades from cultural memory.
This kind of shift tends to follow a pattern: once a name crosses below roughly 60% usage for its original gender, the transition toward the other gender’s dominant usage often accelerates within a generation or two, as documented across SSA birth-record decades.
Why Some Names Stay Strongly Gendered
Names with long religious, historical, or cultural roots tied to one gender tend to hold that association firmly for generations, with very little crossover usage. These names often carry enough traditional weight that they’re rarely considered for the opposite gender.
On the other hand, names that drift toward unisex or genuinely balanced status tend to be newer, shorter, or derived from surnames rather than traditional given names these are more flexible and open to broader adoption over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my name more commonly male or female?
Enter your name into the tool above to see the exact percentage breakdown. A result of 90% or higher on one side indicates a strong gender association, while a range between 40–60% suggests genuinely unisex usage.
What actually makes a name “unisex”?
A name is considered genuinely unisex when its male/female split falls between roughly 40% and 60%. Many names commonly assumed to be gender-neutral are actually more skewed than people expect the data reveals the real picture.
Can a name’s gender association change over time?
Yes. Several names have shifted from being predominantly used for one gender to the other over multiple decades, a pattern that’s clearly visible when SSA birth records are broken down by decade.
Where does this data come from?
All figures are sourced from official U.S. Social Security Administration birth records, which track the gender recorded at birth for names given to a meaningful number of children each year going back over a century.
Does this tool show anything beyond the gender split?
This tool is focused specifically on male/female birth-record percentages. It doesn’t include total population counts or rarity scores.
Conclusion
Whether you’re naming a child, curious about your own name, or settling a debate about how “unisex” a name really is, official birth records offer the clearest answer available. Enter a name above to see exactly where it falls.