Neutral names starting with C

An alphabetical list of neutral names starting with C, continued from the names page, which see for more information. These are neutral-gender names, otherwise known as unisex names. They are equally appropriate for girls, boys, and people of any gender. Nonbinary people don't have to have neutral names, and many notable nonbinary people have names that are usually either masculine or feminine. Neutral names can help make it safer for people to explore their gender expressions. In English-speaking countries, some of the most familiar gender-neutral names starting with the letter C include Carey and Chris. However, there are many more unisex names from around the world that start with C, as listed below. Previous page: neutral names starting with B. Next page: neutral names starting with D.

The list
Cache. American English. A modern name meaning "A storage place, a safe hiding place, something hidden, or short-term computer memory" in English. US Social Security Administration (SSA) data shows about 153 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 59% of the time, so it is very gender neutral. Keywords: modern, mysterious, neutral inclined, one syllable, secret, technology

Caelan. 1. Irish Gaelic. From the Irish Gaelic name Caolán. Various meanings, most commonly "slender", "child", and "powerful warrior." 2. Old Welsh. From "cae," meaning "field," (pronounced kaee or gaee) and "llan/lan," meaning a community or town associated with a landmark. So Caelan/Caellan has the literal translation of "from the town by the field." Changing the spelling completely changes the meaning of the name. For example, "cai" (pronounced kay) means to rejoice in victory, and "lyn" means by water. 3. Scottish. "People of victory." 4. English. Anglicized form of Irish masculine name Caolán ("slender," with diminutive suffix) or Irish feminine name Caoilfhionn ("slender and fair") US SSA data shows about 51 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 74% of the time. Keywords: appearance, community, competition, nature, water, war

Cagney. Gaelic, Irish. 1. Meaning "tribute." 2. From the Gaelic surname Ó Caingne, meaning "grandson or descendant of advocate." From caingean, meaning "legal dispute." US SSA data shows about 204 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 68% of the time. Keywords: ancestors, law, lineage, neutral inclined

Cai. 1. Chinese. Meaning "colourful" or "wealthy." 2. Vietnamese. Meaning "feminine." 3. Latin, Welsh. Meaning "rejoice." Short form of Caius. 4. Wolof (dialect of Senegal and The Gambia). Meaning "come." 5. English, Welsh. Masculine. Sir Kay (English) or Cai (Welsh) is Arthur's brother in Arthurian legend. US SSA data shows about 2,108 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 72% of the time. Keywords: appearance, Arthurian legend, celebration, emotions, knights, magic, money, wealth

Cailean. Pronounced CAL-lan. Traditionally masculine. Scottish. Possibly meaning "whelp, young dog, pup, cub," "child," "triumphant in battle," "virile," or even a form of the Late Roman name Columba, meaning "dove." This name is sometimes anglicized as Colin. US SSA data shows about 60 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 76% of the time. Keywords: animals, children, nature, religion, spirituality, war

Cairo. English. A modern name, from the place name, the capital and largest city in Egypt, Cairo. From al-Qahirah (القاهرة), meaning "The victorious" in Arabic. US SSA data shows about 204 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 86% of the time. Keywords: battle, competition, geography, masculine inclined, places, war

Cam. 1. English. Gender neutral or masculine. Short form of Cameron (which see), meaning "crooked nose" in Gaelic. 2. Vietnamese. Feminine. Meaning "Orange fruit." 3. Short for other names starting with Cam. US SSA data shows about 9,194 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 80% of the time. Keywords: appearance, food, masculine inclined, one syllable

Cameo. 1. Italian. Meaning "small, but perfectly formed." 2. Italian. Meaning "sculpted jewel" or "a stone or shell carved in relief." 3. English. Meaning "a carved gem portrait." 4. English. Noun, meaning "a small but noticeable part played by a famous actor." US SSA data shows about 859 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 88% of the time. Keywords: art, fame, jewels, minerals, nature, stones

Cameron. English. From the Scottish surname. Meaning "crooked nose" in Gaelic. Short form: Cam, which see. US SSA data shows about 56,291 people with the given name Cameron, used as a masculine name 90% of the time. SSA data shows about 251 people with the variant Camryn, used as a feminine name 88% of the time. Keywords: appearance, geography, masculine inclined, nature, places

Campbell. English. From a Scottish surname. Meaning "crooked mouth" or "bent smile" in Gaelic. US SSA data shows about 1,778 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 56% of the time. Keywords: appearance, nature, neutral inclined, places

Cappy. English. Short for "Captain" in English. US SSA data shows about 525 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 56% of the time.

Carey. English. This has continuously been a gender neutral name since 1880, though it tended to be more masculine, until it spiked in popularity as a feminine name during the 1970s. From an Irish surname, Ó Ciardha, meaning "Descendant of Ciardha" in Irish. Ciardha is a masculine name meaning "Black" in Irish. US SSA data shows about 43,020 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 54% of the time. Keywords: neutral inclined, two syllables

Carlen. English. From the surname Carlen, meaning "Descendant of Charles." Irish variant: Carlin. US SSA data shows about 878 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 83% of the time. Keywords: feminine inclined, two syllables

Carman. English. From the surname, meaning "Man." US SSA data shows about 4,759 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 70% of the time.

