History Main / TomboyishName

* In ''TwoGuysandGuy'', a webcomic featuring TwoGuysAndAGirl, "Guy" is [[CaptainObvious the girl]]. She says early in the strip that it's a nickname, and if anyone knows what her name actually is, they'd be wise not to tell.

** Alyx from the ''HalfLife'' Series.

* In ''TwoGuysandGuy'', a webcomic featuring TwoGuysAndAGirl, "Guy" is [[CaptainObvious the girl]].

* {{ER}} actress Michael Michele. What, was Michelle Michele to punny?

* "[[AvatarTheLasrAirbender 'Smellerbee?]] That's a rather odd name for a young man." "Maybe that's because ''I'm a girl.''"

* ''TheYoungOnes'': Reversed with a male character named Vyvyan. When they go to the pub, where Vyvyan's mum is working behind the bar, Rick jumps at the chance to ask "Why did you give him a girl's name?" At which point Vyv smashes a bottle over Rick's head.

* ''Series/{{MAD TV}}'': TheDitz Dr. Kylie Johnson was the victim of a typo at least once, or rather at least one of her patients was a victim of such.
* ''{{Extras}}'': Somewhat parodied where Andy Millman goes to Ian Mackellen to audition for his new play. It ends up being a play about homosexual loves, something that is not apparent to him until "Fran" is revealed to be a man. Everyone in the audition room other than Mackellen and Andy appear to have tomboyish names if they are female or girl names if they are male. Things get ridiculous when one of the women in the room is referred to as "George".
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Winifred "Fred" Burkle. In one episode, her name causes [[GrandTheftMe an old guy in Angel's body]] to [[MistakenForGay mistake Angel for gay]]. Refreshingly, Fred is not sassy or conspicuously empowered (that role is taken by a character named Cordelia, itself an inversion of this trope).
* ''AshesToAshes'': Alex Drake runs into the PronounTrouble variant in the very first episode; none of her outrageously sexist 1981 coworkers had ever ''met'' their new DI before she wound up in their station slightly unhinged and dressed as a hooker for [[FanService totally plot-related reasons]]...
* ''LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'': ADA Alex Cabot, and her replacement Casey Novak, both from this show.
* ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'': Takes this to absurd levels. Of the two primary female rangers on the show, one is "[[OneLetterName Z]]" (short for Elizabeth, well, it's AllThereInTheManual, if I recall correctly) and one is "Syd" (short for "Sydney"). They were a rather tough TomboyAndGirlyGirl duo (with Z as the Tomboy and Syd as the Girly Girl), in some cases tougher than the boys, and Z is [[{{Bokukko}} extremely tomboyish]], MamaBear regarding Sam [[spoiler: the future Omega Ranger]] issues aside. It gets worse: On the A-squad, the end credits reveal its [[spoiler:Red]] Ranger, female, to be named Charlie, and she's tougher still, and extremely tomboyish in mannerisms while still something of a [[spoiler:FemmeFatale]]. She's either the best thing to happen in feminism in the franchise, or a StrawFeminist, depending on who you ask.

* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Has Robin Charles Scherbatsky, Jr., who practically embodies the "my dad wanted a son" excuse.
* ''SouthOfNowhere'': Has a Spencer, though she's pretty far from being a tomboy.
* ''Series/{{Skins}}'': Has Franky, short for Francesca.
* ''OneSaturdayMorning'': The live-action segments of this Disney block originally starred a girl named Charlie.
* ''FlashForward2009'': Charlie Benford. It's unknown whether that's short for something more traditionally feminine.
* ''MadAboutYou'': The characters Paul (male) and Jamie (female) are often referred to as "Paulie" and "James".
* ''Picket Fences'': Had officer Maxine "Max" Stewart (Lauren Holly).
* Creator/AaronSorkin: His shows usually have one of these among the main characters: Dana (''SportsNight''), C.J. (''TheWestWing''), Jordan (''Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'').

* ''GoodLuckCharlie'': Charlie and Teddy are used as names for girls. It's even lampshaded in one episode.
* ''Flashman'': Pink Flash is named Lou!
* ''MarriedWithChildren'': Gary, the owner of the shoe store where Al Bundy works, is a woman. Al spent his first twenty years of work at the shop believing she was a man. (He never met her until being told she'd come to inspect the shop. In fact, he once considered the possibility of Gary not even existing.)
* ''SuperHumanSamuraiSyberSquad'': One of the main characters is a girl named Sydney and she was at least once expected to be a boy because of her name.
* ''Series/{{Alias}}'': Sydney Bristow, the main character. Her friends even call her "Syd".
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': In this BBC series, John Watson's sister is called Harry. Having learned her name and the fact that she used to be married to a woman, Sherlock makes an almost accurate series of deductions regarding John's "brother".
* ''Series/FullHouse'': There is DJ, who is the oldest daughter but the abbreviated initials are at best gender-neutral, if not leaning towards being boyish-sounding. It stands for Donna-Jo (not Joanna, not Josephine, just Jo).
* ''TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'': Dylan.
* ''Series/TheMentalist'': InvertedTrope: Patrick Jane, is generally referred to as Jane.
* ''DeadLikeMe'': George Lass.
* ''HarrysLaw'': Harry Korn looks like she'll kill anyone who calls her Harriet.
* ''Liveman'': Megumi Masaki was not only the first blue female, but the only female in dark blue tone. Funny enough, her actress is also named Megumi.

