Dear Jennifer,
I really like the name Dylan for a girl, but everyone tells me it is much too masculine. I thought spelling it Dilynn would make it look girlie and then adding a girlie middle name. Do you think Dylan is too masculine for a girl?
Thank you very much. I love this site
<3 Cheyanne
Dear Cheyanne,
I don’t think there is any problem in using a traditionally masculine name for a girl, as it is acceptable in today’s society. Did you know the names Leslie, Ashley, and Courtney all started as boys’ names? As did Mallory and Jordan.
What I would NOT do, though, is alter the spelling. I’m sure you understand this as you have a common name with an uncommon spelling. Haven’t you had people misspell it all your life? Haven’t you had to say “Cheyenne with an A?” It’s kind of an unnecessary burden.
So if you do decide to go with Dylan, please use the traditional spelling. You can use a girlie name like Charlotte if you are worried about femininity.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.
Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.