Carol. English and French. This has usually tended to be a feminine name during the past century in many countries, but during the 1920s to 1950s, it was also used to a small degree as a masculine name in France and the US. Meaning "Song," or as a form of the names Charles, Carole, Caroline, or Carolus. Variants: Carole, Carroll, Caryl. Now, US SSA data shows about 1,531,204 people with the given name Carol, used as a feminine name 99% of the time, despite trends in some periods to be neutral.

Caron. Welsh. Meaning "To love" (caru) in Welsh. US SSA data shows about 6,552 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 81% of the time.

Carrington. English. From the surname, from the place name, meaning "Town of the marsh" in Old English. Keywords: nature, places. US SSA data shows about 1,147 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 59% of the time.

Cary. English. This has continuously been a gender-neutral name since at least 1880, tending to be masculine, and spiking in popularity as a neutral name in the 1970s. A variant of Carey, which see. US SSA data shows about 48,174 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 81% of the time.

Casey. English and Irish. This traditionally masculine name became popular as a neutral name in the 1970s, spiking in the 1980s and 1990s. From the Irish surname Casey, an anglicized form of Ó Cathasaigh, meaning "Descendant of Cathasach;" the masculine Irish name Cathasach means "Vigilant" in Irish. Variants: Casi, Casie, Kasey, Kaci, Kacie. US SSA data shows about 130,913 people with the given name Casey, used as a masculine name 58% of the time. Keywords: battle, neutral inclined, two syllables. Notable people with this name include nonbinary American voice actor Casey Mongillo (b. 1987).

Cashmere. English. An African American name. Meaning "Soft wool from the Kashmir goat" in English. Ultimately from the Hindi place name for the region in India Kaśmīr (कश्मीर), which is called Kashmir in English. US SSA data shows about 93 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 67% of the time. Keywords: neutral inclined, style, textures, two syllables

Cedar. English, French, Latin. Noun meaning "cedar tree," a particularly fragrant tree, often used to build artistic and protective chests. US SSA data shows about 576 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 55% of the time. Keywords: aromas, forests, nature, plants, spirituality, trees, two syllables

Chai. 1. English. Pronounced /tʃaɪ/. Modern. Meaning "tea" in English. English speakers sometimes use this to specifically mean the spiced type of tea. 2. חי. Hebrew. Pronounced "khai." Traditionally masculine. Meaning "alive, living, life." US SSA data shows about 2,619 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 64% of the time. Keywords: aromas, cozy, food, life, neutral inclined, one syllable

Chan (ចន្). Khmer. Meaning "Moon." US SSA data shows about 17,719 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 80% of the time.

Chanda. Sanskrit. In India, this is a masculine name (written चण्ड in Sanskrit) and a feminine name (written चण्डा), though it tends to be exclusively feminine in the US. Meaning "Fierce, hot, passionate." Notable people with this name include cosmologist and science writer Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, who is an agender woman.

Chandler. English. This spiked in popularity as a neutral name during the 1990s, because at that time, there was a character with this name on the TV show Friends. From the occupational family name, meaning "Candle maker" in English. Keywords: occupation. US SSA data shows about 7,072 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 79% of the time.

Channing. English. This spiked in popularity as a enutral name during the 1980s. Modern, possibly meaning "From the place of Cana's people." US SSA data shows about 2,772 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 63% of the time.

Channon. English. From the surname, meaning "Clergyman." Or a variant of the neutral name Shannon, from the name of the longest river in Ireland. US SSA data shows about 1,008 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 68% of the time. Keywords: Christian, religion.

Chao. Chinese. 1. 超 (chāo), a masculine name meaning "surpass, leap over." 2. 潮 (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp." US SSA data shows about 7,787 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 87% of the time. Notable nonbinary people with this name include Chao Xiaomi, who is genderfluid.

Charleston. English. A modern name in the African American and Brazilian Portuguese communities. From the surname, meaning "Town of King Charles" in English. Keywords: places. US SSA data shows about 952 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 87% of the time.

Charley. English. Pet form of the masculine name Charles. Variants: Charli, Charlie, Charly. US SSA data shows about 12,959 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 73% of the time.

Châu. Vietnamese. Pronounced "kyow." Meaning "Pearl, gem." Outside of Vietnam, there is the anglicized variant Chau, without the accent mark. US SSA data shows about 12,997 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 78% of the time. Keywords: colors, water.

Chay. English. Pet form of Charles, meaning "Man" or "King." US SSA data shows about 1,179 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 87% of the time.

Chen. 1. (חֵן) Hebrew. Meaning "Grace, charm." Keywords: virtues. 2. Chinese 晨 (chén) or 辰 (chén), both meaning "morning." US SSA data shows about 11,376 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 66% of the time.

Chi. Western African, Igbo. Meaning "one's personal spiritual guardian," or "the Christian God." Chi is also the pet form of many Igbo names that start with Chi. US SSA data shows about 27,604 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 55% of the time. Keywords: Christian, religion.

