Mixed first names are numerous, but depending on the country, some are used more femininely or masculinely. An Italian first name given to little boys is rather given to girls in other countries. In France, it’s something else again.
First names that are suitable for both girls and boys are practical and do not lack originality. Certain mixed first names are more and more trendy, such as the first names Éden, Charlie, Camille, Andréa, Noa, Sasha or even Maé. But when you have a first name, which in France is suitable for both sexes, you should know that in other countries, this same first name can be given exclusively to little girls or only to boys. In Italy for example, the first name Andrea is masculine (without accent), but feminine in other countries.
“His double Greek etymology, andreia (strength, courage) and andros (masculine gender), should have convinced him to assume his masculinity” note Stéphanie Rapoport and Claire Tabarly-Perrin, authors of the work L’Officiel des first names 2024. The first name Andrea has in fact become, over time, an epicene first name, at least in France. If it is definitely masculine in Italy, the first name Andréa is given to little girls in Germany, Spain and Portugal. If your son travels to one of these countries, you will need to explain to him that customs are different from one culture to another.
In France, the first name Andréa was feminine for a long time before becoming truly mixed, although today it is more given to little boys.“For women, Andréa peaked at 10th place in 1919, but the Roaring Twenties were fatal to her. Driven by the fashion for retro first names and A endings, Andréa experienced new impetus and flirted with 1,400 births in 1995” analyzes the Official of First Names. It was only from the 1980s that the first name Andrea became masculine, giving a breath of fresh air to the rather retro first name André.
Today, there are twice as many births to boys (nearly 1,500 in 2024) whereas 20 years ago, girls with this first name were 10 times more numerous. Note that Andrea is also a traditional Basque and Corsican choice. If this first name enchants you, know that it is a safe bet: first names ending in A are trendy, and Andréa is already in the top 5 of mixed first names.