* One genre that is RIPE with this trope involve shows where a female is in an occupation that is typically considered a man's job (female cops, firefighters, soldiers, etc.) One of the most common is contrasting the incredibly girly Mackenzie with the very masculine nickname Mack.

* One genre that is RIPE with this trope involve shows where a female is in an occupation that is typically considered a man's job (female cops, firefighters, soldiers, etc.) One of the most common is contrasting the incredibly girly Mackenzie with the very masculine nickname Mack.
* ''DawsonsCreek'': The ultimate example would have to be Joey, who played the {{tomboy}} angle straight for the first couple seasons and grew increasingly girly as time went on. This is directly related to the Jo in ''LittleWomen'', as this character is Joey's (and her mom's) favorite and the reason she's called Josephine like the girl in said book.
* ''Step by Step'': In the TV sitcom, there is Al (short for Alicia). There is also a female character named Sam.

* ''{{Sisters}}'': Had a whole family of masculine girl names: Alex, Teddy, Frankie, Georgie, Charley. However, this was not used to indicate masculinity, but that their father always wanted a boy.
* ''Midnight Caller'': Devon King.
* ''BlackAdder II'': Nursie is revealed to have the first name "Bernard". She also has sisters named Eric, Basil and Donald. Nursie is not particularly tomboyish, but certainly is insane, so this all could be her imagination. "Bob", however, ''is'' tomboyish. Or tries to be. Of course, [[SweetPollyOliver her name probably isn't really Bob]].
* ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'': Jo, while Jo-with-no-E is a girl's name, she was mistaken for a boy in the first episode, and is based off Jo from ''LittleWomen''.
* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'': Also has a Jo, who gets surly when people call her Josephina.

* ''TheYoungOnes'': Reversed with a male character named Vyvyan. When they go to the pub, where Vyvyan's mum is working behind the bar, Rick jumps at the chance to ask "Why did you give him a girl's name?" At which point Vyv smashes a bottle over Rick's head.
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Elliot Reid. But let's not also forget that J.D. usually ends up sleeping with girls with androgynous names, including Alex, Dani, Jamie, Jordan and Kim. Might have something to do with the "[[UnusualEuphemism lanyards]]" he made with his bunkmate at summer camp.

* The ultimate example would have to be Joey from ''DawsonsCreek'', who played the {{tomboy}} angle straight for the first couple seasons and grew increasingly girly as time went on.
** This is directly related to the Jo in ''LittleWomen'', as this character is Joey's (and her mom's) favorite and the reason she's called Josephine like the girl in said book.
* In the TV sitcom ''Step by Step'', there is Al (short for Alicia).
** And, as mentioned above, yet another Sam.
* All of BryanFuller's shows seem to have female protagonists with male names/nicknames:

