Y's and I's

Y's are girly. I's are manly. The end.
Well, not quite. There are instances where Y's can be perfectly masculine, such as when they fall at the end of a name, a la "Avery." Or if a male name traditionally has a Y in it, like "Bryce." But when parents eager to "customize" their son's name think that pulling a Y-for-I switch is a good idea, think again. "Bryan" is not as manly as "Brian." "Ryley" looks much girlier than "Riley." And lets not forget names like "Jayson," "Hayden," and "Shayne," all of which are a bit more feminine that their Y-less counterparts.

Now, to address I's. Whereas I's tend to be more guyish in the middle of a world, Y's decidedly rule the end of a name. "Rory" works fine for a boy or a girl (including my own daughter!), but "Rori" really should only be considered for a female. A man named "Cody" or "Brady" can rest assured that their name will not be mistaken for a girl's (at least right now), but it's a little more iffy with "Codi" and "Bradi." Parents seriously do this to their sons!! I could say it a thousand times: if you want your child to have a unique name, pick a unique name- don't mess with the spelling on a name already established!

In summary, when considering your son's name: I's in the middle, Y's at the end.