Gender-Neutral Names: 8 Options Compared by U.S. Usage

When parents search for a gender-neutral baby name, personal impressions often differ from administrative reality. A name that feels completely unisex in everyday conversation may lean heavily toward one recorded sex in federal tallies, while another sits near an even split.

In official 2025 U.S. Social Security records for births, the eight names selected here appeared within the top 1,000 for both recorded sex categories [1]. Within this specific selection, Charlie and Finley show the most balanced split between male and female registrations, while Avery, Rowan, and Jordan show pronounced skews in opposite directions. None of these distributions determines which name is right for your family, but the numbers provide a clear snapshot of how these names were assigned across the country in 2025.

If you are just beginning your wider search, you can also consult our guide on how to pick a baby name and our name meaning and origin guide.

2025 U.S. Registration Data for 8 Gender-Neutral Names

The table below presents counts from Social Security card application records for births occurring in 2025 across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia [1][2]. The female share column indicates the percentage of combined 2025 registrations attributed to female infants for each exact spelling.

Name	Male Count	Female Count	Female Share (%)
Charlie	2,460	2,160	46.8%
Finley	1,017	753	42.5%
Emerson	1,371	2,241	62.0%
Riley	1,666	4,441	72.7%
Quinn	663	2,634	79.9%
Avery	1,156	5,267	82.0%
Rowan	5,212	1,240	19.2%
Jordan	2,732	503	15.5%

Three Specific Comparisons Across the Data

1. The Balanced Center: Charlie and Finley

Within these eight examples, Charlie and Finley sit closest to an equal division between recorded sexes. In 2025, Charlie registered 2,460 male births (rank 145) and 2,160 female births (rank 133), producing a 46.8% female share [1]. Finley showed a similar distribution: 1,017 male births (rank 333) and 753 female births (rank 415), yielding a 42.5% female share [1]. While neither name can be claimed as universally balanced across all eras or cultures, both operated near the statistical midpoint of this group in 2025.

2. Names With a Female Majority: Emerson, Riley, Quinn, and Avery

Four options saw a majority of registrations recorded for female infants, ranging from moderate to heavy concentrations:

• Emerson recorded 2,241 female births (rank 122) and 1,371 male births (rank 254), resulting in a 62.0% female share [1].
• Riley logged 4,441 female births (rank 48) alongside 1,666 male births (rank 208), for a 72.7% female share [1].
• Quinn registered 2,634 female births (rank 97) and 663 male births (rank 467), producing a 79.9% female share [1].
• Avery reached 5,267 female births (rank 37) and 1,156 male births (rank 291), putting its female share at 82.0% [1].

For Avery and Quinn, roughly four out of every five recorded infants in 2025 were female, even though both maintained a solid presence in top-500 male registrations.

3. Names With a Male Majority: Rowan and Jordan

At the opposite end, Rowan and Jordan appeared primarily in male registrations:

• Rowan recorded 5,212 male births (rank 59) and 1,240 female births (rank 249), giving an 80.8% male share and a 19.2% female share [1].
• Jordan recorded 2,732 male births (rank 131) and 503 female births (rank 584), giving an 84.5% male share and a 15.5% female share [1].

Both names maintain a dual-category presence in national records, but families selecting them in 2025 registered them predominantly for boys.

Practical Shortlist Exercise: Selecting 2 to 3 Finalists

To build a focused shortlist of two or three candidates from these eight options, use this practical process:

1. Define your preferred balance. Decide whether your goal is an evenly divided name or simply an adaptable name that leans toward one category. If you want near-equal division, set aside Charlie and Finley. If you prefer a crossover name with a clear directional leaning, select from Emerson, Riley, Quinn, Avery, Rowan, or Jordan.
2. Compare with your surname. Read each candidate aloud as part of the full name. Keep the ones whose sound you prefer; the registration balance alone cannot make that choice.
3. Select distinct finalists. Choose two or three names representing different points on the spectrum. For example, a balanced shortlist might pair Charlie (balanced), Rowan (male-leaning), and Quinn (female-leaning), letting you compare three different usage patterns.

Methodology and Data Limitations

These statistics derive directly from the Social Security Administration's database of card applications for infants born in 2025 [1]. Under administrative rules documented by the SSA, the data encompass births within the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, excluding U.S. territories [2]. Counts represent the sex categories checked on application forms rather than personal gender identities [2].

The SSA treats different spellings as distinct names and removes hyphens and spaces during aggregation [2]. Ranks evaluate relative frequency within each sex group, and ties are settled alphabetically [2]. Published tables cut off at the top 1,000 entries per sex category; unlisted counts are unknown rather than zero [3]. These totals describe an annual group, not any individual’s gender or the number of people of all ages who have the name.

Sources and further reading

[1] Social Security Administration Popular Names Table via SSA Baby Names Search. Query: 2025, Top 1000, Number of births. Rows: Avery, Charlie, Emerson, Finley, Jordan, Quinn, Riley, Rowan. Fetched 2026-09-17.

[2] Social Security Administration Background Information. Details card application sources, 50 states plus DC geographic scope, recorded sex markers, and distinct spelling rules. Fetched 2026-09-17.

[3] Social Security Administration Data Limitations. Details the top 1,000 rank cutoff qualifications and privacy boundaries. Fetched 2026-09-17.

Prepared with AI assistance; counts checked against the cited SSA table.