Names that switched from boys to girls (and back)
Updated · Data: SSA 1880–2024
43 names given to at least 10,000 US babies went from mostly boys to mostly girls, including Ashley, Kelly, Taylor and Leslie. 12 went the other way, including Jean, Jody and Jan.
How a switch is counted
Each name’s share of girls is measured over rolling five-year windows. “Girls at first” is the share in the first window with at least 500 babies. “Girls now” is the share for 2020–2024. A name counts as switched when it went from under 35% to over 65% girls, or the reverse. “Crossed 50%” is the year the share crossed the halfway line for the last time.
| Name | Girls at first | Girls now | Crossed 50% | All babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley | 32.5% | 98.5% | 1965 | 873,844 |
| Kelly | 6.5% | 75.7% | 1958 | 555,958 |
| Taylor | 0% | 75% | 1991 | 442,493 |
| Leslie | 8.5% | 93.2% | 1949 | 382,987 |
| Courtney | 31% | 70.8% | 1964 | 281,315 |
| Morgan | 0% | 73.2% | 1981 | 267,755 |
| Dana | 33.8% | 91.1% | 1957 | 246,572 |
| Riley | 0% | 76.5% | 2005 | 240,821 |
| Lynn | 21.8% | 80.2% | 1942 | 234,691 |
| Avery | 6.7% | 79.5% | 2001 | 230,393 |
| Sydney | 13.4% | 97.3% | 1935 | 186,796 |
| Lindsey | 23.6% | 97.6% | 1972 | 165,125 |
| Shelby | 6.3% | 92% | 1936 | 164,786 |
| Aubrey | 8% | 95.8% | 1977 | 162,498 |
| Addison | 11.2% | 98.1% | 1998 | 159,245 |
| Peyton | 28.6% | 80.7% | 2008 | 138,617 |
| Skylar | 13.9% | 95.2% | 1995 | 103,743 |
| Kendall | 3.6% | 84.9% | 1994 | 100,779 |
| Ariel | 25.4% | 70% | 1982 | 99,253 |
| Kennedy | 1.1% | 96.6% | 1994 | 98,080 |
| Quinn | 13.3% | 81.3% | 2012 | 86,174 |
| Payton | 16.8% | 88.4% | 1994 | 83,955 |
| Sandy | 23.8% | 86% | 1938 | 79,462 |
| Harley | 0% | 79.6% | 1995 | 70,909 |
| Reese | 0% | 81.1% | 2004 | 62,268 |
| Emery | 0% | 90.1% | 1999 | 60,709 |
| Blair | 10% | 94.4% | 1983 | 36,398 |
| Charley | 0% | 83.7% | 1989 | 34,872 |
| Stevie | 8.7% | 97.2% | 1984 | 28,622 |
| Emory | 0% | 72.7% | 2007 | 28,589 |
| Lacy | 23.8% | 98% | 1972 | 26,616 |
| Monroe | 0% | 79.8% | 2010 | 23,536 |
| Mckinley | 0% | 90.8% | 1999 | 22,456 |
| Leighton | 11.4% | 75.1% | 2009 | 20,720 |
| Alva | 32.8% | 78.2% | 1954 | 20,130 |
| Lennon | 20.5% | 77.2% | 2016 | 18,838 |
| Palmer | 4.1% | 83.8% | 2014 | 17,090 |
| Rosario | 14.5% | 76.8% | 1939 | 16,476 |
| Clair | 11.5% | 96.4% | 1977 | 16,322 |
| Scottie | 20.3% | 88.9% | 2016 | 15,482 |
| Brook | 19.6% | 69.5% | 1973 | 13,973 |
| Sol | 0% | 65.8% | 1995 | 11,807 |
| Lindy | 11.1% | 100% | 1942 | 10,540 |
| Name | Girls at first | Girls now | Crossed 50% | All babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jean | 84.8% | 34.7% | 1992 | 483,213 |
| Jody | 70.4% | 30.1% | 1992 | 87,349 |
| Jan | 67% | 2.9% | 1986 | 76,882 |
| Dominique | 84.2% | 34.5% | 2012 | 74,165 |
| Donnie | 70.2% | 1.3% | 1930 | 67,971 |
| Ollie | 76.9% | 32.1% | 1965 | 58,974 |
| Amari | 68.8% | 32.4% | 2007 | 50,446 |
| Elisha | 77.3% | 23.2% | 1999 | 29,647 |
| Kyrie | 95% | 6.2% | 2013 | 21,410 |
| Santana | 82.1% | 23.6% | 2004 | 13,343 |
| Lavon | 77% | 0% | 1977 | 11,309 |
| Lashawn | 90.6% | 5.6% | 2000 | 10,613 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2024. Counts are Social Security card applications for US births; SSA leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies in a year. Updated 2026-10-05. How these numbers are made.