The suffix くん with a girl's name


> この間も『のりこ **くん** 、お弁当買いに行ってくれないか』だって。

I know that the suffix くん is used with boys' names, while ちゃん is used with
girls' names. But I've just listened to a dialogue between two girls, and one
of them is talking about what her boss said to her.

Why is くん, not ちゃん, used with the girl's name？




> one of them is talking about what her boss said to her.

This is very important context. `くん` can be used by a boss for a subordinate
regardless of their gender. Outside of workplace, it can also be used in other
hierarchical settings, e.g. a teacher talking to a student or a school club's
president speaking to a club member.

However, as [mentioned by
@naruto](https://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2010/0325/303778.htm), especially in
workplace it seems to be going out of fashion, in part exactly due to the
potential confusion about the person's gender. The gender-neutral さん is likely
the better option nowadays.




> one of them is talking about what her boss said to her.

This is very important context. `くん` can be used by a boss for a subordinate
regardless of their gender. Outside of workplace, it can also be used in other
hierarchical settings, e.g. a teacher talking to a student or a school club's
president speaking to a club member.

However, as [mentioned by
@naruto](https://komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/t/2010/0325/303778.htm), especially in
workplace it seems to be going out of fashion, in part exactly due to the
potential confusion about the person's gender. The gender-neutral さん is likely
the better option nowadays.