* The female main character on ''DarkAngel'' was named Max. This was also an OnlyOneName.
** One season 2 episode also had a girl named Ralph.
* ''{{Sisters}}'' had a whole family of masculine girl names: Alex, Teddy, Frankie, Georgie, Charley. However, this was not used to indicate masculinity, but that their father always wanted a boy.
* Devon King, from ''Midnight Caller''
* In ''[[BlackAdder Blackadder II]]'', Nursie is revealed to have the first name "Bernard". She also has sisters named Eric, Basil and Donald. Nursie is not particularly tomboyish, but certainly is insane, so this all could be her imagination.
** "Bob", however, ''is'' tomboyish. Or tries to be. Of course, [[SweetPollyOliver her name probably isn't really Bob]].
* Jo on ''Series/TheFactsOfLife''; while Jo-with-no-E is a girl's name, she was mistaken for a boy in the first episode, and is based off Jo from ''LittleWomen''.
* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' also has a Jo, who gets surly when people call her Josephina.
* "Doctor Mike," a.k.a. Dr. Michaela Quinn, on ''Series/DrQuinnMedicineWoman'' There's actually a purpose to this, though. The writers felt it was necessary to explain why the townspeople accept the woman who is coming to be their doctor: they thought she was a man. Communication being what it was, her name was telegraphed to them, as telegraphs were, with no spaces, upper and lower cases, or punctuation. They're expecting "Michael A. Quinn." If her name had been Alice, or something, the viewer is meant to presume they would have cabled back saying "Forget it."
* Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie in ''Series/{{JAG}}'', an officer and attorney in the US Marine Corps.
* Reversed in ''TheYoungOnes'', with a male character named Vyvyan. When they go to the pub, where Vyvyan's mum is working behind the bar, Rick jumps at the chance to ask "Why did you give him a girl's name?" At which point Vyv smashes a bottle over Rick's head.
* Elliot Reid on ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''. But let's not also forget that J.D. usually ends up sleeping with girls with androgynous names, including Alex, Dani, Jamie, Jordan and Kim. Might have something to do with the "[[UnusualEuphemism lanyards]]" he made with his bunkmate at summer camp.
* Creator/JaymaMays played girls named Charlie on both ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' and ''UglyBetty'' in the same season. Not much chance for confusion, though, since while the ''UB'' Charlie [[spoiler:is a recurring love interest of a main character]], the ''Heroes'' Charlie [[spoiler:was a one-shot who was killed off by the main villain. She was ''also'' the love interest of a main character though...]]
** Adding to the heroes example: her full name is Charlene [[spoiler:and in a later season, she comes BackFromTheDead.]]
* Alex Taylor, a female firefighter on ''ThirdWatch'' who hates being treated differently due to being female.
* ''Series/{{MAD TV}}'' [[TheDitz airhead]] Dr. Kylie Johnson was the victim of a typo at least once, or rather at least one of her patients was a victim of such.
* Somewhat parodied in ''{{Extras}}'' where Andy Millman goes to Ian Mackellen to audition for his new play. It ends up being a play about homosexual loves, something that is not apparent to him until "Fran" is revealed to be a man. Everyone in the audition room other than Mackellen and Andy appear to have tomboyish names if they are female or girl names if they are male. Things get ridiculous when one of the women in the room is referred to as "George".
* Winifred "Fred" Burkle from ''Series/{{Angel}}''. In one episode, her name causes [[GrandTheftMe an old guy in Angel's body]] to [[MistakenForGay mistake Angel for gay]]. Refreshingly, Fred is not sassy or conspicuously empowered (that role is taken by a character named Cordelia, itself an inversion of this trope).
* Alex Drake runs into the PronounTrouble variant in the very first episode of ''AshesToAshes''; none of her outrageously sexist 1981 coworkers had ever ''met'' their new DI before she wound up in their station slightly unhinged and dressed as a hooker for [[FanService totally plot-related reasons]]...
* ADA Alex Cabot, and her replacement Casey Novak, both from ''LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit.''
* ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'' takes this to absurd levels. Of the two primary female rangers on the show, one is "[[OneLetterName Z]]" (short for Elizabeth, well, it's AllThereInTheManual, if I recall correctly) and one is "Syd" (short for "Sydney"). They were a rather tough TomboyAndGirlyGirl duo (with Z as the Tomboy and Syd as the Girly Girl), in some cases tougher than the boys, and Z is [[{{Bokukko}} extremely tomboyish]], MamaBear regarding Sam [[spoiler: the future Omega Ranger]] issues aside. It gets worse: On the A-squad, the end credits reveal its [[spoiler:Red]] Ranger, female, to be named Charlie, and she's tougher still, and extremely tomboyish in mannerisms while still something of a [[spoiler:FemmeFatale]]. She's either the best thing to happen in feminism in the franchise, or a StrawFeminist, depending on who you ask.
* ''TheVicarOfDibley'' had a female vicar called Geri (short for Geraldine), leading to confusion with traditionalist parishioners expecting a male vicar.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' has Robin Charles Scherbatsky, Jr., who practically embodies the "my dad wanted a son" excuse.
* SouthOfNowhere has a Spencer, though she's pretty far from being a tomboy.
* ''Series/{{Skins}}'' has Franky, short for Francesca.
* The live-action segments of Disney's "One Saturday Morning" block originally starred a girl named Charlie.
* Charlie Benford in ''FlashForward2009'' (we haven't been told whether that's short for something more traditionally feminine)
* Somewhat related: in MadAboutYou, the characters Paul (male) and Jamie (female) are often referred to as "Paulie" and "James".
* ''Picket Fences'' had officer Maxine "Max" Stewart (Lauren Holly).
* Creator/AaronSorkin's shows usually have one of these among the main characters: Dana (''SportsNight''), C.J. (''TheWestWing''), Jordan (''Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'').
** * In "TheWestWing" Josh was expecting a meeting from Joey Lucas. Not only is Joey unexpectedly female, but she's also deaf and has a male translater. There is some confusion as the translater says "I'm Joey Lucas" and nobody realizes for a little while that he's speaking for the deaf woman.
* In ''GoodLuckCharlie'', Charlie and Teddy are used as names for girls. It's even lampshaded in one episode.
* Flashman's Pink Flash is named Lou!

