Gender

Gender is a concept introduced in Generation II, though touched upon in Generation I. In Gold and Silver Versions, most species were assigned a gender (male or female), and then, in Pokémon Crystal, a choice of male or female player characters became available for the first time. This feature allowed for Pokémon breeding, as well as introducing the concept of a Pokémon Egg to the series. Gender makes no difference in the stats of a Pokémon after Generation II, unless the two Pokémon are a different species entirely, such as Nidoran.

Pokémon

Gender differences

Main article: List of Pokémon with gender differences

Generation IV premiered minimal differences in sprite between two Pokémon of the same species. For example, a male Raichu will have the full tail seen in previous games, while the female is missing the very tip of it. Generations V and VI would introduce Pokémon with more drastic differences in appearance.

Related species

Nidoran

The Nidoran family is a special case in terms of gender. Introduced in Generation I, before gender was known for all Pokémon, Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂ are considered separate species of Pokémon and indeed have many differences, from appearance to moveset. However, Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂ Eggs have a 50/50 chance of hatching into either Nidoran♀ or Nidoran♂, confirming that they are related.

Male	Female
Nidoran♂	Nidoran♀
Nidorino	Nidorina
Nidoking	Nidoqueen

Other

In a manner similar to Nidoran, Eggs produced by Illumise may hatch into Volbeat. While Latias and Latios are in the Undiscovered Group in the games, likely due to being legendary Pokémon, Latias have produced Eggs containing Latios in the anime, confirming that they are related. Mothim and Wormadam evolve from male- and female-gendered members of the same species.

Male	Female
Volbeat	Illumise
Latios	Latias
Mothim	Wormadam

Gender-based evolution

Some Pokémon can only evolve, or may evolve differently, if they are of a certain gender:

• Only male Kirlia can evolve into Gallade, although either gender may also evolve into Gardevoir.
• Only female Snorunt can evolve into Froslass, although either gender may also evolve into Glalie.
• Female Combee evolve into Vespiquen at level 21. Male Combee never evolve.
• At level 20, female Burmy will evolve into Wormadam and male Burmy evolve into Mothim.

Male only	Either	Female only
Gallade	Gardevoir	N/A
N/A	Glalie	Froslass
Mothim	N/A	Wormadam
Combee (does not evolve)	N/A	Vespiquen

Single-gender Pokémon

Several Pokémon are also only of one gender, without any explicitly related species (by evolution or reproduction) of the other/both gender(s). An arrow (→) indicates evolution:

Pokémon	Gender	Pokémon	Gender	Pokémon	Gender	Pokémon	Gender
Tyrogue	♂ →	Hitmonlee	♂ or	Hitmonchan	♂ or	Hitmontop	♂
Happiny	♀ →	Chansey	♀ →	Blissey	♀	Kangaskhan	♀
Smoochum	♀ →	Jynx	♀	Tauros	♂	Miltank	♀
Throh	♂	Sawk	♂	Petilil	♀ →	Lilligant	♀
Rufflet	♂ →	Braviary	♂	Vullaby	♀ →	Mandibuzz	♀
File:669.png Flabébé	♀ →	File:670.png Floette	♀ →	File:671.png Florges	♀
Cresselia	♀	Tornadus	♂	Thundurus	♂	Landorus	♂

In battle

Moves

This is a list of moves that are dependent on gender:

Gen	Move	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Range	Description
II	Attract	Status	Cute	000—	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	If it is the opposite gender of the user, the target becomes infatuated and less likely to attack.
IV	Captivate	Status	Beauty	000—	100100%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	If it is the opposite gender of the user, the target is charmed into harshly lowering its Sp. Atk stat.
All details are accurate to Generation VII games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual move's page. Target data assumes user is in the lower left.

Abilities

This is a list of Abilities that are dependent on gender:

Gen	Ability	Description
III	Cute Charm	Contact with the Pokémon may cause infatuation.
IV	Rivalry	Deals more damage to a Pokémon of same gender.
All details are accurate to Generation V games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual Ability's page.

Trainers

Choosing to play as male or female in Pokémon Black and White

Starting in Pokémon Crystal, players were given the option of choosing to play as a boy or girl Trainer at the start of the game. Since then, every game in the main series has included that choice.

Game	Male	Female
C	Ethan	Kris
R	Brendan	May
S
FR	Red	Leaf
LG
E	Brendan	May
D	Lucas	Dawn
P
Pt	Lucas	Dawn
HG	Ethan	Lyra
SS
B	Hilbert	Hilda
W
B2	Nate	Rosa
W2
X	Calem	Serena
Y

In side games

Many side games in the Pokémon franchise allow the player to choose between a male or female player character as well.

Game	Male	Female
Pokémon Card GB2	Mark	Mint
Pokémon Ranger	Lunick	Solana
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia	Kellyn	Kate
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs	Ben	Summer
Pokémon Conquest	Hero	Heroine

Trivia

Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂ show genders twice in Generation II, but only once in Generation III onward

• In Generation II, a Pokémon's gender was determined through its Attack IV. Due to this, unless a Pokémon was a member of an all-female species, such as Nidoran♀ and Smoochum, it could never have a maximized Attack stat, as female Pokémon were given the lower half of the IV range. This also caused the inability for a female Pokémon of a species with a gender ratio of seven males to one female—like the starter Pokémon and Eevee—to be Shiny, due to that also running partly off of the Attack IV. In Generation III this was addressed, with IVs no longer determining either of these, allowing for Pokémon species with two genders to have females with maximized Attack and simultaneously retain its chances of being Shiny.
• Although its English and French names suggest that it is exclusively male, Mr. Mime may be of either gender. This is due to the fact that it was given its name prior to the introduction of gender to the series.
• Since Azurill has a different gender ratio than Marill and Azumarill, one in three female Azurill will be male after evolving into Marill, dependent on the personality value of the Azurill in question.
• In the international versions of Generation II, due to how the battlefield display is programmed, Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀ have their gender icon shown twice, once in their name, and once after the level. This does not occur in the Japanese and Korean games, however, as the gender icon was present after all Pokémon's names due to the shorter character limit there. This was addressed in all later generations, which prevent the gender icon from showing up when an un-nicknamed Nidoran of either gender is on the field.

Pokémon individuality
Level • Stats • Friendship • Gender • Ability (Hidden Ability) • Nature • Characteristic Effort values • Individual values • Go Power • Effort level Condition • Performance • Affection • Memory

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.