Chiaki (ちあき). Japanese. Japanese names have meanings that depend on which kanji characters with the same pronunciations are chosen to write them. This name can mean "thousand crystal," "thousand autumn," or other meanings. In Japan, this is a gender-neutral name. However, in the US, this has only been used as a feminine name. Keywords: number, season.

Chris. English and Dutch. Short form of many names beginning with Chris, including the masculine name Christopher, feminine names Christina and Christine, and neutral name Christian. Variants: Christie, Christy. US SSA data shows about 847,331 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 85% of the time. Notable people with this name include religious organizer Chris Paige, who calls their gender OtherWise, which is outside the Western gender binary. Nonbinary characters in fiction bearing this name include Chris from the book Crooked Words by K. A. Cook, Chris from TV show The Switch, and Chris from visual novel Incompatible Species.

Chun. Chinese. 春 (chūn) meaning "spring (the season)." US SSA data shows about 18,903 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 76% of the time.

Ciel. Various. French for "sky," but not traditionally used as a given name in France. US SSA data shows about 125 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 80% of the time. Ciel is the name of a nonbinary main character in the comic GSA by French-Canadian cartoonist Sophie Labelle.

Claude. English and French. Traditionally, this has been a masculine name. In France, this became popular as a neutral name since 1900, spiking in the 1930s, and then becoming rare for any gender after the 1970s. In the US, this has been a strictly masculine name since 1900, though it had some feminine use in the 1880s. Claude comes from the ancient Roman name, Claudius, possibly meaning "disabled legs." There were several saints named Claudius, and there was a male Saint Claude (b. 603 CE), whose feast day is June 7. Notable people with this name include the French Jewish surrealist artist and anti-fascist activist Claude Cahun, who said, “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.”

Coda. Italian. Meaning "Concluding section of music." US SSA data shows about 241 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 84% of the time.

Codi. English, modern. From the neutral or masculine given name Cody, from the Irish surname Cody, meaning "Helper," or "Descendant of a helpful or cheerful person." US SSA data shows about 1,676 people with the given name Codi, used as a feminine name 66% of the time.

Corby. English. Meaning "From Corc's farm." Or a short form of masculine Corbin, meaning "Raven" in Old French, or "Crow" in Anglo-Norman. US SSA data shows about 2,368 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 80% of the time.

Corin. English. Meaning "Spear." US SSA data shows about 1,412 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 68% of the time.

Courtney. English. Neutral or feminine. From the surname Courtney. Meaning "Short nose" in French, or "Member of the court" in English. Variants: Cortney, Kortney, and Kortney. US SSA data shows about 9,839 people with the given name Cortney, used as a feminine name 85% of the time, so it is more neutral, whereas there are 147,406 people named Courtney, feminine 92% of the time, so it is not so neutral. Notable people with this name include genderfluid and genderqueer Australian drag queen Courtney Act.

Coty. French. Meaning "Hillside." Keywords: earth, nature, places. US SSA data shows about 2,011 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 86% of the time.

Creature. English. Meaning "A living being" in English. Christening is a ritual of naming and baptizing (washing) an infant, which some Christian denominations believe is necessary to save the soul. It used to be that in England, when a family feared that a pregnancy might end in a stillbirth, such as if a pregnant person fell gravely ill, then the people had a ritual for christening the child before birth. The English believed that they could not assign a gender to a child before birth, when its sex was not yet known. For this reason, the people would give the unborn one of these gender-neutral given names: Chylde-of-God, Creature, Creatura, or Vitalis (Latin, "life-giving"). All these names represent the hope for a baby who would survive. If they survived, then the law required them to keep these names. When marriage records from that era show grown men and women with these names, historians know this is the reason why. This naming tradition goes as far back as the 1200s. The religious and legal changes that came with the Protestant Reformation stopped the practice of christening the unborn, and so these names completely fell out of use after 1680. Keywords: Catholic, Christian, birth, Elizabethan era, life, medieval, renaissance era, three syllables, Tudor period, two syllables

Crimson. English. Meaning "A deep purplish red color" in English. Ultimately from Arabic qirmez (قِرْمِز‎). US SSA data shows about 144 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 81% of the time. Keywords: colours, two syllables.

Cruz. Spanish and Portuguese. In the US, this has become more popular as a masculine name in the 2010s, but it was neutral from the 1920s to 1940s. Meaning "The cross (upon which Jesus Christ was crucified)" in Spanish and Portuguese. US SSA data shows about 34,546 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 82% of the time. Keywords: Christian, religion, shapes.

Cypress. English. A modern gender-neutral name. Meaning "A cypress tree, which is a large evergreen," in English. US SSA data shows about 149 people with this given name, used as a feminine name 58% of the time.

Cyprus. English. Meaning "The eastern Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus" in English. Via Latin Cyprus, from ancient Greek Kúpros (Κύπρος). US SSA data shows about 46 people with this given name, used as a masculine name 87% of the time. Keywords: geography, islands, places, travel, water