* Sydney Bristow, the main character of ''Series/{{Alias}}''. Her friends even call her "Syd".
* In the BBC series ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'', John Watson's sister is called Harry. Having learned her name and the fact that she used to be married to a woman, Sherlock makes an almost accurate series of deductions regarding John's "brother".
* In ''Series/FullHouse'', there is DJ, who is the oldest daughter but the abbreviated initials are at best gender-neutral, if not leaning towards being boyish-sounding. It stands for Donna-Jo (not Joanna, not Josephine, just Jo).
* Dylan from ''TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager''
* In an inversion, ''Series/TheMentalist'', Patrick Jane, is generally referred to as Jane.
* George Lass from ''DeadLikeMe''.
* Harry Korn, of ''HarrysLaw'', looks like she'll kill anyone who calls her Harriet.
* Megumi Masaki of ''Liveman'' was not only the first blue female, but the only female in dark blue tone. Would you believe her actress is also named Megumi.

Sometimes a variation of the EmbarrassingFirstName. Can potentially lead to ActuallyIAmHim, and a good way to help disguise the fact that SamusIsAGirl until the right moment. The SuperTrope is GenderBlenderName.

** Salome Fredericks in TadWilliams' ''{{Otherland}}'' gave herself the nickname "Sam" to [[WholesomeCrossdresser fit in better with the boys]] online. This fact causes Orlando Gardiner to undergo some angst when he seeks his buddy "Sam" out in RealLife and accidentally uncovers the truth.

** The original ''MassEffect'' also has Ashley "Ash" Williams.

* In ''The Show That Never Ends'', a HarryPotter fanfic, one of Harry's coworkers [[spoiler:and Remus's eventual love interest]] is a woman who goes by Diz. It is later revealed that her full name is Disraeli Taylor; her mother was a historian. In fact, her sisters' names are Churchill and Dickens, and her brothers are Tennyson and Darwin.

** Pascal from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'', too. ThemeNaming with her sister suggests that she was named after mathematician Blaise Pascal (who, if the whole ''HarryPotter'' Blaise Zabini [[UnsettlingGenderReveal gender reveal]] incident is to be believed, had a GenderBlenderName in ''his'' own right).

** The player's girlfriend in the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' module series The Bastard of Kosigan is Alexandra de Velan, who prefers Alex and serves as the brains behind an attempt to overthrow the leadership of the most important district of the duchy of Burgundy and have it defect to the French.

* In "TheWestWing" Josh was expecting a meeting from Joey Lucas. Not only is Joey unexpectedly female, but she's also deaf and has a male translater. There is some confusion as the translater says "I'm Joey Lucas" and nobody realizes for a little while that he's speaking for the deaf woman.

->-- ''PushingDaisies'', "Girth"

** In ''PushingDaisies'', leading lady Charlotte Charles is called Chuck (which is a derivative to Charles meaning "man"...), which is a TomboyishName and a PunnyName put together.

** "Bob", however, ''is'' tomboyish. Or tries to be. Of course, her name probably isn't really Bob.

* ''MAD TV'' [[TheDitz airhead]] Dr. Kylie Johnson was the victim of a typo at least once, or rather at least one of her patients was a victim of such.

* Actresses with Tomboyish names include BilliePiper, HaydenPanettiere, MichaelLearned, GlennClose, [[JamieKing James "Jamie" King]], JamieLeeCurtis, Glen Close, ChristopherNorris andSean Young.

** Not to mention Madi'''son'''; the name's popularity as a female name has been credited to its appearance as a name chosen by the mermaid in ''{{Splash}}''.

** Pascal from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'', too. ThemeNaming with her sister suggests that she was named after mathematician Blaise Pascal (who, if the whole ''HarryPotter'' [[DroppedABridgetOnHim Bridget-dropping]] Blaise Zabini incident is to be believed, had a GenderBlenderName in ''his'' own right).

* Wrestling/{{WWE}} wrestler Mickie James is a former Women's Champion. Granted, this is wrestling, and stranger things have happened than a man holding a women's belt, but she is a woman.

--> '''BobbyHeenan''': Mike?! What's her brother's name - Sally?
--> '''Gorilla Monsoon''': I don't know... maybe her father wanted a boy.

* Scout from ''ToKillAMockingbird'', which is her nickname - her full name is Jean Louise Finch. Needless to say, you only find that out in scenes where her aunt is trying to put her in dresses or other "formal" settings are happening.

* Another Makoto, this time in ''{{Kanon}}'', is called out on having a "boy's name". [[spoiler:She did take the name from someone else, but that person was also a female.]]
* Another Makoto...kinda the other way. Mizuhara Makoto from ''ElHazard''. His problem is that ''he'' looks ''just like'' the rather tomboyish Fatora, who is missing and he has to pose as.