Dad-Core Baby Names Are The Newest Gender-Neutral Naming Trend For Girls
And they are seriously cute.
Baby name trends for girls have truly ebbed and flowed since the dawn of time. From super traditional choices to a million girls being named Brittany or Ashley in the ‘80s and ‘90s to more masculine names taking center stage, it’s hard to really even guess where the trends will go. But choosing names that are less popular is one trend that definitely seems to be sticking, which is why so many “dad-core” baby names are hitting the search results of soon-to-be girl parents.
Babylist Editorial Director Karen Reardanz shares that gender-neutral names for girls don’t just include your standard choices like Taylor or Alex, or even “boyish” nicknames.
“Names like Charlotte (Charlie), Amelia (Mills), and Josephine (Joey) allow parents to blend tradition with a more modern, playful edge. These names offer a timeless feel with a fresh, gender-neutral edge,” she tells Scary Mommy. “But now, many parents are skipping the formal full name altogether and are picking dad-core nicknames as first names. Bennie, Scottie, and Stevie are on the rise for girls, as seen in Babylist Babes — our list of recently born Babylist babies — reflecting a shift toward short, playful, and effortlessly cool names that stand on their own. While classic names with boyish nicknames remain popular, dad-core nicknames have become a trend in their own right.”
Reardanz notes that celebrities may be influencing this trend. “Celebrity influence on baby names is undeniable — but parents still crave originality. While stars may not start trends, they certainly help fuel them. We’re seeing dad-core nicknames for girls pop up in celebrity families, like Benny (Kylie and Jason Kelce’s youngest) and Scottie (Allison Kuch’s daughter),” she says.
Reardanz says parents are after “that sweet spot — names that feel familiar yet unique enough to avoid sharing a classroom with three others by kindergarten.” After all, Babylist data reports that 31% of parents shared that they reject names outright for “being too popular.”
Along with the dad-core names, which are often shortened versions of more masculine names, Babylist has found another increasingly popular trend for girls is surnames as first names. Boys have often held this moniker style, but more names like Parker and Miller are popping up now on girls’ popularity lists.
Other gender-neutral trends on the rise? Soft consonant boy names (think Everett and Murphy), along with more “boyish” nature-inspired names for girls, such as Atlas or Denver.
We all know baby name trends can disappear as quickly as they arrive, but I love the idea of a world full of little girls named Mattie or Scottie. If you’re into the dad-core baby name trend, too, read on for more ideas.
Teddie
I adore the name Teddie for a little girl! It's so sweet and fun, and could be a cute nod to a more traditional name like Theodora. You could even drop the -e ending and just keep it as Teddi if you want.
Denny
Whether you have someone in your family who you want to name a daughter Denny after or not, this is honestly precious. Dennie or Denni is equally adorable, and this name could even loop in the "boyish" nature names trend as an homage to the baby name Denver.
Scottie
Boy names as girl names are obviously the whole point of dad-core, but something about Scottie just feels so darn charming. Again, this can just be a name you like, but if you have Scottish roots or feel some kinship to the magical Scotland, this is a great choice.
Stevie
I'd wager Stevie Nicks started this trend before anyone, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. Stevie is vibrant, sparkly, and strong. Maybe that's why influencer Avery Woods chose it for her daughter.
Frankie
Frankie is such a good choice for any baby, but it feels especially cool for a little girl. If you want a name like Frances or Francesca or even Francine to make this the nickname, that’s perfect, too.
Bennie
Are you going to sing “Benny and the Jets” every time you pick up your baby girl? Probably. But it’s 100% worth it for an adorable name like Bennie. The -ie changes it up a good bit for a pop of girly, and the name Benny is actually derived from the Latin word for “blessed.”
Mattie
How sweet is Mattie? It reminds me of Maddie, often short for Madeline or Madison, but just another touch of unique flair there.
Bernie
Bernadette is one of the best names for girls, in my opinion, because you have so many cute nicknames to go with it, but Bernie stands fully well on its own, tysm. You could even try Bernee if that’s your style.
Terri
This is a traditional girls' name anyway, but I'm throwing it on the list because everybody knows a dad named Terry, making Terri the peak "dad-core" baby name. Terry also means "ruler of the people" if you want your girl to be a great leader. (She will be.)
Dani
Hocus Pocus did us all a solid back in 1993 by naming one of the main characters Dani with zero mention of the full name Danielle, and we thank the film for it. The alternate (and arguably more masculine) spelling Danny is another great stand-alone name for a girl.
Georgie
Georgie is plain adorable. George is super traditional and regal-sounding, and turning it into a dad-core baby name for a little girl is *chef’s kiss* good.
Jimmie
No, but how sweet is the idea of a little gal named Jimmie? Again, you could go for some traditional name choices with this one if you want, including James, but Jimmie is just so fun and spunky.
Eddy
We can all get behind the idea of Eddy or Eddie for a girl, right? Changing the traditional -ie ending of Eddie to a -y makes it feel more feminine. And Edie is already an extremely popular name for girls, so adding the extra “d” just gives it a little something extra.
No matter what kind of name you choose, from a boyish nickname to a surname-as-last-name, your baby girl is bound to feel so completely loved and cool.
